Brain Surgery is less complicated than replacing a phone under warranty

[Onebadcad]

My cell phone crashed on Tuesday at 5 PM.
My cell phone is with TM, for 10 years, with 12 lines.
My cell phone is under warranty for replacement for any reason with $50 co-pay.

I have worked on replacing it since Tuesday, four visits to TM store, at least 20 phone calls, 6+ hours on the phone, my account rep has yet to return three left voice messages.

TM sucks, very good at getting paid every month, but they SUCK ARSE for customer service.

My predicition is I will have a replacement phone by next Christmas,,,

[IB4TL]

I was with T-Mobile for ~10yrs. Their customer service nonsense is why I left.

I have unlimited everything for under $50/mo with Verizon service via Straight Talk.

I buy my phones new on eBay.

No hassle.
No nonsense.
YMMV

[aerovette]

What is this "customer service" you speak of? I vaguely remember it from my youth, but my understanding is that it went extinct decades ago.

[IB4TL]

Originally Posted by aerovette

What is this "customer service" you speak of? I vaguely remember it from my youth, but my understanding is that it went extinct decades ago.

It's when you call a company and explain a problem or ask a question and then they transfer you to someone else so you can explain yourself again and then they transfer you onto someone else. This goes on for as long as you're willing to endure it before finally calling it quits & giving up.

Don't forget to press #1 for English so you can get some Indian guy named "Bob"

[Mike Mercury]

[Rodnok1]

Originally Posted by IB4TL

I was with T-Mobile for ~10yrs. Their customer service nonsense is why I left.

I have unlimited everything for under $50/mo with Verizon service via Straight Talk.

I buy my phones new on eBay.

No hassle.
No nonsense.
YMMV

Straight talk for many years for me also, we were with Virgin until the sell off and it went right in the shitter. Too bad as my Sprint network is better at home than Verizon.
I haven't had a non prepaid phone in 15 maybe 20 years now.

[Onebadcad]

Originally Posted by aerovette

What is this "customer service" you speak of? I vaguely remember it from my youth, but my understanding is that it went extinct decades ago.

You effing nailed it!!

ALL COMPANIES suck at service, EVERY ****ING ONE!!

At TM I have a business account for 10 years, 12 lines, and started with an account rep, who was not very competent, but always EVENTUALLY solved all issues.
Well, no longer, as you must now have 25+ lines to have a designated rep, if you have less than 25 you must call their main number and hope the filipino or indian customer service rep speaks English, and can solve your issue--GFL with that.

I no longer eat out that often for similar reason, as prices are too high and service sucks and the food is NEVER better than I can make at home.

Cell phone providers benefit most from what I call 'default customers', as we have so few choices, 90+% of us go with the big three, thus service for them is not an issue, as they all get pissed off customers from the other.

BTW, I was told I would have phone tomorrow by 2 PM, then I have to go to TM store for sim card, and then hopefully my backup with Google can be transferred into new phone.
I doubt this will happen, I believe I will be paying $200+ to the local phone repair store to get the broken phone powered up so I can transfer from that.

Lastly, having NO cell phone is awesome, as no one has called me to ask for something in the past 48 hours,,,

[cptlo306]

Originally Posted by Onebadcad

You effing nailed it!!

ALL COMPANIES suck at service, EVERY ****ING ONE!!

At TM I have a business account for 10 years, 12 lines, and started with an account rep, who was not very competent, but always EVENTUALLY solved all issues.
Well, no longer, as you must now have 25+ lines to have a designated rep, if you have less than 25 you must call their main number and hope the filipino or indian customer service rep speaks English, and can solve your issue--GFL with that.

I no longer eat out that often for similar reason, as prices are too high and service sucks and the food is NEVER better than I can make at home.

Cell phone providers benefit most from what I call 'default customers', as we have so few choices, 90+% of us go with the big three, thus service for them is not an issue, as they all get pissed off customers from the other.

BTW, I was told I would have phone tomorrow by 2 PM, then I have to go to TM store for sim card, and then hopefully my backup with Google can be transferred into new phone.
I doubt this will happen, I believe I will be paying $200+ to the local phone repair store to get the broken phone powered up so I can transfer from that.

Lastly, having NO cell phone is awesome, as no one has called me to ask for something in the past 48 hours,,,

Why not use the sim card from the dead phone?

[Onebadcad]

Originally Posted by cptlo306

Why not use the sim card from the dead phone?

I will try that, and hopefully I have all things backed up with Google account.

But, I always rarely have confidence in things of this nature going perfect, especially when I cannot dictate the outcome(s).
So, I am fully prepared to pay the $200ish to take the old phone to UBreakIFix for full restoration to get all my data if the SIM fails.

Of course, I only have seven days to return the phone or get charged $800 for no exchange, which is a damn high number, as I would get less than 50% of that if I traded in for an upgrade---can anyone in here do that math for me, as I am confuffled!!

[Onebadcad]

Still living the nightmare, may have the replacement phone, I have a warranty on all 11 devices on account, they shipped it yesterday but DID NOT pay for a specific delivery time, such as before 11 AM, so now I am supposed to stay in the office until 8 PM tonight, hoping UPS brings it by.

TM, like all companies, sucks HUGELY ass, problem is all other business cell provider companies, att and verizon, also suck HUGELY ass.

As I have explained numerous times, none of them care due to the default customer factor, which is they lose many customers anally due to shit service, but get the same number coming to them due to their competition sucks equally.

If you need me, send a homing pigeon, as I doubt I will have an operational cell phone by next Christmas.

[bill_daniels]

For your listening pleasure while you patiently wait, may I present, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer:

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery (1973 vinyl rip / full album) - YouTube

[BRUIZER]

The wife dropped hers s21 and the screen went blank. Took it to the tmobile store and they couldn't do anything. Insurance overnighted a new phone and it was here in two days. I just taded-in my old s10+ for a S23+ and it cost me a little over a $100. Took about an hour to transfer everything over to the new phone.
Zero drama. YMMV

[Onebadcad]

Update, now 100% done, I am going to the local store now, getting a FREE Samsung 23 with 256K.

It took me a few hours of frustation, but this is the best scenario.

Of course the biggest remaining issue is the data transfer, I need all my contacts, messages, photos, video, note pads, app info, game app levels, etc... to be 100%, or that will become another fistfight.

I think I can still retain my title as 'The Cheapest Bastard on the Forum'!!

[bill_daniels]

Originally Posted by Onebadcad

Update, now 100% done, I am going to the local store now, getting a FREE Samsung 23 with 256K.

It took me a few hours of frustation, but this is the best scenario.

Of course the biggest remaining issue is the data transfer, I need all my contacts, messages, photos, video, note pads, app info, game app levels, etc... to be 100%, or that will become another fistfight.

I think I can still retain my title as 'The Cheapest Bastard on the Forum'!!

Why couldn't they have handled it like that, in store, right upon your first visit? Not only did their shitty customer service inconvenience you and waste a lot of your time, it also wasted a lot of THEIR time, too.

I have T-Mobile, and had a problem with my old phone, out of warranty, no insurance. It just wouldn't charge. Took it to a company store (not a franchise licensee), and they worked on it for a while, maybe an hour on the bench, declared that the phone was indeed FUBAR, then spent maybe another half hour or maybe 45 minutes recovering my data from the old android phone and getting it on a new phone that I paid out of pocket for in store.

So, it was quite an ordeal, but when I left the store, it was over.

I did, however, waste a trip to a franchise store, which I already knew was going to be unproductive. The franchise stores want to sell you a phone, period....no repair, no service, no help. A while back, somehow I accidentally switched my keyboard over to Mandarin Chinese characters. Took it to the franchise store and..... after about 10 minutes of the employees huddling over my phone, "well, we can't fix that, but we can sell you a new phone."



As I recall, it was a member here that helped me fix that, simple instructions that even I could understand. Franchise employees (I mean, literally all of them at the store): "It's dead, Jim. You need a new phone."

[pgp]

It's a trade off in my opinion. I have friends that pay a lot for their phone and service every month. They have stores where it's a hit or miss on service like you experienced. I have a refurbished phone and prepaid service. There are a few stores around but they are in bad areas. I have phone customer service which is poor. So if I need a new phone I go buy one and spend a little time setting it up. I can't see spending $800 - 1200 on a phone. I got my Galaxy for about 80% off

[pgp]

Originally Posted by IB4TL

I was with T-Mobile for ~10yrs. Their customer service nonsense is why I left.

I have unlimited everything for under $50/mo with Verizon service via Straight Talk.

I buy my phones new on eBay.

No hassle.
No nonsense.
YMMV

Similar to my situation, with a lesser service.

From Which Ebay store do you buy your phones ?

[Yadkin]

Never rely on warranties for small stuff like phones.

[sublime1996525]

Shoulda bought an iPhone.

[Onebadcad]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

Why couldn't they have handled it like that, in store, right upon your first visit? Not only did their shitty customer service inconvenience you and waste a lot of your time, it also wasted a lot of THEIR time, too.

I have T-Mobile, and had a problem with my old phone, out of warranty, no insurance. It just wouldn't charge. Took it to a company store (not a franchise licensee), and they worked on it for a while, maybe an hour on the bench, declared that the phone was indeed FUBAR, then spent maybe another half hour or maybe 45 minutes recovering my data from the old android phone and getting it on a new phone that I paid out of pocket for in store.

So, it was quite an ordeal, but when I left the store, it was over.

I did, however, waste a trip to a franchise store, which I already knew was going to be unproductive. The franchise stores want to sell you a phone, period....no repair, no service, no help. A while back, somehow I accidentally switched my keyboard over to Mandarin Chinese characters. Took it to the franchise store and..... after about 10 minutes of the employees huddling over my phone, "well, we can't fix that, but we can sell you a new phone."



As I recall, it was a member here that helped me fix that, simple instructions that even I could understand. Franchise employees (I mean, literally all of them at the store): "It's dead, Jim. You need a new phone."

The store would not accept the phone due to it would not power up.
The phone is under warranty, even though 4+ years old.
Our corporate POS account rep would not call me back.
Finally, someone in customer service listened to me.
They agreed a phone under warranty that is broken should not have to be powered to be eligible for an upgrade.
On my store visits I explained the above, they would not listen to simple objectivity.

TM sucks ass, as does art, who was my previous for over 15 years.

[bill_daniels]

Originally Posted by Onebadcad

The store would not accept the phone due to it would not power up.
The phone is under warranty, even though 4+ years old.
Our corporate POS account rep would not call me back.
Finally, someone in customer service listened to me.
They agreed a phone under warranty that is broken should not have to be powered to be eligible for an upgrade.
On my store visits I explained the above, they would not listen to simple objectivity.

TM sucks ass, as does art, who was my previous for over 15 years.

That sounds like a store manager big fail, especially given your longevity as a customer and the fact that you have a small, but obviously commercial account Surely taking the back cover off the phone would reveal the serial number of the phone to confirm it's the one you are claiming, and beyond that, one look at your account and they should have taken your word for it. I'd suggest you send a complaint to someone at T-Mobile, but that probably would fall on deaf ears.