what if I break my iPhone?

[joefinan]

if I sign an 18mnth contract with o2 and break my phone 14 mnths later, what happens??

UPDATE: An answer direct from O2:

"Thank you for emailing us to find out what would happen if you lose or break your iPhone.

If you lose or break your iPhone within your contract term and if you don't have an insurance cover for the iPhone, you can purchase another iPhone at full price and continue your contract.

The charge for the iPhone 8Gb (Gigabyte) is £269.00 and iPhone 16Gb is £329.00. You can purchase the iPhone from:

O2 retail stores
Apple retail stores
Carphone Warehouse stores."

 

[arkitect]

if I sign an 18mnth contract with o2 and break my phone 14 mnths later, what happens??

You replace your broken iPhone and continue with the contract for the rest of the 18th months…

or​

You don't replace your iPhone but you have to continue with the rest of the 18 months contract…

 

[joefinan]

Thanks for the reply - is that the case in the UK? I cannot find any information on this subject on O2/Apple UK websites (and not much talk about it on MR either...).

 

[BOSS10L]

I'd say the best thing to do would be to phone O2 directly and ask them. Other than that, make sure you don't break your iPhone.

http://www.otterbox.com/products/ipod_cases/iphone-case-armor/

 

[arkitect]

Thanks for the reply - is that the case in the UK? I cannot find any information on this subject on O2/Apple UK websites (and not much talk about it on MR either...).

Yes, that is with O2 in the Uk.
You enter into an 18 month agreement… whether you lose or break your iPhone (in a way not covered by insurance or Apple Care) you are obliged to keep to the contract period.

Other than that, make sure you don't break your iPhone.

Wise words!

 

[joefinan]

Yes, that is with O2 in the Uk.
You enter into an 18 month agreement… whether you lose or break your iPhone (in a way not covered by insurance or Apple Care) you are obliged to keep to the contract period.


Wise words!

So, to confirm, I lose my iPhone and then would pay O2 £269, get another one and continue my 18month contract as if nothing had happened??

 

[arkitect]

So, to confirm, I lose my iPhone and then would pay O2 £269, get another one and continue my 18month contract as if nothing had happened??

Yes. Or you could buy it from Apple… or 2nd hand say on eBay…
But no one is going to replace the iPhone for you (unless you have replacement insurance) or let you off the contract period.
It's like a gym membership… break a leg and they will say: "Tough… you still owe us for your contract period".

 

[joefinan]

But to buy from Apple would mean another contract.

I think I'll give this whole iPhone thing a miss!!

 

[xUKHCx]

But to buy from Apple would mean another contract.

I think I'll give this whole iPhone thing a miss!!

No it doesn't Apple don't automatically sign you up for a contract.

 

[BOSS10L]

So, to confirm, I lose my iPhone and then would pay O2 £269, get another one and continue my 18month contract as if nothing had happened??

To be fair Joe, it would be the same way with any other carrier or any other phone. If you had a Blackberry for example and this happened, the results would not change.

If you want an iPhone, I say go for it. Just make sure nothing happens to it. I don't know about you, but when I drop $400 on a phone, I'm going to make dang sure no harm comes to it.

 

[arkitect]

But to buy from Apple would mean another contract.

Why?
Where does it say that?

If the iPhone is broken just replace the existing sim card.
If it is lost O2 will charge you a fee to replce the sim.
But no one will force you into a new contract.

If I buy a new 16GB iPhone I only have to swop the sim card… and continue with my contract. Doesn't matter whether I buy the new phone from Apple or O2 or privately.

See this link:

The new 16Gb iPhone was just launched recently at £329.00 including VAT (Value Added Tax). If you wish to benefit from the increased capacity you'd need to buy the updated version. Your contract will stay the same, all you need to do is transfer your SIM as detailed on our website:

http://www.o2.co.uk/iphone/o2tariffsforiphone/existingcustomers/activatingyournew16gbiphone

When you activate your 16Gb iPhone via iTunes, your existing SIM card will get registered with your new iPhone. This means your existing IMEI will be de-allocated and your new IMEI will be updated on your account.

Don't forget your existing 8Gb iPhone can be given to someone else you know, all they need to do is get a brand new O2 SIM card. This can be obtained from any O2 Retail Store free of charge, and then be activated through iTunes just as you did. They will need to sign-up to a new 18-month contract.

 

[BOSS10L]

No it doesn't Apple don't automatically sign you up for a contract.

FWIW, AT&T didn't either when I bought mine the other day. Granted, I'm already a customer of theirs (been with Cingular for over a decade), but I was shocked when the sales guy said "okay, now you have to go home and activate this". I thought for sure they were going to fingerpint and ask for a urine sample.

*Edit - and I paid in cash.

 

[BOSS10L]

Watch this:

http://www.pcworld.com/video/id,545-page,1-bid,0/video.html

 

[DiamondMac]

Call Apple or AT&T and ask them as they would have the best answer

Unfort, barring an EXPENSIVE fix, I suspect you may need to either live with it or get a new one if it is broken bad enough

 

[joefinan]

Thanks to all for your replies and comments - it's great to have people so willing to help out.

Here is an email I received from O2 this morning:

"Thank you for emailing us to find out what would happen if you lose or break your iPhone.

If you lose or break your iPhone within your contract term and if you don't have an insurance cover for the iPhone, you can purchase another iPhone at full price and continue your contract.

The charge for the iPhone 8Gb (Gigabyte) is £269.00 and iPhone 16Gb is £329.00. You can purchase the iPhone from:

O2 retail stores
Apple retail stores
Carphone Warehouse stores."

 

[rambleon]

I guess I should really contact o2 regarding this, but can anyone tell me the main differences between getting iphone insurance from o2 and apple care?

Mainly:

1- cost?

2- exactly what is covered?

3- is it possible to sign up at any point during the contract?


I've had my iphone for about 2 months now and am considering getting one of these in the event of any accidents/disasters (I should say I haven't jailbroken/unlocked my iphone)

Thanks in advance

 

[DiamondMac]

Thanks to all for your replies and comments - it's great to have people so willing to help out.

Here is an email I received from O2 this morning:

"Thank you for emailing us to find out what would happen if you lose or break your iPhone.

If you lose or break your iPhone within your contract term and if you don't have an insurance cover for the iPhone, you can purchase another iPhone at full price and continue your contract.

The charge for the iPhone 8Gb (Gigabyte) is £269.00 and iPhone 16Gb is £329.00. You can purchase the iPhone from:

O2 retail stores
Apple retail stores
Carphone Warehouse stores."

What are you going to do?

 

[joefinan]

What are you going to do?

I'm still not sure! That was my main concern but I still have others. Add up the cost of a 16GB iPhone and the monthly fee and you're looking at £959 over the course of the contract - and that's before any possible outside-contract call costs.

There's also the fact that, at the moment, I get a free Vodafone mobile from work - and I'd have to give that up...

I think I'll have to go to the O2 store and have a look/feel of it. And see if it's really worth selling my Touch and then forking out £959.