Things to know about Samsung warranty service via AT&T - AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 4

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.

Related

HTC Not honoring Warranty

Just wondering if anyone else has had any problems with HTC not honoring their warranty.
My Phone developed a fault a few months ago, where it would get hot and just reboot if it was plugged in. I eventually got round to sending it off and after 2 weeks it came back to the Vodafone shop with a message saying it was not repaired as it had been damaged. So I call the vodafone repair centre for more info and they told me that HTC had indicated that it had been water damaged, this really suprised me as the guys at the Vodafone store had checked the two visible tabs before they sent it out and the guys at Vodafone repair center had also checked for accidental damage before sending it to HTC and found nothing.
Since the phone has come back it is now rebooting all the time not just when charging and HTC won't do a thing the phone has never been in contact with water this is ridiculous the HTC warranty appears to be worth nothing.
HTC can tell if it's been user damaged in most cases, and if so, that doesn't qualify for warranty. Voda has no where near the same tools or understanding of the device. HTC can also call one of the chip manufacturers engineers in to ascertain failures for a second opinion.
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- Sent via HTC Desire -
But it hasnt been water damaged, and if it had how could water have got into the internals without passing one of the two external indicators.
I had this exact fault on my phone too. I just called up my provider (Virgin Mobile) and they swapped it, no questions, no inspections, just a direct swap. It's definitely not a water-related issue, the motherboard itself is at fault. You only have to search the issue in Google to find many others with the same problem.
Yep I am aware of this being a very common issue, and it would appear that most other networks are just replacing immediately due to it being such a common fault, not only have Vodafone not done this they are offering me the "REALLY GOOD DEAL" of paying backdated phone insurance of £95 to get a replacement desire, sorry but as this issue is so common and if it was happen again, I dont want to have to pay cough up another chunk of cash, so if I have to pay out I think I should be able to get a different handset.
I'm having the exact problem, and it's specifically HTC AMERICA that is the problem. They are like a rogue nation, not even respecting their corporations own customer legal agreements.
Please see my thread here to read my conversation excerpt with Customer Service and tell me if it sounds anything like the kind of treatment you got. If so, we need to start a list, and I promise you, I am going to swing hard.
I have history. Long story but MacWorld, Wired, others covered it: I organized about 20 nations to pressure Apple back when they had their G4 desktop MDD which made excessive noise to issue replacement power supply units to every owner across the world, for free -- and it was the first time ever in the history of Apple where they issued a product replacement without their being a formal recall. And all of this without one lawyer or lawsuit. I'm just saying....
But it took cooperation, and complete documentation, and there was no way they could win. And I am tired of putting up with this bull**** from HTC AMERICA. They are pond scum who do nothing. HTC China are the brains and design geniuses who built and maintain an amazing company. HTC AMERICA is out to KILL IT.
Get insurance next time.
Meaple said:
Get insurance next time.
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I did... or thought I did. And made an unfortunate mistake. My last 2 phones I bought insurance through great company called "Square Trade"... Had a warranty problem with -- of all people -- HTC America -- on a 2 week old HTC Hero, and, long story short, Square Trade paid out fully in 48 hours, after a month of hassles with HTC America. (They require you go thru warranty first)
I bought it for the HTC DESIRE, but missed the fine print.... They only cover phones bought in USA... and this was bought from UK vendor... so, even though they accepted the payment, I submitted the proof of purchase, etc, they informed me when I went to try to file insurance claim here "hmm, says you bought this frm UK vendor" "yes i did"
"insurance is void"
So, for that I am technically at fault, but when i went back and checked, it was pretty small print -- and what threw me was, the HTC HERO which was covered by them and paid out by them, was also bought from UK, but it was bought via a USA vendor who imported it... hah hah. So, in any case, it just didn't occur to me that there was a restriction, but i was wrong.
Having said all that, I'm curious:
I always find it odd when people reply as you did. Do you really find that helpful when you are on the receiving end of something equivalent to:
WELL YOU'RE SCREWED THIS TIME, YOU SHOULDA DONE THIS IDIOT.
??
I for one never find it helpful. But, uh, thanks for your typing time.

Never send your phone to Samsung service center to get it repaired

I got my new E4GT on Jan 21, and I fount on 23th that it doesn't receive any GPS signal 'at all'. I guess you guys might have some tweaks to fix this issue but I didn't. So I just sent it to Samsung service center on 24th, which was my biggest mistake.
They recieved my phone on '30th' because they are using UPS 'Ground', which I think is ridiculus for a repair service dealing a product costs more than $500. And it's now Feb 6, and it was still being repaired.
So I called them and asked how long would it take more to get it back, and the representative said 'Another week or two'. Wow. Taking a month to finally use a new phone.
So I called Sprint who I originally talked to when I found the problem. At that time one of the representatives told me to send my phone to Samsung since it's a 'technical issue' of the mobile product of Samsung. I explained how my phone's being taken care of, and they said my phone just could have been replaced without additioanl charge since it has an original defect if I brought it to Sprint store right away rather than sending it to Samsung. What Sprint told me they can do is by the way that only once I get my phone back from the Samsung repair shop and bring it to them, they will be able to take care of it because they need the phone in their hands.
So I called (...) Samsung again to claim my phone back right away regardless of whether it's completely repaired or not. But what the first representative I talked to told me is that 1. there's no way to send the product back to the customer while it's under the repair process because it is related to the liability issue(what?!), so I will need to WAIT until my phone is completely fixed. 2. also there's no way to expedite the shipping process because the UPS 'Ground' is the only way of portal service they are using 'from the shop' to the customers. (I even told him that I'm willing to pay additional charge or anything for that)
That was what he kept arguing until I asked him to transfer me to his supervisor or anyone has higher level authority of support. Although he argued that it would be the exactly same if I talked to anyone else, the higher support representative immediately canceled my repair and sent it back to me throught UPS 2nd day air service.
I'm not sure if it's okay to post this kind of complaining here, but might be helpful for those of you who have repair issues.
DO NOT SEND YOUR PHONE TO SAMSUNG. WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE THE TOTAL PROTECTION WITH SPRINT, BRING IT TO THEM.
luvnpce said:
I got my new E4GT on Jan 21, and I fount on 23th that it doesn't receive any GPS signal 'at all'. I guess you guys might have some tweaks to fix this issue but I didn't. So I just sent it to Samsung service center on 24th, which was my biggest mistake.
They recieved my phone on '30th' because they are using UPS 'Ground', which I think is ridiculus for a repair service dealing a product costs more than $500. And it's now Feb 6, and it was still being repaired.
So I called them and asked how long would it take more to get it back, and the representative said 'Another week or two'. Wow. Taking a month to finally use a new phone.
So I called Sprint who I originally talked to when I found the problem. At that time one of the representatives told me to send my phone to Samsung since it's a 'technical issue' of the mobile product of Samsung. I explained how my phone's being taken care of, and they said my phone just could have been replaced without additioanl charge since it has an original defect if I brought it to Sprint store right away rather than sending it to Samsung. What Sprint told me they can do is by the way that only once I get my phone back from the Samsung repair shop and bring it to them, they will be able to take care of it because they need the phone in their hands.
So I called (...) Samsung again to claim my phone back right away regardless of whether it's completely repaired or not. But what the first representative I talked to told me is that 1. there's no way to send the product back to the customer while it's under the repair process because it is related to the liability issue(what?!), so I will need to WAIT until my phone is completely fixed. 2. also there's no way to expedite the shipping process because the UPS 'Ground' is the only way of portal service they are using 'from the shop' to the customers. (I even told him that I'm willing to pay additional charge or anything for that)
That was what he kept arguing until I asked him to transfer me to his supervisor or anyone has higher level authority of support. Although he argued that it would be the exactly same if I talked to anyone else, the higher support representative immediately canceled my repair and sent it back to me throught UPS 2nd day air service.
I'm not sure if it's okay to post this kind of complaining here, but might be helpful for those of you who have repair issues.
DO NOT SEND YOUR PHONE TO SAMSUNG. WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE THE TOTAL PROTECTION WITH SPRINT, BRING IT TO THEM.
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If you would have asked first then we would have told you to go to sprint..... In and out no problem
We are not like the international g$2 the carriers overseas usually don't do this but all the carriers in us do the carrier work ...
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Unless you bought it used off of Craigslist, why would you not return to the store where you bought it?
Sprint has a 14 day return on new devices, no questions asked.
But yes I agree. Samsung customer service is garbage. As much as I would like the Nexus, I won't buy it as Samsung makes it. I will wait for HTCs next phone.
Your lucky it wasn't Motorola, they would have said were working on an update and hung up.
Sometimes you learn things the hard way, but seriously, assuming you bought your phone at a Sprint store or authorized dealer, and did not take it to a Sprint store or repair center first, especially during the 14 day return period, well ... you already know the rest. Sending ANY kind of electronics back to the manufacturer should be the last resort. I'm at a bit of a loss why you would have sent your phone to Samsung 3 days after you bought it. Sprint cares about you way more than Samsung, and that isn't exactly saying much.
Still, I can't shake the feeling that there's something to this story you're not telling us.
I first contacted Sprint and sending it to Samsung was their suggestion. That's why. Even the Sprint representative I talked to today didn't know why the first representative told me to do that way. That might be the missing point here. After talking to him, his supervisor called me and apologized for the bad advise from the first one. If I knew or heard that it couldve taken care of by Sprint, I would definately have dont that way.
Work at sprint here, yea, withing 14 days we always swap it for you instore. Past 14 days, free with insurance, or $35 without.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
Why would you think to try and repair a defective phone within your return/exchange period??
Step 1-Got to Sprint store
Step 2-Exchange phone for brand new one
Step 3-Love new working phone
I'm not trying to be rude, but there is 14 days for a reason
luvnpce said:
I first contacted Sprint and sending it to Samsung was their suggestion. That's why. Even the Sprint representative I talked to today didn't know why the first representative told me to do that way. That might be the missing point here. After talking to him, his supervisor called me and apologized for the bad advise from the first one. If I knew or heard that it couldve taken care of by Sprint, I would definately have dont that way.
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Click to collapse
You dont contact Sprint, you take it to Sprint, the store you bought it at or any other store ... I guess you did learn your lesson
I buy all my phones on craigslist or ebay. If I break one, usually I find some way for it to be manufacturer error or whatever (faulty usb connection, faulty screen, faulty keyboard). I have insurance through sprint, so I take it to an authorized repair center(I have 3 in town), and they replace it free of charge because its manufacturer error. Usually I get my replacement device the next day.
luvnpce said:
I first contacted Sprint and sending it to Samsung was their suggestion. That's why. Even the Sprint representative I talked to today didn't know why the first representative told me to do that way. That might be the missing point here. After talking to him, his supervisor called me and apologized for the bad advise from the first one. If I knew or heard that it couldve taken care of by Sprint, I would definately have dont that way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Sorry you got bad advice, but sometimes you can get better advice from the drunk bum pushing a shopping cart full of cans and bottles down your street than you do from a service call center rep. Often times they're new, under trained, or just don't give a **** and want to get you off the phone.
If it's any consolation, I guess it's safe to say you learned something through this experience, which is always a positive. I hope you get your phone back soon.

Broken Call Speaker Rant

Just a little rant about my broken speaker. I am with Rogers in Canada and have had this galaxy nexus for about a month now. Two days ago my speaker was blown (makes distorted noises while on a call) and I have never used any of the volume increasing programs. So I brought the phone into the store and they tell me it takes 4 to 6 weeks to be fixed and they do not have a replacement phone for me to use in the mean time. WTF!!! I am royally pissed off and who wants to wait 6 weeks to get a phone fixed. On top of that, how is it possible in this day and age to go that long without communication? Times like these I am wishing I still had an iPhone just for the service they provide, broken phone = new one in 5 mins at the store. Sigh
Well, Apple isn't a carrier, Rogers is.
KWKSLVR said:
Well, Apple isn't a carrier, Rogers is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what your point is? Apple directly services their products for Rogers. I prefer the GN over the iPhone in almost all aspects, service not being one. Any issue I have ever had with an iPhone, 5mins in store, BAM! new phone. I'm not sure about you, but I think 4-6 weeks to be phoneless for a one month old $600 phone is pretty unacceptable. And if your point is that this is a carrier problem, I completely agree. It just makes your wonder if choosing a carrier supported phone is a good idea.
Apparently this is a Canada problem. I can either:
A) Walk into one of the service centers and have them fix/replace it on site. This is a benefit of living in a major city, most areas don't have a nearby service center.
B) Call their warranty number and have them overnight a replacement with a shipping label to return my broken phone once the new one is up and running. This is a 50 state + misc commonwealth and territory option, though the latter don't get overnight, just 2-day.
Are you dealing with Samsung directly? So a Samsung service center? Or are you going through your carrier?
Carrier. Dealing with manufacturers sucks, excepting Apple and HTC (to a lesser extent). Sometimes you can talk them into shipping a replacement first though.

Phone Insurance for Nexus purchased through GOOGLE PLAY - only!

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
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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.

Verizon Corp Stores VS Verizon District Manager VS Samsung

I want to clarify as a manager one time in a retail store I understand the stock issue and this brought me to why I went through the process I did and having documented and signed off from the correct people and dotted "I's" and crossed "T's". I knew exactly what I was getting into or so what should have happened. The other reason i'm making this a separate thread is to address how these issue the VERY poor communication that occurs between people and even with the correct chain of commands refusals and issues still arise and how this arises outside this recall. So without further ado ..
We are now without Cell Phones .. After going through the last couple days double and triple checking through chains and people and corporate offices. Verizon Screwed us over really bad yesterday which was the final nail being their customer.
We drove OVER a "HOUR" with "documented record and permission" from a district manager at Verizon corporate office to exchange our recalled our Samsung Note 7's. We were going to one of his stores, we get there they take our nail and we wait 45 minutes, after the wait they tell us they will NOT be able to exchange out Recalled phones cause they were not bought in that store. However according to the stores district manager (with documented proof) they were to suppose to allow it however the corporate store would not and refused to follow orders. I was pissed for driving OVER after calling BACK to corporate office and no way to get a hold of the district manager as he was in conferences, they had no way to enforce the letter I had but they would contact someone to further deal with it and it could take a few days. I at that point had, had enough with the issues we've had with Verizon and then to get screwed like this it was time to end my time with them. I told her, i'm closing all 6 lines and you can play games with other people. I then hung up.
We drove over a hour back and to our local store whom my friend is the store manager and he made calls as did the Samsung reps and I talked to some big big wigs, they wanted us to go back to that other store and meet with the district manager (would have been today), to exchange the note 7's and discuss what took place and how they can handle the situation, as things were badly mishandled. I explained I have a life and things and cant just jump and drive here and there at will especially when OTHERS screw up. I told them thank you for making a late attempt but if someone like myself who knows the system had this much of a issue I can only imagine how others who don't and that kinda service doesn't need rewarded. I made it clear the attitude between the employees and companies and HORRIBLE lack of communication was beyond unacceptable for me and my family to remain customers.
They were very apologetic but to me you need to be proactive about issues and not reactive and this situation was a very simple one and could have no only kept customers but also could have given them a atleast a great review on how they handed it. Instead they are losing 6 lines and how badly their communication/orders are.
few questions answered.
1. my area out in nowhere land isn't slated to get replacements note 7's till 9/29
2. the district manager of our store has notified locals we have permission (with documentation to go one of HIS another stores for replacements)
3. I also noticed they were selling Note 7s yesterday to anyone while there were a TON of people there for replacements and they had limited stock. Samsung Reps said (as t-mobile and at&t are doing they are suppose to be for exchanges first)
4. Ive been researching on who we will move to, ive been with at&t before and where we live has limited coverage with carriers, so thats the BIG factor. I am aware basically all carriers have issues with things and someone with at&t will go to verizon and someone with tmo will go to at&t so... its all a moving game. its what suites us best.
Matttrix said:
I want to clarify as a manager one time in a retail store I understand the stock issue and this brought me to why I went through the process I did and having documented and signed off from the correct people and dotted "I's" and crossed "T's". I knew exactly what I was getting into or so what should have happened. The other reason i'm making this a separate thread is to address how these issue the VERY poor communication that occurs between people and even with the correct chain of commands refusals and issues still arise and how this arises outside this recall. So without further ado ..
We are now without Cell Phones .. After going through the last couple days double and triple checking through chains and people and corporate offices. Verizon Screwed us over really bad yesterday which was the final nail being their customer.
We drove OVER a "HOUR" with "documented record and permission" from a district manager at Verizon corporate office to exchange our recalled our Samsung Note 7's. We were going to one of his stores, we get there they take our nail and we wait 45 minutes, after the wait they tell us they will NOT be able to exchange out Recalled phones cause they were not bought in that store. However according to the stores district manager (with documented proof) they were to suppose to allow it however the corporate store would not and refused to follow orders. I was pissed for driving OVER after calling BACK to corporate office and no way to get a hold of the district manager as he was in conferences, they had no way to enforce the letter I had but they would contact someone to further deal with it and it could take a few days. I at that point had, had enough with the issues we've had with Verizon and then to get screwed like this it was time to end my time with them. I told her, i'm closing all 6 lines and you can play games with other people. I then hung up.
We drove over a hour back and to our local store whom my friend is the store manager and he made calls as did the Samsung reps and I talked to some big big wigs, they wanted us to go back to that other store and meet with the district manager (would have been today), to exchange the note 7's and discuss what took place and how they can handle the situation, as things were badly mishandled. I explained I have a life and things and cant just jump and drive here and there at will especially when OTHERS screw up. I told them thank you for making a late attempt but if someone like myself who knows the system had this much of a issue I can only imagine how others who don't and that kinda service doesn't need rewarded. I made it clear the attitude between the employees and companies and HORRIBLE lack of communication was beyond unacceptable for me and my family to remain customers.
They were very apologetic but to me you need to be proactive about issues and not reactive and this situation was a very simple one and could have no only kept customers but also could have given them a atleast a great review on how they handed it. Instead they are losing 6 lines and how badly their communication/orders are.
few questions answered.
1. my area out in nowhere land isn't slated to get replacements note 7's till 9/29
2. the district manager of our store has notified locals we have permission (with documentation to go one of HIS another stores for replacements)
3. I also noticed they were selling Note 7s yesterday to anyone while there were a TON of people there for replacements and they had limited stock. Samsung Reps said (as t-mobile and at&t are doing they are suppose to be for exchanges first)
4. Ive been researching on who we will move to, ive been with at&t before and where we live has limited coverage with carriers, so thats the BIG factor. I am aware basically all carriers have issues with things and someone with at&t will go to verizon and someone with tmo will go to at&t so... its all a moving game. its what suites us best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I exchanged my defective Note 7 for a new one at a DIFFERENT store from where I originally purchased the defective one with no questions asked. I would be furious if I were you, and totally agree with your actions.
mysmartone said:
I exchanged my defective Note 7 for a new one at a DIFFERENT store from where I originally purchased the defective one with no questions asked. I would be furious if I were you, and totally agree with your actions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
depends if you originally bought it at a corporate verizon store vs authorized/premium retailer store. I ran into this issue and learned they are on completely different systems and its just best to stick with Verizon Corporate stores if possible. So i returned my S7 at the premium retailer and went to the corporate store for the Note 7.
Also to the OP, verizon can set up a return box that you can ship and then they can ship you the Note 7. The only issue is you will be phoneless unless you have a backup phone you can use while waiting. That is also one option i learned they can do for you.
chillsen said:
depends if you originally bought it at a corporate verizon store vs authorized/premium retailer store. I ran into this issue and learned they are on completely different systems and its just best to stick with Verizon Corporate stores if possible. So i returned my S7 at the premium retailer and went to the corporate store for the Note 7.
Also to the OP, verizon can set up a return box that you can ship and then they can ship you the Note 7. The only issue is you will be phoneless unless you have a backup phone you can use while waiting. That is also one option i learned they can do for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, UPS and FedEx are refusing to handle the recalled phones, so the only option is to return them to corporate stores. Samsung reps are actually picking them up at the stores to return them to a location where they can be processed.
Dodge DeBoulet said:
Unfortunately, UPS and FedEx are refusing to handle the recalled phones, so the only option is to return them to corporate stores. Samsung reps are actually picking them up at the stores to return them to a location where they can be processed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
UPS has posted this statement.. (effectively ground shipping only and likely will need specific shipping materials to go)
https://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/news/service_updates/20160915_samsung.html
dottat said:
UPS has posted this statement.. (effectively ground shipping only and likely will need specific shipping materials to go)
https://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/news/service_updates/20160915_samsung.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for posting that. It will certainly be useful for those who purchased their phones directly from Samsung. I don't believe Verizon customers will benefit from UPS's flexibility, though.
My comments were based on multiple news reports of FedEx and UPS outright refusing to handle the return shipping of recalled phone. Guess that wasn't quite the truth ...
chillsen said:
depends if you originally bought it at a corporate verizon store vs authorized/premium retailer store. I ran into this issue and learned they are on completely different systems and its just best to stick with Verizon Corporate stores if possible. So i returned my S7 at the premium retailer and went to the corporate store for the Note 7.
Also to the OP, verizon can set up a return box that you can ship and then they can ship you the Note 7. The only issue is you will be phoneless unless you have a backup phone you can use while waiting. That is also one option i learned they can do for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely true, reps in the store simply cant do an exchange in the system. Its as if you bought something from walmart and tried to return it at target. Imo authorized retailers are the worst! They can set their own prices and promotions and when I worked in the store I could literally tell that one close to me was selling returned phones because the esn had been active on many accounts. Essentially the district manager would be agreeing to giving you a new phone cause in no way shape or form could it be an exchange in the system.
mickeyleah said:
Completely true, reps in the store simply cant do an exchange in the system. Its as if you bought something from walmart and tried to return it at target. Imo authorized retailers are the worst! They can set their own prices and promotions and when I worked in the store I could literally tell that one close to me was selling returned phones because the esn had been active on many accounts. Essentially the district manager would be agreeing to giving you a new phone cause in no way shape or form could it be an exchange in the system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the truth is just more likely an evolving story here. Hopefully this all gets sorted soon for everyone's benefit.
dottat said:
I think the truth is just more likely an evolving story here. Hopefully this all gets sorted soon for everyone's benefit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got a update...
The district manager came to personally meet with me and we had a hour meeting and we joined by the general manager of the corporate store. The store manager apologized for his and his employees mistake, the district manager explained there was poor communication on their part, this should have been handled much better. However due to supply issue they are unable to give me new phones till October 5th. They have paid my current bill and 25% of each phones costs when I get them. As I agreed to remain a customer and sign a new phone agreement. I also got everything in writing again. If anything under the current deal is unable to be met i can withdraw without penalty etc and their payment on my bill will not be charged back to me.
After what I went through im going cover extra extra everything. I don't trust anything. Ill keep you all informed about it.
I can't believe the amount of time spent by so many people on so many levels for a couple phones.... I get the principle aspect of it.... but these are cell phones. Unnecessary. A luxury. I simply don't understand going to such great lengths over such a minor thing. Life is so large, what in the world will you do when something actually important doesn't go as planned?
Sent from my SM-N930V using Tapatalk
neyenlives said:
I can't believe the amount of time spent by so many people on so many levels for a couple phones.... I get the principle aspect of it.... but these are cell phones. Unnecessary. A luxury. I simply don't understand going to such great lengths over such a minor thing. Life is so large, what in the world will you do when something actually important doesn't go as planned?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Carrington Event
Updated
I got called this morning and got told the Blue Coral are behind on stock and I could get another color tomorrow. I am disappointed but at this point another few days I'll live.
What this whole subject has been about to me is the communication issues, promises, documented orders by region people, stores not following orders, the list goes on and on. I did put myself in hell but at the same time. I made them deal with their failures and address their issues. Sitting there hearing them admit they ****ed up and offering to pay my bill and discount my new phones was a "start".. But I still think about the countless others who go through such bull**** while these companies walk on us. Hopefully my situation will get others to step up to make companies do what they say and offer.

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