Related
I have been searching all of the forums for the last two weeks regarding the TP2 and Sprint service, which on the surface sounded good. I purchased a brand new (in the box advertised as not requiring a contract) TP2 and called Sprint to port my number and was informed that even providing my own (paid for) hardware, they will not activate service without a 2 year contract. I'm stunned! Even Verizon will allow activation of your own handset without a contract. I called the CS line and was told that they will not activate without a contract. I guess I will sell this one and go with Verizon. No wonder Sprint has been loosing customers!
IIRC its actually illegal to do that, there was a big class action suit several years ago that forced all cellular providers to allow users to buy the phones and activate without contract
FWIW i activated my TP2 without a contract, i already had sprint (my previous 2 year contract was up and i have the 30 dollar SERO plan so i didnt want to change)
bs. all of my phones have been activated without 2 year. ive been with sprint 8 years.
You can activate the phone online.
I, too, recently activated my TP2 w/Sprint after being out of contract for just over a year. You probably fell on bad luck talking to people who were out of the loop. There are some corporate Sprint stores in malls (not kiosks) that will hook you up.
I actually started with a Sprint store ( 2 hour drive) as I intended to port my number. The Sprint employee at the store is the one that first informed me of the 2 year contract requirement. I then tried CS on their toll free number. The CS person was very polite, and did put me on hold while she supposedly spoke with a supervisor, but the answer was still 'no contreact, no service'. Considering that we do not have GSM service in our area, my only option is to get rid of this phone and go with Verizon. At least I know they will activate my equipment without a contract. It will be interesting to see if the legislation currently being considered by Congress will also include regulation over some of the policies of the cell carriers...
defaultdotxbe said:
IIRC its actually illegal to do that, there was a big class action suit several years ago that forced all cellular providers to allow users to buy the phones and activate without contract
FWIW i activated my TP2 without a contract, i already had sprint (my previous 2 year contract was up and i have the 30 dollar SERO plan so i didnt want to change)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have a link to that legal decision? I have been searching all morning looking for the case, and court ruling. Thanks!
timm9 said:
Do you have a link to that legal decision? I have been searching all morning looking for the case, and court ruling. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is interesting information, do u mind sharing the actual court ruling document?
i dont remember the details, it was between when i got my first and second cell phone, my first you couldnt just buy a phone, they would only sell you a phone if you got a contract, and when i got my second you could buy the phones (for like $200 more) and activate without a contract, and i was told it was because of a lawsuit
this all like 10 years ago though, so i dont know if that was even the case
http://forums.precentral.net/palm-p...-if-they-buy-phone-full-cost.html#post2231359
Sometimes to get a good deal or something usually requires a 2year contract. No big deal IMO since I have no interest in leaving Sprint anytime soon. Another plus was I was able to get ahold of the department that does discounts and such. (2 years ago I got called for a survey in exchange for a 10% discount). It disapeared from my bill and since I didn't know it was a 2 year only discount (thus the reason for the 2 year contract renewal when they first asked) I asked if there was any way to get another discount. The woman on the phone was really helpful and hooked me up with a $10 off discount for another 2 year contract. HELL YA! So now I have a 1250 Sero plan + $7 insurance - $10. On the bill for April my total after tax, fees, etc was exactly $50.00 on the dot. Love Sprint, Love their service, and their phones are getting better and better. (TP2 has been sweet and the EVO looks ever sweeter. As long as they hook it up with some dang good WM7 phones this summer I can see they have learned a lot about getting into the market with a damn good device to keep competitive.
you need a contract with sprint to get service. They dont do month to month plans.
THATS THE BIG PROBLEM WITH SPRINT THEY HIRE SOME OF THE DUMBEST CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE,but when i have problems i go into the store BECOUSE I KNOW THE PEOPLE THERE HAVE THEIR BRAIN CELLS AND THEY TAKE GOOD CARE OF ME.Sprint has its drawbacks but what company doesnt overall im very satisfied with the company i mean verizon may have better service in my area but they cost more and i have free roaming so now i have better service and im content
At this point I have returned the TP2, and have gone with Verizon without a contract. On this site a post indicated that the 'contract required' is no longer legal based on litigation, but it's not worth my time and energy to fight over it. Like my wife said, "After all this, why would you want to do business with Sprint"?
That about sums it up...
Thank you all for the responses!
Existing Customer - New Customer
I read through some of the posts. I have activated several phones with Sprint, out of contract. I have 4 lines with Sprint, and I've not been on contract with them for maybe 3 years now. During this time I have activated maybe 6-8 different phones that I have bought on my own (usually on ebay), and never once been required to enter a contract.
The difference with me (and most other respondents) and yourself is we are existing Sprint customers; we have gone through our 1yr or 2yr contract with Sprint.
Verizon is obviously different in that, if you don't get a free or discounted phone from them, then you can obtain service without a contract.
Those of you sharing experiences of not signing a contract when swapping ESn's are off track here.
O.P is NOT an existing customer (*mentions porting his number to Sprint) and was wanting to join Sprint as a new customer but with his own Sprint handset. Sprint does not do month to month service (anymore, though they use to for an additional $10/month yrs ago).
Any current Sprint customer can change out hardware as much as they want and they're not required to modify their contracts. But a new customer joining Sprint whether he/she is bringing their handset is being required to sign a contract, it seems.
LordLugard said:
Those of you sharing experiences of not signing a contract when swapping ESn's are off track here.
O.P is NOT an existing customer (*mentions porting his number to Sprint) and was wanting to join Sprint as a new customer but with his own Sprint handset. Sprint does not do month to month service (anymore, though they use to for an additional $10/month yrs ago).
Any current Sprint customer can change out hardware as much as they want and they're not required to modify their contracts. But a new customer joining Sprint whether he/she is bringing their handset is being required to sign a contract, it seems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is true to a certain extent....if you bring a line from a shared account into a separate (new) line but have bad credit, you only have to sign a 6 month contract and go month to month from there. (trust me, i know )
timm9 said:
I guess I will sell this one and go with Verizon. No wonder Sprint has been loosing customers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
timm9 said:
At this point I have returned the TP2/QUOTE]
:| why didnt u just flash it to verizon..
well if u lost no money doing this then w/e.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is really on how you play it out man. You can't give up like that homie. Really someone gave you bad info in the first call. You have to be in a contract to get service. But you can get out your contract really easy down the road. If you sign up you have 30 days to kill your service no questions. So if you were going to leave them someone might fix it for you spri-nt is dumb like that. But you have to keep calling you might get someone who is like F&*k my job I'm doing what ever today I'm going to quit. Talk to a female, guys their be tryin to mr tough I know everything you know.
Just wondering and thinking out loud i guess but you could goto a sprint store or online get a crappy feature phone with the cheapest plan that meets your needs then go online and activate your TP2 or whatever smartphone you want. I mean you will be stuck with sprint for 2 years but there prices are really good and if you want to switch devices again say when WP7 comes out your going to have to buy it used or pay full price again anyway idk just my 2 cents
EDIT:
sorry to revive a dead thread
sprint fan
i am more than happy with sprint.
while sprint has always bent over backwards to help me out other providers with whom i dealt to help out friends and family seem to tun around with their heads so far up their ass they need a glass stomach to keep from running into things.
go sprint
Hello, I am opening this thread so that I may convey some info to you guys about how things work at AT&T Mobility, more importantly about the upcoming HSPA+ and data packages.
Some abbreviations:
COR = Corporate Retail Store
CARE = Customer Service
OLAM = Online Account Manager
How do I find out if I'm eligible to upgrade?
There are several ways to do this, be it going to a COR store, calling CARE, or checking OLAM. However, the easiest way is to check with the star command *NEW#, or *639#. Just call that number and you will soon receive a text message letting you know your upgrade eligibility.
Note: Will not work on some accounts (Notably business accounts) and if you have a balance on your account.
Is there any other handy star commands?
Yes:
*DATA# (Data Usage, Including Messaging Usage)
*BAL# (Account Balance Info)
*PAY# (Bill Payment)
*MIN# (Minutes Balance, Including Rollover)
I have Unlimited Data, will I get to keep it if I upgrade to an Inspire?
If you have the old MediaMax plan, no. However, you should be offered the old/new $30 Unlimited Smartphone Data Plan.
If you have the old/new $30 Unlimited Smartphone Data Plan, yes.
If you have the $10 Unlimited Quick Messaging/Basic Data Plan, then you will have to move to one of the new smartphone plans, Data Plus or Data Pro.
What if I'm not eligible to upgrade but still want the Inspire?
Well, your best bet is to buy it at full retail price. However, there is something else that is offered called an exception upgrade. ALL of these need to apply to you to be able to have an exception upgrade.
- Last upgrade date must be at least 6 months from today.
- Only one exception upgrade per contract length.
- No balance on the account.
- Can only exception upgrade at COR or CARE. (Revision Possible)
An exception upgrade will add $75 to the 2 year contract price of a Quick Messaging/Basic phone and $200 to a Smartphone.
Your other option is to add a stripped down line, suck up the $10 a month, and use that phone on your current line.
Can I use another line's upgrade for me?
Yes. As long as you are an authorized user you may.
Can I use another account's upgrade for me?
Technically, no. However, it all depends on that particular representative or manager. But, nothing is stopping you to upgrade one account, drive to another store, and activating the phones on their respective lines. Or switching SIM cards.
I'm available to upgrade but Radio Shack/Best Buy/Wirefly, etc. has it for much cheaper, will AT&T price match?
Once again it depends on representative/manager but short answer, no. AT&T will only price match on new lines/accounts, not upgrades. Why this is I have no idea and I believe it's a bad business practice but I'm not the boss.
Now, if you're adding a line or getting a new account, AT&T will price match a printed advertisement. However, you might get the manager to approve a Wirefly, Amazon, etc. price.
My phone broke by itself and it's within a year of the original purchase date, what should I do?
Depends on a lot of factors. If you purchased it somewhere other than at COR, CARE,or OLAM you need to follow that particular business' return policy.
If purchased at COR or CARE, and it's within 30 days of the original purchase date, take it back to COR (Even if purchased at CARE or OLAM) and they will do an in house warranty replacement.
If it's past the 30 day window, don't even bother going to COR or calling CARE, they will both redirect you to our Warranty Department which you can call at 1-800-801-1101.
I broke/wet/dropped my phone, what should I do?
If you have insurance on your plan, then call our Insurance Department (Asurion) at 1-888-562-8662.
Once again, do not bother going to COR or calling CARE, they will just direct you to the proper department. Also, don't try to play us as fools, you know what you did, and we will figure it out too.
If you don't have insurance, well....
Feel free to ask me any questions and I will add them accordingly.
Reserved for OP.
Also reserved for OP.
Question; Am I right to understand that I can get the old $30 unlimited plan back? The one that includes all data and messaging? I used to have this but then AT&T switched me to the $25/mo plan with no warning a while back, after having had it for almost a year.
wraithevolution said:
Question; Am I right to understand that I can get the old $30 unlimited plan back? The one that includes all data and messaging? I used to have this but then AT&T switched me to the $25/mo plan with no warning a while back, after having had it for almost a year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and no. There are some ways for you to get this back, but I beleive only Tier II CARE can do this. It also depends on a lot of factors, like how long ago you "lost" it, what CARE rep you speak with, how long you've been a customer, how you treat the CARE rep, if your account is in good standing with us, etc.
Don't bother going into COR, it's my understanding that the ability to "recover" the unlimited data has been removed from all COR employees, including managers.
danielsaenz said:
Yes and no. There are some ways for you to get this back, but I beleive only Tier II CARE can do this. It also depends on a lot of factors, like how long ago you "lost" it, what CARE rep you speak with, how long you've been a customer, how you treat the CARE rep, if your account is in good standing with us, etc.
Don't bother going into COR, it's my understanding that the ability to "recover" the unlimited data has been removed from all COR employees, including managers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well what is the easiest way to get to a Tier II rep.
I called today inquiring about the Inspire and an unlimited data plan and had no luck. I even went as far as asking how much early termination fee was as unlimited data was a must for me to buy the Inspire.
I am starting to think the best option will be to buy an unlocked Telus DHD and just continue to use my $10 Family unlimited plan as I do with my Hero.
You mentioned upgrading from a MediaMax plan.
I'm not sure if mine qualifies or not. I currently own a Samsung Eternity that I got on contract two years ago, and I opted for unlimited data. My AT&T account is calling it "Data Unlimited for non-smartphones." Because this was from two years ago, I think it's a mediamax plan, but the account online doesn't have that in the name. Does that count?
I would be really disappointed both paying more for internet and being capped.
danielsaenz said:
What if I'm not eligible to upgrade but still want the Inspire?[/B]
Well, your best bet is to buy it at full retail price. However, there is something else that is offered called an exception upgrade. ALL of these need to apply to you to be able to have an exception upgrade.
- Last upgrade date must be at least 6 months from today.
- Only one exception upgrade per contract length.
- No balance on the account.
- Can only exception upgrade at COR or CARE.
Thats not true. Just to clear things up, you can exception upgrade at an authorized dealer and kiosk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dsmkrt said:
You mentioned upgrading from a MediaMax plan.
I'm not sure if mine qualifies or not. I currently own a Samsung Eternity that I got on contract two years ago, and I opted for unlimited data. My AT&T account is calling it "Data Unlimited for non-smartphones." Because this was from two years ago, I think it's a mediamax plan, but the account online doesn't have that in the name. Does that count?
I would be really disappointed both paying more for internet and being capped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MediaMax is the old iPhone plans that bundled a messaging bundle with unlimited data for a lower price. What you have is the $10 unlimited data for Quick Messaging/Basic Data.
Evilspawn said:
danielsaenz said:
What if I'm not eligible to upgrade but still want the Inspire?[/B]
Well, your best bet is to buy it at full retail price. However, there is something else that is offered called an exception upgrade. ALL of these need to apply to you to be able to have an exception upgrade.
- Last upgrade date must be at least 6 months from today.
- Only one exception upgrade per contract length.
- No balance on the account.
- Can only exception upgrade at COR or CARE.
Thats not true. Just to clear things up, you can exception upgrade at an authorized dealer and kiosk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I know, you can't. Either that or they would have to call CARE, which means CARE is handling it not the retailer. At the store I work at we always receive people from Best Buy, Radio Shack, Walmart, Sam's, etc. that were referred by them to us for an exception upgrade.
If you show me proof from an AT&T source, then I will change it. I want this to be the most accurate info as possible, and thank you for your contribution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I am sure that this wont be definitive enough proof for you, I am the manager of an authorized retailer (Agent) store, and we do exception upgrades all the time. It might be dependant on the market in question, and I know for a fact that National Retailers (Big Box Stores) cannot do exception upgrades. We also do not have to go through CARE to process it, we process it directly through POSII
Chris
that $5 a month insurance
how exactly does this work? i upgraded an Inspire. she ended up bulldozin me on $25 a month for 2gb data, that is going to run out before a month does it seems.. will need some behavior modification i see.
she asked me do i want insurance for $5 a month.. i said yes. seems like i've been payin insurance since the cingular 8125, thru the ATT Fuze, and into the Inspire 4g and never brought it in for claim.
now i've got this phone, and its very difficult to hold, has some kinda glass screen that was not present on the last two windows phones.. i can forsee this one takin a smash (and i've been a phone enabled pool jumper before and summer's comin)
so how does it work?
no-questions-asked-i-hit-it-with-a-hammer-on-purpose insurance?
or more like
you-dropped-it-and-it's-in-a-million-pieces-but-we-glued-it-back-together-and-found-out-you-rooted-it-so-yer-SOL?
more specifically:
i am rooted. will this ever affect insurance claim? i mean i'm not going to bring it in claiming software issues obviously.. but what if i pool jump? do i need to rice-and-hairdry just to unroot just to get insurance claim approved?
If you ever need to do a claim and it's a total loss, not a warranty claim (so you're actually paying the deductible), just say the phone was lost. There, problem solved. You dont have to return anything and they send you a new refurb device for what, $150?
wdkingery said:
how exactly does this work? i upgraded an Inspire. she ended up bulldozin me on $25 a month for 2gb data, that is going to run out before a month does it seems.. will need some behavior modification i see.
she asked me do i want insurance for $5 a month.. i said yes. seems like i've been payin insurance since the cingular 8125, thru the ATT Fuze, and into the Inspire 4g and never brought it in for claim.
now i've got this phone, and its very difficult to hold, has some kinda glass screen that was not present on the last two windows phones.. i can forsee this one takin a smash (and i've been a phone enabled pool jumper before and summer's comin)
so how does it work?
no-questions-asked-i-hit-it-with-a-hammer-on-purpose insurance?
or more like
you-dropped-it-and-it's-in-a-million-pieces-but-we-glued-it-back-together-and-found-out-you-rooted-it-so-yer-SOL?
more specifically:
i am rooted. will this ever affect insurance claim? i mean i'm not going to bring it in claiming software issues obviously.. but what if i pool jump? do i need to rice-and-hairdry just to unroot just to get insurance claim approved?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For starters, you can take your phone out of your pocket before you jump into a pool.
If that doesn't work, you can unroot the phone. It isn't any tougher than rooting, in fact, it's probably easier.
If the phone is in a condition to where they would be able to check for root, then yes, you need to make the effort to get it back in a returnable state, which is totally possible and feasible, if you want a replacement phone.
It's pretty common knowledge that rooting a phone voids your warranty, but only if you present it to them in that state can they know its been rooted.
If the phone explodes into pieces, how are they going to get it back to a state where they'd be able to discover you rooted? It would cost them more money and trouble to go through that bull**** than it would to give you a new damn phone, ya know?
Inspire 4G ¦ XDA Premium
wdkingery said:
how exactly does this work? i upgraded an Inspire. she ended up bulldozin me on $25 a month for 2gb data, that is going to run out before a month does it seems.. will need some behavior modification i see.
she asked me do i want insurance for $5 a month.. i said yes. seems like i've been payin insurance since the cingular 8125, thru the ATT Fuze, and into the Inspire 4g and never brought it in for claim.
now i've got this phone, and its very difficult to hold, has some kinda glass screen that was not present on the last two windows phones.. i can forsee this one takin a smash (and i've been a phone enabled pool jumper before and summer's comin)
so how does it work?
no-questions-asked-i-hit-it-with-a-hammer-on-purpose insurance?
or more like
you-dropped-it-and-it's-in-a-million-pieces-but-we-glued-it-back-together-and-found-out-you-rooted-it-so-yer-SOL?
more specifically:
i am rooted. will this ever affect insurance claim? i mean i'm not going to bring it in claiming software issues obviously.. but what if i pool jump? do i need to rice-and-hairdry just to unroot just to get insurance claim approved?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly i wouldn't get the ATT insurance at all its overpriced and the deduct. is over priced... www.squaretrade.com FTW no questions asked including water damage. oh ATT will not fix a Watered phone. so you will be SOL on that. Oh.. in all honestly they legally can't deny your claim if you have a rooted phone.. case in point Jehot vs apple = fcc saying rooting/jailbreaking is legal and services can not be terminated for that
Hi, I'm having issues with my HTC Aria. I believe it to be an issue with the microphone, since whenever I make or receive calls, I'm able to hear the person on the other line but they are unable to hear me. The phone is still within the 1-year warranty period. After contacting the AT&T Warranty Department, they told me that they'd send me a replacement phone and to send my defective phone back. Do I need to worry about unrooting my phone first? I have read conflicting information on different forums. Thanks very much for the clarification.
moka4219 said:
Hi, I'm having issues with my HTC Aria. I believe it to be an issue with the microphone, since whenever I make or receive calls, I'm able to hear the person on the other line but they are unable to hear me. The phone is still within the 1-year warranty period. After contacting the AT&T Warranty Department, they told me that they'd send me a replacement phone and to send my defective phone back. Do I need to worry about unrooting my phone first? I have read conflicting information on different forums. Thanks very much for the clarification.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just an fyi this is the inspire 4g section. But anyways. I say its better to be safe then sorry and return your phone back stock. So I would say unroot
moka4219 said:
Hi, I'm having issues with my HTC Aria. I believe it to be an issue with the microphone, since whenever I make or receive calls, I'm able to hear the person on the other line but they are unable to hear me. The phone is still within the 1-year warranty period. After contacting the AT&T Warranty Department, they told me that they'd send me a replacement phone and to send my defective phone back. Do I need to worry about unrooting my phone first? I have read conflicting information on different forums. Thanks very much for the clarification.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try the speaker phone. Can people on the other end hear you then?
OK guys this is not an ATT support forum. They have their own site.
Thread closed
I need some advice peeps. I thought I lost my new charge couldn't find it for two days, took a rafting trip and hadn't seen it since. I fig it for gone down the river. I made a claim with asurion and the new phone came ystdy, in the meantime I found my phone buried under my seat in my truck. I charged it and powered it up to discover that it is still working as of today even after I made the claim thru asurion a few days ago. Now I have an extra phone. Is it illegal or does anyone know if I can sell one of the two phones. I figured my original would be flagged with a bad ESN? What should I do, I thought about giving one to my brother but don't want to get him in trouble or think I ran a scam. I did have to pay 99 dollars for the replacement, help???? WWYD???
juddrock said:
I need some advice peeps. I thought I lost my new charge couldn't find it for two days, took a rafting trip and hadn't seen it since. I fig it for gone down the river. I made a claim with asurion and the new phone came ystdy, in the meantime I found my phone buried under my seat in my truck. I charged it and powered it up to discover that it is still working as of today even after I made the claim thru asurion a few days ago. Now I have an extra phone. Is it illegal or does anyone know if I can sell one of the two phones. I figured my original would be flagged with a bad ESN? What should I do, I thought about giving one to my brother but don't want to get him in trouble or think I ran a scam. I did have to pay 99 dollars for the replacement, help???? WWYD???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It happens. In the previous days, your ESN (which is 'burned' into the SOC) would be trashed when you activate the new phone. Today, though, since LTE phones are now SIM based, a new SIM might activate the old phone just fine. It's possible, though, that the claim trashed the IMEI, but there's no way to tell without talking directly to Verizon.
Keeping it constitutes insurance fraud, and yes, that's illegal. The right thing to do, legally and ethically, is to call Asurion and tell them you found your original phone. They'll probably send you a box and tell you to ship one of the phones back.
If you are still using the phone you lost you can.still sell the new one.you got in the same thing happen to me
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA Premium App
Falcyn said:
Keeping it constitutes insurance fraud, and yes, that's illegal. The right thing to do, legally and ethically, is to call Asurion and tell them you found your original phone. They'll probably send you a box and tell you to ship one of the phones back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically is it Fraud? I'm just asking not saying it's not indeed. That's why I posted because I'm torn. I've paid on insurance for at least the last 5 years and never made a claim @ almost 7 dollars a month for insurance. I needed my phone ASAP and made the claim. Did I overreact, maybe, but now I forked our 99 dollars plus close to half a grand that I've paid insurance over the last 5 years. Honest mistake now I have two phones. If its not illegal I wouldn't mind just letting my brother have the phone or maybe keep it as a spare etc.. IDK really??
Its insurance fraud plain and simple...the right thing to do is call them and telthen you found it
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App
Actually, it's not fraud, since he believed the phone was lost and made the claim in good faith.
Fraud is a very strict legal term, the primary facet of which is intent.
Now, if it was a situation like we've seen before where the phone is having problems and he didn't want to pay to get it replaced out of warranty so instead claimed it lost, then THAT would be fraud.
This kind of thing happens all the time.
I would advise against selling the phone, since that would make your motives suspect to anyone investigating the situation.
If it will activate with a fresh SIM, however, then use it as spare or give it to your brother.
AlexDeGruven said:
Actually, it's not fraud, since he believed the phone was lost and made the claim in good faith.
Fraud is a very strict legal term, the primary facet of which is intent.
Now, if it was a situation like we've seen before where the phone is having problems and he didn't want to pay to get it replaced out of warranty so instead claimed it lost, then THAT would be fraud.
This kind of thing happens all the time.
I would advise against selling the phone, since that would make your motives suspect to anyone investigating the situation.
If it will activate with a fresh SIM, however, then use it as spare or give it to your brother.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IDK, I really am torn, my bro's phone is junk and he's not eligible for the upgrade. If I were to take my chances should I keep the new sim in my old phone and give him my old sim in the new one or just keep the sims with the phones they are in now, or would it even matter?
juddrock said:
IDK, I really am torn, my bro's phone is junk and he's not eligible for the upgrade. If I were to take my chances should I keep the new sim in my old phone and give him my old sim in the new one or just keep the sims with the phones they are in now, or would it even matter?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The old sim is probably toast, anyway due to the claim.
Right now, you should be running a new SIM in your new phone. That's the one that's active on your account.
Maybe someone more familiar with the SIM activation process can chime in about a potential process.
Edit: Of course, it's also entirely possible that they burned the IMEI with the claim as well, making your old phone a very stylish and expensive MP3 player.
AlexDeGruven said:
The old sim is probably toast, anyway due to the claim.
Right now, you should be running a new SIM in your new phone. That's the one that's active on your account.
Maybe someone more familiar with the SIM activation process can chime in about a potential process.
Edit: Of course, it's also entirely possible that they burned the IMEI with the claim as well, making your old phone a very stylish and expensive MP3 player.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But, here's the kicker, I haven't even activated my new phone, I'm still currently using the original phone and sim, so go figure, it's not toast as of yet, should I just keep it on the DL for a month or so and see if they shut my current device down?
juddrock said:
But, here's the kicker, I haven't even activated my new phone, I'm still currently using the original phone and sim, so go figure, it's not toast as of yet, should I just keep it on the DL for a month or so and see if they shut my current device down?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm surprised they haven't burned the SIM or the IMEI. At this point, you're out of my experience range, so I don't want to say something that could cause problems.
I would be willing to bet that IMEI on the original phone has been or is in the process of being flagged as stolen/bad/whatever. Blacklisted so it cannot be activated on VZW again. It would work on a different network like Cricket if it can be flashed but it could be that it doesn't happen until the replacement is activated. I would toss the old one in a drawer or sell as a bad ESN device without a sim or use it only as a PDA on wifi at the house. If you were to sell the new one, and keep the original, when the other guy activates it and your phone stops working its going to suck. Not saying this will happen for sure, but not worth trying. I would call Verizon and ask them what will happen.
If you're worried enough about it to ask here, then just do the right thing and call them and send the replacement back.
AlexDeGruven said:
Actually, it's not fraud, since he believed the phone was lost and made the claim in good faith.
Fraud is a very strict legal term, the primary facet of which is intent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are wrong sir plain and simple.
See, ask yourself how did the OP get an insurance claim? He claimed the phone was lost or stolen (doesn't matter) and because his was lost... He filed a.claim...
Asurion claims it as a loss...and ships him out an insurance replacement...
Now, if or should he find the phone?
That phone belongs to Asurion NOT the OP. Get it?
Why does it belong to Asurion?
Read the terms and conditions of Asurion's service.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App
SigmunDroid said:
You are wrong sir plain and simple.
See, ask yourself how did the OP get an insurance claim? He claimed the phone was lost or stolen (doesn't matter) and because his was lost... He filed a.claim...
Asurion claims it as a loss...and ships him out an insurance replacement...
Now, if or should he find the phone?
That phone belongs to Asurion NOT the OP. Get it?
Why does it belong to Asurion?
Read the terms and conditions of Asurion's service.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At that point Asurion (the company, not a dude named Asurion) was done with the deal. They have no interest in the old phone. It was written off a long time ago. They report the claim to Verizon who then does their part and blacklists the IMEI/ESN so that device cannot be reused on their network. Its over. He doesn't owe Asurion anything as he paid for a service he didn't use for the longest time and finally got to use it in a manner that was completely non-fradulent and valid. The OP should do whatever he wants with the phone but I wouldn't trust it.
AlexDeGruven said:
Actually, it's not fraud, since he believed
Fraud is a very strict legal term, the primary facet of which is intent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If he chooses to keep the phone now that he's found it, that's intent. He should have read his agreement with Asurion. Legally, the phone now belongs to them.
Asurion's terms clearly state for lost/stolen phones that if the phone is ever found it is required to be sent back to them.
Oh, and by the way: it's in no small part due to things like this our deductibles are so high. Remember when they were just $50? Yeah... Thanks.
Falcyn said:
Oh, and by the way: it's in no small part due to things like this our deductibles are so high. Remember when they were just $50? Yeah... Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's why I don't buy insurance. A few months after getting a phone you can find a replacement for cheap enough because they released 5 newer models since then. To hell with insurance. Between the deductible and monthly premiums you technically already paid for the phone they send you. Its like a savings account that can only be used on a (now outdated) cell phone. Not exactly a bargain IMO.
jamesnmandy said:
That's why I don't buy insurance. A few months after getting a phone you can find a replacement for cheap enough because they released 5 newer models since then. To hell with insurance. Between the deductible and monthly premiums you technically already paid for the phone they send you. Its like a savings account that can only be used on a (now outdated) cell phone. Not exactly a bargain IMO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also why I don't buy it..way overpriced for what you get...full coverage insurance on a vehicle that cost 30k is around 100 to 200 a month...so like .5%. The same on a 400 dollar phone is 7 a month...about 2%...do it costs 4 times more to insure a phone than my vehicle...no thanks
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA Premium App
Hello everyone,
Times are tough. I need my phone for work but at the same time I also need some cash. Sadly I have to stick with my old Captivate. My plan was to sell my skyrocket, which I am already falling in love with.
I renewed my contract with ATT today at a ATT authorized small carrier dealer (Chinese shop). They ended up giving me the skyrocket for free. But the guy warned me that if I tried to sell the skyrocket then AT&T will terminate my contract. On my contract with this shop (AWG in San Gabrial Valley, CA), it says if my contract gets terminated in any kind of way within 180 days then I will owe AWG $300 for each PCS line. I have a family plan. He said if I wait 2 months then I can sell the phone, but not to sell it right away and that I need to use the phone during this 2 month period. He also said if I had an iPhone I would have to keep it for 6 months!
I don't know if this is true because I see people selling phones on craigslist left and right. Does anyone have any advice for me? Would AT&T really terminate my contract just because I choose to use my old phone?
SORRY FOR THE LONG POST! I hope you guys can help me here.
Its not true u can sell it your stuck with the sim card and bill for 2 years but u can sell the device ive done it so have many many others. Thats the great thing about phones with sim cards u can sell or trade them at your discretion. I traded my sgs2 for the skyrocket.
You should be able to sell it. The phone its self is not bindingly tied to the sim card it has. People do it with iphones, and well, every phone out there. I don't think at&t would terminate you for selling a phone. Now, if you sold/lost your phone with the sim card still in it and someone were to rack up alot of charges, then yeah, you might be penalized. If you do intact get charged, att cancels your contract, your cat gets eaten by a dog that subsequently gets hit by a car that gets hit by a semi, don't blame me as, I just was browsing and chimed in
Sent from my MB860 using xda premium
bzmotoninja83 said:
You should be able to sell it. The phone its self is not bindingly tied to the sim card it has. People do it with iphones, and well, every phone out there. I don't think at&t would terminate you for selling a phone. Now, if you sold/lost your phone with the sim card still in it and someone were to rack up alot of charges, then yeah, you might be penalized. If you do intact get charged, att cancels your contract, your cat gets eaten by a dog that subsequently gets hit by a car that gets hit by a semi, don't blame me as, I just was browsing and chimed in
Sent from my MB860 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
silver03wrx said:
Its not true u can sell it your stuck with the sim card and bill for 2 years but u can sell the device ive done it so have many many others. Thats the great thing about phones with sim cards u can sell or trade them at your discretion. I traded my sgs2 for the skyrocket.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks guys. Yeah, I don't understand why ATT would terminate my contract out of the blue, specially for using my old phone. It just doesn't make sense or add up. I really wish I could have been apart of this great community. I hope ICS comes to you guys real soon.
Also, your sig on your internet speed and it being comcast = hilarious haha. For a second I thought it was your mobile phones speed!
Please, if anyone has a horror story of this actually going wrong. Chime in and let me hear. But if you guys have successfully sold your phones or traded them with no problems then let me know also.
Ahmen!
this is my phone speed 35.21mbps download
You would only be penalized if the line in question is cancelled. I work for At&t in the city of long beach (company owned retail) and we get customers in our stores that do the same thing... if its not blackberries, its iPhones... but yeah. You could definately sell the phone, but u gotta keep the 2 year commitment.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket using xda premium
Your contract and at least the $15 per month smart phone data plan as well, from how I understand.
Sent from my páhhōniē
Will a LTE sim work in a 3g phone? I know commingle from an infuse to a Skyrocket I had to get a new simcard. Not sure if that would affect your contract
SKYROCKET
whodat006 said:
Will a LTE sim work in a 3g phone? I know commingle from an infuse to a Skyrocket I had to get a new simcard. Not sure if that would affect your contract
SKYROCKET
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes! I took the sim out of my phone LTE Skyrocket and put it in my old cappy to get my contacts on it..LONG STORY WHY I WENT THIS WAY...but none the less..I kept the SIM in the phone for 3 days with no issues. Works fine!
imjester77 said:
Yes! I took the sim out of my phone LTE Skyrocket and put it in my old cappy to get my contacts on it..LONG STORY WHY I WENT THIS WAY...but none the less..I kept the SIM in the phone for 3 days with no issues. Works fine!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice
SKYROCKET
theli0ntamer said:
You would only be penalized if the line in question is cancelled. I work for At&t in the city of long beach (company owned retail) and we get customers in our stores that do the same thing... if its not blackberries, its iPhones... but yeah. You could definately sell the phone, but u gotta keep the 2 year commitment.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. I think you gave me more better reinforcement along with everyone else here. I'll be sure to hit the thanks meter on all you guys.
I can't believe someone would blantantly lie like that. That's absurd.
Sent from my Galaxy S2
Simba501 said:
I can't believe someone would blantantly lie like that. That's absurd. AT&T would lose a lot of customers if what that guy told you was the case.
Sent from my Galaxy S2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You also have to remember it came out of a retailers mouth not a corporate agent. I will only deal with cor stores. The hell with retailers
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
gr8hairy1 said:
Your contract and at least the $15 per month smart phone data plan as well, from how I understand.
Sent from my páhhōniē
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You Dont have to keep the data plan. Very common misconception.
Newter55 is correct. Remove that data plan and save yourself $25 (or $15) a month. As long as the line in question is active, you will be fine. I know going into corporate retail can be a major drag, but it beats dealing with authorized retailers... it seems like lately 95% of fraud gets tracked back to dealers... everytime I get manager escalation regarding fraud, its the first question I ask my customers.. and 9 times out of 10, it all goes back to them. The funny part is when u try to contact the dealer and they act like you are speaking Swahili lol...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
Read your contract very carefully. If it's something like the contract that I signed with Amazon, if I remove my phone/data package within the first 6 months, I will get charged $250 (from Amazon, not from AT&T). This is partly because I got the phone for $.01, instead of $249 like I would have paid directly through AT&T.
This is usually only the case with e-tailers. I have not yet seen this type of thing from authorized retailer stores, but there's a first time for everything.
I work in customer care at ATT
Lol naa. You can sell it but u have to pay for you plan for the 2 years. People do it all the time aell/trade phones. If you pay your bill for the length u signed for u can sell it now
shimmyx20 said:
Read your contract very carefully. If it's something like the contract that I signed with Amazon, if I remove my phone/data package within the first 6 months, I will get charged $250 (from Amazon, not from AT&T). This is partly because I got the phone for $.01, instead of $249 like I would have paid directly through AT&T.
This is usually only the case with e-tailers. I have not yet seen this type of thing from authorized retailer stores, but there's a first time for everything.
I work in customer care at ATT
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
silver03wrx said:
Lol naa. You can sell it but u have to pay for you plan for the 2 years. People do it all the time aell/trade phones. If you pay your bill for the length u signed for u can sell it now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's exactly my concern is too. I got the phone from Amazon for $0.1 and I am thinking about selling it and getting either the LG Nitro or Samsung Note but I'm worried about Amazon charging me $250.
It all depends where you bought it; read your contract. Do you have a contract with just AT&T, or do you have one with your retailer as well? If you have a contract with your retailer, for instance Amazon has contracts, you will pay a penalty if you change anything or take the phone off the line, even if you change the number. If you don't have a contract with your retailer, then you just have to deal with AT&T--for instance you bought the phone at Best Buy or a Corporate store. They don't seem to care what you do, as long as you pay your bill. Be careful, many AT&T stores look corporate, but are actually third party retailers.
Again, read your contract/contracts. Don't trust the advice of people who haven't read YOUR contract.
Nakel said:
It all depends where you bought it; read your contract. Do you have a contract with just AT&T, or do you have one with your retailer as well? If you have a contract with your retailer, for instance Amazon has contracts, you will pay a penalty if you change anything or take the phone off the line, even if you change the number. If you don't have a contract with your retailer, then you just have to deal with AT&T--for instance you bought the phone at Best Buy or a Corporate store. They don't seem to care what you do, as long as you pay your bill. Be careful, many AT&T stores look corporate, but are actually third party retailers.
Again, read your contract/contracts. Don't trust the advice of people who haven't read YOUR contract.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I disagree completly i bought a tmobile phone from amazon and sold it no penality same with att. They dont even know you sold it amazon cant monitor you att acount too see if you changed devices on your account. You sir are wrong. That would mean if you had an old phone and wanted to pop your sim out of your new one and use the old one amazon would charge you 250 because ur not using that phonE. Amazon does not know they get money from ATT for selling you the 2 year contract.... if you terminate you contract before the 2 years then yes they can charge you for it
So I know this type of discussion isn't really related to developing but since this forum was basically THE Android forum for me, I would like to get the word out here. I don't want another victim like me to happen; I hope this will help any future phone buyers from falling into the trap I did. This is going to be a long story but I hope I can clear up all this confusion about used phones, so strap in!
I bought an iPhone 4S last year from a guy on Craigslist; he offered to meet at an AT&T store to verify the clean IMEI and this action alone made me go against my gut instincts, which were telling me this guy looked kind of sketch. He was a white male in his late thirties, pot belly and dressed really sloppily; also had a slight hunch. But you can't judge a book by it's cover right? His story was that this was his wife's iPhone and that he sold his own a few days ago because he wanted a Samsung Galaxy S3; the phone had one more year on-contract and came with the original box so I knew it wasn't stolen. I gave him my $400 after inspecting the phone and left. Fast-forward to this week...
The phone was given to my dad to use on AT&T a month ago; I used the phone on T-Mobile for almost a year and nothing unusual came up. Just two weeks ago, my dad started getting messages saying "This device has been blocked from network use. Please call your service provider..." Not making much of it or even feeling any panic because I was that naive, I thought to myself "no way the previous owner would call in a year later to blacklist his phone. Who would even do that?" I called AT&T and after an hour, the representative was getting annoyed and said "I'll open up a case; wait three days." Three days pass and I had no word from them; I called in again and after another hour l found out my case was closed and got transferred to the supervisor. To sum up what he said: the phone was fine on T-Mobile until it was registered in the AT&T system, the owner can block a phone years down the line because the "30 days since it's loss" translates to "30 days since it's last been used by ANYONE," and that even if I have proof I bought the phone, only the original owner can remove it from the blacklist. So wireless carrier's have this huge hole in their policy that creates victims for people who buy phones secondhand and they honestly don't give a crap because it earns them money. I asked "so there is NOTHING to protect people like me? You can't even tell the police who this guy is?" He brushed me off and told me to call the police and open up a case, even if the police do get involved though, he said their company will stay quiet.
So I ended the call, speechless and dumbfounded. Lost, confused, and frustrated, I went to the police station in my city, but it turns out I lived outside the city limits so I had to call a dispatcher in another county; after the short conversation, the dispatcher told me to wait for an officer to call. The straightforward police officer, being much more friendly and understanding than the people at AT&T told me "since the phone wasn't actually stolen, it's a civil issue; the only thing you can do is try to find this guy and take it to court. We don't get involved in these kinds of matter. I know it's tough to accept but the wireless companies just want profit and this policy that creates victims like you gets them what they want. This happens all the time and us police officers can't do anything about it. I'm sorry for your loss and I really wish I could help but this is the truth; you're left to your own devices now. Whenever you buy a phone secondhand YOU TAKE A HUGE RISK!" I'm hung-up the the phone in a better mood than I was because someone actually had sympathy for what had happened to me. Left here with just an e-mail address, I knew there was no hope of finding this guy; this person that was a criminal in a moral sense, and yet was not in a legal sense. What this guy did, the police officer said it's COMPLETELY LEGAL!
So the best I could do was go on Craigslist again and find someone who wanted a phone with a bad IMEI for parts or use overseas; I guess luck and karma were on my side and this guy quickly responded, wanting to buy the phone for $200. It turns out he worked for a company that fixes phones and ships them overseas to sell. I knew this guy, who was in his late twenties and rotund, was trained in buying phones; he brought a toothbrush, SIM card remover, and various other tools to inspect the device. I was uneasy during and after the deal; left scarred and paranoid from the previous Craigslist experience. To show how paranoid I was, I even went to a bank teller, asking him to check if the money he gave me was fake. After this ordeal, I realized that spending that extra $300 to buy a brand new phone is worth it; all this stress, mental exhaustion, and time is worth saving by putting down that extra money.
But the problem wasn't over; I bought a T-Mobile HTC One on Swappa for myself when I gave my iPhone 4S to my dad, although from a trusted seller, I knew I could not risk it anymore. Even though I know this guy's name, address, PayPal account, and had proof of purchase, I was still powerless; the wireless and insurance companies don't care about the facts. The merit of facts flies out the window and all they do is put their fingers in their ears and scream "OUR POLICY!" But I remembered during the escapade with the AT&T supervisor, he said I could have transferred the ownership of the phone. To get my facts straight, I went to T-Mobile with all the evidence I had saying I bought this phone from Swappa; I didn't bother with the bottom-feeders and went straight to the manager. Guess what he said? "We can't tap into the system and transfer ownership of a phone since it's tied to a contract. The best we can do it make a note on YOUR account that you bought this phone; this won't prevent it from being blacklisted but it will help if you decide to escalate the issue to Asurion (the insurance company)." Now I thought to myself, "would Asurion even give a damn?" The answer: NO; no they would not. They would most likely try to push the responsibility to someone else and dismiss this huge hole that creates helpless victims because their business runs on customers "losing" their phones or getting it "stolen," and then paying them to replace it.
After all this time wasted trying to get to the bottom of things, I'm left with the cold hard truth: you WILL get burned if you buy a used phone and there is NOTHING you can do about it! NOTHING! The best you can do is to take matters into your own hands and sue; the companies don't care and the police can't help! Save yourself from what has happened to me; just spend that extra $300 to buy a new phone. It's worth every penny for that extra security because this world is full of people who will take advantage of you! I can already feel my idealism fading...
yorkies88888 said:
I bought an iPhone 4S last year from a guy on Craigslist.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry this happened, but you purchased the phone off of craiglist!! You should of known better a simple google search would of told you about the dangers.
That was a long read but well worth it sorry that happened to you man, But i think recommending people not buy a second hand phone is somewhat extreme not everyone is a crook and are out to get you.
Anyway glad you were able to recoup half of the money back.
I often meet with someone on the way to sell me a second-hand mobile phone, I did not bother these people.
I bought my HTC one s from a local pawn shop. It was a fido phone which I unlocked and use on Telus network. So basically as long as you buy a phone which was not on the carrier you are going to use it on, then you are completely safe right?
Could you not have still switched that iPhone back to T-Mobile?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app
350Rocket said:
I bought my HTC one s from a local pawn shop. It was a fido phone which I unlocked and use on Telus network. So basically as long as you buy a phone which was not on the carrier you are going to use it on, then you are completely safe right?
Could you not have still switched that iPhone back to T-Mobile?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the problem is that carriers in the U.S. are starting to share the same blacklist; AT&T, T-Mobile, and the other smaller wireless companies under them share the same list. Once you get blacklisted on one carrier, you're blacklisted by most now.
Thanks for the info.. glad you told.the story. I know this now heh.. sorry for what happened
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app
Thanks for the story.
I think it is pretty safe to buy second hand unlocked phone...
Sent via Tapatalk 2
yorkies88888 said:
Well the problem is that carriers in the U.S. are starting to share the same blacklist; AT&T, T-Mobile, and the other smaller wireless companies under them share the same list. Once you get blacklisted on one carrier, you're blacklisted by most now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This applies to me as well. Without getting into too much detail: Purchased a late model android phone from Craigslist, an unlocked AT&T branded device and I use T Mobile. Fast forward until 2 weeks ago the phone would no longer make calls and gave me a specific error code which I forget now. Turns out that code meant "stolen or lost device" and it would no longer work on any US cellular networks.
Someone who isn't me was unsuccessful in changing the number that shall remain nameless in order to get the phone working again.... that is all
yorkies88888 said:
Well the problem is that carriers in the U.S. are starting to share the same blacklist; AT&T, T-Mobile, and the other smaller wireless companies under them share the same list. Once you get blacklisted on one carrier, you're blacklisted by most now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now i am living in europe, so this doesnt really bother me, yet i am still curious: what if you buy a htc one (for example) that someone had with contract, and root it? Would it still be in a blacklist? And for the iphones: does a jailbreak do the trick to get the phone going again?
Also, sorry for your experiences :/
Greets Vauvenal7
Sent from my HTC MyTouch_4G_slide
Vauvenal7 said:
Now i am living in europe, so this doesnt really bother me, yet i am still curious: what if you buy a htc one (for example) that someone had with contract, and root it? Would it still be in a blacklist? And for the iphones: does a jailbreak do the trick to get the phone going again?
Also, sorry for your experiences :/
Greets Vauvenal7
Sent from my HTC MyTouch_4G_slide
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope. Software modifications won't do anything as your IMEI has been blacklisted. The only way around that is a new motherboard.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
@ yorkie8888
*Interesting read, Sorry to hear what happened, everyone else, I'm from London UK and was wondering if anyone else had experienced anything similar to yorkie here in the UK?
Sent from my Revolutionary Htc One X
Anyone know if this affects Canada the same? For example using an unlocked fido/rogers phone on Telus. Do they share a blacklist too?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app
This I feel has to be said:
Your spent $400 on a USED iPhone?
Buying used phones entails some downsides, like not getting to claim warranty, and this blacklisting thing is really sad, but, meh, that's why we buy them cheap.
Also, I feel the lesson here is, take precautions when buying second-hand, for instance, leave the phone unused for 31+ days. Buy a bat and work out. Take incriminating photos of the seller, etc.
Anyway isn't it possible -although illegal, I know- to change your IMEI?
Seems to be "common" losing/changing it when flashing ROMs.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Thanks for the info
Sent from my HTC Explorer A310e using xda app-developers app
Thanks for sharing this info.
So what is the point of someone blacklisting a phone a year later? Do they get a insurance claim or something.
I have bought used sprint phones for years, but now that I am using a phone (tmobile) with a sim card/imei it seems that you are more likely to get screwed.
Does swappa and PayPal not protect against this issue? And if not what the hell is swappa charging the customer $10/transaction for?
I am almost positive I got this same error a couple of years ago on a phone purchased directly from AT&T. It was a bad SIM card. I wasn't able to make calls or anything. They replaced the SIM and it worked. So for those who buy a used phone and get that error, check your SIM card first.
I've been buying and selling used phones for the last 2 years and never had an issue. I've don't buy off craigslist though, I stick to swappa or ebay where you have some protection via paypal. Yes you always run the risk of someone reporting the device lost/stolen after the sale, but that's why you only buy from reputable/rated sellers and skip on anything that looks too good to be true.
I'm sorry to hear you got screwed on your iphone, but I wouldn't consider your experience the norm. As for the warranty/insurance issue on your other phone, that's just how it is, do your research. The warranty only applies to the original buyer of the device (when bought through an authorized retailer). Same with insurance, you can only add it in a certain time frame when you've bought the phone from an authorized retailer.
However, some carries do have an "open enrollment" where you can add insurance to your device regardless of when/where you bought it. Verizon actually has it going on right now through Dec 2.