Why is it so damn hard to exchange my defective phone???

[Talderon]

Ok, here is what I have been through today.

I have a Nokia Lumia 1520 32GB edition. The ONLY way to get this phone from AT&T is to order it online. No stores carry them in stock. I ordered this through Online Fulfilment (Premier) and had it billed using the AT&T Next program.

The issue I am having with this phone is that when I plug it in to charge, it will suddenly stop charging and will not charge (no matter how many charging cables and sources you try) until you reboot the phone.

I called AT&T Support, they told me to call Premier support, they told me to go to the store. The store told me I had to do it online. I could not find a way to do this online, so I called support again. They, again, told me I had to go through premier who, guess what, told me to go back to the store.

Now, the store is over a mile from where I work. I commute by bus, so having to make the round trip TWICE is a royal pain in the... ****...

The store TRIES to tell me I have to go through the premire line again, but this time I tell them no, they HAVE to do it in store.

Well, they do not carry these in stock in the store, so I have 2 options.

1.I can send it back and wait for a new one. This option is not acceptable as I NEED my phone for family as we have no other lines of communication than mobile phones! It can take up to a WEEK to process everything and get me a new phone.

2.I can pay FULL PRICE for a phone, have them ship it and then get a refund back when they get my old phone back.

Seriously, WHAT??

WHO THINKS OF THIS CRAP!! I have a phone that is FULLY UNDER WARRANTY, but the damn warranty is USELESS.

I have been a loyal AT&T Wireless Customer for almost a decade. I have 5 lines and a data device on my plan. I pay a crap-load of money to these people and get treated like DIRT. This needs to be fixed, and BADLY!!!

 

[Corepc]

Ask them for a loaner or purchase a 520 to hold you over till you get your real phone back

 

[Robinsonmac]

Don't know about AT&T, but on Verizon if its a phone they don't have in stores, I get a new phone the next day if it factory defect & 6 months old or under. If its older i get a refurb. Both next day, then I send the defective phone back in a pre-paid padded envelope to them.

 

[Talderon]

Don't know about AT&T, but on Verizon if its a phone they don't have in stores, I get a new phone the next day if it factory defect & 6 months old or under. If its older i get a refurb. Both next day, then I send the defective phone back in a pre-paid padded envelope to them.

This is normally how it is done, but since I bought it online and with their Next program, it throws me out into some deep dark area of space they have no desire of looking.

At the rate this is going, I may just keep this phone and reboot it when I notice it not charging. Sucks, but I am NOT going to go to a 16GB model or am I going without the phone. I honestly CANNOT be without a phone.

 

[michail71]

I think Verizon is easier than AT&T from what I've heard. But I did do a Lumia 920 exchange that was rather easy.

Nothing like getting the corporate runaround.

 

[oditius]

I am with AT&T, I went to the store to replace my first 1520 because it froze during a playback of a recorded video, and no one could seem to make it come back. So they hooked me up with another one but it was only a 16GB model. Told them I didn't want this one, they already credited my account back for the bad one. So I had them hook up my 520 (Only $60 in the Microsoft Store) They then was going to send it back and exchange it for a new one (14 day exchange policy) I would get it shipped to my house in 10 day. (All this took 3 hours. :crying: ) The next morning, I got a call from AT&T to authorize them to do that. Then the store manager called me because they was having problems with the exchange. So after agreeing to pay the $40 tax again and get a refund after the exchange, I got disconnected. She called me back in about 10 minutes, told me she has good news. She talked AT&T into giving me a FREE 1520 for all the problems I was going through. No hit on the upgrade, no Next payments, and they even refunded the $40 I paid for taxes the first time I paid. I love AT&T.. LoL And I love this phone.. #WinPhan forever....

 

[michail71]

Sometimes it just takes getting the right person. In this situation it sounds like they did the right thing.

For what we pay as consumers there is no reason we should be on the hook for at least a year for phone problems.

IMHO, this should extend to the term of the contract. But that would cut into their 18+ month early upgrades.

 

[oditius]

With AT&T contracts is 24 months... The next plan really isn't a contract, but depending on which you choose (Next12 or or Next18) you can upgrade your phone in 12 or 18 months. But you can leave any time without paying an ETF. (Of course you have to pay the balance of your phone off first)

 

[Citizen X]

WHO THINKS OF THIS CRAP!! I have a phone that is FULLY UNDER WARRANTY, but the damn warranty is USELESS.

It's not "CRAP." You ordered an online only phone. What were you expecting? I always keep a couple of fully functional spare phones around. I mean when you RMA a $600 item from newegg do you expect them to send you a new item on the honor system or do you return the item first or at a minimum get a gigantic hold put on your credit card?

Being a premier customer has its perks... but it also has its downsides. Certain things can only be handled by premier agents. And the nice thing is they are closed all weekend! Certain irritations with Premier are an issue. But ordering an online only phone and expect the physical store, which has never seen the phone, to help you is a bit much. I mean I exchanged a Lumia 900 that I got as a Premier customer with no problem in store... but it was not an online only phone.

 

[SoloXCRacer]

That sounds strange. Last year, my Lumia 920 wireless charging stopped working. I'm also a Premier customer, but went to the AT&T Repair center anyway (it was right next door to a corporate store). The tech guy didn't have any wireless chargers to test it, but I was still under warranty so got it exchanged. I had the Cyan color, and he didn't have any in stock. So he ordered me one. So the deal was that I kept my defective phone until my new phone arrived in the mail. When my phone arrived in the mail, I had it provisioned and activated. Then I returned my defective phone back in the return package that came with my new phone. It was pretty painless and I received my new phone in two days.

So they should be able to order you a new one and have it mailed to you. It should also include a pre-paid return box so you can return your old defective phone. And if you don't return the old phone within 14 days by mail (I think), they will charge you account. They did it for me and it was quick and painless.

 

[mickydale]

I kept my old one while waiting on the new phone to arrive... They included a return label, and I simply boxed the old one up and gave it to the delivery man when he dropped off the new device. Not sure why they are giving you so many problems.... Complain, complain , complain... The squeaky wheel gets the grease.... Get mad but remain calm, and always demand to talk to a superior and always keep info on who you talk to, time y... you talked etc.... When all else fails... Threaten to cancel contract and go elsewhere, and tell them you will not pay cancellation cost, and if they put it on your credit report you will seek legal action... Works every time...

My example was just recently over a defective 1020...I hadnt had it 2 weeks before I started calling about the battery not holding charge... They promised to send a new one, they sent a refurb and I refused to accept it. They said that was their policy.... I told them I paid for a new device and I wanted a new device in return due to mine being bought new and being defective. I did everything I stated above and it took a couple days/phone calls... but they finally did give me options...1) accept the refurb and refund of my money which would be $150 credited to my next bill or 2) I could hold onto my phone or refurb, while sending the other back, and they would send a brand new device with a return label to return the other device

Always complain until you get what you want/deserve.... Show your anger but stay calm (dont curse people out lol) And use logic

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

This is normally how it is done, but since I bought it online and with their Next program, it throws me out into some deep dark area of space they have no desire of looking.

At the rate this is going, I may just keep this phone and reboot it when I notice it not charging. Sucks, but I am NOT going to go to a 16GB model or am I going without the phone. I honestly CANNOT be without a phone.

I went through something similar (but mine was a screen defect).

Since you live in Redmond might I suggest going to the Renton store at The Landing?

They handled my exchange on my 32GB Lumia 1520 on the Next program as well and they managed to get it to happen. My replacement should be shipping tomorrow. I picked up a 520 for $100 there off-contract to have as a backup device from here on out.

The folks in this store are super sharp and friendly btw, especially Marshall, Brenda, Pharez, Lawrence, and Tavo (Manager).

 

[eortizr]

Never had issues with AT&T's warranty, just call 611, ask for tech support, then ask to be transferred to warranty, explain the issue to the tech and in 2 days you get a new phone at your door with a prepaid label box to send your damage phone. is that simple. It is even faster if you have a local AT&T Device Support Center, you just need to walk in and get your phone exchange. My current phone is also in the 'Next' program and got it exchanged without issues by just calling 611.