Related
Probably old news, but I thought i'd mention it anyways for those who don't know.
HTC is giving a rebate for trading in your old PDA and getting a tilt 2 (or Pure).
I jsut sent in my old kaiser and should be getting a $100 rebate shortly.
$50 for the phone and $50 for getting the tilt2
Not abad deal.
Here is a link: http://www.htctradein.com/att/
yeah i posted this about 4 months ago when i got my tilt2. I think they extended it because i remember the deadline being mid february and now it says May.
I have an old HTC Wizard laying around that i've been meaning to trade in but the screen is marked up so badly that i'm afraid they won't take it.
What do you think, should i take the risk?
I wouldn't bank on a quick response. I sent my Kaiser in the last week of January and still haven't gotten anything yet. They say something like 8-12 weeks?? My kaiser was in perfect condition, so if I don't hear anything I'll be royally pissed.
Got Mine yesterday
Got my check yesterday, Ordered my Tilt on 12-15-09 and sent the rebate in within 3-4 days of getting it.
It's one of the few rebates i've ever actually gotten back! I cannot tell you how many i have sent in (not for phones) that i have never recieved!
Glad to hear they do actually send out the check, even if they do take their sweet time about it.
always keep coppies of everything and call them. dont be surprised if you complain to them and some how end up getting double rebates out of nowhere. its happened to us a few times.
ANYWAYS, i would send in the tilt for trade but they wont give me a dime since the water mark in the battery compartment is turned red, although the phone is fine.
As included in your initial rebate email, you can use the following link to check status:
https://www.recyclerebates.com/HTCS...ry.do?fetchType=htcSmartphoneWebTradeupStatus
Be warned that if any of the information is wrong (phone, email, voucher ID), the page will just refresh with no indication of an error or which field is wrong. If you have everything correct it will proceed and display status. The phone number is the phone number you entered on the submission form, not necessarily the phone number that the rebate phone was using.
Peter
I am about to send a kaiser in. Would it be wise to flash back to stock rom and remove hard spl?
tufyuma said:
Got my check yesterday, Ordered my Tilt on 12-15-09 and sent the rebate in within 3-4 days of getting it.
It's one of the few rebates i've ever actually gotten back! I cannot tell you how many i have sent in (not for phones) that i have never recieved!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wife and I got our T-Mobile TP2s about the same time you got your Tilt...and our checks just came this week. Yes, they still sent 2 to the same household. I got $50 for my old Nokia 6263, which I was surprised they would take.
Thanks for this! I was almost past my 30 days. Tilt will be sent off tomorrow morning. They didn't ask if it was scratched but only if water damage, hinge damage and working.
My TILT, about a month after I got it, it fell out of the belt holster and I drop kicked it face down the asphalt street. Didn't scratcht he screen but the buttons and rim were not so nice anymore. Works perfectly but I would never get 100 bucks for it on ebay.
Rip off - don't expect a rebate
This is what you most likely will get.
Your Trade-In has been received on 01-19-2010 and inspected on 01-19-2010. Your phone has : Failed power up tests, no screen damage, no liquid damage, proof of purchase was received. Your total credit will be $0.00.
I have screen shots of the IMEI and working screens. I was using it before I sent it in. So all they have to claim is is did not power up and then they can decline the rebate. WHAT A SCAM. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BYE A PHONE FROM HTC. What an unethical company.
http://www.htctradein.com/
WHAT?? so who has done this and gotten the rebate? You say they declined your rebate? Did they at least send the phone back?
I may wait to send the package in until I get your reply. I dont want to loose a working phone. At least I have it as a fall back if flashing the TILT2 ends up bad some time.
lguser said:
This is what you most likely will get.
Your Trade-In has been received on 01-19-2010 and inspected on 01-19-2010. Your phone has : Failed power up tests, no screen damage, no liquid damage, proof of purchase was received. Your total credit will be $0.00.
I have screen shots of the IMEI and working screens. I was using it before I sent it in. So all they have to claim is is did not power up and then they can decline the rebate. WHAT A SCAM. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BYE A PHONE FROM HTC. What an unethical company.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got my rebate on Friday.. for the full $100.
Make sure you have a fully charged battery, copies of all paperwork and you should be ok. I sent in a HP 6315 and they accepted it.
Here is my status:
Your Trade-In has been received on 02-12-2010 and inspected on 03-04-2010. Your phone has : Passed power up tests, no screen damage, no liquid damage, proof of purchase was received. Your total credit will be $100.00.
I sent mine in..I wonder why that one guy didn't get his? Maybe battery was dead.
Will they send the phone back if rejected???
Did they send it back?
lguser said:
This is what you most likely will get.
Your Trade-In has been received on 01-19-2010 and inspected on 01-19-2010. Your phone has : Failed power up tests, no screen damage, no liquid damage, proof of purchase was received. Your total credit will be $0.00.
I have screen shots of the IMEI and working screens. I was using it before I sent it in. So all they have to claim is is did not power up and then they can decline the rebate. WHAT A SCAM. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BYE A PHONE FROM HTC. What an unethical company.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
kb9nvh said:
I sent mine in..I wonder why that one guy didn't get his? Maybe battery was dead.
Will they send the phone back if rejected???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't believe so. I am fairly certain the rebate website mentions there is no guarantee you'll get the full $100, and if your phone fails their tests you do not get it back.
Well, that would stink since I would have just kept it as a back up if there was a chance of just losing it. How can they just keep it..I would be willing to pay shipping to get it back. Wish I hadn't sent it now. Well, wish me luck!!
epoh said:
I don't believe so. I am fairly certain the rebate website mentions there is no guarantee you'll get the full $100, and if your phone fails their tests you do not get it back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like this is a pretty risky venture if your phone isn't perfect. If I had read this first I wouldn't have done it. I met all the criteria but since the buttons are scratched I'm sure they will lower what they pay me.
The Tool will reflect the value of a used phone based upon the manufacturer, model and condition of the phone ("Trade-Up Value"). The Tool will generate a receipt which includes an acknowledgment by the you that (1) you understand you are selling the phone in consideration for the Trade-Up Value; (2) by accepting such Trade-Up Value, you are giving up full ownership rights to the phone; (3) you understand the phone will not be eligible for return; (4) you are responsible for removal of all personal information before relinquishment of handset; (5) you have been advised of any return policy regarding the purchase of a new handset or accessory with the coupon; and (6) you are responsible for deactivating the used phone and ensuring you retire any outstanding balance. Limited-time offer expires April 30, 2010.
Trade-in phones must meet minimum criteria in order to qualify, as outlined on the website www.htctradein.com/htc-att . To receive the minimum $100 credit for the phone you trade in, you must purchase and activate a new HTC TILT2 or HTC PURE and mail in the trade-in handset with a valid proof of purchase (copy of UPC and invoice or receipt) and post marked by May 30, 2010. The check will be mailed via regular United States Postal Service within 60 days from receipt of both the trade-in handset and required paperwork. Your new phone must be activated and remain in service for 60 days to qualify for the promotion. You may trade-in one used phone for each new phone you purchase. Used handsets that are sent in that do not qualify either because a) the model of used phone is not eligible or b) the device is not in the condition stated will not be eligible for the trade-in promotional incentive and will be recycled without any payment. Check you value before sending in your used phone as all trade-in transactions are final; after you mail-in your used handset, you cannot get it back, even if you return the merchandise you purchase with amount received.
To receive your full redemption value, you must accurately state the condition of the used phone. An inspection will be performed by The Wireless Source upon receipt of your used phone. The used phone must power up, and be fully functional, with no liquid damage or mechanical damage and no missing parts. In order to receive your credit, The Wireless Source must first receive your used phone and the printed redemption form supplied by the tool upon acceptance, which form has been signed by you. If the used phone's condition differs materially from that which you described, The Wireless Source reserves the right to unilaterally re-price your transaction quote based upon the current Trade-Up Value for the condition of your used phone. In the event the used phone does not meet the Trade-Up requirement, The Wireless Source will make an adjusted payment based upon the condition and eligibility of the trade-in phone.
So I just got off with Sony support trying to get my phone fixed. I don't even know if I'm still under warranty since they obviously don't read the reason for contacting them in the first place. I told the guy I need to get my phone repaired. He told me to contact Sony to initiate a repair. When I asked how I do that, he said I should contact Sony... I don't even know where to begin to describe my frustration. I don't know whether or not to contact Sony, or AT&T. My service provider is AT&T but I bought the phone on the Sony website. I'm about 30 seconds away from selling this phone on eBay and using my old Inspire 4G for another year. Ridiculous. Sorry. I just needed to vent.
Your best bet is to call them. You have to be issued an RMA number to return.
*BE WARNED* I sent my phone in for repair and after idiot after idiot and over a month, still no phone! I was told it was pending, swap status to I should have a tracking number any second (told that for over a week). I finally emailed the CEO of Sony Mobile North America one night before work. The next morning a super nice lady that sounded like Paula Dean called me and said the CEO sent her my email and she would find out by days end where my phone was. She called me back later that same day (Friday) and said my phone would be sent out that day overnight FedEx with special Saturday delivery. FINALLY got my phone back and all it took was an email (several calls daily, several "escalation tickets" by manager, etc) lol
That was a couple weeks ago. Yesterday I got an email that they're sending me the MW Sony Bluetooth headset as compensation for the FUBAR that happened with my phone.
It was bad timing. I found out:
My phone was finally looked at and authorized to be swapped
They had to wait to get more replacement units from Sony
Once those arrived they had to be sent out to be upgraded to the recent ICS update
Once they were returned updated they had to be processed and sent out
My phone was not insured through AT&T and since it was a replacement for an old Xperia Play I had to deal directly with Sony! IT WAS A NIGHTMARE but not common.
joe3681 said:
Your best bet is to call them. You have to be issued an RMA number to return.
*BE WARNED* I sent my phone in for repair and after idiot after idiot and over a month, still no phone! I was told it was pending, swap status to I should have a tracking number any second (told that for over a week). I finally emailed the CEO of Sony Mobile North America one night before work. The next morning a super nice lady that sounded like Paula Dean called me and said the CEO sent her my email and she would find out by days end where my phone was. She called me back later that same day (Friday) and said my phone would be sent out that day overnight FedEx with special Saturday delivery. FINALLY got my phone back and all it took was an email (several calls daily, several "escalation tickets" by manager, etc) lol
That was a couple weeks ago. Yesterday I got an email that they're sending me the MW Sony Bluetooth headset as compensation for the FUBAR that happened with my phone.
It was bad timing. I found out:
My phone was finally looked at and authorized to be swapped
They had to wait to get more replacement units from Sony
Once those arrived they had to be sent out to be upgraded to the recent ICS update
Once they were returned updated they had to be processed and sent out
My phone was not insured through AT&T and since it was a replacement for an old Xperia Play I had to deal directly with Sony! IT WAS A NIGHTMARE but not common.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At least you get a headset out of the deal. The website support is a joke. If anything like that happened to me, I would probably go on a killing spree.
Mine was very easy www.sonymobile.com/global-en/support/contact-us/country/en_US
Chat or call:
Please include a printout of this email with your product when you return it to the address listed below.
Before shipping your product, please make sure you remove any removable or customized accessories, such as:
- battery cover (if removable)
- battery (if removable)
- SIM card
- SIM card adapters
- removable front faceplates (if your phone has this option - refer to User Guide)
- wrist straps/belt hooks (if applicable)
- memory stick or microSD card (if applicable)
Return of these extra items cannot be guaranteed. Please store these items in a safe place during your phone's repair so that they may be replaced on the phone when it is returned to you. Any SIM cards or memory cards received will be destroyed as a security precaution.
Please include a copy of your proof of purchase when shipping your phone for repair, if directed by your Customer Service Representative.
To ensure that there is no shipping damage, we recommend that you pack your phone in bubble pack and then place it in a sturdy corrugated, crush-proof box for shipping. Shipping damage could void the warranty.Make sure you send your product via a method that is traceable. I.E. UPS, FedEx as Xperia is not responsible for lost or damaged packages while in transit.
On the outside of the box, clearly print your return shipping address and the return authorization number 101212288714.
If you are sending a phone, ship the package to:
Sony Laredo Customer Satisfaction Center
10227 Crossroads Loop
Suite SMC-DEU
Laredo, TX 78045
randy_c said:
Mine was very easy www.sonymobile.com/global-en/support/contact-us/country/en_US
Chat or call:
Please include a printout of this email with your product when you return it to the address listed below.
Before shipping your product, please make sure you remove any removable or customized accessories, such as:
- battery cover (if removable)
- battery (if removable)
- SIM card
- SIM card adapters
- removable front faceplates (if your phone has this option - refer to User Guide)
- wrist straps/belt hooks (if applicable)
- memory stick or microSD card (if applicable)
Return of these extra items cannot be guaranteed. Please store these items in a safe place during your phone's repair so that they may be replaced on the phone when it is returned to you. Any SIM cards or memory cards received will be destroyed as a security precaution.
Please include a copy of your proof of purchase when shipping your phone for repair, if directed by your Customer Service Representative.
To ensure that there is no shipping damage, we recommend that you pack your phone in bubble pack and then place it in a sturdy corrugated, crush-proof box for shipping. Shipping damage could void the warranty.Make sure you send your product via a method that is traceable. I.E. UPS, FedEx as Xperia is not responsible for lost or damaged packages while in transit.
On the outside of the box, clearly print your return shipping address and the return authorization number 101212288714.
If you are sending a phone, ship the package to:
Sony Laredo Customer Satisfaction Center
10227 Crossroads Loop
Suite SMC-DEU
Laredo, TX 78045
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll probably have to call. I just hope they're open on Saturday. I'm never buying a phone through the website again. Thanks for the info.
I've used their support online chat before too without major issues.
Sent from my Sony Xperia™ ion
It's frustrating to say the least. They're idiots and know nothing more than what their poorly updated system tells them.
The Laredo facility is just a hub that things go to and are dispersed to other repair facilities from there. There's been MANY horror stories of $3k laptops and stuff becoming MIA. Their repair is a joke but yeah, at least I'm getting a headset I'll never use out of it all.
Hey if you're not going to use I'd gladly take it off your hands, I'm glad that none of my Sony products have problems or need to be repaired.
Sent from my SGPT12 using xda app-developers app
Sony support is garbage clearly u never owned a ps3 lol im guessing sony is used to dealing with dumbasses because they always tell you yo do anything any idiot would know how to do and would have done. It like the ppl they hire know nothing about the products they sell
Sent from my LT28i using xda app-developers app
Because they don't. They sit at a computer and you say; "phone wont turn on" they find the option on the pc that closest matches yours then they are given a new list of questions to ask you. Then the cycle repeats, don't get mad at them for what Sony pays them and highers them to do. Get mad at Sony and whomever is in charge of the support section of Sony for making the call center beat around the bush and piss you off.
Sent from my LT28at using xda premium
Hello, my Note 2 has been randomly restarting on and off for the last few weeks. Sometimes wit would also get stuck at the logo. Tonight I took the battery out after reading this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2009017
Now when I power up my Note 2 the screen becomes scrambled up with a white screen and black lines, almost like an old TV that has got no signal.
What happened? How can I fix this?
Thanks in advance.
Does no one know at all what's going on?
Is it rooted?
Rom?
Kernel?
OS Version?
Bootloader?
I never rooted it before. It is the latest 4.3 official update. The only information I can get now is as follows from the Downloads page.
ODIN MODE
PRODUCT NAME: SGH-T889V_NA_VTREXYNOS4412
CUSTOM BINARY DOWNLOAD: No
CURRENT BINARY: Samsung Official
SYSTEM STATUS: Custom
KNOX WARRANTY VOID: 0
RP SWREV:
If I'm missing any information here is there any other way I can find it? Thanks in advance!
Double0EK said:
Is it rooted?
Rom?
Kernel?
OS Version?
Bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since it's completely stock the only thing I would recommend is to do a Factory Data Reset.
Just be sure you back up anything that is saved on your internal memory (pics, music, etc) because it might be erased.
Double0EK said:
Since it's completely stock the only thing I would recommend is to do a Factory Data Reset.
Just be sure you back up anything that is saved on your internal memory (pics, music, etc) because it might be erased.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It won't let me do a factory reset though. The only menu I can still get to is flashing a custom rom.
Obie2014 said:
It won't let me do a factory reset though. The only menu I can still get to is flashing a custom rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
factory reset should be in your system settings. but how can you flash roms if you are not rooted?
mattlowry said:
factory reset should be in your system settings. but how can you flash roms if you are not rooted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I basically have the same problem as this person: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2585442
My Note 2 is the Wind Mobile T889V version.
My screen is exactly like his. My phone has never been rooted. For the last few weeks it's been randomly rebooting, towards the end it'd get stuck at the Galaxy Note 2 logo, necessitating me to remove the battery and put it back to get it to work. Except the very last time I did that, I ended up getting the white screen with black horizontal lines instead.
I haven't been able to access the hard reset menu by holding volume up + home + power button, it'd take me to that white screen with vertical lines. The only thing I can still access it the ODIN download page by holding volume down + home + power.
What happened?
What is this problem, is it a known issue and if so, what's it called? How can I fix this?
Am I missing any other information that I need to provide for people to analyze what this problem might be? If so please tell me, I'll try to find it.
Thanks in advance!
Obie2014 said:
I basically have the same problem as this person: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2585442
My Note 2 is the Wind Mobile T889V version.
My screen is exactly like his. My phone has never been rooted. For the last few weeks it's been randomly rebooting, towards the end it'd get stuck at the Galaxy Note 2 logo, necessitating me to remove the battery and put it back to get it to work. Except the very last time I did that, I ended up getting the white screen with black horizontal lines instead.
I haven't been able to access the hard reset menu by holding volume up + home + power button, it'd take me to that white screen with vertical lines. The only thing I can still access it the ODIN download page by holding volume down + home + power.
What happened?
What is this problem, is it a known issue and if so, what's it called? How can I fix this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess this thing must have stumped the community or something.
I ended up using my credit card's extended warranty insurance to get this thing repaired. Samsung refused to cover this because it is 2 months out of warranty.
A store that I got quoted from said that it's a problem with the design of the 16 GB internal memory chip itself, and Note 2s have a has a high chance of failure. The highest the Chinese version. Wind Mobile's Note 2 also apparently has a high rate of dying.
The repair store that I actually got the repair done said that Wind Mobile's firmware has issues that causes hardware failure.
Take that however as you will. Hopefully this information will help others in similar situations.
Remember to check your credit card's benefits to see if they have an extended warranty coverage!
Obie2014 said:
I guess this thing must have stumped the community or something.
I ended up using my credit card's extended warranty insurance to get this thing repaired. Samsung refused to cover this because it is 2 months out of warranty.
A store that I got quoted from said that it's a problem with the design of the 16 GB internal memory chip itself, and Note 2s have a has a high chance of failure. The highest the Chinese version. Wind Mobile's Note 2 also apparently has a high rate of dying.
The repair store that I actually got the repair done said that Wind Mobile's firmware has issues that causes hardware failure.
Take that however as you will. Hopefully this information will help others in similar situations.
Remember to check your credit card's benefits to see if they have an extended warranty coverage!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for submitting this, I think I got the same problem that I posted here - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2719880
I didnt buy my note 2 new, I got it used, so I was wondering how much did they quote you for the reparation before using your credit card's benefit?
snwww said:
Thank you for submitting this, I think I got the same problem that I posted here - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2719880
I didnt buy my note 2 new, I got it used, so I was wondering how much did they quote you for the reparation before using your credit card's benefit?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung didn't give a care about what happened to me, as far as they were concerned I was a month and a half passed my one year warranty so they told me to pay a $50 quotation fee and the authorized store estimated the cost to be around $300-$400.
I didn't bother to call up Wind Mobile to ask them to repair my phone for free, since I'm not going to make a fool of myself pretending that a long time customer somehow makes me eligible for a $699.99 phone for free and threatening to cancel, putting myself even a worst price plan on another wireless company's + tab fees. They're a wireless service provider, not a phone manufacturer.
Luckily my credit card extended warranty benefits said I'm qualified for the warranty. They also said that as long as the repair job was done in a store and with proper paper works (quoted price, proof of purchase, proof of statement, proof that my Note 2 IMEI is the same on the repair quote as on my original purchase), they'll accept it.
The criteria was that I had to have had paid for my phone in 'full' on my single credit card, which I did. They accept my purchase as full even though it was contract subsidized price, which was $499.
The extended warranty coverage only goes up to $499, since that's how much I paid for my phone anyways.
The local repair shop knew exactly what my phone's problem was the moment I walked in and said I had a Wind Mobile Note 2 that needed repairs. He said, "Let me guess, gray screen with black lines? Random restarts and hanging at the logos prior to it? Bingo. I've had 50 or so Note 2s from Wind Mobile since the last month (This was in late April). Your memory chip is dead."
That... sucked, to get analyzed so thoroughly and precisely just by saying I had a Wind Mobile Note 2. It angered me too, since this was apparently a common issue, a defect with the memory chip and Samsung will not take ownership.
The good thing was that the repair job was quoted at $180 + taxes. Far lower than what Samsung had quoted me. Not only was Samsung not going to take ownership for a known defect, they were going to fleece their customer too with outrageous repair bills.
The credit card company accepted the quote and sent me a check for $180 + taxes, and I got my phone repaired.
I guess what I'm saying here is it might not be the end of the road for us if your phone breaks from manufacturer defect, if you had the phone for less than two years. Check the benefits on your credit card that you used to pay for your phone and see if you have extended warranty. It's apparently a very basic benefit so most cards should have it.
Obie2014 said:
Samsung didn't give a care about what happened to me, as far as they were concerned I was a month and a half passed my one year warranty so they told me to pay a $50 quotation fee and the authorized store estimated the cost to be around $300-$400.
I didn't bother to call up Wind Mobile to ask them to repair my phone for free, since I'm not going to make a fool of myself pretending that a long time customer somehow makes me eligible for a $699.99 phone for free and threatening to cancel, putting myself even a worst price plan on another wireless company's + tab fees. They're a wireless service provider, not a phone manufacturer.
Luckily my credit card extended warranty benefits said I'm qualified for the warranty. They also said that as long as the repair job was done in a store and with proper paper works (quoted price, proof of purchase, proof of statement, proof that my Note 2 IMEI is the same on the repair quote as on my original purchase), they'll accept it.
The criteria was that I had to have had paid for my phone in 'full' on my single credit card, which I did. They accept my purchase as full even though it was contract subsidized price, which was $499.
The extended warranty coverage only goes up to $499, since that's how much I paid for my phone anyways.
The local repair shop knew exactly what my phone's problem was the moment I walked in and said I had a Wind Mobile Note 2 that needed repairs. He said, "Let me guess, gray screen with black lines? Random restarts and hanging at the logos prior to it? Bingo. I've had 50 or so Note 2s from Wind Mobile since the last month (This was in late April). Your memory chip is dead."
That... sucked, to get analyzed so thoroughly and precisely just by saying I had a Wind Mobile Note 2. It angered me too, since this was apparently a common issue, a defect with the memory chip and Samsung will not take ownership.
The good thing was that the repair job was quoted at $180 + taxes. Far lower than what Samsung had quoted me. Not only was Samsung not going to take ownership for a known defect, they were going to fleece their customer too with outrageous repair bills.
The credit card company accepted the quote and sent me a check for $180 + taxes, and I got my phone repaired.
I guess what I'm saying here is it might not be the end of the road for us if your phone breaks from manufacturer defect, if you had the phone for less than two years. Check the benefits on your credit card that you used to pay for your phone and see if you have extended warranty. It's apparently a very basic benefit so most cards should have it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait so they wanted you to pay 50$ to know how much it would cost you to repair ? I'm not sure I'm following, is the 50$ the fee you pay to have it JUST diagnosed? Clearly I'd just buy another phone rather than paying the 600 repairing fee, this is outrageous.
I can't use any credit card advantage, I paid for the phone used through kijiji with cash.
God fu***** damn it. I already threw a nexus 4 away by dropping it within two days of owning it, now I have to pay again for a f****** phone and it's manufacturers mistake? ughhh
Another 200$ out the window, I love technology!
I recently had warranty service on my Note 4 through AT&T. The process turned out to be considerably more difficult - and potentially financially risky - than I expected. There are a lot of things that I know now, that I wish I had known at the beginning of the process. Therefore, I'm writing this summary to help prepare other AT&T customers who need service for their Samsung (and probably other) products.
If you don't care about the back story, just scan for the bolded TAKEAWAY lines below, or skip to the SUMMARY section at the end.
THE ISSUE
I bought a new (not refurbished) Note 4 a few months ago. From the moment I got it home, away from the blazing fluorescent lights and full screen brightness in the AT&T store, I noticed the dreaded pink tinted screen issue. The effect was minor at first, but grew in intensity over the subsequent weeks. It was bad enough within just a couple of days that I couldn't see the right-most digit of my alarm clock app at all when I had the brightness turned way down for nighttime (this would be at the top of the screen, they way it sits horizontally on my stand).
Having had a similar, but more severe, screen issue that rendered my Galaxy S4 unusable, I was particularly sensitive to screen quality and resolved to get this fixed.
MY OPTIONS
I had two primary options for fixing the problem (probably in addition to purchase protection on my business credit card):
1. Samsung warranty: Covers manufacturer defects for one year
2. AT&T insurance policy (well, 3rd party policy that AT&T sells): Covers virtually any kind of defect, damage, or loss, after paying the deductible
I decided to pursue Option 1, for two reasons. Firstly, the problem was clearly (to me, at least) a manufacturing defect. Secondly, the insurance policy had a $200 deductible. So, I stopped by the AT&T store in my local mall to get the phone fixed under warranty. No problem, right? I mean, my parents have had like a half-dozen iPhones fixed or replaced at the Apple store in their mall just by walking in off the street...
AT&T'S PROCESS
I learned my first lesson in the threshold of the door to the AT&T store:
TAKEAWAY 1: AT&T RETAIL STORES DON'T PROVIDE WARRANTY SERVICE FOR THE DEVICES THEY SELL
Huh? Given the aforementioned problem with my S4, I was shrewd enough to ask about the warranty before buying the Note 4. The AT&T person told me that it had a 1-year, manufacturer warranty. This was entirely correct. My mistake was interpreting this to mean that I could go back to the store where I had just bought the phone a few weeks prior and have it fixed under warranty. That's not the case. Instead, the person at the store handed me a business card with the toll-free number for AT&T Wireless support.
I went back home and called the number on the card. The person who helped me was prompt and professional. She logged the details of my issue, and explained the next steps to me as follows:
AT&T sends a new phone body
I swap my battery, SIM card, S Pen, and back cover to the new phone
I repackage my old phone body in the same box and mail it back to AT&T, postage pre-paid
So far, so good. But...
An AT&T person receives and evaluates the old phone
If the problem is deemed to be a manufacturer defect, the process ends for me here, and AT&T ships the broken unit back to Samsung
If the problem is deemed to be caused by physical damage, AT&T ships the old phone back to me, charges me the full retail price of the replacement phone, and I keep both phones!
Say what?! I asked what would happen in the unlikely case that the phone left my hands undamaged, but was damaged during shipping. She confirmed that AT&T would send the broken phone back to me and that I'd be stuck with both the old and new phones - and would have to pay for the new phone.
Dumbfounded, I asked for a way to mitigate the risk of my getting stuck with two phones. She recommended that I go back to my local store and have an AT&T employee inspect the phone, and add notes to my account stating that the phone is not physically damaged. Then, if it arrived damaged at the warranty center, they'd know that it had to have been damaged in shipping. She said that she'd leave my case open in her computer system, and that the next person I spoke with could complete the process after I returned from the store.
That sounded reasonable (enough). So, I went back to the retail store, an AT&T person looked at the phone, concluded that it was not physically damaged, and annotated my account accordingly.
I returned home, called the toll-free number again, and picked up where I left off. The person I spoke with this time reiterated the process to me, and confirmed that if the old phone arrived damaged, AT&T would send it back to me and I'd be stuck with it, stuck with the new phone, and charged for the new phone. "Except in this case", I added, "because the notes in my account said that the phone isn't damaged, right?"
Wrong.
If the old phone arrives damaged, I own both phones. "Why did I just go to the [email protected]#$ing store then?" He said that I shouldn't have, and that the previous customer service rep shouldn't have told me to do so. He said that I might damage the phone after leaving the store, before I ship it back to them, and therefore that the notes in my account meant nothing. He's right, of course.
After a spirited discussion, he made another good point - the warranty is from Samsung, not AT&T. AT&T provides warranty service as a "courtesy" to its customers. For phones with defects, AT&T can send them back to Samsung and get reimbursed. For physical damage, though, Samsung won't accept the phone under warranty. Therefore, AT&T needs some way to guard against getting stuck with a broken phone. Before proceeding, let's pause for another takeaway:
TAKEAWAY 2: AT&T DOES NOT WARRANTY SAMSUNG PHONES, SAMSUNG WARRANTIES SAMSUNG PHONES
This makes perfect sense, and I definitely see the problem from AT&T's point of view. Still, the original unresolved issue persists. So, I asked the guy what I could do to protect myself against the possibility of the old phone getting damaged in shipping. He offered that perhaps the manager at my local AT&T retail store could pack and ship the old phone for me. I agreed to that, and asked what would happen if it arrived broken due to shipping damage. He said I'd get stuck with both phones, same as before.
Flabbergasted, I stated that I was willing to assume the risk of damage during shipping, and changed topics.
Next I asked what would happen if the phone arrived at the AT&T service center intact, but that the person assessing the problem concluded that the pink screen problem was due to damage, rather than a manufacturing defect. He said I'd get stuck with both phones, same as before.
I asked how to determine, definitively, whether the issue was manufacturing-related or damage-related, prior to sending the phone back to the AT&T service center and starting the inexorable process that may lead to me getting stuck with two phones. After all, the person in the retail store who annotated my account said that it was a manufacturing defect? He said that AT&T retail employees are not qualified to distinguish between manufacturer defects and physical damage. Another takeaway:
TAKEAWAY 3: AT&T RETAIL STORE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT QUALIFIED/TRAINED/AUTHORIZED TO ASSESS WARRANTY-RELATED ISSUES
(Makes all you AT&T store employees out there feel valued by your employer, eh?)
Fortunately, the guy on the phone was trained to make these types of assessments. Based on our call so far - and never having seen my phone in person - he says that the pink screen was most likely due to physical damage. With steam coming out of my ears, I told him that I wasn't even going to debate whether the issue with the handset was a defect or damage, but rather would stick to trying to understand the Kafkaesque service process.
Specifically, I said that the previous phone rep who I spoke to said that she thought the issue was due to a defect. So, regardless of who is right and who is wrong, the dilemma is that two different AT&T people made two different assessments about the root cause of my phone's problem. In one case, I could get it fixed for free. In another case, I end up spending over $1,500 for two phones, one of which is broken.
Naturally, I asked what my recourse was if the AT&T warranty center person determined that the issue was due to physical damage, but that I still thought it was a defect. He said I'd get stuck with both phones, same as before. I asked if there was an appeals process. No, there isn't. Next takeaway:
TAKEAWAY 4: IF AT&T SENDS YOU A NEW PHONE UNDER WARRANTY AND YOU SEND THE OLD ONE BACK TO THEM, THE PROCESS WILL RESULT IN ONE OF TWO OUTCOMES, AT AT&T'S SOLE DISCRETION:
A) AT&T DETERMINES THE ISSUE TO BE A DEFECT, AND YOU KEEP THE REPLACEMENT PHONE FOR FREE
B) AT&T DETERMINES THE ISSUE IS DUE TO DAMAGE, THEY SEND YOU YOUR OLD PHONE BACK, CHARGE YOU FOR THE NEW PHONE, AND YOU KEEP BOTH.
Period. End of story. No appeal. No recourse. Just roll the dice and pray that the AT&T warranty person who you've never met and never get to talk to ends up looking at the phone and coming to the same conclusion as you.
Unconvinced that a company as big and mature as AT&T didn't have some reasonable solution, I inquired, yet again, about options. There were two remaining:
1. Send the phone to Samsung for warranty service by mail
2. Take the phone to an AT&T Device Support Center for in-person service
The first option would leave me without a phone for a week or two. But, Samsung wouldn't stick me with an extra phone the way AT&T would.
TAKEAWAY 5: YOU CAN SEND YOUR PHONE DIRECTLY TO SAMSUNG FOR WARRANTY SERVICE, WITHOUT INVOLVING AT&T IN THE PROCESS
I don't know how easy or hard it is do work with Samsung, or what their process is if you think there's a defect and they think there's damage, etc... I'll leave that for someone else to explain.
But, this second option sounds good - an AT&T Device Service Center. As it turns out, this is what I was looking for all along! It's a real building, with real AT&T employees, who are qualified to assess warranty issues, and able to repair/replace defective phones. Perfect! The closest one to me is 225 miles away (which took the phone rep 10 minutes to find, because their system is only set up to offer this option if the Center is within 50 miles), but I GLADLY drove down there to get my phone fixed. The person there looked at my phone, immediately judged the issue to be a defect that was covered by warranty, and in 2 minutes had me set up on another Note 4 with a spectacular screen. So:
TAKEAWAY 6: YOU CAN TAKE YOUR PHONE TO AN AT&T DEVICE SERVICE CENTER FOR IN-PERSON WARRANTY SERVICE
TAKEAWAY 7: THERE ARE VERY FEW AT&T DEVICE SERVICE CENTERS, SO YOU MAY NEED TO TRAVEL A LONG DISTANCE TO GET TO ONE
SUMMARY
To summarize the preceding dissertation, AT&T customers with Samsung (and possibly other) phones who need warranty service should know:
The phone's warranty is from Samsung, not AT&T
AT&T provides in-person warranty service, on behalf of Samsung, through Device Service Centers only, not through retail stores
AT&T Device Service Centers are few and far between, so be prepared to travel
Warranty service by mail through AT&T is not a viable option, because you can get stuck paying for two phones, at AT&T's sole discretion, and have no recourse
Oh, and two more:
The pink screen issue is for real - and really obvious when it happens; folks who are adamant that it's imaginary, that we're looking at our screens crookedly, or that we're otherwise obsessing over something minor are just lucky enough to have units with good screens
A good Note 4 screen is AMAZINGLY good - if you have the pink screen issue, go through the hassle to get it replaced; you won't regret it
Some AT&T stores do provide warranty right on sight, for instance I work at one that doesn't have warranty on site but two hours away there is another AT&T that handles all warranty in store. And a one year manufactures warranty is just that, the manufacturer is responsible for the warranty, so you can go through samsung or you can go through att except for Apple products, anything past the 4s is handled by Apple exclusively. With that being said as long as you don't send a device with signs of phisical or water damage you won't be charged for warranty by either company. The nice thing if you're close to a service center is you can get a new phone same day, regardless of which way you go, att or sammy, if you mail it out expect to wait for a phone. Just remember, manufacturer does not mean att, verizon, sprint and t mobile are responsible for the issue, they will do an exchange by mail as a courtesy, not because they promise the device will work with no hardware faults. The only phones att takes responsibility for are the unbranded att phones we sell l, but again that's not in store, unless it's a service center, otherwise there is too much overhead to hold that much inventory reserved for warranty issues.
Here is a link where you can find device service centers for AT&T, its near lower down on the page and will list places by state http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB91429
It will download a pdf with the locations
thanitos said:
Some AT&T stores do provide warranty right on sight, for instance I work at one that doesn't have warranty on site but two hours away there is another AT&T that handles all warranty in store.
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QUESTION: Is this second store considered a "Device Service Center", or is it just a regular, retail AT&T storefront?
According to 1) the guy at my retail store 2) the first customer service phone rep and 3) the second customer service phone rep, only the Device Service Centers are able to do warranty service. Perhaps some are co-located with retail stores, but they were pretty clear to me that retail stores, per se, couldn't service warranty issues.
thanitos said:
Just remember, manufacturer does not mean att, verizon, sprint and t mobile are responsible for the issue, they will do an exchange by mail as a courtesy, not because they promise the device will work with no hardware faults.
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Understood. But, when I buy a drill from Home Depot, they don't send me to Hitachi for service when it breaks. They don't make me drive three states away to an authorized Home Depot service center to have it fixed. I go to the store where I bought it, with my receipt, and they fix or replace it. Same with my tablet from Best Buy, auto recall at the car dealer, rotten fruit from the grocery store, everything I buy from Amazon, even stuff from eBay where I haven't reached an amicable settlement with the seller. They all honor the manufacturers' warranties in-house, or provide equivalent service for the products they sell in the infrequent cases that they prove to be defective.
My concern with AT&T is that they don't have my back - especially as a small business owner. I buy a new phone - the most expensive phone that they had in the store, mind you - and as soon as they swipe my card, that store is out of the picture. Subsequently, I have to follow this Rube Goldberg process to fix the problem if something goes wrong 5 minutes later.
I re-read the insurance policy during this whole process, as well, and I have the same concerns there. I haven't been through the insurance claim process, so I can't say first-hand whether it's easy or hard. But, the language definitely doesn't give me the impression that I can just walk into the store where I bought the phone, pay my deductible, and walk out with a new one. Maybe I'm wrong; if you know how the insurance claim process works, I'd be interested in hearing about your first-hand experiences as an AT&T employee.
To conclude, don't take my preceding comments the wrong way. I'm not some hater; on the contrary, I've been an outspoken advocate of AT&T because they've treated me so well. I've had generally excellent experiences with AT&T over the years and, consequently, I've recommended AT&T to many, many friends, family, and colleagues. Based on this experience, though, I'm looking at switching carriers - certainly when my current AT&T NEXT term is up, and possibly before (U.S. Cellular has a deal right now where they'll pay off my existing contract. I had them previously and loved them as a carrier). Having a cool new phone and lots of LTE coverage is great, but what's most important to me is the security of knowing that when something goes wrong, it'll get fixed promptly. That wasn't the case this time, and I don't have confidence that AT&T will be there for me the next time.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to provide some feedback. Have a good day.
If you need to file a claim for insurance, it is done online or over the phone. You do not do in person at an att store.
I've done lots of warranty exchanges by mail with att over the last 13 years and I've never had an issue.
Honestly, I have AT&T and have had my a Note 4 replaced 2 times already. One due to charging just stopping at 35% and the other was a combo of the pink tinted screen and dead pixel in the top left. I went directly through Samsung. Their support is amazing. I went out and picked up a cheap ass Go Phone and activated that while Samsung had my devices. They even offer over night shipping if you want to pay for it. AT&T is just a horrible provider and I've only stuck with them since they were Cingular because they ALWAYS got the top brand phones. Now it seems T-Mobile and Sprint are getting the top brand phones more and more now so after this contract its time to say goodbye.
TL;DL
Always use Samsung warranty over AT&T warranty. More professional and less phonecalls/headaches.
DamageSource said:
I went directly through Samsung. Their support is amazing...Always use Samsung warranty over AT&T warranty. More professional and less phonecalls/headaches.
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I'm glad to hear that Samsung is this good about supporting their hardware. They're definitely not interested in hearing what customers have to say about their software (I have a thread on that topic somewhere around here). If this new Note 4 needs warranty service, I'll definitely call Samsung, in addition to AT&T, to see who has the better support option at that point in time. Honestly, I didn't even really consider calling Samsung for support this time around, because the phone was so new and I just assumed that AT&T would support the products that they sold in their stores.
From looking at the Samsung support site, they only have seven service centers in the whole U.S. I thought AT&T Device Support Centers were sparse, but I'd have to get on a plane to get to a Samsung one. All else being equal, I'd prefer to have in-person service for my devices. Especially for something like the pink screen issue - which drove me crazy, but that my wife could care less about - I think it's important to be able to demonstrate the problem to the service person face-to-face and explain how/why it impacts me. To that end:
QUESTION: Has anyone bought a phone from somewhere like Best Buy, Radio Shack, Costco, etc. and been able to get in-store warranty service/replacement?
I'm asking about service per the manufacturer warranty, not the type of paid extended warranty that Best Buy typically offers on their electronics (though the latter might be an alternative to the AT&T insurance). I'd actually stopped by the local BB to shop for the Note 4, but they said that they couldn't add it to my AT&T business account (despite my having called BB customer service first and confirming that my local store did service AT&T business accounts. Sigh...). Back to the point, I'd be interested in buying from a real store, with real product in-stock, who is willing to provide warranty service right from the retail location.
Anyway, I'm going to be upgrading another phone on this account soon, and I'm open to recommendations about where to buy the hardware (even if it means switching carriers). It probably won't be another Samsung, given the quality control issues I've had with both of my Galaxy products. But it might be. I'm open to alternatives. Thanks for your feedback.
mcmannion said:
QUESTION: Has anyone bought a phone from somewhere like Best Buy, Radio Shack, Costco, etc. and been able to get in-store warranty service/replacement?
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My brother only buys from Best Buy and he says that they replace the unit in store right there if it's in stock and if not you can go to an alternative location and pick it up if it's close by for you.
it is done online or over the phone. You do not do in person at an att store.
I can tell you from experience that Costco does replace phones. It is a 3rd party company that runs the phone kiosks in Costco warehouses and Costco themselves paid for a phone exchange for me because when I exchanged my S3 it was not on sale at the price it was on a Black Friday when I purchased it.
I have had AT&T phones for over 10 years & have exchanged defective units by phone/mail through AT&T too & never had a problem. AT&T normally sends a refurb rather than a new unit but as long as it works I'm satisfied.
Hey all,
I would really appreciate your advice...
I've had my Verizon G4 for less than a month.
My wifi completely crapped out and I'm getting random reboots. I'm 99% it's a hardware issue.
I've loaded the latest 13b update but doesn't fix anything...
My question to you all is this... should I send it back to Verizon for Warranty Like New Replacement or Send it back to LG Directly for Warranty repair?
The reason why I ask is because I did drop the phone once and it nicked the corner of the phone slightly (see attached pic).
If I send to Verizon, what are the chances they'll charge me the $300 damage fee?
The rest of the phone is pristine...
I know if I send back to LG, they'll just send it back to me as is...
Everyone's thoughts would be appreciated...
Thanks in advance
joel32137 said:
Hey all,
I would really appreciate your advice...
I've had my Verizon G4 for less than a month.
My wifi completely crapped out and I'm getting random reboots. I'm 99% it's a hardware issue.
I've loaded the latest 13b update but doesn't fix anything...
My question to you all is this... should I send it back to Verizon for Warranty Like New Replacement or Send it back to LG Directly for Warranty repair?
The reason why I ask is because I did drop the phone once and it nicked the corner of the phone slightly (see attached pic).
If I send to Verizon, what are the chances they'll charge me the $300 damage fee?
The rest of the phone is pristine...
I know if I send back to LG, they'll just send it back to me as is...
Everyone's thoughts would be appreciated...
Thanks in advance
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You don't send to VZW, they will ship to you first within the 12 month warranty period or anytime if you have Total Equipment Protection Coverage and provide a pre-paid shipping label in the box for you to send it back within 5 days which is really 30 days. This is the exact wording in the info in Certified Like New Replacements which you will get when the phone is shipped to you:
"WARRANTY INFORMATION
If your device has been subjected to neglect, misuse, liquid damage, software or hardware alteration, or unreasonable wear and tear, it is not eligible for a replacement under this program. Do not return the damaged device to us or you will be charged up to the full replacement value of your replacement device, which may be in excess of $500, even if you subscribe to an Equipment Protection Program. Instead, return the replacement device to us in the box in which it came. If you have equipment protection, contact your provider to discuss replacement options for damaged devices. For more information, visit verizonwireless.com/damageddevice"
The damage fee is not $300, it's basically the full retail price of the phone which is around $600. If you have insurance, you might be better off using that instead as it's $150 but remember that if you make 2 claims within a 24 month period, they will cancel your insurance.
If Verizon Wireless sends you a phone, you are not obligated to keep it as you just need to either send back your phone or what they sent you. If you find anything wrong with the replacement, then you call Verizon Wireless Level 2 tech support directly without going through the Level 1 or customer service and they will ship another phone to you. When you receive the new replacement, you ship the previous replacement back and then at the end, you either end up with your old phone or you ship back the last thing they shipped you.
Just a quick update...
I decided to send back to LG vs sending it to Verizon since I didn't want to deal with the possibility of Verizon charging me $500 bucks for some minor dings that had nothing to do with the hardware issue.
The only downside is that you will be without a phone for 2 weeks. Here's the run down...
-Mailed out on Tuesday.
-Arrived at LG following Monday.
-Repaired and Shipped back Tuesday (That was a quick turn around...)
-Scheduled to arrive this Friday.
What's nice about sending it to LG is that my IMEI doesn't change. If I went the VZ route, they would have given me a refurb with a different IMEI. Because the VZ refurb IMEI doesn't match the IMEI on my original receipt, LG will not honor warranty since there's a IMEI mismatch. This wouldn't be much of an issue if I stick with VZ for the entire year.... however, with all the cell service deals going around, I'm sure I'll be jumping the VZ bandwagon...
Hope this post helps others...
Thanks