Related
I'm currently on the no longer available SERO plan from sprint. So i'm very reluctant to do anything that changes my plan considering how much i am saving each month.
Right now i have a touch pro2. I'm wondering if i buy an EVO somewhere (other then sprint) and activate it, will sprint know i am using an EVO? I'm not going to pay the extra $10/month considering that extra $10 doesn't get me anything extra that i wouldn't get with any other android phone.
I wasn't sure if the phone itself reports to sprint what phone it is. or if it does, if there's someway to have it report itself as something else.
I believe when they run the esn to activate it, it tells them what type of phone it is. If this is the case, you will have to pay the $10/month.
merkk said:
I'm currently on the no longer available SERO plan from sprint. So i'm very reluctant to do anything that changes my plan considering how much i am saving each month.
Right now i have a touch pro2. I'm wondering if i buy an EVO somewhere (other then sprint) and activate it, will sprint know i am using an EVO? I'm not going to pay the extra $10/month considering that extra $10 doesn't get me anything extra that i wouldn't get with any other android phone.
I wasn't sure if the phone itself reports to sprint what phone it is. or if it does, if there's someway to have it report itself as something else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe that if you try to activate an EVO on a SERO plan it will not only charge you the $10/mo premium data fee but it will also require you to change to an Everything * plan. They know what type of phone it is based on the ESN you put in to activate it.
yes Sprint knows what phone is active
Yes Sprint knows what phone you have because you have a serial number that is registered with sprint. This serial number is what the network uses to allow you to make calls billing etc. Being sprint uses a serial number they know what your phone is not like a sim where you can just switch to another phone. Hope this helps any more questions let me know.
Sorry for the confusion - i am aware i'll have to switch to an everything plan. Plus i will have to pay the $10/month on top of the everything plan.
I'd consider paying the everything plan. But the $10 fee really pisses me off since they are basically just making up an excuse to ask for an extra $10 and not giving me anything for the $10 that i wouldn't get with any other android or winmo phone.
How does the ESN # tell them what phone i have? Do they have a database with all the ESN numbers in it? or is the number formatted in a certain way that it containts the model number?
I don't suppose there's any way for me to spoof the esn and have it appear to be the same as my current phone?
thanks
HTC could very well give sprint and all of the carriers for which they develope exclusive phones the unique ESN numbers. That's how they would match the ESN to whatever phone you activate.
If anyone finds a way to spoof the ESN, you'd be cutting deeper into the pockets of sprint. They don't care too much that we modders get free tethering because the average person wouldn't go through all of the trouble rooting the phone, not to mention that they know, that we know, we're already paying for the data. It's kinda like Sprint saying, "Ok, you are paying for it anyway, so, if you can do it, go aheadn and root your phone."
Once you start spoofing ESN numbers on a mass scale, and circumventing that $10 surcharge, you can guarantee all of this rooting will be put to an end.
merkk said:
Sorry for the confusion - i am aware i'll have to switch to an everything plan. Plus i will have to pay the $10/month on top of the everything plan.
I'd consider paying the everything plan. But the $10 fee really pisses me off since they are basically just making up an excuse to ask for an extra $10 and not giving me anything for the $10 that i wouldn't get with any other android or winmo phone.
How does the ESN # tell them what phone i have? Do they have a database with all the ESN numbers in it? or is the number formatted in a certain way that it containts the model number?
I don't suppose there's any way for me to spoof the esn and have it appear to be the same as my current phone?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ESN is only on that one phone, and sprint has a database with all sprint activated ESNs. I have heard, sprint will not activate a phone not in their database. As for the ESN "cloning" in can be done, but i believe its not legal.
merkk said:
Sorry for the confusion - i am aware i'll have to switch to an everything plan. Plus i will have to pay the $10/month on top of the everything plan.
I'd consider paying the everything plan. But the $10 fee really pisses me off since they are basically just making up an excuse to ask for an extra $10 and not giving me anything for the $10 that i wouldn't get with any other android or winmo phone.
How does the ESN # tell them what phone i have? Do they have a database with all the ESN numbers in it? or is the number formatted in a certain way that it containts the model number?
I don't suppose there's any way for me to spoof the esn and have it appear to be the same as my current phone?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FWIW,
As memory serves, Sprint uses both an ESN, and the MAC address to track their customers. It is possible to find, and modify an ESN, and to "spoof" a MAC.
However, other than mention that there are articles in the forums on the ESN (and likely on the MAC). I'll refrain from providing a detailed how-to on the subject - I hope you understand, nothing personal.
HTH
--Chris
DeLL116 said:
HTC could very well give sprint and all of the carriers for which they develope exclusive phones the unique ESN numbers. That's how they would match the ESN to whatever phone you activate.
If anyone finds a way to spoof the ESN, you'd be cutting depper into the pockets of sprint. They don't care too much that we modders get free tethering because the average person wouldn't go through all of the trouble rooting the phone, not to mention that they know, that we know, we're already paying for the data. It's kinda like Spring saying, "Ok, you are paying for it anyway, so, if you can do it, root your phone."
Once you start spoofing ESN numbers on a mass scale, and circumventing that $10 surchage, you can guarantee all of this rooting will be put to an end.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand what you are saying. but it doesn't change my opinion. I wont pay $10 extra month just because they want it. That $10 doesn't give me anything extra I wouldn't get with any other smart phone. When i asked sprint about it, they told me it was for the enhanced data experience or some crap like that - basically telling me it was due to the larger screen or faster proc - both of which i've already paid for when i buy the phone. And even if they want to argue i MIGHT use more data, so what? I'm already pay for 'unlimited' data. They can charge me $10 when i over the 'unlimited' limit.
They already rip us off with the fees they charge for text messages, so i dont have any sympathy for the cell phone companies. I'm not trying to get something for free. I'm willing to keep paying my monthly bill. I'm just not willing to pay a made up fee that doesn't give me any additional service just because i want a phone, that i'll be paying for, with a bigger screen/fast cpu.
bwcorvus said:
The ESN is only on that one phone, and sprint has a database with all sprint activated ESNs. I have heard, sprint will not activate a phone not in their database. As for the ESN "cloning" in can be done, but i believe its not legal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
would an 'unlocked' phone be one that's not in there db?
CTH-EVO said:
FWIW,
As memory serves, Sprint uses both an ESN, and the MAC address to track their customers. It is possible to find, and modify an ESN, and to "spoof" a MAC.
However, other than mention that there are articles in the forums on the ESN (and likely on the MAC). I'll refrain from providing a detailed how-to on the subject - I hope you understand, nothing personal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not taken personally - i'll do some googleing later on the esn and see what i find. thanks
merkk said:
I understand what you are saying. but it doesn't change my opinion. I wont pay $10 extra month just because they want it. That $10 doesn't give me anything extra I wouldn't get with any other smart phone. When i asked sprint about it, they told me it was for the enhanced data experience or some crap like that - basically telling me it was due to the larger screen or faster proc - both of which i've already paid for when i buy the phone. And even if they want to argue i MIGHT use more data, so what? I'm already pay for 'unlimited' data. They can charge me $10 when i over the 'unlimited' limit.
They already rip us off with the fees they charge for text messages, so i dont have any sympathy for the cell phone companies. I'm not trying to get something for free. I'm willing to keep paying my monthly bill. I'm just not willing to pay a made up fee that doesn't give me any additional service just because i want a phone, that i'll be paying for, with a bigger screen/fast cpu.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I completely agree with you, man. I was actually thinking about the dumb-ass explanation that Sprint gave me when I asked them why I'd be charged an extra $10 a month. I remember saying something to the salesgirl like, "You know that's all bull****, right."
Go spoofing to your heart's greatest desire, I'm just saying, when you take money out of someone's pocket, you start drawing more heat.
Just talked my sister that sells phones, she said yes the esn tells sprint the model number...so your only option would be to "clone" the esn of your old phone.
Every single ESN is in sprints database from the beginning of time, notkidding, try and activate a 15 year old phone (ive done it) pulls up model of phone and not only that but history of phone accounts its been on, service thats been performed on the phone previously, if its been reported, lost, stolen, flagged as liquid damage.
Absolutely everything is there and will pull up in accordance to the ESN related t the device.
The absolute only way to do it would be to clone the ESN onto an EVO of a different model and activate it over the phone (in which case some services on your phone may not work properly) but should as long as you select an appropriate device to clone.
Now on to how to clone an ESN...... NO IDEA!! lol sorry, I've never seen it done or come across a situation where it was done, I have however heard of it being done, but its not easy and your going to have to do it yourself, so if your not a programmer, you best take some schooling or give up on the idea (afik)
sprint is cheaper and you get more for your money than any other provider per value and the only major carrier cheaper afik is T-mobile or small company's, time to get over it boys and girls, its 10$ it goes to a good cause, you eat up a crapload of bandwidth and it costs alot of money to expand the network (you want good service right?) if not just goto ATT
oh and it always gives you additional service, it just depends if your in 4g coverage or not, if you go there its available to you, !! I do agree that they should have an option to disable 4G and then you dont have to pay for it.
but thats just not the situation.
Should my monthly bill be cheaper because my house is in a roaming area and I don't get 3G? why isn't my bill cheaper than yours because you getz da 3g's!?!
Stop being so simple minded, seriously, the service is available to you on the network, just not where you live.
It is what it is, and until they make it so you can disable 4g and not get charged there's nothing thats going to change this situation, your still paying less than verizon and ATT
You're question has been answered. Yes it is bs that I pay an extra 10 for nothing. That 10 is a 4g charge by the way. Don't know why no one mentioned that. But I don't even get 4g in my town. None the less, Sprint still has the cheapest plans for what you get. Trust me I have checked. With my unlimited everything 450 minutes and 4g I can get out the door at 80. Compare that to atts 100. But as was said, cloaning an esn would not be legal and I'm not sure that road of discusssion should be taken. Its a buzz kill that you'd have to upgrade your plan. But you have the choice.
Alanmw86 said:
Every single ESN is in sprints database from the beginning of time, notkidding, try and activate a 15 year old phone (ive done it) pulls up model of phone and not only that but history of phone accounts its been on, service thats been performed on the phone previously, if its been reported, lost, stolen, flagged as liquid damage.
Absolutely everything is there and will pull up in accordance to the ESN related t the device.
The absolute only way to do it would be to clone the ESN onto an EVO of a different model and activate it over the phone (in which case some services on your phone may not work properly) but should as long as you select an appropriate device to clone.
Now on to how to clone an ESN...... NO IDEA!! lol sorry, I've never seen it done or come across a situation where it was done, I have however heard of it being done, but its not easy and your going to have to do it yourself, so if your not a programmer, you best take some schooling or give up on the idea (afik)
sprint is cheaper and you get more for your money than any other provider per value and the only major carrier cheaper afik is T-mobile or small company's, time to get over it boys and girls, its 10$ it goes to a good cause, you eat up a crapload of bandwidth and it costs alot of money to expand the network (you want good service right?) if not just goto ATT
oh and it always gives you additional service, it just depends if your in 4g coverage or not, if you go there its available to you, !! I do agree that they should have an option to disable 4G and then you dont have to pay for it.
but thats just not the situation.
Should my monthly bill be cheaper because my house is in a roaming area and I don't get 3G? why isn't my bill cheaper than yours because you getz da 3g's!?!
Stop being so simple minded, seriously, the service is available to you on the network, just not where you live.
It is what it is, and until they make it so you can disable 4g and not get charged there's nothing thats going to change this situation, your still paying less than verizon and ATT
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i agree that $10 is $10... what r u honestly gonna do with that extra $10 a month... It wont go very far elsewhere... If ur that worried about money maybe u should switch to Metro or prepaid. Why not use that $10 to enhance ur mobile phone experience? As long as u know the ramifications of cloning esns and that it's a serious FEDERAL crime nd not some silly civil misdemeanor and that there is not a one click method to do it like rooting a phone then have at it but also beware that some services may not work. And yes compare ATT and or Verizon and see how much better of a deal ur getting with sprint even with the $10 4g surcharge... if u don't want to pay it then switch to TMo and buy the nexus one... it's just as good as the EVO without the 4g surcharge...
im not 100% certain how illegal it is to clone an ESN, so long as the the ESN you are cloning is your own.
but im certain its something thats not worth your time either way.
BTW there is as of October 1 a new plan called SERO Premium which will work with the newer phones such as Android phones and Palm Pre. The rate plan is $40 so the EVO would be $50 including the extra fee. Not quite the $30 you're currently paying, but it is cheaper than EPRP and includes Any Mobile, Anytime.
Don't go that route. Definitely illegal, even if its your own esn. As per the fcc;
Fraud
Cellular fraud is defined as the unauthorized use, tampering, or manipulation of a cellular phone or service. Cellular industry estimates indicate that carriers lose millions per year to cellular fraud, with the principal cause being subscription fraud. Subscriber fraud occurs when a subscriber signs up for service with fraudulently obtained customer information or false identification.
In the past, cloning of cellular phones was a major concern. A cloned cellular telephone is one that has been reprogrammed to transmit the electronic serial number (ESN) and telephone number (MIN) belonging to another (legitimate) cellular telephone. Unscrupulous persons obtain valid ESN/MIN combinations by illegally monitoring the transmissions from the cellular telephones of legitimate subscribers. Each cellular telephone is supposed to have a unique factory-set ESN. After cloning, however, because both cellular telephones have the same ESN/MIN combination, cellular systems cannot distinguish the cloned cellular telephone from the legitimate one.
The Commission considers any knowing use of cellular telephone with an altered ESN to be a violation of the Communications Act (Section 301) and alteration of the ESN in a cellular telephone to be assisting in such violation. The Wireless Telephone Protection Act (Public Law 105-172) was signed into law on April 24, 1998, expanding the prior law to criminalize the use, possession, manufacture or sale of cloning hardware or software. The cellular equipment manufacturing industry has deployed authentication systems that have proven to be a very effective countermeasure to cloning. Authentication supplements the use of the ESN and MIN with a changing encrypted code that can not be obtained by off-the-air monitoring.
And the $10 fee has nothing to do with 4g - its a front facing camera fee. Every new Sprint phone with a front facing camera will have that fee.
Sent from my blah blah blah blah
merkk said:
I understand what you are saying. but it doesn't change my opinion. I wont pay $10 extra month just because they want it. That $10 doesn't give me anything extra I wouldn't get with any other smart phone. When i asked sprint about it, they told me it was for the enhanced data experience or some crap like that - basically telling me it was due to the larger screen or faster proc - both of which i've already paid for when i buy the phone. And even if they want to argue i MIGHT use more data, so what? I'm already pay for 'unlimited' data. They can charge me $10 when i over the 'unlimited' limit.
They already rip us off with the fees they charge for text messages, so i dont have any sympathy for the cell phone companies. I'm not trying to get something for free. I'm willing to keep paying my monthly bill. I'm just not willing to pay a made up fee that doesn't give me any additional service just because i want a phone, that i'll be paying for, with a bigger screen/fast cpu.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's an idea. If you do not like paying the cost of the service, do not get the cell phone that requires that. Get something else. That's the luxury you get for having such a great phone.
Also, this should be locked. Anyone that wants to do an illegal activity should just be smacked. The cloning, or manipulation of an esn is a federal offense. 10$ a month/different cell phone > 5 years in jail.
i know there are a couple of phone insurance threads floating around already but i felt like there needed to be a separate one strictly for the people that bought it through the play store...it falls under different warranty and its a different circumstance
for anyone that has/will buy insurance for this phone please list the company, rate (yearly or monthly) deductible, waiting period and if it excludes anything major that we may need (for example some policies dont cover loss only theft)
PLEASE ONLY post if you already own the insurance or have spoken to a rep directly...no speculation or assumptions...it may give people wrong information
i will start first:
i havent bought it yet but i spoke to a carrier rep that told me the nexus from the playstore is now considered "local" since google is selling it directly to the US which is why they will insure it properly
company: ensquared
rate: $58.99 1 year or $99.99 2 years
deductible: $75
waiting period: 30 days, claim can be filed on 31st day
Insurance
I purchased my policy through Worth Ave Group. They are just a reseller (broker) as the policy itself is underwritten by The Hanover Ins. Group out of Worcester, MA.
Details:
Cost: $43.25
Term: 1 year
Waiting period: 1 day (bought coverage yesterday, in effect today)
Deductible: $50
Limit: $399 (per event, not aggregate) What this means is that you could theoretically file a claim for a phone that was spilled on, have it paid for and then a few months later drop it and have it paid for again ($50 deductible each time).
A few things to note:
Does not provide coverage if you simply lose your phone, it must have been stolen and a police report must be filed, if so. Also, if the phone was stolen from your car, there must be evidence of force-able entry: i.e. taken from a car with unlocked doors or open windows = no coverage.
bigmike75 said:
I purchased my policy through Worth Ave Group. They are just a reseller (broker) as the policy itself is underwritten by The Hanover Ins. Group out of Worcester, MA.
Details:
Cost: $43.25
Term: 1 year
Waiting period: 1 day (bought coverage yesterday, in effect today)
Deductible: $50
Limit: $399 (per event, not aggregate) What this means is that you could theoretically file a claim for a phone that was spilled on, have it paid for and then a few months later drop it and have it paid for again ($50 deductible each time).
A few things to note:
Does not provide coverage if you simply lose your phone, it must have been stolen and a police report must be filed, if so. Also, if the phone was stolen from your car, there must be evidence of force-able entry: i.e. taken from a car with unlocked doors or open windows = no coverage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i looked into worth ave group..best price by far...2 reasons why im hesitant to go with them
1. no loss protection (as you mentioned)
2. i was reading the claims q&a and it says for damages you have to bring it to a store first to get it evaluated and it seems like if you can get it repaired they will send you a check for the amount of necessary...and if its beyond repair they will need a letter stating so from the store... all this nonsense instead of being able to simply ship a broken device to them and pay the deductible...are you aware of that?
also...did you ask you them specifically about the device? my main concern is that they say they cover it, then when the time comes they give you a comparable replacement because its an overseas (unlocked) phone
Worth Ave Ins
Yeah, I am not too concerned about the non-coverage for loss as I am pretty good about keeping my phone with me at all times. For the repair issues, I am aware of that disclosure and can live with that, especially when factoring in the cost of the insurance.
bigmike75 said:
Yeah, I am not too concerned about the non-coverage for loss as I am pretty good about keeping my phone with me at all times. For the repair issues, I am aware of that disclosure and can live with that, especially when factoring in the cost of the insurance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i just called them...are you aware that they don't supply you with a device...when you file a claim (and it gets approved) they mail you a check and you have to purchase a new device on your own
not a fan of that procedure
Worth Ave
I'm not too worried about that. I actually prefer getting money for the phone instead of a replacement anyways. There could be a better model/phone available at the time of making a claim which I could then buy.
jdiddy_ub said:
i just called them...are you aware that they don't supply you with a device...when you file a claim (and it gets approved) they mail you a check and you have to purchase a new device on your own
not a fan of that procedure
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Click to collapse
I haven't decided who to go with yet. But, I do prefer this procedure. If they just send me a check for $399 instead of replacing my Galaxy Nexus, then a year down the line, I can get the best phone available for $399, which I'm betting won't be the Galaxy Nexus. Think about that!
EDIT: Bigmike beat me to it, but yea, same point - completely agree with you bigmike.
ra990 said:
I haven't decided who to go with yet. But, I do prefer this procedure. If they just send me a check for $399 instead of replacing my Galaxy Nexus, then a year down the line, I can get the best phone available for $399, which I'm betting won't be the Galaxy Nexus. Think about that!
EDIT: Bigmike beat me to it, but yea, same point - completely agree with you bigmike.
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Click to collapse
agreed...but i feel like since they are handing out money instead of a device they are going to make you go through hell to get it...no one likes to hand over money
2ndly...i have double and triple checked ensquared...they definitely cover the international nexus...i made it a point to distinguish the verizon model and stated that i dont want a SG2 or comparable phone as a replacement because i already have that and thats why im making the switch in the first place..he told me that comparable devices are only given if the customer is rushing them to locate a device ,if its been discontinued or if its not a popular device and you bought it from a small market company or carrier...which google obviously is not...i even got the reps name and a direct line (which i called)
im going to go with them...$59 for 1 year and it covers damage, loss, theft and many other things...sweet deal with a $75 deductible...beats my $7.99/mo and $130 deductible with tmobile
I went through MDPA, it was $70 for the year. No deductible.
http://www.mobiledeviceprotection.com/
No clue on how they are to work with, giving them a try over asurion this time.
Thanks for the info. I was thinking about getting insurance for my Galaxy Nexus but wasn't sure if Google offered any. When you sign up for the insurance through Google, do you have to call up or can you sign up online? Thanks!
Since this thread comes up in a quick Google search, I figured I'd give my .02 cents while I'm in the middle of a claim with Worth Ave Group.
My phone dropped and has a cracked screen as of Sunday. I filed a claim via the website and waited 24 hours. No response. Monday: I sent an email through their website. No response. I called later and got a representative that said they received the claim. After the phone call, I got a reply to my initial claim. Tuesday: I get a 2nd response from the email I sent from their website. My first issue is not only are they not 24x7, but they also take 24-48 hours to respond. The customer service rep says we should wait 2-3 business days for a response. My previous claims with Asurion had a new device on my doorstep by the next day, so this is stark contrast in customer service.
I was instructed to get a quote from a local repair shop. Even though Worth Ave instructed me to go to a specific repair shop, they didn't seem to be aware of Worth Ave's policy. I was not able to get a written estimate nor did they send me the follow-up email they promised me. I still sent an email back to Worth Ave's claim department with the amount quoted. Most likely, I'll have to wait another 24-48 hours for a response on what I can expect next (maybe a repair of my device). If they agree to pay for the repair, reimbursement can take up to 2 weeks.
TL;DR: Don't go with Worth Ave Group if you expect to get a quick turnaround in case of an event. Time is money. Pay a little more for 24x7 service which will ship you a replacement.
So I've been with Verizon for years, long before I accepted a job as a Microsoft consultant which many know, provides reduced rates in the form of discounts. The one I happen to have acquired some time back is a $20 "unlimited everything" as a MS employee with Verizon. I also recieve 20% off the top of the total plan as well. When I went from 3g to 4g, they basically grandfathered me on the same discount (as I'm still a MS consultant), but made me purchase a text package because what was previously "unlimited data + messaging" became simply "unlimited data". No biggie, give me the $10 text package and call it good.
Well I just discovered that if you get a Corporate Discount (Amazong/Boeing/Microsoft,etc), chances are you can STILL remain grandfathered under true unlimited. The exception would be for tablets.
Thought this would be worth sharing because as savvy as I thought I was, I had no idea was still the case. So the Galaxy Nex I just bought online wasn't a complete waste, but knowing I can go back and take another upgrade without changing my plan is HUGE, at least for me!
it depends on the corp discount contract vzw has with the company. some may not retain anything except the discount.
only reason i know this, i used to work at vzw :/
Good point, each individual should contact Verizon and find out what Corporate discount they have, and whether it's still being honored. In fact, the gal at Verizon today told me the Boeing one went away (remaining grandfathered), but Microsoft retained theirs. She even advised I could turn my sons dumb phone (2nd line on my plan, currently just call/text) into a smart and get the same $20 deal. The exception, obviously the tablets.
Glad VZW is giving discount to these corporations like Microsoft who so badly need them lol.
They must have taken a card from hospitals, who ruin people lives with more debt than they can possibly pay and then turn around and subsidize costs paid by the insurance companies.
WiredPirate said:
Glad VZW is giving discount to these corporations like Microsoft who so badly need them lol.
They must have taken a card from hospitals, who ruin people lives with more debt than they can possibly pay and then turn around and subsidize costs paid by the insurance companies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pro tip from someone who works in the healthcare industry: always ask for the no insurance amount. it might be cheaper than your deductible/co-ins
self pay usually has a stupid high discount as hospitals assume you will not pay.
Yeah well my employer doesn't cover my mobile expenses so what they make and what they deserve only matters to the extent of what it means to me, hence the share.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
I have a T-Mobile s4, which is turned off due to non payment and I want to hook it up with another carrier. I tried the info given to unlock it but after I enter the number, it doesn't go to the screen shown on the video. Is there anything I can do besides pay T-Mobile?
Nope. I'm pretty sure that you have to have an active line to unlock.
purplekity415 said:
I have a T-Mobile s4, which is turned off due to non payment and I want to hook it up with another carrier. I tried the info given to unlock it but after I enter the number, it doesn't go to the screen shown on the video. Is there anything I can do besides pay T-Mobile?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None payment of service or non payment on device?
Either which way your device is black listed. But if for non payment on device, technically device is stolen.
And either each way, this is probably a grey area to discuss on xda
carrier unlock s4
ShinySide said:
None payment of service or non payment on device?
Either which way your device is black listed. But if for non payment on device, technically device is stolen.
And either each way, this is probably a grey area to discuss on xda[/QUOTE
Hi, thank you for getting back to me so soon. It is off due to non payment of the bill and i put down half on the phone, so i guess its for both. I lost my job and could not afford to pay anything to anyone until i got my unemployment, anyway i wonder if i will have a problem restoring the service when i get paid? Thanks again.
denise
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ShinySide said:
None payment of service or non payment on device?
Either which way your device is black listed. But if for non payment on device, technically device is stolen.
And either each way, this is probably a grey area to discuss on xda
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope what you mean is that carrier locking of phones is borderline criminal. There is nothing morally wrong with unlocking your own phone. If you don't pay your electric bill, they don't confiscate your lights.
Sent from my One using Tapatalk
mhannigan said:
I hope what you mean is that carrier locking of phones is borderline criminal. There is nothing morally wrong with unlocking your own phone. If you don't pay your electric bill, they don't confiscate your lights.
Sent from my One using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Guess you dont understand what I meant by non payment on the phone. i.e. Tmos payment plan to pay off the phone. Which you are in a contract to pay off the device. And if you dont fulfill the contract....guess who legally owns it? Cant buy a car not pay the bank and say hey i dont bank with you anymore so now I own the car legally....
ShinySide said:
Guess you dont understand what I meant by non payment on the phone. i.e. Tmos payment plan to pay off the phone. Which you are in a contract to pay off the device. And if you dont fulfill the contract....guess who legally owns it? Cant buy a car not pay the bank and say hey i dont bank with you anymore so now I own the car legally....
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Actually, it would be a little bit more like not paying your OnStar subscription fee and then having someone in a forum talk down to you like you stole the car because of it.
There is a huge difference here. The phone and the "contract" being intermingled with control over using the phone is nothing more than a tool to blackmail the customer into staying with the provider. T-Mobile's primary business is providing service for a monthly fee. I paid cash for my T-Mobile branded phone ($700+). But when I traveled abroad about a month later, they refused to unlock it because I had not had it with T-Mobile service yet for 40 days (although I have been with T-Mobile for at least a decade).
Like I said, when you don't pay your electric, they don't disable your lamps and your TV. They don't even come take your CFL bulbs that they subsidized. I get to use those bulbs with a windmill if I want to. When you don't pay your landline bill, they don't remotely disable your Panasonic cordless phone. If they COULD, they WOULD, but we wouldn't tolerate it. Unfortunately, there are people (like you) who have been lulled into thinking that this is OK when it comes to cell phones. Being a Senior Member, I think you should set a better example and use your critical thinking - and not simply imply that someone who didn't pay their cell bill shouldn't even be discussing it in public.
That was my point - indicating that you're not even sure if it should be discussed here is a bit dramatic - the guy isn't trying to screw anyone - just exploring his options. He paid for half of the phone up front, and paid for service for somewhere between 0 and 2 years. If anyone has been screwed, it's him by being held hostage.
A cell phone and a financed automobile are in different ballparks, my friend. I think you know that.
Mike
mhannigan said:
Actually, it would be a little bit more like not paying your OnStar subscription fee and then having someone in a forum talk down to you like you stole the car because of it.
There is a huge difference here. The phone and the "contract" being intermingled with control over using the phone is nothing more than a tool to blackmail the customer into staying with the provider. T-Mobile's primary business is providing service for a monthly fee. I paid cash for my T-Mobile branded phone ($700+). But when I traveled abroad about a month later, they refused to unlock it because I had not had it with T-Mobile service yet for 40 days (although I have been with T-Mobile for at least a decade).
Like I said, when you don't pay your electric, they don't disable your lamps and your TV. They don't even come take your CFL bulbs that they subsidized. I get to use those bulbs with a windmill if I want to. When you don't pay your landline bill, they don't remotely disable your Panasonic cordless phone. If they COULD, they WOULD, but we wouldn't tolerate it. Unfortunately, there are people (like you) who have been lulled into thinking that this is OK when it comes to cell phones. Being a Senior Member, I think you should set a better example and use your critical thinking - and not simply imply that someone who didn't pay their cell bill shouldn't even be discussing it in public.
That was my point - indicating that you're not even sure if it should be discussed here is a bit dramatic - the guy isn't trying to screw anyone - just exploring his options. He paid for half of the phone up front, and paid for service for somewhere between 0 and 2 years. If anyone has been screwed, it's him by being held hostage.
A cell phone and a financed automobile are in different ballparks, my friend. I think you know that.
Mike
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Ahaha Okay so according to your logic, Everyone go to Tmobile Only put a down payment down then run off with the phone and you legally own it. Sounds so legit and logical. Their not going to unlock a phone they legally own because some one didnt pay it off. Or unlock your phone for you when you owe them money. Nor let you use it on their service under a different account. Why? Because everyone will just rack their bill up then just open a new account so they dont have to pay that racked up bill off. Obviously you dont understand how a business and contracts work. Hes not being "held hostage" he/she just isnt going to receive a service (ie unlock code) when he/she owes money.
Is but same logic. Dont pay your phone, no unlock code. Dont pay your note, No title. As far as your 40 day problem? (And its actually 90) No where lets you buy phones out right, unlock them right away and walk away free without service. They'd lose money and wouldnt be a service but just a cell phone dealer. If you want to do that go buy a factory unlocked which costs even more then one locked to a carrier then you dont have to worry about whinning and crying you cant unlock your phone when you dont pay your bill, fulfill a contract, or fulfill the terms of service you signed when you purchased the device.
Anyways you think its cool to unlock and "run off" with a phone that isnt paid in full and money is owed on, and I dont. We can just leave it at that.
OT but actually its 7 or 14 days service needed to get it unlocked once its paid in full, I don't remember exactly but its one of those. I called T-Mobile a few months ago and that's what they told me.. It might be a recent change
I am coming from best buy Geek Squad with no deductible. I know best buy is still much better than sprint but I am looking for insurance that offers me the best protection including accidental drops and water damage and coverage for lost and stolen phones (although I'm willing to give this up if I have to in return for a great accidental plan with low ddeductible) I'm curious what everyone else is planning to go with to protect their new phone. With bestbuy I had my phone ran over by a semi and dropped from high elevation (both theories technically not covered) but was replaced twice at no charge.
Anyone find this kind of great insurance else where?
Maybe I'll just do geek squad and drop sprints insurance
hardingn88 said:
I am coming from best buy Geek Squad with no deductible. I know best buy is still much better than sprint but I am looking for insurance that offers me the best protection including accidental drops and water damage and coverage for lost and stolen phones (although I'm willing to give this up if I have to in return for a great accidental plan with low ddeductible) I'm curious what everyone else is planning to go with to protect their new phone. With bestbuy I had my phone ran over by a semi and dropped from high elevation (both theories technically not covered) but was replaced twice at no charge.
Anyone find this kind of great insurance else where?
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I haven't looked at specifics between plans to compare, something I need to do but I recently read an article on one of the many android-centric sites about best buy's updated insurance plan and it is not so good, a few months back it was modified greatly and at quick glance it was worse than what is provided through sprint. These aren't exact numbers but it was something like 40 dollars per claim even if work (as in fix/replace) is done or not and deductible was through the roof for high-end smartphones [audit needed]. I just remember many of the commenters on the article were saying they were jumping ship from BB insurance and going with sprint's.
No insurance for me. Never had it on a phone I've owned.
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ahhh, nice, cheaper than both BB and Sprint:
http://www.samsung.com/us/owners/protection-plus/mobile-elite/?CID=AFL-hq-mul-0813-11000170
+1 Samsung
Sprint: $11 x 24 = $264 + $200 deductible, total $464
BB/GeekSquad: $149 up-front + $149 service fee, total $298
Samsung: $129 up-front + $95 service fee, total $224
Sprint includes service/repair in their monthly cost, but not replacement.
BB/GS&Samsung all charge a service fee any severity problem.
evolone said:
ahhh, nice, cheaper than both BB and Sprint:
http://www.samsung.com/us/owners/protection-plus/mobile-elite/?CID=AFL-hq-mul-0813-11000170
+1 Samsung
Sprint: $11 x 24 = $264 + $200 deductible, total $464
BB/GeekSquad: $149 up-front + $149 service fee, total $298
Samsung: $129 up-front + $95 service fee, total $224
Sprint includes service/repair in their monthly cost, but not replacement.
BB/GS&Samsung all charge a service fee any severity problem.
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Thank you so much for this information. This is what I will be going with. Currently I have been paying $22 a month with best buy for 2 phones and never used it for one of the phones. That is $264 per device over the 24 month policy term that I paid. Samsung seems to have the best plan available for me and seems to have the lowest deductible which has been my concern. I live paycheck to paycheck and do not have $150-$200 to pay to best buy or sprint if I was to need to make a claim and $95/per claim would much easier on me. Again, Thank you for sharing that information. I don't understand why samsung has not marketed this a little better maybe in their commercials or something. Hopefully they will market it better so it will do good. I have been on the samsung site every day for the last week waiting for note 4 accessories and have never seen this.
Squaretrade is even cheaper than Samsung. It has a lower deductible and the premium is cheaper too..
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I'm also coming from geek squad with no deductible on my GS4 , and I'll be going to square trade it's the best deal for $100 for 2 Years or 5$ a month and it's a 75$ deductible cheapest of all them, I'll miss the no deductible tho :/
Only the Sprint policy covers lost or stolen phones so something to keep in mind.
I'm not cheer-leading for them just adding info to the archives.
I do use Square Trade on my other electronics but will probably keep the Sprint insurance for a year.
Itchiee said:
Only the Sprint policy covers lost or stolen phones so something to keep in mind.
I'm not cheer-leading for them just adding info to the archives.
I do use Square Trade on my other electronics but will probably keep the Sprint insurance for a year.
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I haven't filed a claim with them yet, but Worth Ave. Group insurance seems to be the best deal, and has great reviews: http://www.worthavegroup.com/product/cell-phone-insurance/
For a $699 phone and $50 deductible, it's $69 per year. From their site, "Each policy covers the cell phone for Accidental Damage such as drops and spills as well as Theft, Fire, Flood, Natural Disasters and Lightning Strikes. With a low $50 deductible and premiums starting as little as under $4 a month, this policy accommodates every budget. We cover NEW, USED and REFURBISHED devices."
I've been doing some more digging around about policies and this might be some useful information.
Options for people concerned with lost/stolen smartphones
-Renters/Homeowners Insurance - you'll need to add a "Valuable Personal Article" to your plan - this is also the cheapest way to go out of all of them, but only covers loss not damage (same insurers may cover damage)
-Sprint (insurance by Asurion)
If only concerned about broken/damaged smartphones (plans exclude loss)
-Squaretrade
-Samsung
Alternative ...best deal of them all but there is some risk (imo)
-Worth Ave. Group
Note: They pay out cost of plan instead of repair/replace. If you go with the $899 plan and if something happens to the phone they send you $899. The issue I found is if you look up reviews online (not on their website) there are mixed reviews, people have had problems with their claims and WAG's customer service. So there seems to be some risk here of getting the money, also the wait-time of processing the claim and actually receiving the money. [update] They don't cover loss and their definition of theft is extremely specific, read their fine print.
Itchiee said:
Only the Sprint policy covers lost or stolen phones so something to keep in mind.
I'm not cheer-leading for them just adding info to the archives.
I do use Square Trade on my other electronics but will probably keep the Sprint insurance for a year.
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Also, if you're using Easy Pay and plan to upgrade in a year, you can only trade in the original device or a Sprint approved replacement. If you use other insurance and get a replacement, you'll have to keep it the full two years.
evolone said:
I'll
If only concerned about broken/damaged smartphones (plans exclude loss)
-Squaretrade
-Samsung
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Samsung has insurance? Is it well priced?
I didn't even realize that bestbuy changed. I've been looking around for the negative reviews by Worth Ave and I can't find any. I've seen a few that claim to be negative but the details sound like people are trying to get coverage on things that were stated not to be covered. I'm not trying to defend them by any means. Just looking for where all these mixed reviews are posted.
Silent25r said:
I didn't even realize that bestbuy changed. I've been looking around for the negative reviews by Worth Ave and I can't find any. I've seen a few that claim to be negative but the details sound like people are trying to get coverage on things that were stated not to be covered. I'm not trying to defend them by any means. Just looking for where all these mixed reviews are posted.
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Here is a good place to look BBB, yes they are 'resolved' but if you read them, many are not to the customers satisfaction.
There's also more, just google for it, you'll need to do some digging through ads/promotions and whatnot. Some of the complaints have to do with technicalities in the fine print that allow the company to deny the claim. For example if my phone is stolen I'd expect reimbursement from the claim under any circumstance, not an investigation into why it doesn't fit their definition of theft and then denied. Here's a scenario they would deny: Your at starbucks and place an order, you go find a table and put your phone on it, they call your name and you get your coffee, you come back to an empty table. Stupid absolutely, but the phone was stolen (theft), Worth would deny that claim because the phone was unprotected and "free for the taking". That's a simplistic example of the reviews/complaints/issues i've found. Basically there has to be some act of vandalism (breaking and entering/physical attack etc) along with the act of theft for it be covered and apparently this is in the fine print and not in their advertisements.
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jrollercoasters said:
Samsung has insurance? Is it well priced?
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Post 5
evolone said:
Here is a good place to look BBB, yes they are 'resolved' but if you read them, many are not to the customers satisfaction.
There's also more, just google for it, you'll need to do some digging through ads/promotions and whatnot. Some of the complaints have to do with technicalities in the fine print that allow the company to deny the claim. For example if my phone is stolen I'd expect reimbursement from the claim under any circumstance, not an investigation into why it doesn't fit their definition of theft and then denied. Here's a scenario they would deny: Your at starbucks and place an order, you go find a table and put your phone on it, they call your name and you get your coffee, you come back to an empty table. Stupid absolutely, but the phone was stolen (theft), Worth would deny that claim because the phone was unprotected and "free for the taking". That's a simplistic example of the reviews/complaints/issues i've found. Basically there has to be some act of vandalism (breaking and entering/physical attack etc) along with the act of theft for it be covered and apparently this is in the fine print and not in their advertisements.
---------- Post added at 02:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:06 PM ----------
Post 5
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Thanks for that reply. I did read the BBB. At least some of them. A lot of the issues did deal with people leaving their cars unlocked or breaking in commercial used vehicles. I don't know about worth ave ads since I usual don't read the ads. I've yet to leave any of my phones unprotected and I'm anal about locking things up. However, as far as insurance goes the only ones I've looking at don't offer replacement for stolen devices of any kind. Samsung and squaretrade. Since I don't like a lot of time to go by on waiting for a replacement Squaretrade is out for me.
Aursion brunt me bad. I filed a BBB case against them myself. Had liquid damage with my note 2. After agreeing to pay the high deductible they sent me a broken replacement and refused to replace the replacement. Sprint kept telling me I had 10 days to get them to replace it but they wouldn't do it. I spoke to supervisors at Aursion and did all I could to get them to replace my broken replacement and they told me the only way they'd do it if is if I paid another 250 or whatever stupidly high price they are charging. I ended up having to wait around for a week for Sprint to get me a replacement device and surprising that device didn't work so I had to wait yet another week. I did finally get a working phone and I was refunded the deductible on the grounds of TEP not following their contract. I had to get a hold of sprint corporate in order to make this refund happen. Aursion didn't appear to be happy with the way things went and made sure I knew that I would never have to use them again.
Under the Samsung insurance if my device fails under normal circumstances will they still get me a fast replacement and not charge me 95 bucks to fix their problem? That for me is the kicker. If not, I'm probably going to go with Worth Ave. I'm not really counting on my phone being stolen but I do spend a lot of time on the water. Liquid damage is my worse enemy. I didn't want the S5 and no case so far offers waterproofing. For now, I'll just use a waterproof box and a bluetooth. Despite these measures I had one of those boxes fail on me taking my device with it. This week I'll be going through Worth Ave's terms and conditions and e-mailing them questions on anything I'm unsure about.
I still don't understand how Best Buy went from being on the best to what I'm calling one of the worst in terms of insurance. From the looks of things even it is covered under warranty they may still charge to fix or replace it. I understand people gaming the system but I think they went a little to aggressive on stopping that from happening.
i've never had an issue with Geek Squad and my Note 2 other than having to use one of my own phones as a backup until it was fixed (don't carry sprint phones for some reason). I had a bad string of unfortunate events within about a 3 month period and went through three Note IIs. They replaced each one without question. The last replaced phone was about four months ago. i suppose I'll be finding out what has changed since then when my phone comes in.
Silent25r said:
...For now, I'll just use a waterproof box and a bluetooth. Despite these measures I had one of those boxes fail on me taking my device with it.
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Why not go with liquipel? I don't mean the self applied external only stuff they sell but their service that waterproofs inside and all. They downplay its functionality somewhat on their site but check out the youtube videos of multi-hour submersion in water. And if you live near Santa Ana or Vancouver you can get it done locally in 20 minutes instead of waiting for shipping.
4SQUARE
Probably a stupid question, but can you do 2 warranties at the same time? For example, i want to be covered for the lost/stolen part of sprint, but I also want the lower deductible from Squaretrade. Is that possible?
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