UPDATE: Confusion at Motorola sets in. I should have known this was going too easy!
I tried, unsuccessfully, at three different Verizon Stores, to get an instore Verizon tech to submit my phone for $50 warranty replacement. None would do it and the last one told me Verizon/Motorola have cracked down(pun intended) on this practice cause it was being abused. I suspect it was eating into their insurance revenues as well. The only option I was offered at the store was to pay full RETAIL($579) for a new one.
Well my forum friend, I have found a solution. I called Motorola's Android Series help desk, and was able to send in my phone to have the cracked screen repaired. The MAX cost of this repair is $75 plus shipping and shipping insurance.
NOTE: the rest of my phone functions perfectly including the LCDs under the screen, so this $75 fix will likely only apply to those of you with the same scenario.
The number to call is 1-800-734-5870. How you conduct this call is important because as I found the process is not as intuitive as you might think. You will be asked a series of questions by the rep and at the end they will likely say you are going to receive an email with instructions on how to connect your phone(USB to your computer) to the Motorola Troubleshooting Tool (which you have to download) and go through a Repair Ticket Submission Process.
Do not let the REP send you through this merry go round. IT DOES NOT WORK, at least not for a cracked SCREEN ISSUE. 1st, the software doesn't install properly so you wind up in a endless circle of web forms and downloads. Learn from my experience. Insist that the REP issue you an RMA# and give your shipping instructions and address while on the call. RMA=Return Mechandize Authorization and it associates your work order with you.
DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT let them off the phone until you have the RMA# for you repair and Shipping address (likely in MCALLEN, TEXAS?).
I sent mine out yesterday and will post an update once I receive it back (8-10) days. Thank goodness I kept my previous phone and was able to activate it for the next 10 days.
Folks, Yesterday, I received an email from MOTOROLA'S repair department confirming that my phone had been received and was in que to be repaired. I received a second email this morning from MOTOROLA telling me that my repair was completed and that my phone had been shipped.
To review, I mailed my Droid with cracked screen via USPS Priority Mail on Thursday 1/28 (insured for appx $600), it was received, repaired and shipped on Tuesday 2/2 (3 business days later) and I should receive it late this week.
Pretty good service so far. I will provide an update once I receive the phone, power it up and test her out.
Folks, All is not well at Motorola Customer Repair. If you have been following my repair progress, all is not lost, but you have to be on your toes when dealing with Motorola on repairs.
To summarize past 24 hours: yesterday I reported that I received an email from Motorola stating that my phone was repaired and sent to shipping. Killer, right?
Well today I received an email from Motorola which totally contradicted yesterday's email. The email I received today stated my phone was received, was inspected and found to be cracked due to a non warranty defect and that i had to call to pay for repair. Duh, I already knew this! Confusing right? Especially since I rec'd an email yesterday stating the phone was repaired and shipped. I was now totally confused. So I called, spoke to a rep.
She basically took me through the original reporting process and issued a new repair authorization #. Moments later I received a new email confirming my repair number and instructions on how to pack and where to ship my phone. WTF, right?
I already shipped and according to Motorola the phone was rec'd repaired and in shipping back to me. So why the new instructions??? I have no idea, but I immediately called and spoke to another rep. He really couldn't explain why I was getting all these contradicting emails but he promised my phone was being repaired and would be shipped in 3-5 days.
I can only hope my phone is not lost and that its being repaired and will ship to me very soon. I will be calling daily until I have a shipping number from fedex and hope I don't received an old RAZR by mistake.
Moral of the story: Stay on top of Motorola if you choose this repair service. If you receive confusing/conflicting info call immediately. I will say this, they answer the phone quickly and wait times are nil.
FYI, its still a REPAIR (not warranty and not insurance) it still cost $75 to repair cracked screen.
