I just purchased a Photon through Craigslist (on Black Friday) and activated it on my current line. The phone is a few weeks old and came with the original box and everything (the charger & cable had not even been used). I am traveling abroad for 6 weeks and will be moving around a lot and would like to buy some protection/insurance for the Photon.
I have searched through XDA for information about Sprint TEP and for the most part, it seems users think its beneficial to buy TEP since it covers repairs, replacements, lost and/or stolen phones.
Since I don't have a purchase receipt, can I still purchase TEP on my line for the Photon? The phone is practically brand-new but I have never had TEP before.
I want to cover all my bases before I talk to them directly.
The other coverage I am considering is Square Trade which has built a sterling reputation by providing great warranties with inexpensive prices. I have a 35% off coupon which I can use, so the Photon can be protected for 2 years for $80. But it doesn't cover theft or loss. Plus everything has to be mailed in.
So there are advantages & disadvantages for both;
Any Photon users care to chime in about their experiences?
Or any other comments, suggestions, do's & don'ts?
Thanks in advance.
Sprint has the tep at 7 bucks a month you should be able to add it since you just bought it. I know it covers theft and water damage but The deductible is 100-150 bucks I think. Better then having nothing and if u mod like everyone on xda, that should give u some cushion in case it goes haywire.(usually if u play dumb they may replace it for free) With sprints tep you can just go to a corporate sprint store w/ repair and can have it back same day usually unlike square which will take a week or two....
Sent from my Mophukin Photon runnin Skinny1, One.Four OC like a Boss...
Thanks, that helps.
I was leaning towards TEP for the same reasons.
I also overlooked the fact that a receipt needs to be filed with ST for confirmation, which I won't be able to do.
TEP on my account shows $8/month. Are you grandfathered in an older plan?
I've had a HORRIBLE experience with square trade and i know many others that did as well. Sprint TEP all the way..
kennypow3rs said:
I've had a HORRIBLE experience with square trade and i know many others that did as well. Sprint TEP all the way..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was it with a mobile phone or something else?
I would like to read about it if you don't mind sharing.
I have my laptop & Nook Color warranties through them, haven't had to use them yet.
hirent said:
Was it with a mobile phone or something else?
I would like to read about it if you don't mind sharing.
I have my laptop & Nook Color warranties through them, haven't had to use them yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its sort of a long story and i definitely don't feel like typing it all from my phone lol. Plus I'm watching the Texans game
In a nutshell it had something to do with my laptop and the refused to repair it over some BS. To be honest square trade warranties are stupid. Why should I pay someone few hundred dollars on top my purchase to promise me they'll fix/repair my device if something goes wrong etc. The OEM should repair most issues within the first year! Technology becomes obsolete like every 6-8 months anyways! It just doesn't make sense to me. Only time ill buy extended warranties is if i purchase a used car. Other than that I'm not giving a company my money up front because within a year I'd probably have another product! Yeah they can cover theft etc but imo its still not worth it.
Thanks for the comments.
I'm definitely signing up with TEP.
-------
Pity about Leinart, he was doing good....still your defense stood up today.
Good Luck in the playoffs.
hirent said:
Thanks, that helps.
I was leaning towards TEP for the same reasons.
I also overlooked the fact that a receipt needs to be filed with ST for confirmation, which I won't be able to do.
TEP on my account shows $8/month. Are you grandfathered in an older plan?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Been with sprint for 9 years now I was grandfathered in for almost everything lol
Sent from my Mophukin Photon runnin Skinny1, One.Four OC like a Boss...
fnztakedown said:
Been with sprint for 9 years now I was grandfathered in for almost everything lol
Sent from my Mophukin Photon runnin Skinny1, One.Four OC like a Boss...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too!
Well, it will be 10 years for me on Dec. 28.
Had a simple, talk-only plan for 9 years; upgraded to the smartphone plan with the Evo in Jan.
And now, before I can be a Gold Premier customer, they take it all away.
I guess customer loyalty doesn't count for anything, anymore.
Well, I just wanted to chime in. if you look back at my recent post, TEP (Asurion) just delivered my phone Saturday. I will not jock them but...........Yea I will, give them the $8.00 a month TRUST ME!!! And unlike AT&T, I did not get a referb unit, I got a brand new Photon stright from the factory floor, already programmed with Sprint Service, USB and Charger, Battery. All I had to do was hit the power button and sign into Google. I was making calls 3 minutes after I opened the box!!
I was stupid for losing my phone, TEP took care of me. ($100.00 and I got it before noon the following day!!! If I recall, package was from Tenn.? Oh Well, I got it in PA the next day!)
dsims7_2000 said:
Well, I just wanted to chime in. if you look back at my recent post, TEP (Asurion) just delivered my phone Saturday. I will not jock them but...........Yea I will, give them the $8.00 a month TRUST ME!!! And unlike AT&T, I did not get a referb unit, I got a brand new Photon stright from the factory floor, already programmed with Sprint Service, USB and Charger, Battery. All I had to do was hit the power button and sign into Google. I was making calls 3 minutes after I opened the box!!
I was stupid for losing my phone, TEP took care of me. ($100.00 and I got it before noon the following day!!! If I recall, package was from Tenn.? Oh Well, I got it in PA the next day!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I already signed up....8 bucks a month.
I only want this for the duration of my trip (6-8 weeks); I might cancel afterward.
Total for a year is $96 plus $100 deductible, totals to $200. The Photon goes for about $250 on (my local) CL. Unless the instrument is problematic, I personally don't see the need for me to have TEP.
But yeah, brand-new replacement for a lost handset is great.
The way I caught AT&T was I had to remove battery to put in my card, there was a little yellow round sticker with an "R" on it, thats now what I was paying for. It took a little moaning and hollering................Again, I have nothing but love for Sprint TEP.
I work in IT. years ago a friend told me "we dont get paid for what we do, we get paid for what we know. We are an insurance policy, no one cares as long as the lights are flashing green, we work when it flashes red!" This has stuck with me for years.
TEP and that $8.00 gives me a piece of mind. When I got my EVO August 2010 (or was it July?), anyway, it cost me over $600.00 to walk out of the store with what I wanted. Photon cost me over $700.00 (Phone, new card, GhostArmour)
BTW: If you lose your phone in Sweden, your SOL anyway. Most (or AT&T anyway) will not ship internationally. I had to send e-mail to my mother (she will not answer blocked calls) with password to have AT&T cut it off. Insurance would not ship to her, HTC Fuze got shipped to my home in PA, my mother is in Ohio. My daughter came from Md, for phone, delivered it to my job, Operations sent it with like 10 tapes!
Bottom line, $8.00 is nothing!
Related
When i got my 3d yesterday the rep told me that after the 23rd of July there going back to mail in rebates .
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA App
james873 said:
When i got my 3d yesterday the rep told me that after the 23rd of July there going back to mail in rebates .
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Big deal, stick to Radioshack or Bestbuy and they honor it on the spot. I used to dread getting a new phone when I only went to the Sprint store...for many reasons...that wasn't even one of 'em. Not to mention no restocking fees to worry about.
That and the Sprint store near my house is staffed by potentially the most inept bunch of fools I've ever seen. I've gone in for screen protectors and stood in line for 20 effin' minutes while the entire store piled up with more people...there was only one person in line in front of me...fully staffed store...and it was like nothing was moving at all. It's amazing that they get anything done at all.
Sure, I could have left, but I was ironically entertained at how awful the experience was. I just had to see how far it went on for. I'll never go back there again...for anything...
daneurysm said:
Big deal, stick to Radioshack or Bestbuy and they honor it on the spot. I used to dread getting a new phone when I only went to the Sprint store...for many reasons...that wasn't even one of 'em. Not to mention no restocking fees to worry about.
That and the Sprint store near my house is staffed by potentially the most inept bunch of fools I've ever seen. I've gone in for screen protectors and stood in line for 20 effin' minutes while the entire store piled up with more people...there was only one person in line in front of me...fully staffed store...and it was like nothing was moving at all. It's amazing that they get anything done at all.
Sure, I could have left, but I was ironically entertained at how awful the experience was. I just had to see how far it went on for. I'll never go back there again...for anything...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah same here. They need to just wipe out everybody in the corporate store near me and start over.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
Must vary greatly then. My local store has great staff. Knowledgeable, courteous, and really the best customer experience I've had in years! I went to Best Buy just 2 days prior to the 3vo launch and was told I'd have to pay full price minus a measly $75. Apparently at Best Buy, you don't get the premier silver full upgrade override, $125 line porting credit (my wife was still with AT&T), and a 10% discount for being a AAA or credit union member. Best Buy knew nothing about ANY of those deals and I would have been screwed royally had I bought from any place other than the Sprint store. They overrode my early upgrade and made it a full upgrade, gave me the $125 porting credit for the second phone, the 10% discount on my monthly bill, and I walked out with two 3vo's... FREE after all the discounts. I would have paid over $500 at Best Buy and I bet Radio Shack too.
Not to mention the fact that when I brought back one of the 3vo's to exchange it due to the crooked screen problem, they let me sit down in the repair room with the new one, boot it up, and evaluate the screen for dead pixels and to confirm it wasn't crooked before I even made the exchange.
This is probably one of those things where service varies greatly depending on your location in the U.S.
Mike
Hello,
I too prefer purchasing my Phones from the Sprint Store and was so excited when they had done away with Mail in Rebates. It is greatly disappointing that they have reverted. Another advantage to purchasing from the Store is you can Bill directly to your Account. I hated having to send the Rebate for my 4G to El Paso, TX and waiting 6 Weeks for it to come.
Cheers,
JJ
mikeyxda said:
Must vary greatly then. My local store has great staff. Knowledgeable, courteous, and really the best customer experience I've had in years! I went to Best Buy just 2 days prior to the 3vo launch and was told I'd have to pay full price minus a measly $75. Apparently at Best Buy, you don't get the premier silver full upgrade override, $125 line porting credit (my wife was still with AT&T), and a 10% discount for being a AAA or credit union member. Best Buy knew nothing about ANY of those deals and I would have been screwed royally had I bought from any place other than the Sprint store. They overrode my early upgrade and made it a full upgrade, gave me the $125 porting credit for the second phone, the 10% discount on my monthly bill, and I walked out with two 3vo's... FREE after all the discounts. I would have paid over $500 at Best Buy and I bet Radio Shack too.
Not to mention the fact that when I brought back one of the 3vo's to exchange it due to the crooked screen problem, they let me sit down in the repair room with the new one, boot it up, and evaluate the screen for dead pixels and to confirm it wasn't crooked before I even made the exchange.
This is probably one of those things where service varies greatly depending on your location in the U.S.
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure everyone's experience will vary greatly from place to place...but my Sprint store is worth avoiding. Typically I get my phones from Radioshack 'cuz I'm buddies with the chicks that work there. They hook me up with deals, I hook them up with nerd advice and help. One of them wanted a rooted Evo, so, we swapped Evo's and I used hers to trade up to the NS4G, and then up the the E3D (again). The only reason I went to Best Buy is 'cuz RS doesn't get the NS4G. Too bad the radio on that phone is the worst I've ever seen cuz otherwise it's an amazing little single core phone.
I've heard nightmares from all around. The RS always gets all discounts applied, and then some. The Best Buy also had absolutely no trouble giving me up reverting me back to Gold status....but BB aren't my buddies...YMMV from store to store of course, but, aside from the mall Sprint kiosk and 1 manager at the corp store I have never dealt with a Sprint employee that knew what the hell was going on...
mikeyxda said:
Must vary greatly then. My local store has great staff. Knowledgeable, courteous, and really the best customer experience I've had in years! I went to Best Buy just 2 days prior to the 3vo launch and was told I'd have to pay full price minus a measly $75. Apparently at Best Buy, you don't get the premier silver full upgrade override, $125 line porting credit (my wife was still with AT&T), and a 10% discount for being a AAA or credit union member. Best Buy knew nothing about ANY of those deals and I would have been screwed royally had I bought from any place other than the Sprint store. They overrode my early upgrade and made it a full upgrade, gave me the $125 porting credit for the second phone, the 10% discount on my monthly bill, and I walked out with two 3vo's... FREE after all the discounts. I would have paid over $500 at Best Buy and I bet Radio Shack too.
Not to mention the fact that when I brought back one of the 3vo's to exchange it due to the crooked screen problem, they let me sit down in the repair room with the new one, boot it up, and evaluate the screen for dead pixels and to confirm it wasn't crooked before I even made the exchange.
This is probably one of those things where service varies greatly depending on your location in the U.S.
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's crazy. I have the horrible backlight bleed around the buttons and a damn crooked screen, and I asked a rep at the store where I bought it from (corporate store) if I could exchange it for a new one because of the backlight bleed, of course she said no. On top of that, I couldn't even open a box of another one and power it up without activating it, just to see if it had the bleed or not.
I was really pissed.
Sprint is going back to MIR but this time around its a little different. All phones under the price $149.99 will have a $50 mail in rebate. So the 3vo and the new Motorola phone will still be instant.
Sent from that one guy with that one phone
correct, from what I read on on sprintusers, the 3vo will not be impcted with instant rebates
My son dropped his phone (Epic 4G). No visual damage except the screen is permanently green only.
What are your opinions about claiming loss or damage to replace it. I have the TEP on his phone.
Thanks
(Yes I know not exactly Photon related.. but I appreciate the help)
Get it replaced as that is what you pay $8.00 a month for.
My only ***** (and I caught them!) there are 2 tiers, $50.00 and $100.00. Photon was not on either list, I printed it out. When I called, they wanted $100.00. I told them Photon was not on the list and faxed them a copy. Hour later Photon was on $100.00 list. I again sent *.PDF's I got off internet. I got away with $50.00.
Anyway, no matter what your son did or did not do. Just like Car Insurance, people have accidents.
Yeah, the biggest downside to me with TEP is that there is a $100 deductible. So consider that you own the phone for 2 years, and then something goes wrong. You are out of contract and eligible for an upgrade.
At this point, you have paid $8/month for 24 months, that's $192, add in the $100 deductible, and you could probably buy your 2 year old phone from the secondary market for the same price, or you could re-up your contract and buy a newer phone for about $100 less.
I would say replace it. Tell them whatever you need to in order to get them to swap it out, but bear in mind, you may be looking at a $100 deductible.
Do it online don't go to a store unless your store hires intelligent staff.
Filed on 2/18 a saturday, yeah i know.....my hp all in one took a ****.
"they will call you within 24 to 48 hours to accept payment"
48 hrs came and went, no call or text on second line
Call em up - ID image was unreadable, bs imo,
Really so how am I supposed to know this? telepathy?
Fax in enlarged lightened id image and reiterate contact phone #
(Actually went back to the sprint store to save going to fedex, "it'll still look the same" wow baristas selling phones - facepalm)
Nothing
Call again - start the process. deductible added to phone bill - great.
Then asked if the sprint store's address is my correct mailing address
"do you people even have my claim affidavit?" no wonder no one called.
Received phone yesterday 2/22
Checked mail
one item from asurion
exact identical claim forms
morons
bradleyw801 said:
Yeah, the biggest downside to me with TEP is that there is a $100 deductible. So consider that you own the phone for 2 years, and then something goes wrong. You are out of contract and eligible for an upgrade.
At this point, you have paid $8/month for 24 months, that's $192, add in the $100 deductible, and you could probably buy your 2 year old phone from the secondary market for the same price, or you could re-up your contract and buy a newer phone for about $100 less.
I would say replace it. Tell them whatever you need to in order to get them to swap it out, but bear in mind, you may be looking at a $100 deductible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, but the $8/month helps me sleep well at night. To some degree, Im anal with my toys, which is why I unleashed on that chick at Sprint when my power button came out and she accused me of dropping my phone. Before I even opened my mouth 3 of my co-workers got on her! anyway, for $8.00, if something happens, I want a brand new phone as In the contract. I don't want a referb, I dont want a display unit, I want a new phone!
The first year I had my phone(s), whenever something goofy happened and it wasn't behaving exactly as expected, I took it to an actual Sprint repair center.
In each case (five times in 18 months), it took around 40 minutes for the on-site repair tech to conclude that it could not be fixed locally. At that point, they look at my account, see TEP and hand over a new or refurb phone.
Now that I think of it, my TP2 stopped booting in August of last year. I took it to the repair center (must be an authorized and official repair center - check sprint <dot> com) and in 40 minutes, they entered an order to have a refurb drop shipped to my home and I didn't have to pay the Assurion deductible.
Granted, YMMV, but if you have TEP and if you have an official / authroized Sprint repair center in your area, it is worth a shot to see if they'll hand you a new phone.
Best regards,
-boggsie
I went to the sprint store near me today. After 15 minutes they said the phone could not be fixed and are ordering me a replacement free! Woohoo, Sprint gets a bonus point for that
One.
Sent from my MB855 using xda premium
dsims7_2000 said:
Get it replaced as that is what you pay $8.00 a month for.
My only ***** (and I caught them!) there are 2 tiers, $50.00 and $100.00. Photon was not on either list, I printed it out. When I called, they wanted $100.00. I told them Photon was not on the list and faxed them a copy. Hour later Photon was on $100.00 list. I again sent *.PDF's I got off internet. I got away with $50.00.
Anyway, no matter what your son did or did not do. Just like Car Insurance, people have accidents.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is why I dont buy phones from Sprint and why I dont use their insurance. It's complete ****. If I broke my photon I would end up paying $50 more than I bought it for brand new at Best Buy ($49.99 when I got it) Bestbuys has no deductible and they replace it no questions asked. Only thing they dont cover is theft.
I pre-ordered my EVO through BB. I'm contemplating where to get my insurance now though. Can I go through Sprint still? Should I get the BB insurance? SquareTrade? Other?
What are some pros/cons from experience? I figured this would help a lot of people out. Thanks in advance!
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA
i would check with BB, but you can get it through sprint. just call them and ask for it, should be good to go
PsiPhiDan said:
I pre-ordered my EVO through BB. I'm contemplating where to get my insurance now though. Can I go through Sprint still? Should I get the BB insurance? SquareTrade? Other?
What are some pros/cons from experience? I figured this would help a lot of people out. Thanks in advance!
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My 2cent experience.
BB is a great insurance from a cost perspective. No deductible if your phone needs replacement. The only down side with BB insurance is if there is an issue, they need to send it in.
My BB Story:
I sent in my OG Evo because it had a bad charging port (common problem). It took them a month and a half to get it back to me. Meanwhile they gave me a beat up LG Optimus as a lender phone. It was decent, but it felt like a life time without MY phone. They fixed the charging port on my Evo and sent it back, but when I got it back, I noticed that they blew out the one capacitative button (above the charging port). I couldn't send it out and wait AGAIN. So I used LED hack to keep those lights off, because it looked like it was missing a front tooth.
Also, if you lose or your phone is stolen, your SOL. I dropped my Evo into the dark endless bottom of a lake (SOL).
You can go onto the Sprint Insurance after you buy your phone elsewhere, like BB. Nice things about Sprint is that they replace lost or stolen phones. If you need a replacement they get you one immediately. Downsides: Replacement phone might be refurbished and you have to pay a high deductible.
It's really whatever floats your boat. Sorry for the long post.
just to add to sprint's TEP you should be able to add TEP through sprint within 30 days
Also I believe now Sprint is uping their TEP cost to 11$ per month. For phones that cost 500$+ w/o contract. It is Asurion that provides the insurance, and from what I read the LTE will have a 150$ deductible.
So essentially you will end up paying $264 for 2 years + 150 deductible = $414.
And I currently have insurance on my OG Evo. I am seriously considering just dropping the insurance. If I break my LTE, just keep my old Evo as back up or buy something on craigslist. And after a year you can get the 75$ credit towards an upgrade.
I am leaning towards just saving my money on the insurance.
purock said:
My 2cent experience.
BB is a great insurance from a cost perspective. No deductible if your phone needs replacement. The only down side with BB insurance is if there is an issue, they need to send it in.
My BB Story:
I sent in my OG Evo because it had a bad charging port (common problem). It took them a month and a half to get it back to me. Meanwhile they gave me a beat up LG Optimus as a lender phone. It was decent, but it felt like a life time without MY phone. They fixed the charging port on my Evo and sent it back, but when I got it back, I noticed that they blew out the one capacitative button (above the charging port). I couldn't send it out and wait AGAIN. So I used LED hack to keep those lights off, because it looked like it was missing a front tooth.
Also, if you lose or your phone is stolen, your SOL. I dropped my Evo into the dark endless bottom of a lake (SOL).
You can go onto the Sprint Insurance after you buy your phone elsewhere, like BB. Nice things about Sprint is that they replace lost or stolen phones. If you need a replacement they get you one immediately. Downsides: Replacement phone might be refurbished and you have to pay a high deductible.
It's really whatever floats your boat. Sorry for the long post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya i hear these all the time because thats what the old insurance plan used to be.
Let me tell you about the changes they did for the Black Tie Protection plan from best buy.
2 Options:
1) Rapid Exchange program where it takes 2-5 business days for you to get another phone. Yes it will be a refurb phone and most of the phones I send out they usually come in 2 days.
2) repair program where you can send out your phone to be repaired and u will get the same unit. Takes anywhere from 2-4 weeks to get your phone back. Now this good thing about this option is that if your phone is not cost effective to repair then they will they give u full retail value to either get the same phone or u might be able to get yourself a new phone. Ive had times where ppl had the epic 4g and they were tired of it, sent it out and 3 weeks later they got themselves an epic 4g touch for $50 since the price difference from retail cost was 649.99 to 699.99. Now this may not always happen but it can.
LTEvo said:
Also I believe now Sprint is uping their TEP cost to 11$ per month. For phones that cost 500$+ w/o contract. It is Asurion that provides the insurance, and from what I read the LTE will have a 150$ deductible.
So essentially you will end up paying $264 for 2 years + 150 deductible = $414.
And I currently have insurance on my OG Evo. I am seriously considering just dropping the insurance. If I break my LTE, just keep my old Evo as back up or buy something on craigslist. And after a year you can get the 75$ credit towards an upgrade.
I am leaning towards just saving my money on the insurance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is pretty much my thoughts on insurance as well.
It's not really worth it. I'm keepmy my OG Evo as well for backup in case anything happens with my EVO LTE.
The Sprint warranty is essentially you making a $464($200 deductible + $11*24months) bet that you'll break your $550 phone over the next 2 years for a reason outside of the 12 month manufacture warranty coverage. Add in the variable of the price of the phone dropping after year 1, and it's a losing bet.
With squaretrade(who I currently use for my old EVO), it's a $225 bet of breaking your $550 phone over 2 years.
Bestbuy insurance just sucks from what I've read.
If your phone ever breaks, don't think of it as you're having to shell out $550.
Think of it as you've already saved $464 of the cost. You're only paying $85 extra for you losing your bet.
In other words, to make it more clear, it cost you $90 more to break your phone w/o insurance than with.
Are you really going to drop down $264($11/month) to maybe save $85 one day?
Theres this insurance company:
http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/android-landing1
I dont have any experience through them so i dunno, seems the reviews are good though but its a bit pricey @ $70 a year or $125 for 2 .
"Coverage up to $750. Coverage only available
for phones bought in the past 30 days."
Where did that 11$ came in? Are they changing it soon I paid 8$ at month and deductible is 100$ btw I do keep my insure for almost a year and then drop it ain't worth it for 24 months
Sent from my Sprint Galaxy Nexus CDMA using Tapatalk 2
LTEvo said:
Also I believe now Sprint is uping their TEP cost to 11$ per month. For phones that cost 500$+ w/o contract. It is Asurion that provides the insurance, and from what I read the LTE will have a 150$ deductible.
So essentially you will end up paying $264 for 2 years + 150 deductible = $414.
And I currently have insurance on my OG Evo. I am seriously considering just dropping the insurance. If I break my LTE, just keep my old Evo as back up or buy something on craigslist. And after a year you can get the 75$ credit towards an upgrade.
I am leaning towards just saving my money on the insurance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
they don't have $75 upgrade anymore
NasTraDooMis said:
Theres this insurance company:
http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/android-landing1
I dont have any experience through them so i dunno, seems the reviews are good though but its a bit pricey @ $70 a year or $125 for 2 .
"Coverage up to $750. Coverage only available
for phones bought in the past 30 days."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is that pricey? Way cheaper than Sprint and BB.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA
ticklemepinks said:
they don't have $75 upgrade anymore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm...I swear they were still giving 75$ credit for adding another year to your contract. Guess not, looks like this was canceled.
I'm keeping sprint's insurance... pay the deductable and get a new phone over nighted no questions asked for any reason!
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2
Ep3n3wp said:
I'm keeping sprint's insurance... pay the deductable and get a new phone over nighted no questions asked for any reason!
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
People have been doing some intense math on this forum regarding the TEP, and it seems that you'll pay about $450 for the insurance if you use it once. That's hardly worth it when the phone won't even be worth that in a year. I would recommend against it honestly, but if the peace of mind is worth it than do what you've gotta do.
PsiPhiDan said:
People have been doing some intense math on this forum regarding the TEP, and it seems that you'll pay about $450 for the insurance if you use it once. That's hardly worth it when the phone won't even be worth that in a year. I would recommend against it honestly, but if the peace of mind is worth it than do what you've gotta do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It really boils down to how much of a clutz you are. if you are always dropping and/or breaking your phone and loosing it I think insurance is a smart buy. If you are very careful and treat it like your baby then insurance is about as bad a buy as when playing blackjack.
Okay how about ensquared.com? For $99, I get 2 years coverage and get:
-3 claims up to $1000 each (only a max of $600 TOTAL through squaretrade)
-$75 deductible (better than the $100 one through squaretrade)
-covers lost, stolen, dropped, water, etc.
Seems like the way to go! Any thoughts on this? Experience with them?
TEP is a house bet for most people. Those who haven't read this yet, read this write up by Mathman here.
I just dumped my TEP, 37.5% price increase with 100% deductible increase to go with it. On top of that, no guarantee your replacement is going to be new, it's most likely going to be a refurb which doesn't have the full value of a new phone.
I have always had TEP, and it has saved me multiple times. With my Samsung Moment, I bricked it several times. The first thing they asked me "do you have TEP?". Then they would replace it (for free) no questions asked. I have had them repair my wife's old Hero a couple times, and have had them repair other phones in the past. I have yet to pay a single deductible.
For me personally, TEP has worked out, and saved me a lot of money. So keep in mind that TEP does have some benefits too, and not every repair requires a deductible. I personally cannot afford forking out $599 for a new phone if I did not have insurance, so I have to have some sort of it. Squaretrade with a 30% off coupon makes the warranty about $90 for two years with accidental damage (doesn't cover lost or stolen), that is the other choice I would look at, but I think I may stick with TEP because of my past experience. The price hike does piss me off though.
caspertodd said:
I have always had TEP, and it has saved me multiple times. With my Samsung Moment, I bricked it several times. The first thing they asked me "do you have TEP?". Then they would replace it (for free) no questions asked. I have had them repair my wife's old Hero a couple times, and have had them repair other phones in the past. I have yet to pay a single deductible.
For me personally, TEP has worked out, and saved me a lot of money. So keep in mind that TEP does have some benefits too, and not every repair requires a deductible. I personally cannot afford forking out $599 for a new phone if I did not have insurance, so I have to have some sort of it. Squaretrade with a 30% off coupon makes the warranty about $90 for two years with accidental damage (doesn't cover lost or stolen), that is the other choice I would look at, but I think I may stick with TEP because of my past experience. The price hike does piss me off though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See my above post. Ensquared seems to be a better bet than SquareTrade.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA
I was wondering which one is better i heard best buys what does it cover i have the sprint one and since i purchased phone from sprint can i still get best buys insurance ?
Sent from HTC EVO LTE
No, you have to buy the phone from best buy to get their insurance.
Check your house or renter's policy (I'm assuming you have them for all of your other goodies). That's what I've always used for replacements.
cruise350 said:
No, you have to buy the phone from best buy to get their insurance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This has not been true for several months. You can add it as long as they can see the phone in question.
Personally I think Sprints is better, but it's much more expensive. You really have to go through them both and compare. In the last year I've made 3 claims (1 OG EVO, and 2 3D's) and each time I had a new phone at my door the next morning. I haven't used Best Buy's program but from what I've heard and read you're pretty much guaranteed to get a refurb and it takes several days for you to receive it. Both plans have their strengths, you just have to look at them and see what's best for you.
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
I bought the BesyBuy insurance when I got my EVO two years ago. I won't be making that mistake again. While the BesyBuy has no deductible, they have a lot of restrictions on it.
Your phone gets lost or stolen. Too bad if you have BesyBuy. Sprint has you covered.
You dropped your phone in a pool? BesyBuy lets you drown. Thier insurance only covers water damage that didn't occur from immersion. Guess that means if it gets damaged from taking into a steam room. Sprint throws you a life preserver.
Have to file a claim with BesyBuy? Pay $100 deposit for a cheap loaner phone and wait up to 3 weeks. If it still hasn't been repaired, you can then start fighting with BesyBuy for a new replacement phone as the policy says your entitled to. But don't expect them to do it willingly.
File a claim with Sprint? Pay your deductible and they send you a replacement via express shipping with a prepaid return label you put your old phone in after you get the replacement setup.
Yes, you pay more for the Sprint insurance, but you get better coverage and service.
When the usb port broke on my evo, the BesyBuy insurance had been canceled on the two year anniversary of getting the phone. I was supposed to be able to renew but they didn't inform me about it. I had called to give them my new CC for billing after it had been canceled (I didn't know it had been canceled at the time) and they didn't have the decency to tell me. It wasn't until I brought my phone in for repairs two weeks later that I found out about it. Thier solution to the problem? Buy a new phone from them. Needless to say I told them where they could shove their phone and left.
Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2
Just put $5-$10 aside each month. If you need a new phone buy a used one with that money and sell your broken one on ebay (you'd be surprised how much you can get). If you are like me, and I suspect a lot of other people, you will never need to buy a replacement and then you will have enough money to buy yourself a new phone before you know it. (selling your current one)
If you lose or break your phone in the first couple months you are out of luck but that's the risk I am willing to take to save money and it hasn't been a problem for me.
Thanks for all the answers looks like bestbuy has more downs than up well right now i have sprints insurance and i think ill keep it
Sent from HTC EVO LTE
Personally I think insurance should only be added for a temporary amount of time. Im already seeing Evo's on ebay selling for $440. Once the price drops a bit more, keeping TEP will be just ridiculous based on the deductibles. Like a poster suggested selling the broken phone and buying a used phone is the way to go.
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
true but keep in mind sprint usually does not charge a deductible unless the phone is lost or stolen. If it can still be brought into the store, they can try and fix it. if it cant be fixed, they will replace it probably without a deductible.
GoCare.com.
SENT FROM MY EVO 4G LTE!!! (w/no LTE)
wonton2049 said:
true but keep in mind sprint usually does not charge a deductible unless the phone is lost or stolen. If it can still be brought into the store, they can try and fix it. if it cant be fixed, they will replace it probably without a deductible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, I second this. I have had multiple replacements (maybe 5) in the past 3 years without paying a deductible. The only time they told me that I may have to pay a deductible was when my wife's HTC Hero was physically falling apart. I called Sprint, and they put a note in my account to credit me $100 to cover the deductible if I do bring it in and they have to send it to Asurion. You really can't beat that. If I had put the money in a jar and not had TEP, I would have put $300 in that jar over the past 3 years, and I don't think that is enough to cover the 5 phones I went through. So in my scenario, Sprint worked out. Best Buy would have charged me a deductible each time.
---------- Post added at 01:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:42 PM ----------
xbmoyx said:
GoCare.com.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although there is mixed reviews on this company, it does look promising. I have never heard of them. Thanks for posting this.
I love Best Buy. Always have, always will.
I brought my phone there less than 24 hours ago, because my touch screen was acting up (I stupidly brought it with me in my waders while duck hunting and it got wet...). I got the email from the Geek Squad that it had been checked in about an hour after I dropped it off. Then about 6 hours later I got the email that my new/refurbished phone had shipped. I thought, "sweet, maybe I'll have it by Friday."
I didn't pay any attention to it until a couple of minutes ago when I checked the shipping email and it had a tracking # so I opened it and it said it was out for delivery in my area.
And about half way through the last paragraph, I got a call from the store saying it was available.
I dropped my phone off at 12:00pm yesterday and here less than 24 hours I have my new (to me) phone.
Doesn't get much better.
I had the evo 3d. I ended up smashing the screen. Took it to them to get a replacement. The kid said my phone is on backorder and i told him i wouldnt mind an upgrade to the lte. He said "sure". I was like "bull****".. a couple minutes later he came over and gave me my replacement papers and pointed out the phone ill be getting is the evo lte, free. I will never buy my phone anywhere else. As long as you dont lose or get your phone stolen theyll always replace it. Even if you brick it, they cover software damage.
Tbh tho i miss my 3d
At least i had wimax and loved taking 3d pictures and videos and watchin 3d movies
best buy and sams (mobile department) i think they have one of the best and competitive insurance and replacement policies...
HTC EVO LTE
Just got back from getting my phone and I get a bonus it still has HBOOT 1.12 and 1.13. So a rooting I shall go.
best buy seems to be a great deal but radio shack has better prices from time to time but i guys the warranty is better interesting
I had a horrible experience with bestbuy. I fell in a pool with my phone....and had the geek squad protection. They said they'd replace it if it was damaged...or even in pieces. So I took it in...they sent it off...only to be told.it was going to be repaired instead of replaced. I fought for 3 weeks...I hadn't.had.my.EVO LTE for 3 days....and I damaged it...they took that long. So after fighting and. Itching they finally gave in and replaced it...with with a referb. Sucks. But..I'm not too found of bestbuy. On top of it the guy that sold.me the geeksquad protedtion denied he said it would.be replaced. So if you live in Dallas...don't go to the best buy off of 75 and park ln. That dude is a tampon
Sent from my EVO using xda app-developers app
pushofthetides said:
So if you live in Dallas...don't go to the best buy off of 75 and park ln. That dude is a tampon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny, that one is not far from me.
Duly noted, my friend.
FattySparks said:
I love Best Buy. Always have, always will.
I brought my phone there less than 24 hours ago, because my touch screen was acting up (I stupidly brought it with me in my waders while duck hunting and it got wet...). I got the email from the Geek Squad that it had been checked in about an hour after I dropped it off. Then about 6 hours later I got the email that my new/refurbished phone had shipped. I thought, "sweet, maybe I'll have it by Friday."
I didn't pay any attention to it until a couple of minutes ago when I checked the shipping email and it had a tracking # so I opened it and it said it was out for delivery in my area.
And about half way through the last paragraph, I got a call from the store saying it was available.
I dropped my phone off at 12:00pm yesterday and here less than 24 hours I have my new (to me) phone.
Doesn't get much better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BestBuy effin rocks never had any problems with warranty issues with them
I'm banned from my local store. friend of mine thought itd be cool to show them the things id have done to his phone. gotta love people and their gloats from time to time. maybe not banned but they really hate me there, lol I get asked to leave from time to time. then again I love trolling the geeksquad techs.
My OG EVO broke and I asked Sprints TEP if I could get a different phone and they said Yes but a like model and they sent me a EVO 3D. Spec wize not a like model just the name? Then right after I got my brand new in box 3D I flipped it and sold it on eBay for $180 and bought the LTEvo for my upgrade.
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Considering Geek Squad at the stores is just a bunch of barely certified "technicians" earning near-minimum wage, they're not great. The only reason some of you had good results is because the warehouse just happened to have a refurb already on hand, or because the employee gave you a free upgrade when they shouldn't have. It's a rare occurrence, and shouldn't be taken as the standard.
In general Best Buy's Geek Squad is terrible, simply because Best Buy's corporate doesn't care. It still rakes in profits for them, so why bother improving the quality? For most problems, such as with a PC you bring in, Geek Squad is only allowed to run a software diagnostics disc which they have issued from corporate. The disc has about a hundred different "common" fixes that it automatically runs with no input from the employee. If it gets fixed, great, you just paid an obscene amount of money for a guy to mess around on Facebook while an automated program did what you could have done at home. If it doesn't get fixed, they tell you it needs to be sent in for repair, and they ship it off to a repair center, which can often take weeks.
Let me put it this way: any person with sufficient skill to truly diagnose any major problem with a computer would not be working for Geek Squad for the insultingly low paygrade Best Buy offers. You get what you pay for, as far as employee quality is concerned. So if Best Buy doesn't hire real technicians, why take your computer/smartphone/etc to them under such an assumption?
Vincent Law said:
Considering Geek Squad at the stores is just a bunch of barely certified "technicians" earning near-minimum wage, they're not great. The only reason some of you had good results is because the warehouse just happened to have a refurb already on hand, or because the employee gave you a free upgrade when they shouldn't have. It's a rare occurrence, and shouldn't be taken as the standard.
In general Best Buy's Geek Squad is terrible, simply because Best Buy's corporate doesn't care. It still rakes in profits for them, so why bother improving the quality? For most problems, such as with a PC you bring in, Geek Squad is only allowed to run a software diagnostics disc which they have issued from corporate. The disc has about a hundred different "common" fixes that it automatically runs with no input from the employee. If it gets fixed, great, you just paid an obscene amount of money for a guy to mess around on Facebook while an automated program did what you could have done at home. If it doesn't get fixed, they tell you it needs to be sent in for repair, and they ship it off to a repair center, which can often take weeks.
Let me put it this way: any person with sufficient skill to truly diagnose any major problem with a computer would not be working for Geek Squad for the insultingly low paygrade Best Buy offers. You get what you pay for, as far as employee quality is concerned. So if Best Buy doesn't hire real technicians, why take your computer/smartphone/etc to them under such an assumption?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as technicians go, ok you're probably right. But I would never bring my electronics to the geek squad if I didn't have their warranty.
As far as warranties/insurances go (especially for phones) they are, IMO, the best.
I never had any issues sending computers to them either. They always came back fixed or they replaced it. While it usually took some time to get the computer back, the $150 or so dollars that I spent upfront often paid for itself in regards to how much money I would have spent on either a new computer or trying to fix the old one.
Some of their warranties are good values, ie cell phone and some cpu plans. Others I would never touch. If you brought an electronic device to them to be fixed without having their protection, then be prepared to overpay. However, if you are protected, they are much better than having to ship it to the manufacturer or paying someone else to fix it.
Vincent Law said:
Considering Geek Squad at the stores is just a bunch of barely certified "technicians" earning near-minimum wage, they're not great. The only reason some of you had good results is because the warehouse just happened to have a refurb already on hand, or because the employee gave you a free upgrade when they shouldn't have. It's a rare occurrence, and shouldn't be taken as the standard.
In general Best Buy's Geek Squad is terrible, simply because Best Buy's corporate doesn't care. It still rakes in profits for them, so why bother improving the quality? For most problems, such as with a PC you bring in, Geek Squad is only allowed to run a software diagnostics disc which they have issued from corporate. The disc has about a hundred different "common" fixes that it automatically runs with no input from the employee. If it gets fixed, great, you just paid an obscene amount of money for a guy to mess around on Facebook while an automated program did what you could have done at home. If it doesn't get fixed, they tell you it needs to be sent in for repair, and they ship it off to a repair center, which can often take weeks.
Let me put it this way: any person with sufficient skill to truly diagnose any major problem with a computer would not be working for Geek Squad for the insultingly low paygrade Best Buy offers. You get what you pay for, as far as employee quality is concerned. So if Best Buy doesn't hire real technicians, why take your computer/smartphone/etc to them under such an assumption?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive taken in multiple phones multiple times to be replaced because of damage and have always got a free replacement within days. They have the best phone insurance for the price hands down.
Yeah the sales guy at the phones was an older white guy....had a females name. Or sounded like a girl's name
Sent from my EVO using xda app-developers app
After Best Buys mobile dept got me good on trying to upgrade a line.. Long story of laziness and rudeness, I have vowed to never spend another penny with that company.
Sent from my EVO sometimes-LTE
Evo shift - free - replaced multiple times - free
Evo 3d - free - replaced multiple times - free
Evo lte - free - yet to be replaced
I will keep my business with best buy
I'm pretty happy with Best Buy's Black Tie protection. I've got it on my DSLR.
youdug said:
Ive taken in multiple phones multiple times to be replaced because of damage and have always got a free replacement within days. They have the best phone insurance for the price hands down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's the cost of their protection plan and deductible?
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Quis89 said:
What's the cost of their protection plan and deductible?
Sent from my EVO using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can pay upfront $170 for 2 years or $10/month and there is no deductible. The only thing they don't cover is loss or theft.
FattySparks said:
You can pay upfront 130 for 2 years or $10/month and no deductible. The only thing they don't cover is loss or theft.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The upfront on a android device is $169.99. Which saves ya about $70 vs the $9.99 a month version.
And no deductibles whatsoever, plus 1 replacement battery and charger shipped to your house free of charge.