broken phone! what do i do?

[skisteven1]

So I have a cingular (HTC) 2125, which I've been very happy with. However, last night I took it out of my pocket, where I always keep it, and discovered that one of the internal layers to the screen was cracked.

The whole display is useless now, and while the phone still works, I obviously need it replaced. I called cingular, and they're trying to charge me like $200 for a new one. The phone is less than 6 months old.

How should I be handling this? Is there a good way to convince someone to give me a new phone? I also have some little crappy insurance with like a $50 deductible, but I'm not sure if that covers breakage. What's my best bet here?

 

[broon]

Your insurance should cover the phone.

 

[skisteven1]

through cingular you mean? or through my little crappy insurance (which is totally unrelated to the phone)?

 

[Schfifty Five]

Originally posted by: skisteven1
through cingular you mean? or through my little crappy insurance (which is totally unrelated to the phone)?

Your phone should carry a manufacturer's warranty that is good for at least 1 year. Call up who made the phone and get an RMA. They'll replace it for you...they should at least.

 

[zylander]

If you have had it for less than a year you can get it replaced through cingular even if you dont have insurance on it. Ive replaced my phone through cingular 3 times already due to rage issues

 

[MrBond]

Barring any of the above working, you should be able to buy an unlocked phone from eBay, pop out your SIM card and put it in the new phone. It should be cheaper than buying a new phone from Cingular.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

:music: There's a hole in the bucket dear Liza, dear Liza... :music:

 

[OdiN]

Broken phone...what to do....what to do....

I dunno maybe BUY A NEW ONE?

 

[CellarDoor]

Celebrate! Little did I know it, but when I accidentally brought my $200 cell phone into the spa with me (My shorts had a pocket and I forgot it was in there), it was a blessing.

 

[skisteven1]

Originally posted by: OdiN
Broken phone...what to do....what to do....

I dunno maybe BUY A NEW ONE?

Gee, odin -- how could I ever have missed that? MAYBE.... just MAYBE, I was hoping to avoid spending $300. Sorry, some of us aren't made of money.

You know what you could do with all the money you seemingly have though? SHOVE IT!

 

[skisteven1]

Originally posted by: zylander
If you have had it for less than a year you can get it replaced through cingular even if you dont have insurance on it. Ive replaced my phone through cingular 3 times already due to rage issues

I tried calling cingulars XBM line (exchange by mail). They bumped me to someone else specifically devoted to data devices, who basically said I'm screwed and they dont' cover it, but for $200+, they'd be happy to replace it.

Your phone should carry a manufacturer's warranty that is good for at least 1 year. Call up who made the phone and get an RMA. They'll replace it for you...they should at least.

Called HTC -- they told me they'd be happy to repair it, for a fee. An unknown fee. They said call cingular.

 

[zylander]

Dont do it over the phone, go here and do it over their website. They will cross ship you a new phone and you ship your broken one back with a their pre paid shipping label.

 

[skisteven1]

Originally posted by: zylander
Dont do it over the phone, go here and do it over their website. They will cross ship you a new phone and you ship your broken one back with a their pre paid shipping label.

Thanks for the tip Zylander, but.....

At Cingular, we make it easy for you to exchange or return any defective device. Cingular Returns Online will assist you if you have determined:

* Your phone is malfunctioning and you would like to exchange it.
* Your phone was purchased within the last 12 months.
* Your phone was not purchased within the last 30 days.
* Your phone has not been physically damaged.
* You successfully executed the returns process and would like to check the status of your return.

Please note: If you proceed with the online returns process, you are not able to keep your existing phone. Once your return authorization has been approved, a return kit is sent to you by mail containing detailed instructions on how to complete the return transaction. If you are a prepaid customer, a valid credit card is required to complete the return transaction.

Because the screen is broken (the ink is seeping within the screen somewhere), I've been told when I call them that the phone does NOT qualify for exchange like this. The only thing I'm afraid of is them just charging me when they get my phone -- in which case i'd rather just pay my deductible.

Does anyone have experience with this?

 

[OSX]

There is no 'ink' in the screen.

 

[randay]

you are supposed to have your phone stolen.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: skisteven1

Originally posted by: OdiN
Broken phone...what to do....what to do....

I dunno maybe BUY A NEW ONE?

Gee, odin -- how could I ever have missed that? MAYBE.... just MAYBE, I was hoping to avoid spending $300. Sorry, some of us aren't made of money.

You know what you could do with all the money you seemingly have though? SHOVE IT!

Wow, someone is touchy.

Go buy a new phone. It will make you feel batter.

 

[skisteven1]

Originally posted by: OSX
There is no 'ink' in the screen.

You are, of course, correct. That's what the CS rep told me. I'm not familiar enough with the technology that constitutes the screen to know what it actually is... but that's what it looks like.

 

[buck]

Did you post this on myspace yet?

 

[jadinolf]

For the record, my cellphone was $19.

Am I missing something?

 

[skisteven1]

this one goes for 400+

 

[zylander]

Oops, didnt notice that you said your screen was cracked in the OP. Well, the next best thing for you to do is sell your broken one on ebay and atleast get something for it, then buy a replacement on ebay and swap over your sim card. I know selling your broken phone on ebay sounds odd, but believe me, you WILL get something. I use to have a Panasonic camera phone (cant remember model), the screen got cracked and didnt work, I put it on ebay and I even stated that the screen was broken and I still got $50 for it. After that I have a Moto v600, broke that screen too, sold it and got $100 for it. Good luck.