screen cracked--need info

[juno]

here's my story

last thursday, my screen shattered somehow. i think i might have sat on it in a bad way? anyways, by friday i was able to take it into a repair center. they told me "if we don't have a replacement screen in stock, you're going to have to pay the $100 deductible"
10 minutes later he says that i'm in luck and they have the part. I just have o give him a half an hour to fix it.
30 minutes later he hands me the phone back with a receipt and i test it out. screen doesn't work. i give it back to him and he says he must have not made a connection. he tells me to wait 30 more minutes.
30 minutes later, he comes out saying he broke the connection putting the screen on and the phone is completely broken. but, he says, it's bittersweet because i can get an evo from insurance for free. only thing is, they are on back order!
i ask them if i will get a new on or refurb, and he says he's not sure.
it's estimated to be here friday.

should i expect a new evo, or a refurb??

 

[Thefoodman52]

Refurb. For sure. If you get a new Evo, that'd be a first on Sprint. 4G, first on sprint, along with the chance of getting a NEW phone after something happens to it?

 

[juno]

^i actually recieved a new Evo

 

[ndh777]

so iv had my white HTC evo from the day it came out and i babied it like my son. i never let it drop or hit anything. just now at work i dropped it on the floor and the screen cracked like a huge spider web on the entire screen


what do i do ? i have full sprint insurence. i go to sprint and they give me a new one ? will i get the white one or the normal black one ?

If it was me, I see two options.

1. Since you're smart, you have Sprint insurance. You simply go to Sprint and tell them that you need a new phone and they will send you a new one. You can also call them and they can ship you a new one. As far as going into a store, I'm not sure if they give you a new one on the spot or if they ship it. Since this was your fault (not on purpose, but avoidable and not an issue of HTC/Sprint) you will need to pay $100 which I believe you can do right then and there or you can wait. I know for sure that you can add it to your next bill.

OR

2. This is a bit risky and may void your Sprint warranty, but...sometimes you need your phone right away and if they ship it, you have to wait a while (it's like a few days) or you could possibly really like your device and not want to start from scratch. So you could go to someone on Craigslist who will be able to replace your phone's screen within a day. I say that it might void your warranty as opening a phone certain ways can be detected and can void your warranty if Sprint finds out.


For me, I just go to Sprint and get a replacement. I'm in no hurry and can wait. My cousin (on my plan) lost her phone, we called Sprint that night, and the next morning she had her replacement.

***IMPORTANT*** If you go through Sprint warranty and get a replacement, you MUST return your old phone...otherwise you will have a charge on your bill for the entire amount of the new phone.


For future reference...it's a good idea to get a case. Preferably a rubber one. Rubber cases like mine, have a small bumper around the edges so that if you drop your phone from a reasonable height, say your head, and it lands face down, it should not damage the screen because the bumpers are higher than the screen itself.

 

[Shift.Evolve]

For future reference...it's a good idea to get a case. Preferably a rubber one. Rubber cases like mine, have a small bumper around the edges so that if you drop your phone from a reasonable height, say your head, and it lands face down, it should not damage the screen because the bumpers are higher than the screen itself.

I dropped mine from hip level with the HTC rubber case and it landed flat on the concrete and it still broke. The rubber any only absorb so much. Luckily I have insurance so Sprint fixed it for free in an hour.

 

[Tempusfugit]

Protection Solutions

So screen cracks are wear and tear now? good to know.. Anyone know how many free screens I get? Can I drop a phone a day and as long as I'm paying 7 dollars a month?


I think you guys are just getting the good side of sprint's extreme inefficiency. Someone misinterpreted a memo. The fact people are getting damage THEY did fixed for free and they've charged numerous people to replace phones for warranty issue, make me want to vomit(at sprint, not you guys, stick it to 'em while it lasts)


.. and for sure you can get a refurb, and for sure you aren't guaranteed a color.


And the only proof in the xda thread was a picture of a sprint ad, with small print stating:

Devices resulting from customer misuse or abuse are not eligible for replacement.

 

[ndh777]

I dropped mine from hip level with the HTC rubber case and it landed flat on the concrete and it still broke. The rubber any only absorb so much. Luckily I have insurance so Sprint fixed it for free in an hour.

Of course it won't completely break the fall, just decrease the risk.

I had no idea that you were able to get a screen replacement. I thought if the screen cracked, you just had to get a new phone.

In that case, that is great to know! Yeah, you're right because I should've been more clear that it won't completely break the fall, but just decrease the risk, or as you said, absorb only so much.

 

[TheEngineer]

I dropped mine from hip level with the HTC rubber case and it landed flat on the concrete and it still broke. The rubber any only absorb so much. Luckily I have insurance so Sprint fixed it for free in an hour.

Sprint did that for a short time when they changed the warranty repair policy. So many phones came in from people just cycling out broken phones they purchased online that Sprint changed the policy. Cracks must be one inch long or less.

 

[SaleenFiend]

I literally just called Sprint 5 mins ago and they are sending me a complete replacement phone directly to me due to a cracked screen.

Let me explain a little. I live in Baton Rouge, La. We have no corporate stores nearby. (We have three repair centers within 25 mins of my location). They are Nightmares. Everytime you bring a phone in they decline a repair or claim the screens are on backorder.. blah blah blah. I can't stand the store.

Last time when I went in with a cracked screen and the copy of the new TEP procedures ($35.00 with out or Free with) and they refused to fix it and said I must file an insurance claim. When I finally got the manager it was then claimed all phone screens for the EVO are on Backorder... I did confirm a screen shortage with all phones. (I've been with Sprint for 10 years and this is exactly how these local stores treat us everytime - unless I am purchasing something)

So after getting on Chat... Sprint refunded me the $100.00 deductible to file an insurance claim that time. New phone.. I was good

Now this time (1 month later) I cracked my screen, again. I waited probably another month (until today) b/c I didn't want to file a claim so soon. Instead of going to the store or calling Asurion I called Sprint and explained my previous experience to him. I then asked him if the screens were still on back order. He then proceeded to tell me no, they weren't. He then also agreed that non-corp stores are sometimes 'sketchy' (my words, not his). After literally just setting the base work... he came right out and offered to send a replacement phone no charge (I have to send mine back) or a replacement screen that I can have the store change... I choose the phone. It was the easiest and best thing I could have asked for. This is why I have been with Sprint for 10 years... cheapest plans, decent phones, and no matter what there is always a great solution to my problems.

 

[SaleenFiend]

Now, I have to buy a case.

 

[InfiniteWalrus]

Just to let all of you know, cracked screens are once again insurance claims. Sprint covered them for a few months but there was some bitching from Asurion and they are no longer free repairs with TEP. Some non-Sprint repair shops may repair it for cheaper than an insurance claim, especially if just the digitizer is broken.

 

[nsu300zx]

Had the same thing happen to my phone except I had the Best buy insurance. Best buy sent it away to the repair shop and after a couple days they reported that it couldn't be fixed, so Best Buy gave me a new phone. No money out.

 

[SaleenFiend]

Just to let all of you know, cracked screens are once again insurance claims. Sprint covered them for a few months but there was some bitching from Asurion and they are no longer free repairs with TEP. Some non-Sprint repair shops may repair it for cheaper than an insurance claim, especially if just the digitizer is broken.

That is not true. I can pay $35.00 without TEP and have my screen replaced. I am not paying $100.00 to file an insurance claim because I have TEP.

I have had 2 phones in the last 3 months replaced with cracked screens. The first time was a problem getting them to do it at the store (Non-Corp store) so Sprint refunded me the $100.00 Claim to Asurion. This time I called Sprint and he offered to send me a screen to have a store replace or a new phone. He assured me this was covered under the TEP and that I do not need to file an insurance claim. This conversation took place on Wed and I received my new replacement phone about 30mins ago.

 

[Vanquished]

Get a samsung epic 4g and don't buy junk

Too bad this ****** was banned.

Anyway, I find it kind of surprising so many people have had broken screens. I drop mine religiously (not on purpose) and have not had a single problem with it. Two family members have EVO's as well and have dropped them multiple times and have never had anything crack or break either. They have rubber sleaves on them while all I have is a screen protector.

 

[SaleenFiend]

Too bad this ****** was banned.

Anyway, I find it kind of surprising so many people have had broken screens. I drop mine religiously (not on purpose) and have not had a single problem with it. Two family members have EVO's as well and have dropped them multiple times and have never had anything crack or break either. They have rubber sleaves on them while all I have is a screen protector.

I used to feel exactly the way you did. I always wondered how iPhone users and EVO users kept cracking their screens... well, now I know. I am a little bit more cautious now.

 

[TheEngineer]

That is not true. I can pay $35.00 without TEP and have my screen replaced. I am not paying $100.00 to file an insurance claim because I have TEP.

The rule now is the crack must be less than an inch long. Why? No idea. But Sprint stores have been instructed not to replace screens that are shattered anymore and to send the customer to Asurion.

 

[InfiniteWalrus]

That is not true. I can pay $35.00 without TEP and have my screen replaced. I am not paying $100.00 to file an insurance claim because I have TEP.

I have had 2 phones in the last 3 months replaced with cracked screens. The first time was a problem getting them to do it at the store (Non-Corp store) so Sprint refunded me the $100.00 Claim to Asurion. This time I called Sprint and he offered to send me a screen to have a store replace or a new phone. He assured me this was covered under the TEP and that I do not need to file an insurance claim. This conversation took place on Wed and I received my new replacement phone about 30mins ago.

Consider yourself lucky then. I'm a tech at a sprint store and we have not been able to replace cracked screens for a few months now. As was mentioned earlier you can have up to 2 cracks that are less than 1 inch long apiece. Anything more than that is an insurance claim. Like I said, if just your digitizer is cracked, those are 30 bucks online and generic phone repair shops will likely replace it for you for less than the price of an insurance claim.

 

[Vanquished]

I used to feel exactly the way you did. I always wondered how iPhone users and EVO users kept cracking their screens... well, now I know. I am a little bit more cautious now.

I've never wondered about iPhone users...Seems like everyone and their dog who has had an iPhone has cracked their screen at some point. Everyone I know with an HTC phone though seems to have gotten lucky and never had them break (better quality was my first guess ).

 

[SaleenFiend]

Consider yourself lucky then. I'm a tech at a sprint store and we have not been able to replace cracked screens for a few months now. As was mentioned earlier you can have up to 2 cracks that are less than 1 inch long apiece. Anything more than that is an insurance claim. Like I said, if just your digitizer is cracked, those are 30 bucks online and generic phone repair shops will likely replace it for you for less than the price of an insurance claim.

Def will. Although, we all know how wishy washy Sprint is... one week it's this one week it's this other thing. Talk to one rep get this ... talk to the other get that.

 

[InfiniteWalrus]

Def will. Although, we all know how wishy washy Sprint is... one week it's this one week it's this other thing. Talk to one rep get this ... talk to the other get that.

I'm constantly amazed at the idiotic things I hear from customer care when we have to talk to them (we are a third party dealer.) Half of the problem is that information is just not spread thoroughly enough. When we were repairing cracked screens in store, the corporate store down the street was still telling customers it was an insurance claim for a month afterwards.