Warning about the new HTC On-line Unlock!

[FrankXS]

Maybe I'm the last to know. I dunno... But I just read in another forum that simply using the on-line HTC Unlocking program will perform a wipe. Just FYI.

So, don't "play around" with it unless you are serious.

-Frank

Edit for clarity: This is regarding the official http://www.htcdev.com website unlock tool.

Sent from my HTC ThunderBolt 4G/LTE using Tapatalk

 

[thedio]

Htcdev.com unlock right? or another program?

 

[FrankXS]

Htcdev.com unlock right? or another program?

Correct.

-Frank

Sent from my HTC ThunderBolt 4G/LTE using Tapatalk

 

[recDNA]

Wow, that's kind of surprising. They would also know if you use it so I assume your warranty would be gone?

 

[FrankXS]

Wow, that's kind of surprising. They would also know if you use it so I assume your warranty would be gone?

According to the HTCDev.com website, unlocking alone does not void your warranty. The phone could still be repaired under warranty unless there is damage to the phone deemed to be a direct result of unlocking.

-Frank

 

[moosc]

That is true with any any phone u unlock. It wipes it clear. Also the HTC unlocking doesn't give u 100% unlocking.

 

[FrankXS]

That is true with any any phone u unlock. It wipes it clear. Also the HTC unlocking doesn't give u 100% unlocking.

It does give you 100% unlocking. But it doesn't give you root. Subtle but different.

I agree on the warranty. Lots of misinformation out there about warranty I think.

-Frank

 

[yodatom10]

It also only unlocks the bootloader and does not give you s-off so if your going to root do not use this methode as will have to undo it to root correctly

 

[recDNA]

That is true with any any phone u unlock. It wipes it clear. Also the HTC unlocking doesn't give u 100% unlocking.

Revolutionary doesn't wipe anything.

 

[dpham00]

Wow, that's kind of surprising. They would also know if you use it so I assume your warranty would be gone?

Your warranty is only void if the root or something therein (i.e. overclocking, messed up kernel, etc) caused the failure. If your volume rocker goes and you are rooted, then you should still be covered under warranty.

Note that Verizon can still deny warranty just because you are rooted. Denying warranty is like saying, we won't touch it because it is rooted. Voiding warranty is saying that you rooted the phone, and it has no warranty whatsoever. Verizon has that luxury because they are not the manufacturer. In the example above, the manufacturer must fix the volume buttons under warranty.

 

[recDNA]

If Verizon doesn't honor the warranty doesn't it amount to the same thing? I bought my phone from vzw so I would return it to them.

 

[dpham00]

If Verizon doesn't honor the warranty doesn't it amount to the same thing? I bought my phone from vzw so I would return it to them.

The warranty is with the manufacturer. HTC manufactures the Thunderbolt, hence the warranty is with HTC. Verizon is, in essence, a distributor for HTC. Verizon chooses to accept a defective device back, but they are not the warrantor. Actually, I think HTC sources it out to PCD (Personal Communications Devices), but ultimately, HTC is responsible. You can read about your remedies under warranty in the warranty section of the manuals that came with the phone. That is all that they are legally required to do.

Put it this way, you bought a computer from Best Buy, it breaks down outside the return period but within warranty. You now have to go through the computer manufacturer to get the computer fixed. Best Buy certainly won't take it back outside of the return period.

 

[FrankXS]

The warranty is with the manufacturer. HTC manufactures the Thunderbolt, hence the warranty is with HTC. Verizon is, in essence, a distributor for HTC. Verizon chooses to accept a defective device back, but they are not the warrantor. Actually, I think HTC sources it out to PCD (Personal Communications Devices), but ultimately, HTC is responsible. You can read about your remedies under warranty in the warranty section of the manuals that came with the phone. That is all that they are legally required to do.

Put it this way, you bought a computer from Best Buy, it breaks down outside the return period but within warranty. You now have to go through the computer manufacturer to get the computer fixed. Best Buy certainly won't take it back outside of the return period.

Good explanation. However, I think the "return period" for warranty issues is 1 year with Verizon, right? I don't know about HTC. Of course, if you purchased extended warranty service (I didn't -- I just bought the Asurion Insurance) this would be longer.

-Frank

 

[dpham00]

Good explanation. However, I think the "return period" for warranty issues is 1 year with Verizon, right? I don't know about HTC. Of course, if you purchased extended warranty service (I didn't -- I just bought the Asurion Insurance) this would be longer.

-Frank

Return period, as I understand it, is the period in which you can return the item and get a refund(less restocking fee if applicable), which is 14 days. I guess you can say that the "return period" if you classify it strictly for warranty issues is 1 year, but after the 14 day official return period, then you will get a refurb (though you may get a new one if they don't have refurb - it has happened to me).

As I understand it, Verizon provides warranty replacements as a courtesy. According to the Customer Agreement, Verizon basically warranties nothing except as required by law. And according to the warranty brochure, it says that you must send the device back to PCD PREPAID (at your expense).

We make no representations or warranties, express or implied, including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, about your Service, your wireless device, or any applications you access through your wireless device. We do not warrant that your wireless device will work perfectly or will not need occasional upgrades or modifications, or that it will not be negatively affected by network?related modifications, upgrades or similar activity. If you download or use applications, services or software provided by third parties (including voice applications), 911 or E911, or other calling functionality, may work differently than services offered by us, or may not work at all. Please review all terms and conditions of such third?party products.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...b2c/support/customer-agreement&token=c_sXpBme

 

[recDNA]

I thought to return it to HTC I had to send it to vzw. Trouble is I've heard horror stories of folks being charged the full retail value of a brand new phone after returning a rooted phone to vzw. (And all they gor was a refurb!) I don't like surprises. At least if I send it to htc worse case scenario is "we couldn't fix it and we've voided your warranty because problem caused by rooting. Then I could just ask them to send it back. No surprise bill for 600 bucks! I could always finish the contract using my OG Droid!

 

[anon(394005)]

I thought to return it to HTC I had to send it to vzw. Trouble is I've heard horror stories of folks being charged the full retail value of a brand new phone after returning a rooted phone to vzw. (And all they gor was a refurb!) I don't like surprises. At least if I send it to htc worse case scenario is "we couldn't fix it and we've voided your warranty because problem caused by rooting. Then I could just ask them to send it back. No surprise bill for 600 bucks! I could always finish the contract using my OG Droid!

Isn't that a risk you take when rooting?

 

[PJnc284]

I thought to return it to HTC I had to send it to vzw. Trouble is I've heard horror stories of folks being charged the full retail value of a brand new phone after returning a rooted phone to vzw. (And all they gor was a refurb!) I don't like surprises. At least if I send it to htc worse case scenario is "we couldn't fix it and we've voided your warranty because problem caused by rooting. Then I could just ask them to send it back. No surprise bill for 600 bucks! I could always finish the contract using my OG Droid!

Unless you seriously fubar'd something by messing around, you can almost always unroot before you send it back. If you broke it yourself or just send it back still rooted, then it shouldn't be a surprise if you get charged. That said, I've heard more cases of people sending rooted phones back with Verizon being none the wiser than I have people getting charged for it.