Carnival with secure cell phone: rental and device from Brahma – 02/10/2024 – Market

The carnival season brings concern about theft and cell phone theft, as criminals try to take advantage of revelers. During the festivities, you can be sure: someone will end up without their device.

Companies saw the chance to offer a new service and open a cell phone rental business for short periods, amid the wave of crime and with an eye on those who ended up without their own device.

This gives the stolen reveler time to calmly buy another cell phone without leaving them disconnected from the virtual world.

The São Paulo stores Commcenter and Commshop, Vivo resellers, for example, offer the AlugaCell service. “Has your cell phone been stolen? Have a spare smartphone”, says advertisements in commercial outlets.

Renting a device for 15 days costs just R$100. The final price is informed when signing the contract.

Recent devices such as the Galaxy S23 5G are available, according to the report. After the fortnight, the store also offers the possibility of daily rental.

To close the contract, you must have a document with CPF and a credit card to collect the deposit.

The service contractor is responsible for looking after the device. In case of theft or theft of the rented cell phone, the customer must reimburse the company with the market value of the device and submit a police report registered with the Civil Police.

If the store that rented the cell phone or the police find the device, the owner returns the money to the customer with discounts on the revenue lost during the absence of the cell phone.

The company also does not reimburse for repairs made without authorization during the duration of the loan and may charge for any repairs if the smartphone is damaged.

Another precaution for those who rent a cell phone is to delete images and personal data before returning it to the store.

Cell phone rental was already an option for those who don’t have the money to buy a top-of-the-line device. The iPhone is, by far, the most searched for smartphone on Market Livre.

One of the stores that offers the service is Allugator, which offers iPhones 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 for rent. The iPhone 15 Pro subscription package for one year, for example, costs R$5,000, while the average purchase price of the device is around R$7,000.

The minimum contract period is three months, which makes it unfeasible to rent just to mitigate losses during Carnival.

At Allugator, there is rental insurance in case of robbery or qualified theft (when the criminal had to overcome a security barrier), as well as a spare cell phone and technical assistance.

“The case is analyzed by our legal team. Unfortunately, we are unable to cover losses and, in cases of theft or theft, we charge a fee of 25% of the subscription fee, which means 10% to 15% of the purchase price”, he tells Sheet Allugator founder Lucas Gilbert.

According to Gilbert, customers look for Allugator when they put on paper the high price of smartphones, the risk of theft or loss and the cost of insurance. “This device, in addition to being expensive, loses value over time”, says the businessman.

The appliances are not always new and the customer cannot choose the color. The company states that it maintains a quality standard guaranteed by technical assistance.

The Apple iPlace reseller offers a similar service.

Cell phone insurance plans researched by the report cost from R$20 for simpler devices. The values, however, can exceed R$130 per month for top-of-the-line devices.

In addition, insurance companies charge deductibles ranging from 10% to 25% of the value of the smartphone in the event of an accident.

BRAHMA PHONES

The Brahma beer brand has a promotional campaign that proposes, at the same time, a solution for losing your phone.

The company distributed free cell phones, called Brahma Phones, during carnival festivities in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador.

According to a statement from the brand, the device has its own operating system with just what is necessary to enjoy the festivities: transport and drink delivery apps (Zé Delivery), 8 megapixel camera, calls and SMS.

The devices were distributed free of charge on Thursday (8) and Friday (9), at two collection points in Salvador, and on Friday and Saturday (10), at two collection points in Rio de Janeiro. They were able to take devices over 21 years old who had a photo ID.

In total, 800 cell phones were made available; 400 in each city. There was R$400,000 in the action, according to the company. In exchange, whoever gets the devices accepts that their image will be used in Brahma’s advertising campaigns.

According to the brand, the Brahma Phone is not a disposable device and can be used outside the party. There is therefore no need to return it.