Carphone Warehouse returns - Orange UMA issue

cazmanian_minx

Thought I'd run this past you guys before I call Carphone Warehouse when it opens at 11, to get the benefit of your combined experience

Orange has just made the HTC Wildfire S available on PAYG with UMA Signal Boost. The Orange website refused to deliver to my postcode (Highlands & Islands) and the Orange shop in Inverness first told me that it was only available on contract and then said they didn't stock it, so I went into Carphone Warehouse who had it at the same price as Orange's website.

Due to the remote area I live in, I have no signal on any network in my house (have to drive a mile and a half to get a semi-decent 2G one) and I asked the sales assistant if a phone bought from CW on the Orange network would work on UMA Signal Boost because I'd heard that some of the unbranded Blackberry phones had had problems. They stated immediately that it would work, so I bought it (paid via credit card).

This morning, after half an hour on the phone to Orange, they've told me that unbranded phones not purchased from Orange will not connect to UMA Signal Boost, so I've spent £200 on a phone that won't work in the one place I spend 95% of my time (work from home).

I'm HOPING that CW will refund under the Sale of Goods Act (fit for purpose clause, given that I told them I needed it for the UMA) - but since they gave me incorrect information, am I within my rights to ask for either the option to return it by post or compensation for the 6-hour 220-mile round trip to take it back to the Inverness CW store (my nearest!)?

OneADay

It would have been easier had it been purchased online.
Just tell CPW that you bought it one back of what your were told and what Orange are telling you now.
Hopefully they will give you a refund - I would probably be looking to post it back rather go trekking 6 miles.

If they accept the return - you will have to pay for p&p yourself (send it signed for delivery - probably special delivery).
Had it been online purchase, you would not have had to pay to return it.

bamb1

I had exactly the same issue when I went through e2save and it was an unbranded handset. I managed to hack my BB though and I can now make calls through UMA. I'm not sure how you would do it on a HTC handset though.

gas4you

I thought UMA was only available on BB's?

bamb1

There are a few compatible handsets:

BlackBerry 8900
BlackBerry 8520
BlackBerry 9700
LG GT505
HTC Touch 3G

http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/support/personal/446533

Guys_Dad

I have an LG Optimus One (GT505) on Orange UMA as I, too, have poor reception in my house. It is pretty reliable, although sometimes in the mornings I have to reboot. Possibly my Advanced Task Killer doesn't help.

I wanted an Android and the Optimus One was the only one in my price range. I have had no issue with it.

Orange advised me that I needed a branded handset to get the UMA, so OP is quite correct about the CPW ones not having UMA.

I think you have every right to ask for your money back due to the bad advice you were given. Clearly their member of staff mislead you about their unbranded handsets.

As far as Orange goes, you will want to carry on with them as only Orange have UMA, so see what they are prepared to do on their handset.

sparky93

theres lot more uma phones now, just sites not updated on that page. nokia e5, htc desire s to name 2 off, im interested in the s.

cazmanian_minx

Thanks everyone - as it turned out they admitted they were at fault and were perfectly happy to refund me, BUT it had to go back to the shop rather than a central returns address. I rang the shop to see if they could do it by post and they said I was welcome to post it back but if I actually wanted the money putting back on my card, they needed the card physically present in the shop to go into the reader. One very long car journey later.... They were awfully apologetic, to be fair, but I shall still be writing a polite letter to their head office to ask if they'll consider paying my expenses, given that they gave me no other way of getting a refund.

OneADay - wish I could have purchased it online I'd tried the night before, got to the 'Select Delivery Option', put in my postcode: "There are no delivery options for your area, please select a delivery option." They don't like Highlands & Islands customers!

OneADay

cazmanian_minx wrote: »

They don't like Highlands & Islands customers!

Its because you guys still wear skirts up there and speak a foreign language.

Glad to hear its sorted - just make sure to post it special delivery with a letter maybe to explain the events, don't take any chances.