Get a Replacement Phone from ATT

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If you own a mobile phone and use AT&T as your service provider, you may be eligible to receive a replacement phone from AT&T when your mobile device malfunctions. Your replacement options may vary depending on when you originally purchased your phone and whether it was purchased brand-new or refurbished. Most defective mobile devices can be replaced through the equipment warranty program; however, water damage, physical damage, and lost or stolen phones may not be covered under warranty.

Steps

  1. Exchange or return your phone to receive a brand new device if you have owned your phone for less than 30 days.
    • If you own an AT&T tablet device, Motorola Lapdock, or Motorola Atrix 4G, you will have up to 14 days after your purchase date to return it or have it exchanged.
    • Your defective phone can be exchanged or replaced at an AT&T retail store or returned by mail if you ordered it over the phone or online. Refer to the instructions on your packaging or contact AT&T Customer Service at 1-800-331-0500 to learn how to return your phone by mail.
    • Apple iPhone owners must contact Apple directly at 1-800-694-7466 for iPhone technical support and additional warranty information.
    • You may be required to pay a restocking fee if you return the equipment with broken physical parts or missing pieces. The restocking fee will cost 35 dollars (26 euros) unless you purchased an iPhone, iPad, or tablet, in which the fee will be 10 percent of the original purchase price.
    • You may not be eligible to receive a refund if your phone contains physical or liquid damages.
  2. Try to fix your defective mobile phone before considering a replacement.
    • Visit the myATT Online Account Management website featured in the Sources section of this article to access AT&T's phone troubleshooting tool. The troubleshooting tool will provide you with steps to fix your phone before replacing it through the warranty exchange program.
    • If you do not have Internet access, call AT&Ts Customer Service at 1-800-801-1101 for technical support or to find an AT&T Device Support Center near you. For a full listing of Device Support Centers you can also visit, www.att.com/dsc.
    • Register for or log into your myATT account using your phone number and password.
    • Point to the "Support" tab at the top, then point to "Wireless" and select "Wireless Essentials."
    • Look to the upper-right corner of your session to verify that a photo of your mobile device is displayed. If no photo exists or the photo displayed does not match the model of your current mobile phone, click on the "Change" button and select your phone.
    • Scroll down the web page and click on "Troubleshoot your device" to launch the troubleshooting tool. If the "Troubleshoot your device" link is not displayed, you must call AT&T's Warranty Service Center at 1-800-801-1101 for assistance with troubleshooting your phone.
    • Select the best answers to the questions and prompts provided by the troubleshooting tool based on the problems your phone is experiencing. The steps provided by the troubleshooting tool may resolve any problems or malfunctions your phone is experiencing.
  3. Contact AT&T's Warranty Service Center at 1-800-801-1101 if your phone is still not working after you have tried to fix it.
    • The Warranty Service Center will replace your defective phone if you qualify for the warranty exchange program. To qualify, you must have purchased your device brand-new and have owned it for between 31 and 365 days. A refurbished device can be exchanged through the warranty program if you have owned it for between 31 and 90 days.
  4. Return your defective phone to AT&T within 14 days after receiving your replacement phone.
    • Follow the instructions provided with your replacement phone to learn where and how to send the defective phone back to AT&T.
  5. Perform a mobile phone upgrade if your phone is defective and you have owned it for more than 365 days.
    • If you own a defective device that is refurbished, you will be required to perform an upgrade if you have owned the phone for more than 91 days.
    • If your defective mobile phone still has the ability to make phone calls and receive text messages, dial the star key, the numbers "639," then enter the pound symbol. You will then receive a text message informing you of your upgrade eligibility status.
    • You can also perform an upgrade at any AT&T retail store or on AT&T's website when you log into your myATT account.
  6. File a phone insurance claim with Asurion if you have equipment coverage with AT&T and do not want to upgrade your phone.
    • Filing an insurance claim is the only alternative to upgrading if your phone was lost or stolen, contains physical damage, or has been exposed to water.
    • Contact Asurion at 1-888-562-8662 to file an insurance claim and receive a replacement phone.
    • You may be required to pay a deductible fee of between 50 and 199 dollars (36.67 and 145.94 euros) for a replacement phone depending on the model of your defective phone.

Tips

  • Troubleshooting is required and complaining to the rep that you don't believe it will fix it will only waist more of your time.
  • Issues that you see on forums are no honored by Warranty as known issues.
  • If the issue with your phone is that the battery is not holding a charge, expect a battery and not a replacement phone.
  • When calling the Warranty at 1-800-801-1101 it will be required that you have your phone with you and you're not currently talking on the defective device.
  • Dropped calls, No coverage, and delayed text messages are an issue with the network and not your device (except in very rare occasions). Anything from coverage, Physical obstructions, degraded towers, whether or not your moving, and even weather can affect coverage. If you are having this issue and expecting a Warranty exchange you best prepare yourself for multiple long calls.
  • If you can provide the troubleshooting and information from above when calling into warranty and if you are still having issues with the device, doing a warranty exchange should only take 5-7 minutes.
  • Quick warranty exchange steps.
    • Gather the IMEI from your device either by punching *#06#, or you can remove your battery and it will be located on a white sticker near the barcode.
    • Locate your liquid damage indicator (Also somewhere near the battery, Usually a small circle or square and will be RED, WHITE, or PINK. If its red, pink, or missing don't bother calling warranty because they will not replace it.
    • Make sure there is no physical damage (scratches, dents, chipped or missing paint, etc.)
    • With most device issues, there are only a few troubleshooting steps, first being a 2lr or soft reset. A 2lr is just when you remove your battery with the device powered.
    • Pretty much the fail-safe troubleshooting step for any issue, is a Master Reset, which yes will erase your phone completely, besides what you have backed up. You can find great info on most phones for doing a master reset at www.hard-reset.com.
    • Ensuring that your device is on the most updated software. This troubleshooting step will usually be performed before the Master Reset on any smartphone (IE; Windows, Android, Apple, Palm OS).
  • Different models of phones are not something generally offered. It is something that can be done but do not expect it on the first exchange. Also depends on the situation.
  • Treat the rep who's trying to help you with respect. As with any customer service if you decide to demand something or be rude, they will be less likely to try to go out of there way to help resolve your issue, or bend any rules.

Sources and Citations

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