usb-c not recognising device on linux mint 18 with alienware 13 r2

[sean]

plugged in my new phone (one plus 3) to usb-c port on laptop, it is charging but no other response.

tried the suggestions from this question: http://askubuntu.com/questions/714169/how-can-i-enable-usb-type-c-connectors-on-15-10

output from lspci -d ::0c03 -k is

00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP USB 3.0 xHCI Controller (rev 21)
 Subsystem: Dell Sunrise Point-LP USB 3.0 xHCI Controller
 Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd
08:00.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Device 15b5
 Subsystem: Device 2222:1111
 Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd

the second part only appeared after computer was restarted with the phone plugged in. I suspect this is a duplicate of this bug: https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=973138

When I unplugged the phone after restarting with it plugged in, from tail -f /var/log/kern.log I got

Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.172328] xhci_hcd 0000:08:00.0: remove, state 4
Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.172338] usb usb4: USB disconnect, device number 1
Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.172632] xhci_hcd 0000:08:00.0: Host not halted after 16000 microseconds.
Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.173784] xhci_hcd 0000:08:00.0: USB bus 4 deregistered
Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.173794] xhci_hcd 0000:08:00.0: remove, state 4
Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.173803] usb usb3: USB disconnect, device number 1
Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.175027] xhci_hcd 0000:08:00.0: USB bus 3 deregistered
Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.176042] pci_bus 0000:06: busn_res: [bus 06] is released
Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.176164] pci_bus 0000:07: busn_res: [bus 07] is released
Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.194999] pci_bus 0000:08: busn_res: [bus 08] is released
Aug 1 15:14:59 sean-Alienware-13-R2 kernel: [ 490.195097] pci_bus 0000:05: busn_res: [bus 05-08] is released

But plugging it back in, nothing.

Any suggestions?