Vodacom repair centre... WHAT A JOKE AND BUNCH OF THIEVES!!!

[IceDreama]

Well this is me venting but also informing those out there at what a joke Vodacom really are...

I took my iPhone 4 in last week to have it sorted out as the wifi would only work within 2 or 3 meters from the router. This is obviously not normal as my iPad and MacBook Pro all work all over my apartment without any hassles.

The phone is still under warranty until 02/12/2011 and so I thought this wouldn't be a problem. Today I phone to follow up on the progress since I'm expecting them to replace the phone or fix or whatever just to make sure my iPhone is working like it once was when it was purchased.

I get told that they are waiting on a quote from Joburg in order. I ask why is there a quote since its under warranty The lady then tells me that Joburg says there was corrosion in the headphone jack and thus due to water damage, the warranty is void. I told her thats impossible since I have never put my phone in water and when I brought the phone in, it was working 100% except for the wifi (which still worked, i just had to be within 3 meters of my router). So what the flip Vodacom???? How could my phone be working perfectly but have water damage??? I'm sorry but that is just them now not wanting to fill their warranty obligation which they have to.

 

[alternate]

That is their famous excuse for everything. Speak to VodaCom on twitter. They seem to get the job done.

 

[IceDreama]

How do I speak to them on Twitter? And what should I say?

 

[marine1]

Lol, I didnt even have to read to know it was water damage

 

[IceDreama]

Lol, I didnt even have to read to know it was water damage

Yeah but thats the thing. It isn't water damage. They just coming up with an excuse not to fix it. My phone still looks brand fricken new! I've had screen guards on back and front since day one and also a cover. My phone has never been anywhere near water so I know they are lying. What the flip? Why do they do this??

 

[marine1]

Yeah but thats the thing. It isn't water damage. They just coming up with an excuse not to fix it. My phone still looks brand fricken new! I've had screen guards on back and front since day one and also a cover. My phone has never been anywhere near water so I know they are lying. What the flip? Why do they do this??

Story of Vodacom, I bet if you take a brand new sealed phone and open it outside the shop, they will say its water damage.

 

[IceDreama]

So what can I do now? Anything??

 

[marine1]

CPA?

 

[vaalpens]

yeah, also struggling with vodacom repairs,
Xperia Neo keeps rebooting, even tried all the sony repair guides etc,
vodacom keeps quoting their 7 day policy, even though i tell them i know its past 7 days, its 23 days, but i cant get any solid answers from them, so i dont know how i can have a year warranty with them, and a year warranty with sonyEricsson if no one wants to give me straight answer, busy escalating this with the CPA etc

 

[IceDreama]

Ive emailed the DTI with a complaint. That is where I am to direct complaints with regards to the CPA.

I also tweeted Vodacom111 and got a reply:

'Hi Jason. Liquid damage doesn't necessarily mean that you dropped your phone in a water. There are many other possible causes.^DL'

Then I said... 'Like? I took it in because my wifi is working wonky & get told not going to repair it due to corrosion in the headphone jack'

Final reply... 'Hi Jason, liquid damage can be sweat, spray, anything liquid based. ^CN'

Well I know I didn't spray my phone or go near anything liquid except for my hands. Now I don't sweat a lot at all but you telling me because there is 0.50 ml of sweat in the headphone jack that my warranty is void???? Come on, that is an absolute joke. Now more than ever, I will go through the CPA and make the bastards repair if the DTI says 'in terms of par. xxx and xxx, they have to do it due to xxx' and I will hold them to it. No ways am I letting this one slip. I didn't pay R7k for a phone for fun.

 

[vaalpens]

to summarise the some of the quality of service in south africa :

eskom = "unscheduled maintenance"
telkom = "cables are stolen"
cellular repairs = "water damage"

 

[KleinBoontjie]

Back in 2007, I handed in my N95, to them, for repair. Mine was silver front with a maroon back. The one I reveived after "repair" was a silver front and a white back. And they tried to convince me that, that was the actual phone I gave them for repairs. LOL.

 

[Carr0t]

Guess that's just one more reason to get the Motorola RAZR, it's supposedly completely covered with water resistant coating so water damage isn't possible =P

 

[Shaun500]

I know this is a old thread but I'd thought I'd share my experiance and perhaps someone has advice.

I bought a new Sony Xperia C4 under contract from Vodacom 9 months ago and the phone suddenly stopped working. I sent it to the Vodacom Repair Center for repairs. They said it was a "out of box" failure and they would give me a credit amount based on the value of my phone whereby I can choose another handset from a choice they would give me. I asked them if they could replace it with another Sony C4. They said that is ok. They came back to me and said the phone has been discontinued and they can't get hold of one for me. They said the only option was to choose a phone from the list they gave me. The phones they are offering are unacceptable as the performance and features are less than what I had on the Sony C4. I am still expected to pay the same monthly premium but will have a inferior phone. I refused the offer as I feel this is unfair. I only want a replacement phone with same performance and features to what I had. The same specs or slightly better. Vodacom has refused my request and I am sitting without a phone for a month now. I am not sure what to do now. Does anyone have advice?

 

[Pho3nix]

I know this is a old thread but I'd thought I'd share my experiance and perhaps someone has advice.

I bought a new Sony Xperia C4 under contract from Vodacom 9 months ago and the phone suddenly stopped working. I sent it to the Vodacom Repair Center for repairs. They said it was a "out of box" failure and they would give me a credit amount based on the value of my phone whereby I can choose another handset from a choice they would give me. I asked them if they could replace it with another Sony C4. They said that is ok. They came back to me and said the phone has been discontinued and they can't get hold of one for me. They said the only option was to choose a phone from the list they gave me. The phones they are offering are unacceptable as the performance and features are less than what I had on the Sony C4. I am still expected to pay the same monthly premium but will have a inferior phone. I refused the offer as I feel this is unfair. I only want a replacement phone with same performance and features to what I had. The same specs or slightly better. Vodacom has refused my request and I am sitting without a phone for a month now. I am not sure what to do now. Does anyone have advice?

If you are in JHB, go to Midrand.
If not, keep calling until someone helps you.

 

[CB40]

If you are in JHB, go to Midrand.
If not, keep calling until someone helps you.

Just keep escalating the call. Demand to speak to senior management at head office, not the walk in centre.

 

[Shaun500]

I have been dealing with the store manager at Vodacom Repair Center Canal Walk. She now simply does not respond to emails and messages to contact me. They simply do not care.