Help Dropped Stratosphere, broke screen - what now?

[capnblubs]

I dropped my Stratosphere a couple days ago. It was easily the smallest drop out of a handful I've had, yet somehow for the first time in my life I've permanently damaged a phone. The screen is cracked, and a few chips came off in the lower left corner (exposing the underside of the settings button). The touch screen still works fairly well in spite of this, but I don't anticipate things working properly forever...and I don't even want to put the phone in my pocket for fear that any friction against the screen will make the cracks worse.

I have an "extended warranty" with Verizon but from what I've heard/read this will not help me much...even if I were to succeed in getting a replacement, I'd have to pay at least some for it and still only get a refurbished phone.

I think I'd probably rather get the screen replaced. What are my options for that? Or, if you would actually recommend I try to get the phone replaced instead, what should I do? Thanks very much for reading.

 

[acejavelin]

If you have the Asurion INSURANCE, not warranty, you can pay the deductible (usually $100) and get a replacement phone. If it is just the VZW extended warranty, then screen damage is not covered, Google can probably find you a suitable repair company to replace it, although you will likely be without your device for about a week.

 

[capnblubs]

If you have the Asurion INSURANCE, not warranty, you can pay the deductible (usually $100) and get a replacement phone. If it is just the VZW extended warranty, then screen damage is not covered, Google can probably find you a suitable repair company to replace it, although you will likely be without your device for about a week.

Unfortunately, I've only got the extended warranty, and yeah...I know people don't really have any luck getting VZW to cover such a thing.

What I'm probably going to do (in fact they already sent me a pre-paid label, I just haven't shipped my phone yet) is send it directly to Samsung for repair. The full cost is $119.

Is there any particular reason why going with a different repair option would be preferable? Less cost? Or just takes less time?

Because while I can deal with $119 my main hesitation is because: 3-5 days shipping there, 5-7 days repairing, 3-5 days return shipping, PLUS I assume that doesn't even include weekend days. So I might be without my phone for like 3 weeks.

 

[acejavelin]

Unfortunately, I've only got the extended warranty, and yeah...I know people don't really have any luck getting VZW to cover such a thing.

What I'm probably going to do (in fact they already sent me a pre-paid label, I just haven't shipped my phone yet) is send it directly to Samsung for repair. The full cost is $119.

Is there any particular reason why going with a different repair option would be preferable? Less cost? Or just takes less time?

Because while I can deal with $119 my main hesitation is because: 3-5 days shipping there, 5-7 days repairing, 3-5 days return shipping, PLUS I assume that doesn't even include weekend days. So I might be without my phone for like 3 weeks.

Look for a local company... Some Radio Shack stores have been advertising glass replacement on many phones for as low as $69 with a 72 hour turn-around time (several people have reported seeing signs in stores in various places across the country, but not all stores and not online), so if they can do it for that then there is probably another local (or withing a hour or two drive) shop that can do it for less. I have no idea where you live, but if you set it up a head of time with a shop in a bigger city, the repair itself should only take an hour or two, make a day trip out of it.

 

[capnblubs]

I took your advice and called Radio Shack. Unfortunately (at least according to the person I talked to) their "repair kits" do not include Samsung phones. They recommended I call another local shop that does Samsung repairs, who then quoted me twice the price ($240) that Samsung did.

So I guess my only option is sending it to Samsung. I can live with their price, and I can (just barely) live without my phone for that long, but I just hope they don't surprise me with something like "guess what, it actually needs a more extensive repair which costs twice as much!" after I send it to them.

 

[capnblubs]

To update for anyone who reads this, I was pretty happy with my decision to get the screen repaired directly by Samsung.

I sent it in with their pre-paid label, they wrote me the day after receiving it to say that indeed, the cost would be $119.

I paid, and they quickly fixed it and then mailed it out the next day. All told it only took about 6 business days to get the phone back even though they claimed it could take 11-17.