Losing my phone: The Sprint Experience
Well, I’m a chump. I don’t know WHAT I did with my handset. Perhaps I was robbed without me knowing it. Or more likely, I left is somewhere highly stupid. It’s lost, though. Searched high and low.
I phoned Sprint straight away when I realised I’d lost it at about 11pm. Alas, they were closed.
The next morning — this morning — I phoned. I asked if I could sort it out at a Sprint store (i.e. walk away with a new handset immediately). Alas no. I was transferred through to the Sprint handset support people. Sprint doesn’t replace handsets — it’s their partner, Asurion, who takes care of that (for a $50 non-refundable fee), provided you’ve been paying the monthly insurance fee. Which, cleverly, I have. Normally I don’t ever do that. CDMA handsets though. You need insurance.
I thought the whole process might be a bit painful.
I gave my phone number and password. Explained I’d lost it. The nice lady from Asurion took my credit card details for the $50 fee and explained I’d have my new handset in four business days.
Now, that was the first surprise… (actually, the first surprise was how nice and simple the process was)… FOUR business days? In the UK, it’s next business day by 10am. We can’t operate without our handsets. FOUR days. If you lost your phone on Friday, you wouldn’t get a replacement until… next THURSDAY.
The lady offered me an express option for $15 — I’d get the handset in two days. Done. I accepted.
All told, 3 minutes. Nice.
AT&T’s warranty exchange (and I would presume insurance) is 2nd day by default, next day air for $15. However, if you live in the same city as one of their processing plants (Which I do, in Fort Worth) it’s next day by 3pm for free.
The U.S. carriers are surprisingly quick in regards to replacing your handset for warranty stuff. It’s been a while since I’ve had insurance (GSM and all) but I recall it was quick, as well.
Posted by Ricky on January 21st, 2008 at 2:40 am.My father in law just lost his new ATT phone 2 weeks ago and I as always am called upon to handle this kind of thing. I called ATT put the line on hold while he searched in the daylight the next day. The phone was gone. So I get another phone call to handle whatever needs to be done. I call up file the claim pay the deductible that I think was also $50 and the very next day had an upgraded phone. I don’t know why ATT upgraded my father in law to the newest 3G Nokia but they did. I must say it was an easy and quick process and the 1 day turnaround was impressive.
Posted by Jeb on January 21st, 2008 at 6:54 am.