AT&T to launch repair service for insured customers with cracked phone screens

AT&T unveiled plans to launch a repair service for users with insured phones that have cracked screens.

The offering will begin to roll out November 15 and be available to customers on the carrier’s Mobile Insurance, Mobile Protection Pack, Mobile Protection Pack for Business and Multi-Device Protection Pack programs. An $89 deductible will apply, and customers who file a claim in the morning may be eligible for same-day repairs.

Only eight smartphone models are eligible for the service, however: The iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus and SE are covered, as are Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S6.

The service will be performed by Asurion, which handles device and support services for AT&T and other operators. An Asurion-certified technician will be dispatched to customers’ homes or offices to make the repairs.

Customers in 15 markets including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco will be able to use the new service beginning November 15. It will launch on December 1 in 29 more markets, including Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Houston, New York, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Repairs come with a 12-month warranty, and AT&T warned that they “may use new or refurbished parts and may contain original or non-original manufacturer parts.” Some colors of eligible devices may not be covered, the operator said, although it didn’t offer details about which colors of which models aren’t eligible.

The move isn’t likely to be a major revenue generator for AT&T given the price point and the costs required to dispatch technicians to its customers. But it may prove to be an effective way to increase customer stickiness and prevent customers with broken phones from shopping around for another carrier.