a670 hinge breakage

I have 2 - a670's, less than a year old that have broken/cracked hinges. I also, have a friend who has the same phone and the hinge completely broke (keypad and screen are now two different pieces) I personally have taken very good care of my phones and feel this is a manufacturer defect. I didn't opt for insurance at the time and was told I could add it at any time. I just called Verizon and they said they changed that policy last December (never notified), therefore I'm "you-know-what" out of luck. I read their policy today and was amused (my word for upset) that they declare they can change their policy/terms at any time, for any reason and never give me the time of day, yet if I decide to make any changes to my plan I either, have to sign another 2 year contract or pay them $175 to disconnect. I really would like to know if you have a defective A-670. The cracks are hardly visible to the naked eye, but rest assured it will break eventually.

Jim

PS I'm really not bashing Verizon. They seem to have a good customer service and I don't believe it's their fault the phone is defective.

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You got me worried... i bought an a670 less than a month ago and have no warranty other than manufacturers :S
Could you post a pic, or describe where the "breaking" occurs?

Sorry for not getting back sooner; busy guy!! The crack will usually start on the left hinge as you are looking at the front of the phone. I had to use magnifying glass to notice the crack; this was after my first phone broke and my friend told me her phone broke.

Good luck. If we get enough postings, I'm considering writing a formal complaint to Samsung along with contacting Consumer Report magazine.

I've had my phone for a good 2-3 months and was under heavy usage (in my pocket hitting my keys) but the most damage I have is some scratches on the screen... no cracks or anything, and the scratches are due to my own stupidity (should have bought the leather case)

I paid a bit more for the SCH A670 than I would have for the LG phone because I thought, based on my previous experience, that Samsung had good products which they stood behind. Now, after just a few months of use and no mishandling, the plastic on my cell phone cracked and broke off on the right hinge at the service LED. I have spoken with customer service representatives at both Verizon and Samsung. The first Verizon representative I spoke with said that she could send me a replacement phone free of charge since the defect appeared to be a manufacturing problem. She also said I could bring the phone to a store and trade it in there. I went to a local store and was told that they would charge me for a new phone because the damage is not covered by Samsung’s warranty. Additional calls to Verizon and Samsung have yielded no satisfaction. This is especially surprising given the fact that I discovered on the internet many Samsung customers complaining of phones breaking at the hinges for no apparent reason.

I am in the process of filing a complaint with the New York Attorney General and possibly going to small claims court. More about principal of the matter than money. There is clearly a problem which neither company wants to acknowledge.

I am also interested in knowing others with this problem. I have two of the Samsung SCH-A670, one of which has broken off completely at the hinge (my flip phone is now a two piece phone that does not work at all) and the other has fractures in the hinge and will be breaking shortly. We do take care of our phones and they are both in leather cases. Verizon is not backing this defect unless you have insurance. Samsung will repair for 60 some dollars but takes three to four weeks to repair. Turn around time is not acceptable unless they were to give a loaner which they won't do. I am disapointed in both the durability of the phone and the support from Samsung and Verizon. They are both just passing the buck. Something needs to happen here.
My e-mail address is "[email protected]"
Would really like to hear from anyone with similar situations or knowledge of other solutions.

Thanks

Chalk me up as someone who has this problem. I first noticed it when the hinge started popping when I would open the phone. Shortly thereafter, the entire right hinge cover snapped, exposing the LED light and rendering the locking of the hinge non-functional. I can see the hairline crack in the other hinge now too, and figure it's only a matter of time before it snaps as well.

My phone hasn't been through anything more than normal wear and tear. I carry it around in my pocket, but it hasn't taken any jolts or other types of damage. I too called Verizon, who referred me to Samsung. They want $65 to fix it, and I would be without the phone for six weeks. Needless to say, I'm looking at getting a new phone.

It sucks. I like this phone otherwise, but I'm convinced that what I'm looking at is a manufacturer's defect. It's obvious that the plastic casing is just brittle at those points, and was never designed to support extended opening and closing of that hinge. It's awfully frustrating, as this was kind of a pricey phone.

Kevin