Returning old phone for warranty

How do I send my old phone back when the new phone arrives for the warranty claim? Do I just put the phone in the new cell phone's box and send it back, or do I have to package everything that came with the old phone (cd's, wrist strap, charger, memory card, memory card reader, etc). I only use the phone, so I'm not even sure where the other stuff are.

Will I be charged if I miss some stuff, or are they just expecting the phone back?

TIA

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By the way, the shipping instructions seem slightly ambiguous to me...

It says:
- Please don't leave any accessories in the return box. We will not be responsible for any accessories that are shipped back to us with your defective phone.

What constitutes accessories? Is it referring to phone cases, bluetooth handset, etc? Or is the term extended to include whatever else came in the box?

On a side note, I guess I don't need to find the original memory card that came with the phone...according to this step of the shipping instructions:

1. Remove any and all memory cards/chips from the defective phone (refer to user manual for removal instructions). DO NOT send back any used memory cards/chips with the defective phone.

(Unless if they meant to not ship it back while the card is inside a phone...but rather, send it separately?)

You should be able to send the old phone back to them in the packaging the new phone came in. Now, by accessories they mean, chargers, headsets, etc. The only thing they want is the phone itself. About the memory card, if you have one keep it, they don't want that either.

Normally you just put the old phone in same boxes that the new one comes to you in, then take the packing label they shold be sending you, and put it in on the box and ship it back (on their dime). And they never want you to send the SiM card.

Unless they ask for everything back, when you talked to them on the phone, or in the letter that comes with the replacement, all you send back is JUST the phone. But to make 100% certain about what they want back, give them a call the day that the replacement comes. Example, my last exchange replacement, all they wanted was the phone, no battery, no back. All my insurance and exchange replacements in the past, I sent just the phone in and they replaced everything that came in the original box for the phones I had at the time.

If you do not get a shipping label, you will need to call the same number that you called, when you started the exchange, so that they can 1. Get the lable out to you., and 2. Extend the time you have to send it back.

Originally Posted by Santar

Will I be charged if I miss some stuff, or are they just expecting the phone back?

if you do not send back everything they ask for, yes they will charge you retail for it. Which they will just add to your bill or your credit card if you gave it to them for the exchange. You will also be charged if you do not send the phone back in the time limit they set (meaning they have to have it in their hot little hands), most of the time it's 10 days. So don't count weekends and holidays, and you being out of town when the phone shows up is not an excuse. So if you have any feeling that you will not be around to recieve the replacement and still be able to send the phone back in time, you need to call them as soon as you know you will not be at home/work, to get the package, so they can extend the time you have to exchange back.

I think the confusion lies in that they didn't replace the phone with the same model. That's why they sent me a complete package. The instructions say they don't want any accessories (there was no letter, and the person on the phone didn't mention anything about it). Each time I call them, the approximate wait time is at least 24 minutes...and even then, it usually takes at least 10 more minutes past their estimate before they actually answer. I tried e-mailing them, and they gave me an ambiguous response.

Originally Posted by Santar

I think the confusion lies in that they didn't replace the phone with the same model. That's why they sent me a complete package. The instructions say they don't want any accessories (there was no letter, and the person on the phone didn't mention anything about it). Each time I call them, the approximate wait time is at least 24 minutes...and even then, it usually takes at least 10 more minutes past their estimate before they actually answer. I tried e-mailing them, and they gave me an ambiguous response.

Hummm are you calling regular customer service or are you calling the exchange department (for lack of a better thing to call it)? And the sheet of instructions is what I meant by letter.

I guess I have always called customer service over the years at great times, don't think I have every been on hold more than 5 mins no matter what time of day or night that I have called. The only thing I miss with AT&T is the 24/7 CS, vs Cingulars 9 to 10 CS, with no Sundays.

And the replacement being a different phone makes since of them not wanting or needing the accessories, which they don't often ask for anyway. And from the sound of the instructions, all they wanted was the phone itself, nothing that plugged into it or would be attached to it.

Hope the new phone works out for you, better than the old one.