Thanks for the valuable info. I'm thinking I will send it over to sEKI to do the repair. It looks/sounds like the kind of thing I'd get my wife to help me with, holding bits while I figured out what bit to touch to what other bit. I've done some soldering in the past but it must be about 15 years ago at least, and it was a lot simpler stuff. And with a new baby in the house there's not much free surface space and I wont have my glamorous assistant available.
I tell ya, the gremlins have really invaded my house this year. Every electrical gadget or gizmo should avoid me like the plague lol. I'm like the touch of death to them. Although I definitely suspect in this case nokia replaced my old n900 with one that had a usb almost ready to die. If they were still producing them I'd send it back again to make them pay for making this wonderful device, then designing it to break after so many hundred, or thousand plug-ins

EDIT: This time my plug-in count didn't even reach 100. Might not even have reached 50, due to me using my galaxy note as my every day phone and the n900 for only ocasional other stuff.

The USB unit just broke off completely, it's rattling inside the phone.
I'm considering getting a quote from the local mobile repair shop since it has been noted he has been doing some micro-soldering.

Haven't heard from sEKI yet. If anyone else is willing to take a look at it I'd be grateful.

In the meantime, I might be able to charge the battery using my old N95 external charger, just need to make the bay bigger to accommodate it.

I got quoted £25 at the nearby repair shop for fitting replacement microUSB port, so I have left it with them and will pick up in a couple of hours.. on the condition i test it thoroughly before I pay them.

Well, I can recommend the mobile repair shop in Haymarket Metro Station, Newcastle upon Tyne to fit a new, working microUSB port should it ever become detached!

WOW that is cheap ... howay the lads hehehehe

Sorry mate, wasn't following that thread recently nor I had any private messages from you hence no answer...
I think it's a fair price to pay for that sort of job, especially when it's done in a matter of hours...

I will add the name and details of the establishment when I get a chance so it can be added to the thread as a known place that can do a reliable repair, they did a very good job.
Think it may need reinforcing again though but that is easy enough.. everyone should be able to do this preventative measure.

Post or PM and i will add it

@sEKI
Thank you for fixing my N900 ( i have this one since 2010 and i didn't have no problems) and change my keyboard. Now i got 2 n900 ready to play ...

News:
Adding Phone Repair shops now also

PM/Post if you have any recommendations