Phone Broken and It's been disconnected. Help, what should I do?

[Anonymous]

Ok. I have broken my HTC 8S stupidly. I had the phone in one of my trouser pockets and forgot to take it out before I put them in the washing machine. Now, its obviously broken. I have tried to dry it with Rice etc. No luck. It's also got a cracked screen due to this insident. 

If that wasn't bad enough. I have had this phone disconnected by O2 for a while now. I haven't had the chance to re-connect and continue paying monthly due to Job loss. However, I have got another job a few weeks back and happy to pay my outstanding monthly charges and re-connection fee. 

However. I have a situation. It's now broken and I don't know what to do in this awkward frustrating situation. Any help and advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. 

[jonsie · Accepted solution]

If you have no insurance then check your home insurance to see if you have cover for personal items. Most policies do. Bank accounts may also provide cover but you usually need to have previously registered the phone. Failing that, any repair would be at your own expense.

You might want to check with O2, depending how long your phone has been disconnected, your debt may have been passed to a collection agency and O2 would not reconnect you.

[perksie]

Once you can afford to pay again (if that's allowed) you could use any handset you like to carry on your contract, it doesn't have to be supplied by O2.

[Anonymous]

It's been disconnected for around 4-5 months. I spoke with a O2 REP not long ago and was willing to re-connect my phone. So, I think O2 will still be able to re-connect me and my debt isn't exactly huge. I have only been on contract for about 1 year now but I'm not sure. I think maybe less then one year. 

[Anonymous]

Great, but not great at the same time. It would mean the phone I broke by accident is useless now and I would need to buy a different phone to carry on with my current contract. Correct?

[jonsie]

That's correct I'm afraid. O2 won't supply another phone so it's either a repair or replacement. If you hand it in to an O2 store they will send it away for an estimate and you will have the choice whether to proceed with the repair or not.

[perksie]

Yes, if they allow it you'll need to pay the full outstanding bills and supply another phone to continue your contract.

[Anonymous]

Some companies buy non working models , admittedly for a small amount of money.

Look at High-Street Outlets such as CEX who sell traded in phones , which some of them are unwanted upgrades.

Ask around friends, colleagues and family as a lot of people have unused phones just sitting forgotten about, in drawers. 

See if a friend or family members runs a mail order catalogue where you can pay weekly/monthly for it, although this way the handsets are a little more costly