A one year cell phone warranty is included with every mobile phone you purchase new. If you purchased the cell phone used directly from the cell phone company or received it through warranty exchange or the insurance replacement program it has a 30-90 day warranty dependent on your cell phone company.
Your cell phone warranty covers manufacturer defect. So what exactly is considered ‘manufacturer defect’? A phone that is less than 1 year old and was purchased new from the direct cell phone company i.e. ATT Wireless, T-Mobile or an Authorized Dealer or Retailer, that displays one or more of the following problems:
* The speaker is not working or the microphone is not working (I can’t hear the caller or the caller can’t hear me)
* The phone will not charge because the charging port is loose from daily wear and tear and is not physically broken because you jammed your charger repeatedly into the charging slot ‘upside down’
* The battery dies quickly (within 1 hour of a full charge) or constantly reads low battery no matter how long you have had it on the charger.
* The phone screen is faint or blank (usually you would notice this as soon as you open your new phone). Otherwise it is generally a result of water damage.
* The internal antenna is broken therefore even after you activated your phone it still receives no service even though you are in a service area
*Charger doesn’t work, meaning there is no indicator.
* If you have a phone with a manufacturer defect and the problem occurs within the cell phone warranty period the cell phone company will replace the cell phone through the warranty program at no charge.
In order to start a warranty exchange request the first thing you will need to is contact customer care to get the process started.
How to Make A Warranty Exchange Request:
1. You call the company and tell them you are having a problem with your phone and believe that it is a cell phone warranty issue
2. The representative will walk you through a series of pre qualifying questions and manual phone tests.
3. If the problem is deemed a warranty issue they will transfer you to their warranty exchange department
4. The representative will repeat many of the questions from the initial customer care representative and walk you through a series of pre qualifying questions and manual phone tests.
5. They will have you read some numbers off the back of your phone or battery, as this is how they determine that (1) The equipment you are calling about is what is shown in their system (2) Your issue is under the cell phone warranty which can be determined by the number and letter sequence on your serial number
6. After determining that your phone qualifies under the warranty exchange program they will mail you a replacement phone first with a mailer (may or may not be pre-paid dependent on your carrier).
7. You will have about 5-7 days to get the defective cell phone back without having your bill charged for it (they will provide you with the actual time period before they ship out the device.
8. You will receive what they call a ‘transceiver only’ which is the phone with no battery.
9. If the carrier gets the device back and it is physically damaged or something is wrong with it other than what you stated, they will charge your bill a fee that is equivalent of buying a refurbished phone. Either way you always keep the device they sent you and they will always keep the device you sent them, repair it and often recycle back into their own warranty replacement or insurance pool dependent on the age of the device and the problem.
Note: The carrier direct (i.e. ATT Wireless, Verizon Wireless) handles warranty exchanges for phones and hardware.
The manufacturer (i.e. Motorola, Nokia, Plantronics) handles warranty exchanges for accessories, such as bluetooth headsets, wall chargers and batteries.
By: Shonika Proctor
Posts Tagged ‘Mobile Phone’
Can You Port A Cell Phone Number Just Like A Land Line Number? April 21st, 2010
Number portability pretty much has to do with using the same telephone number while switching from one cellular service provider to another. Basically, the process should simply involve calling a new service provider, and they should be able to do everything that is necessary to transfer your cell phone number from your old company to the new one.
However, there are things that you should consider doing before you get going with the switch, because there are some issues that you may face and that could make things a bit of a struggle. Make sure to try the following before you make the call:
- Check to see if you’re eligible for number portability.
- Review any of the potential costs that may be involved in porting your number. Sometimes they’re quite low and at other times the cost can be quite prohibitive. You should find that out ahead of time as it may be a determining factor.
- Find another cellular service provider that will fit your needs and budget.
- Find out if you need to purchase a new handset (mobile phone), because the majority of times, you will need a new cell phone as many providers have SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards that are company-specific. This will mean that you have to find out if your cell phone can still be used, and if it cannot, then you will need to find one that is both compatible and that will best suit your needs.
- Choose a service plan with a new cellular phone service provider, specifying at the same time that you would like to port the number that you already have with a different cellular provider. The new company will ask you for your former account information so that they can take care of all of the details for you – so make sure that you have that information prepared when you call or go to the service location.
- If you do go to the store or service location, be sure that you also have ID with you as well as a bill from your old cell phone company.
- Once your new service plan is in place, call your old cell phone company and cancel your account with them.
This process, in accordance with the Number Portability rule, should take no longer than two and a half hours.
By: Martin Verite
Cell Phone Purchase Guide April 14th, 2010
To own a cell or mobile phone (telefone celular) used to be a dream of most people not long ago. But as technology evolved and with the introduction of new players in the market, they became available with an affordable price range.
These days, cell phones (telefone celular) can be found from different manufacturers and even the cheapest of them boast features such as FM radio, camera and MMS capabilities. Amid the wide-range of models available to the customers in the market, it is often difficult to make a perfect choice.
Although design and looks of mobile phones (telefone celular) are factors that may influence one to make a purchase, the following are some important considerations that should be taken into account while buying a new device.
1 – Contrary to what most people think, it is the calling plan that is more important than the cell phone itself (telefone celular). You may get a host of attractive features with the device but unless its calling plan is suitable for you, it is not worth buying it.
One important thing about a calling plan is the regional or nationwide service coverage. Imagine if you are going to extensively use your cell phone (telefone celular) only within a particular region, then there is no point in getting a device having nationwide coverage. This can save you a substantial amount of money.
Also, choose the right cell phone plan for your calling habits. If you are the one who literally spend a fortune on their phone bills, then go for the services that offer saving schemes. Otherwise, you can opt for services that help you control your expenses on cell phones (telefone celular).
2 – Think if you really need a camera phone. How often will you be using it in your day to day life ? Besides, most online service plan providers offer a free handset with their service plan. Some even offer a cash-back on the cell phone (telefone celular) purchase. So, explore your options before buying a device.
3 – Don`t go by the look of the cell phones (telefone celular). Eventually, it becomes outdated over the times. A bulky hand-set is difficult to carry around. So pick one that fits your size.
4 – Pick a wireless carrier first then select the phone you want. Inquire your friends, relatives, and acquaintances if they are satisfied with the phone service they are using. Since, you will be using it in the same neighborhood they are the ones who can offer you the best advice on this.
5 – Online purchase is always a good idea as you can get the accurate descriptions in writing before you buy. Shopping online allows you to know the plain truth about each phone (telefone celular) and service. On the contrary, staffs of cell phone kiosks are paid on a commission basis and they always try to con the buyers into buying their phones at a higher rate. So you can never be sure about these buys.
This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author’s name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.
By: Roberto Sedycias
