Purchase from Bestbuy, Radio Shack, or Sprint?

[cr3amy]

What about squaretrade.com? You pay like $100 once and if it breaks they just give you cash for the original retail amount (up to $600). For accidental breakage, they just charge you a $50 deductible.

 

[liquidxit2]

I've had the Black Tie for about a year and I have returned 7 phones and never once had to pay a deductible. Although one time i smashed my pre and I had a loner blackberry for about a month. Which didn't bother me (it was my first blackberry). The only time you do get a loner is if its physical damage and in that case sprint usually makes you pay a deductible.

That is correct the only time they make you pay is accidental damage. But even then I havent paid for phone replacements.

BTW I had the protection through sprint for about a year and no one could convince me that theirs is better.

Not trying to, just saying I have never had to pay a penny when I had to replace or fix a phone. I have had the insurance through sprint since I came back to them in 2004.

 

[RG1#AC]

i guess i just got ripped off by my local rep. but then again when i did pay it was because it was lost/stolen

 

[cr3amy]

Anybody ever deal with Squaretrade?

 

[whippingboy]

Unless I'm doing something wrong on their website- when I looked to get squartrade to cover the EVO they were ONLY insuring the iphone... has that changed?

I did cover my car stereo through them- but I've yet to make a claim with them.

 

[cr3amy]

Yeah, squaretrade.com > Get a Warranty > Cell Phones > Other Cell Phones > Premium Smartphone > Buy Now > Coupon Code "sizzle" > total cost is $115.20

But it doesn't cover theft or loss.

 

[liquidxit2]

i guess i just got ripped off by my local rep. but then again when i did pay it was because it was lost/stolen

We all do. I pay 7 you pay 10. The only way they setup programs is to make money off us and the only reason we accept and use them is to save us a surprise bill by spreading more money over a period of time. Its all a scam in their favor, but saves us from having to buy a phone for the full price.

I typically own a phone for 1 year before upgrading. That means the following:

7*12=$84 paid to sprint. Now if I get a phone replaced in the year it works out in my favor, but typically I dont so they get an extra $84 from me a year. Now I dont know for sure, but I can guess that of all their phones a replacement doesnt cost that much (bulk ordering). So even if I dont get charged they still probably break even or still turn a profit, and if they do charge me well they just make that much more profit.

 

[Aero]

best buy almost always makes more sense because the rebate is instant. You can always get sprint to remove activation fee by calling a couple of weeks after sing up but within your 30 day period suggesting you will cancel. They are not going to lose your account over the fee.

Also different states treat sales tax differently. Instant rebates are more likely to be non taxable and mail in rebates are more likely to cost you more in sales tax.

That being said, anyone who suggests getting the geek quad protectation for a phone or anything else at BB is, in my opinion, not giving good advice.

 

[Aero]

As far as warranty you guys should know that sprint massively changed their policy a year ago. It used to be that if your phone broke for warranted issues you had to deal with the maker, which involved phone calls to manufacturer, RMA, your own cost to send it to the maker, waiting a month etc. Now Sprint, even if you don't pay a nickel in insurance or extended warranty, will repair or replace your phone for the first year within days -- if it is an issue covered by warranty.

I have four lines on one contract and one on another. On our three adult lines I never have ever had any kind of insurance. I put tep on my kid's phones, but only for the first two to three months of newly released phones, when replacement costs are high.

Over my 45 line years with Sprint when I calculate how much I have saved by not having insurance, and then subtract from that what I paid for replacements on ebay, less dedcuatables, I have easily saved half the money I would have spent on TEP.

Everyone is different, but in general insuring for non catastrophic loss is not wise. The key variable in the case of phone is keeping tabs on the reputable seller ebay price for excellent condition used of your model.

EG Our Treo Pros fell to $100 on ebay within a couple of months. given they were warranted by Sprint even if you paid Zero in TEP, and given the $100 deductible for non warrant claims, every nickel insurance after that point would have have been money down a rathole.

Some phones are in hotter demand, and stay high priced on ebay, some of you may have jobs or activities that expose the phone to more risk, so I do not say m calculus is for everyone. but be aware you need no insurance for the first year (typically after which the [phone drops massively in replacement cost) for warranty claims, and always keep an eye on reputable dealer ebay prices, an certainly do revisit ebay prices one year after you bought the phone if you do elect for tep or other insurance.