Posts Tagged ‘cell phone repair’

Price Match?

Monday, August 30th, 2010

I received a call this afternoon asking if we matched price.  Prior to answering I asked what the customer needed repaired, then proceeded to explain how we would do the requested repair and why. At that point I asked what he was quoted.  The customer told me the prices quoted and what the quoting shop’s repair would entail.  I wasn’t surprised that our price was higher; turns out that our repair would be more entailed.  Also, the quoted shop’s work described by the customer may have been a solution, but it definitely was not the correct way to perform repair the customer needed!

As the current economic climate drags on, questions about my prices more and more routine.  This is very understandable given the circumstances.  But customers still have to understand that, as the expression goes, ‘they will get what they pay for!’   Customers have become aware of the many cell phone repair shops and individuals offering dirt cheap repairs, often advertising in places like Craig’s List.  These customers then come into my shop (recommended because of my reputation or repeat business) and they are surprised, in many cases, by what I charge.

Once I explain the basis for my prices  –  quality of the parts used, extra diligence to correctly diagnose and repair,  post repair testing to ensure accuracy and completeness of the repair, the warranty I provide to back up my work, etc – most understand the value added beyond what the discount repairers provide.  Unfortunately many do not. And I often see these same doubting customers back several weeks later with the same issue (or even new ones) after their attempt to save a few dollars has failed, ending up costing them more! Sadly, in some cases the low quality, poor and/or incorrect repair has left their phone un-repairable.

There is no doubt about the key role price plays in any purchase decision; it is not new to this economic climate, just more pronounced.  But, as has always been, relying on price as the MAIN, if not the ONLY factor, is not necessarily smart.  Make sure when you spend your money, you are getting your money’s worth.  Take into account WHAT you are getting when comparing prices, not just the price.

And what happened with the customer in the opening paragraph?  After much consideration he chose us to diagnose and complete his phone repair at our quality level.  Did we match the price?  No.

Is there any occasion when I will price match?  If the service offered matches my service in terms of scope, thoroughness, quality of parts used, time frame, testing, and warranty, AND the price to be matched is reasonable for the work to be done, the answer is yes.

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Posted in Cell Phone Repair, Random Thoughts, Rants, Raves, etc | No Comments »

Finding a Quality Cell Phone Repair Center

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Over the past several years there has been a huge growth in the number of cell phone repair centers nationally.  While this is good for all parties involved it does create an area of concern – Who should you chose to repair your cell phone?

  • As we mentioned in an earlier blog (DIY Repair), not all repair solutions are obvious.  Finding a shop that can truly isolate and repair your issue may not be so easy.  For example, in the case of many LG models, speaker and/or microphone issues may occur because of a damaged charger port but can also result from a problem with the display (as it is part of the audio circuit).  Therefore, it is vital that you choose a repair shop that has the ability to be capable of determining the root cause of an issue in order to perform effective repairs.
  • The second critical piece – the shop must have the ability and tools to properly make the necessary repair.  There is a certain amount of technique know-how that comes with experience and not from training classes offered by other repair centers.  The technique we employ for our board level repairs has been developed and perfected over many years of doing repairs.  Additional training should come from one of the manufacturers or formal technical classes. (Our techs, at a minimum have received formal training through Nokia and Motorola) With respect to tools, much of the soldering done now requires specialized equipment.  Simple soldering irons are no longer useful for many repairs.  We use a variety of high end soldering irons, pre-heaters and re-work stations.  The change to lead-free solder has made these tools critical for proper repair.  Also, given the more densely populated and smaller printed circuit boards, electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a major concern, and shops must have, use and maintain protective devices, including mats and wrist straps. Otherwise, damage to board components is likely. (While it the effects may not show up immediately, latent damage is a real concern.)  High end shops will generally use a constant monitoring system and / or frequently test the devices being repaired to ensure they are working as designed and that they are not being affected by any ESD.  So, seek out repair shops with years or practical experience, additional training from OEM manufacturers or technical courses, up-to-date tools and equipment, and ESD safety and monitoring devices.
  • The quality of parts used CAN impact the quality of the repair.  Thanks to high demand, low quality replacement parts have flooded the market.  To keep a competitive edge by charging a lower price for repairs, many shops will use these low end parts.  While the customer saves money, these parts are prone to higher failure rates.  Electrical components like LCDs and flex assemblies are the biggest concern, but many housings and glass lenses (like those for the iPhone) are also not made to manufacturer specifications.  They tend to be thinner and, as a result, break easier.  High end shops will only use OEM or like OEM quality parts.  This generally results in a higher repair cost, but you can be assured the repair will hold as designed. Thus, it would seem like a wise decision to ask the repair shop what parts they use in their repairs so you can have greater assurance of the highest quality repair of your device.
  • The final piece in locating a quality shop – testing and quality control.  Whether customers bring their phones into a local shop or mail them in, they should expect that they won’t discover any unresolved issues when the repaired phone is returned.  While it is not possible to guarantee a 100% defect free rate, every effort must be made by the repair shop to minimize the possibility of errors.  Nothing is worse than receiving a phone back from repair only to find something amiss, especially if that ‘something’ may not have been the original problem!  People who bring their phones into a local shop for repairs have an advantage as they can test their phone upon pickup and have any unresolved or newly discovered issues fixed immediately. Not as easy for those who send their phone in for repair; time and distance complicate the situation and can cause customer frustration.  This makes it essential to know the testing and quality control procedures of any shop you would go to for repairs.  To that end, our testing and QC procedure can be found at http://www.blueridgewireless.com/qc.html.

As we’ve already blogged extensively, be very skeptical of shops that claim the ability to effectively repair water damaged cell phones.

There are plenty of repair shops out there offering quality work done by experienced, skilled techs with up-to-date tools and equipment using premium parts at a fair price.  These shops return to the customer a fully tested and inspected product and back their work with a guarantee.  There are, unfortunately far too many shops that do not meet these criteria and should be avoided.  So, if you are in need of a cell phone repair center, be careful, do your homework, and ask questions before you decide with whom to trust your repair.

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Posted in Cell Phone Repair | No Comments »

One More Reason to NOT Use Aftermarket Chargers

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

In a previous blog (http://cli.gs/jeG64u) we stated the importance of using only OEM chargers due to the potential damage that could be done to your cell phone when using low quality, aftermarket ones.  The biggest issue with these non OEM products is that they generally do not have the correct overload circuit protection or provide the correct charging output.  This ultimately leads to damage to the charger and, in many cases, the cell phone.  While we did not address the issue with respect to car chargers, the same rule applies – ONLY use OEM chargers.

The reason for re-hashing the topic is due, in part, to the number of cell phones we are seeing as of late that exhibit catastrophic failure after use of these chargers and based, as well, on a story told to me by a service tech at a local automotive repair shop who indicated that low quality, cheap chargers could seemingly also lead to major vehicle damage!

A client came in to the shop with a new, late model Cadillac that was continuously blowing the fuse for the 12 volt power source (cigarette lighter).  Unable to isolate any electrical problem after extensive testing (the same result reached by the dealership) the tech continued troubleshooting by trying to indentify when the fuse would blow.  He finally figured out that the failure occurred every time the vehicle owner used his car charger or the charger for his GPS device.

Both chargers were aftermarket (bought at a mega discount store and branded with the store’s logo).  Within a short period of use, the fuse would blow.  A quick test using an OEM charger confirmed that the vehicle’s electrical system worked as intended.  There was no failure.  The aftermarket chargers were not rated correctly for the devices they were intended to charge.  As a result, the devices continued to attempt to draw current from the chargers ultimately exceeding the safety circuit in the vehicle.  Fortunately, the Cadillac’s safety protection worked as designed.  Had the electrical circuit within the vehicle failed, these aftermarket chargers might have caused significant damage to the electrical system.

As an added note, these particular chargers had their own internal fuses.  These were designed to trip BEFORE the vehicle’s own safety protection did.  They did not, highlighting a major safety concern.

If you need to replace or purchase a charger for your cell phone, make sure it is OEM.

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Posted in Random Thoughts, Rants, Raves, etc | 2 Comments »

Why Wet Cell Phones Cannot be Repaired (Part 2)

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

We have already outlined in a previous blog post that water / liquid damaged cell phones are beyond economic repair, if repairable at all.  In this follow up we have decided to outline WHY.  Quite simply, the proper procedure is tedious, time consuming and requires replacement of a significant number of parts.  Keep in mind, that while you may only be experiencing a minor issue (a few keys not working), there can be significant additional latent damage that will lead to additional failures over time.  And if this potential for further damage is not taken into account then it shouldn’t be difficult to realize that the phone cannot be truly repaired as any ‘fix’ likely will be only temporary, until the unforeseen damage materializes.  So, we find it unacceptable to consider a liquid damaged cell phone repaired unless it is done correctly by making sure we address not only the obvious but the not-so-obvious damage as well.  To simply ‘fix’ the issue at hand will result in your spending money on a non guaranteed ‘repair’ with a high probability of future failures.  And repair shops that offer or claim to be able repair liquid damaged phones very obviously lack the knowledge and/or don’t understand why the repairs are not economically feasible.  So, let’s examine the process in some detail.

The first step is up to the user: The battery should be removed IMMEDIATELY.  This will minimize the chance for further shorts by removing the primary electrical source.  (It will not eliminate the threat of damage since there will be an internal battery and stored electrical capacity within the circuitry of the phone.)  Users are smart to rely on internet advice about removing the phone’s battery.  However, there are way too many pointless suggestions offered on the internet about how to deal with wet phones, such as heating the phone with a hair dryer to dry it or “Old Wives”  tale  remedies like using rice to absorb the moisture.  It is important for the owner of a water/liquid damaged cell phone to realize that no ‘internet remedy’ will address the core issue of electrical damage to the phone.   The best advice to follow when you have a water/liquid damaged phone is to get it to a qualified repair shop as soon as possible.

Once a damaged cell phone arrives at the shop it needs to be completely disassembled.  The main PCB needs to be inspected for any visible, catastrophic damage such as de-lamination of the PCB layers or burnt areas.  Any damage of this sort is deemed un-repairable.  Once the unit passes initial inspection, the cleaning / repair / testing procedure can begin.

  • The internal battery will be removed and capacitors need to be discharged and / or removed
  • Most vibe motors, speakers, cameras, microphones, shields will be removed.
  • The PCB will be ultrasonically cleaned for several hours in a specialized cleaning solution.
  • The PCB will be rinsed, dried and inspected.
  • Any residue remaining will be hand cleaned.
  • Removed components are re-installed (using new parts for electro mechanical parts – batteries, capacitors, microphones, speakers, cameras, etc to avoid latent failure and reduce the time needed to test each component individually)
  • Each path / circuit (charging, audio, display, etc) on the PCB must be tested for electrical continuity.
  • Breaks in continuity will need to be isolated by testing the path at  various points to isolate the damaged component.
  • The affected component is replaced and the circuit re-tested.
  • The procedure is repeated until all paths are verified.

Then the process is repeated for secondary PCBs.  In many cases, those secondary boards will simply be replaced.  For any clam shell or ‘flip’ phone, the flexible PCBs will also need to be replaced.

As part of the re-assembly procedure, the Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) will be replaced.  Most LCDs are now part of an integrated PCB that does not allow for cleaning and testing.  Since there is a high potential failure rate for LCDs once exposed to moisture, failure to replace them will compromise the repair.

When the foregoing has been completed the unit is re-assembled with a new battery.  This is important because batteries are sealed units, with high probability that they short internally once wet. Since a defective battery can damage the newly repaired cell phone it would be pointless to repair the phone and not replace a potentially damaged battery. With a new battery installed the repaired cell phone is put through a series of final tests to ensure correct operation.

Most phones that we have encountered that were exposed to moisture had NOT been submerged, instead coming in contact with a minimal amount of liquid.   This may lead one to believe that it may be possible to forgo a number of the repair steps previously noted, including replacing flex PCBs, LCDs and batteries.  However, liquid is very pervasive and its affects on electronic circuits is very damaging.  Since any portion / component of a phone that comes into contact with liquid needs to be cleaned or replaced to properly repair the cell phone,  even minimal exposure to liquid will require 2 to 3 hours to evaluate, clean and test the phone.  At shop rates of $50 to $75 per hour, very few phones are even worth repairing, fewer still once the cost for parts is added.

Consequently, based on accepting the work that should be done to properly repair a water/liquid damaged cell phone (assuming it can be repaired), it is not economically logical to perform such repairs, and it would be most prudent to be extremely skeptical of any repair shop that offers or claims to be able to do so because it just can’t be justified.

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Posted in Cell Phone Repair, White Papers | 16 Comments »

Wet cell phones CANNOT be (economically) repaired…

Monday, January 4th, 2010

The number of cell phone ‘repair centers’ that claim they can fix liquid damaged cell phones, then claim a 70% or better success rate is truly incredible.  I say this because, in virtually every case, the proper repair of a wet cell phone will almost certainly cost more than the phone’s replacement value. AND, even if it would be cost-efficient (which is not very likely) it is doubtful there are many (if any!!) places that have the capability to even perform the proper repair.

The typical repair service offered by most shops generally starts with a warning to remove your battery immediately and ship in your phone ASAP.  The actual repair consists of dis-assembly, cleaning the printed circuit board (PCB) by hand scrubbing with a brush, using an ultrasonic cleaning filled with isopropyl alcohol as needed, and possibly replacing parts (like displays), and finishing with reassembly.  These phones are then quickly tested, deemed repaired and returned with no warranty.  At best, this is a quick, temporary fix, but no way does it mean the phone has been truly repaired.  How can this be, you may ask.

Your cell phone is a small computer designed around a densely populated central printed circuit board with an integrated LCD display and keyboard.  There may be secondary PCBs as well as flexible PCBs (the flex cables that connect the two halves).  The PCB is, by definition, designed to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components (resistors, capacitors, radio chips, etc) using conductive pathways, tracks, or traces, etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printed_circuit_board).

As expected, liquid creates a significant number of issues with the electrical connections throughout the PCB.  The severity of these issues is higher when the liquid involved contains electrically conductive materials, and the greater the quantity of these materials, the more likely, and more / significant, the damage.  Water, soda pop, milk and most other liquids commonly involved in cell phone damage are electrically conductive to some degree.  The conductive nature of these liquids, combined with the moisture, lowers resistance between the electronic components and the underlying circuit paths.  Lower resistance results in high current within the circuit causing a large amount of energy output within a short time frame leading to damaged components.  Additionally, open or short circuits can occur when deposits left on the board result in bridges or unwanted connections between the leads of board components.  In the most extreme cases, this can lead to arcing and fires. (We have quite a few boards displaying such damage.)

So can water damaged cell phones be repaired?  Depending on the liquid, the amount of time the cell phone was in contact with the liquid, and the actions taken immediately following the liquid damage, it is possible.  Is it likely?  No.  Is it cost effective?  Definitely not.

We will continue this discussion in our next post (http://bit.ly/acsmIN), detailing the proper repair procedure and illustrating what is involved, to better be able to understand why it is not cost effective to repair water damaged phones.

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Posted in Cell Phone Repair, White Papers | 42 Comments »

DIY Cell Phone Repair is NOT a good idea.

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

The cell phone repair business is no different than other repair businesses in that we find there is no shortage of individuals who attempt to perform their own repairs.  As with most other industries, parts, instructions and discussion forums are readily available.  So why should you leave the repair to the professionals?

  • Resources / Knowledge base – While a wealth of information and help can be found in internet forums and on various internet sites, many repairs require more specific details than are available.  Many repairs are not as simple as they appear.  Audio issues may require replacing the display or charger port, not a speaker or microphone as expected.  There is no substitute for the expert experience and proprietary information available only at qualified repair centers.  Most DIY’ers  likely will not have the ability to isolate the source of an issue without costly trial and error.
  • Complexity – Even when a repair is obvious (like a broken display), it can still be complicated process.  Disassembling the phone can be a challenge due to its design,  and improper disassembly can lead to additional broken parts or permanent damage.  In many handsets there are a number of connections that must be de-soldered and then re-flowed after the repair, especially to replace displays.
  • Parts – Assuming that a repair is obvious and disassembly straightforward, there is the issue of obtaining correct and quality parts.  Finding the needed part is easy.  Getting a quality part is not.  There is a huge difference in quality between parts purchased directly from the manufacturer (OEM) and those produced by aftermarket companies.  The failure rate for aftermarket parts (especially electrical parts, including LCDs and flex cables) is high; many do not work upon receipt or fail shortly thereafter.  Many parts do not fit correctly. Lenses and plastic housings tend to be thinner, are poorly finished and/or damage quite easily as compared with OEM parts.  Add in the uncertainty of purchasing from an unknown source and you could wind up getting the wrong part if it even arrives.
  • Tools – While many of the tools needed for proper cell phone repair are readily available, high quality versions are not.  Lower quality, and/or poorly made tools easily strip or damage screws and other component parts.  More complex repairs, like soldering, require specialized tools.  Use of a simple soldering iron with lead free solder at a high re-flow temp can seriously damage circuit boards and components.  Proper repairs require high end irons, de-soldering tools, and pre-heaters.  Electrostatic discharge is another concern.  Since it takes as little as 400 volts to affect small electronic components, but 2500-3500 volts before you feel the shock, damage done to components may not be obvious. Also, latent issues caused by static discharge are quite likely.  Performing a repair as simple as replacing a display without exercising proper ESD safety (mats, wrist straps, gloves, etc) could result in major issues later.

While DIY repairs might save you some money, the potential risks are high.  Have your cell phone repaired properly by finding a qualified repair center.

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Posted in Cell Phone Repair | 23 Comments »