Crack on: EE’s superfast repair service can replace your smashed phone screen in just two hours

According to EE’s research, one in six people under the age of 35 refuse to go on a second date with someone who’s got a cracked phone screen, while one in 10 would deny someone a second job interview.

As ridiculously shallow and judgemental as these people are (for all they know you smashed your screen saving a kitten from a burning building — their loss), there’s something to be said for how inconvenient and annoying a slab of smashed glass can make your daily life. And save for slicing your thumbs with each swipe, many of us gradually put up with cracked screens until it’s time to upgrade. After all, who can live without a smartphone during repairs that typically take at least a few days or more?

Enter EE’s new in-store repair service, which promises to fix some handsets in as little as two hours, with others being ready for collection the next day. Rolling out nationwide, the service covers smashed screens, cosmetic damage, batteries, camera problems and more, and is approved by Apple, Google, Huawei and Samsung.

Also available to all non-EE users, costs are either covered by the manufacturer’s warranty or by customers themselves, and will vary depending on the nature of the fault. Covering 72 percent of the network’s handset range, more obscure handsets which don’t qualify for the speedy repair option will have to make a trip to EE’s repair hub in Kent. 

Still, if you’re rocking a popular handset like an iPhone or Galaxy flagship and have an accident-prone all-day pub crawl coming up, you can rest assured that any nefarious mishaps can likely be sorted out before the inevitable 2am kebab shop visit.

• Read more: The Sony Xperia 1 IV gets closer to the action with a world’s first zoom lens

Esat Dedezade Contributor

About

Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.