Cell Phones--Always buy the Providers Warranty!

[PAUL161]

Bought a couple of new Sprint phones about 3 months ago along with an upgrade program. Been a Sprint wireless customer for over 20 years. Seeing how the phones have a one year warranty from Sanyo, I opted not to take the extra Sprint warranty. My phone went south after 3 months while in Arkansas and 4 technicians could not make it receive or send. Had I opted for Sprints warranty, they would have replaced the phone right there. But, because it was over 30 days old, I had to send it to Sanyo for repair or replacement. Try calling Sanyo and talk to a real person! Almost impossible. Finally got a number, talked to a real person and now the phone is on it's way to them. This all took 2 weeks. No phone, but the bill still goes on!

Moral of this story is evident, always buy the extra warranty on cell phones. Could save you a big hassle!

 

[tony barnhill]

Well, I'm the opposite.....I've had "mobile" phones since they looked like a house phone & had the huge box in the trunk of the car, then had a Motorola bag phone, & since going digital have had 2 cell phones - never had a problem with any of them....I only change cell phones when my provider wants to give me a free one to get my antiquated one out of their system.

 

[Stewart]

Never got it till I bought an expensive phone then it paid off big time. The new family Dog decided that my 2 month old blackberry made a great chew toy and I had a new phone the next day. That was one of the cheaper things he destroyed.

 

[aerog]

I'm with Tony on this one (sorry Paul). My "insurance" is $4.99/month, roughly $60/year. I bought my particular phone for a variety of reasons and I like it - but I can buy a brand new one ready to go for about $100. I've never had to replace a phone, so that $60 a year has added up quite a bit. Certainly enough to pay for another $100 phone. So, if mine got destroyed tomorrow I'd just yank the SIM card out and put it in my new phone, no biggie!

 

[Dave Richards]

In the long run and even the short, in some cases, insurance makes money for the insurer. It's a calculated risk, and most of us don't take the time to do the calculations. For some, it's worth the money, for others it's not.

I've never bought insurance on the phones, for me, at $5/month the amount would total about $1,300 as of today. I'm not even sure they offered insurance back in the 1980's. and one phone cost more than $1,300 back then! Today, I've had an issue, or two, some through my own, or my kid's negligence, but I've paid a couple of hundred dollars to have those problems resolved. That's far less than the overall cost of the insurance.

I also look at "collision" insurance for my cars much the same way, the cost of the insurance over the life of the car vs. what I might have to pay in repairs, if the car were involved in an accident. Of our 6 cars, the three most expensive have this type of insurance, the other three don't.

Income replacement, life and health insurance are all expensive, but these things are worth having in place, for me, because I couldn't come up with the replacement costs at this point in my life.

If you want an exercise in frustration, google: insurance company profits, I'd like some of those percentage returns in my business!

sorry for the novel

 

[AweMan]

No Cell Phone, No insurance, No problem, Never had one, Never will! End of story.

After seeing what my kids go through with thier cell phones I`m glad I don`t have to participate in the cell phone companys ripp off programs.

I know some of you folks need them for buissness purposes. I`m glad I don`t!

 

[aerog]

I don't think it's a rip off at all. It's a service. If you want the service, you pay the price. I know people that say the same things about cars and the internet - but, if you don't want the service, you go without. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[bugimike]

Well, I'm the opposite.....I've had "mobile" phones since they looked like a house phone & had the huge box in the trunk of the car, then had a Motorola bag phone, & since going digital have had 2 cell phones - never had a problem with any of them....I only change cell phones when my provider wants to give me a free one to get my antiquated one out of their system.

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif Me too! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif though I did buy insurance on it which is worth it since I have dropped a couple in the drink working on boats and had them replaced for a minimal fee!!

 

[terriphill]

I buy my cell phones on e-bay. The last one was 39.95 and its a flip phone with a camera (which I have only used once to take pictures of a car I saw in a parking lot) I have a spare too (not activated but "just in case") It takes about 15 minutes to transfer a phone number from one phone to the other. So, if the one I use every day dies, gets dropped in a bucket of oil in the garage (don't ask) or whatever...I have a spare. And a replacement is usually less than $50.

 

[SteveL]

Re: Cell Phones--Always buy the Providers Warranty

At work, I have fished 4 flip phones out of toilets, they all
give up the magic they work on when submerged for any period
of time, don't let this happen to you, don't take your mobile
into the restroom, communication is important, but not at the
expense of a new phone every couple of weeks...

 

[terriphill]

Re: Cell Phones--Always buy the Providers Warranty

A guy at the Sprint store once told me this is extrememly common. He claims it is one of the top reasons people have to have their phones replaced.

 

[Guest]

Re: Cell Phones--Always buy the Providers Warranty

The cost of a "warranty" is the same as a new phone. And they will only honor that warranty once. Buy cheap phones and treat them as such. And have yet to figure out what I would want a camera in my phone for. Still have a bag phone laying around somewhere. Before that, it was two cans and some string.

 

[JamesWilson]

Re: Cell Phones--Always buy the Providers Warranty

A guy at the Sprint store once told me this is extrememly common. He claims it is one of the top reasons people have to have their phones replaced.

ABout a year ago I laundered mine.

Came out whiter-than-white.

Left it to dry out for a month and a half (it is Scotland!)

Charged the battery. Worked absolutely fine.


'course the daughter had a car drive over hers. It seemed a lot less effective afterwards....

I've cheap phone and no insurance...

 

[bugimike]

Re: Cell Phones--Always buy the Providers Warranty

I do not advocate purchasing extended warranties (I have never had a phone require "service" that the providers mall store won't take care of), but I do recomend insurance as that will replace a lost/damaged phone within 24 hours and for under $50!

 

[SteveL]

Re: Cell Phones--Always buy the Providers Warranty

A guy at the Sprint store once told me this is extrememly common. He claims it is one of the top reasons people have to have their phones replaced.

Yeah, but has he told you they're returned in a Bio-Hazard
baggy? I get them from SWMBO, who gets them from work...

 

[wkilleffer]

Re: Cell Phones--Always buy the Providers Warranty

A guy at the Sprint store once told me this is extrememly common. He claims it is one of the top reasons people have to have their phones replaced.

ABout a year ago I laundered mine.

Came out whiter-than-white.

Left it to dry out for a month and a half (it is Scotland!)

Charged the battery. Worked absolutely fine.


'course the daughter had a car drive over hers. It seemed a lot less effective afterwards....

I've cheap phone and no insurance...

Drying one out works as long as the Lithium Ion battery didn't get a complete discharge and the phone's innards weren't pulverized in the dryer. My youngest brother laundered his, but fished it out of the wet clothes before it had a chance to end up in the dryer. Ended up having to get a new battery, which wasn't too expensive, but the phone itself still worked after sitting on a heater at low to mid temp setting for a couple of days. LiIon batteries are really touchy about getting fully discharged.

Cars running over them is pretty much the end regardless of battery type...

 

[terriphill]

Re: Cell Phones--Always buy the Providers Warranty

I actually had one of my boys turn an entire glass of water over onto my laptop once. Directly onto the keyboard. I grabbed it and popped the battery out IMMEDIATELY. THen I took all the drives out and shook the water out of it. I set it upside down on the dining room table for about a week (Picking it up and shaking water out every day or so) Finally after about two weeks it dried out and I reassembled it. Can you believe it worked! I used it for another three or four years.