Here is a recent chat with Sprint about this situation....
Simply click the white Yes button below now.
Frances L: Thanks for moving the chat window.
Frances L: Please provide more details about your question.
You: I am inquiring as to what Sprint's policy is on rooting their Android phones? Also, if an active Sprint phone is rooted and the owner has purchased and is currently paying for the insurance offered by Sprint, would they still cover any issues that may arise?
Frances L: Thank you for sharing additional details.
Frances L: If insurance added on the line and customer paying for the insurance, so the device cover under insurance.
You: Even if the device is rooted?
You: And what is Sprint's policy on rooting their Android phones?
Frances L: Rooting devices doesn't cover under insurance.
Frances L: Rooted devices*
You: WHAT IS SPRINT'S POLICY ON ROOTING THEIR PHONES?
You: I have a memo from a Sprint Full Service Location here saying such is not the case......
Frances L: Sprint doesn't recommend to rooting the phone.
Frances L: Can I please have your phone number?
You: Sprint does not RECOMMEND rooting a device.... But If I have a rooted device and I were to bring it in to a full service location for repair, and I have insurance, they would still repair my phone, correct?
Frances L: If the insurance added on the device, so you can repair the device @ Sprint repair center, so they can manually check that.
Frances L: If the device is repairable, they would assist you.
You: And if not they wold replace my device per standard DHRP procedures, correct?
Frances L: If the device is not repairable, so you can discuss it with Asurion at (800) 584-3666.
Frances L: Hours of operations are Monday - Friday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM, Saturday - Sunday: 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM.
Frances L: I know your time is valuable and I would like to assist you in resolving any questions you have. Would you like to continue chatting with me today?
You: Memo from Sprint full service location states: If the customer is experiencing issues that are suspect to be caused by rooting the device: Step 1 Educate the customer on the risks involved in rooting their device. Step 2 Open an eTicket and document the specific issues with the device. Also note that device is suspect of being root.
You: Step 3 attempt to resolve the issue by reloading the device software
You: Step 4 If the issue cannot be resolved, exchange the device per standard DHRP procedures.
You: Is this all correct information?
Frances L: From where you got this information?
You: Is this all correct information?
You: I am an Android system developer looking to switch my service to Sprint and would like to know the true policies before I make the switch as I will be working on phones. I would like to have true and accurate information so I can make an informed decision on which carrier to go with. So far Sprint would be my choice if I can verify that this information is correct...
Frances L: Thank you for sharing the details.
Frances L: I would like to inform you that other services providers phones doesn't work with Sprint services, so if you sign up the services with Sprint, you will need to opt the Sprint phone.
You: I understand that, that is the reason I asked about Sprint's policy on rooting THEIR phones.
You: Now would you please verify as to whether or not the information I mentioned above is accurate or not?
Frances L: Those are the technical terms, so I would suggest you to contact the Technical support team at 1-888-211-4727.
Frances L: Hours of operations are Monday - Friday: 6:00 AM - 12:00 AM, Saturday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM, and Sunday: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Frances L: Also you can contact to Asurion (Insurance seller) at (800) 584-3666
Frances L: Their hours of operations are Monday - Friday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM, Saturday - Sunday: 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM.
You: So, when it comes down to it, if I were to take a rooted android phone into a sprint service location for repair, they would attempt to repair the device and if they were unable to, they would replace the device per standard procedure?
Frances L: Lenny, Rooted device doesn't coverage under insurance, however the defect could be verified after manually checking.
You: So, the answer is simply a yes then.
Frances L: Lenny, those are the Technical terms, so I would suggest you to contact the Technical support team for that.
Frances L: So they can assist you regarding all those.
You: Since the top of the aforementioned Memo says: Since there is currently no way of proving that a device has been rooted by a customer, suspected rooted devices should be handled as follows. Then leads into what I mentioned earlier.
Frances L: Please note: We do not support rooted Android devices. The Protection App is only compatible with operating systems that are Sprint certified and unmodified for your device.
Frances L: You an also get more information with the help of below link:
Frances L:
https://protection.sprint.com/?
Frances L: Also you may contact to Technical support about the technical terms.
You: The Protection App .apk file can be loaded onto any Android Rom and as long as the phone is on the Sprint Network and the insurance is being paid for then it will work without a problem. So, as long as a person didn't actually "say" their phone was rooted then it would be handled as stated above, correct?
Frances L: Lenny, Sprint doesn't support rooted Android devices. The Protection App is only compatible with operating systems that are Sprint certified and unmodified for your device.
Frances L: If you modified the device yourself, so that wouldn't cover under insurance.
You: According to the Sprint memo, Sprint would still have to attempt to repair the device and if it couldn't be repaired then it would be replaced. EVEN IF THE DEVICE IS SUSPECT OF BEING ROOT.
You: That's a Sprint internal memo, on Handling rooted/Jailbroken Devices
Frances L: From where you got the information?
You: No disrespect intended but all I need is a true or not true and then I am done with this conversation.
Frances L: Rooted devices doesn't cover under insurance, only the Sprint devices those are not rooted cover under insurance.
You: So you are telling me that, that policy I have quoted from is incorrect?
Frances L: From where you got the information?
You: Please answer my question.
Frances L: Lenny, those are technical terms and for those there is a Technical support team.
Frances L: I would suggest you to contact them at 1-888-211-4727, so they an assist you.
Frances L: Their hours of operations are Monday - Friday: 6:00 AM - 12:00 AM, Saturday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM, and Sunday: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
You: Thank you for your time
Frances L: You are most welcome.
Frances L: Thank you for contacting to Sprint.
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