Vodafone have sent me a second hand phone

asparagusnextleft

Welshdebtor wrote: »

Going by what the letter said about them not being able to repair in a reasonable time. I would think they should of given you the choice, "Wait longer for it to be fixed, get a refurbished phone or even an alternative model". Instead of making the choice for you.

That aside without looking into it further, I do not know if a replacement has to be new.

Exactly - I would rather have waited longer and had my old phone back rather than a second hand one and no choice in the matter.

Welshdebtor

This letter is a common one by Vodafone I have quickly discovered while searching.

There is a good chance the phone you have now contains alot of parts from your old phone. But due to them changing "the organs" especially the IMEI of the phone it now differs and is classed as a refurbished phone.

Or in simple terms the outer casing, battery etc may be your old phone but the inner workings are not.

asparagusnextleft

I still have the battery and outer casing from my phone, they told me to remove everything before I sent it back. So yes, it is partially my old phone, or would be if I actually reconstructed it but to be honest I don't want to because I don't particularly want it. Unfortunately, from doing a fair bit of digging myself on various forums this afternoon, it looks like I am stuck with it.

Welshdebtor

asparagusnextleft wrote: »

I still have the battery and outer casing from my phone, they told me to remove everything before I sent it back. So yes, it is partially my old phone, or would be if I actually reconstructed it but to be honest I don't want to because I don't particularly want it. Unfortunately, from doing a fair bit of digging myself on various forums this afternoon, it looks like I am stuck with it.

Sounds to me like they repaired/replaced a good sized chunk of your phones internal parts. And for their own protection (maybe that is too strong a word) they class the phone now as a refurbishment.

If they did not have the parts needed, such as a new IMEI they would of offered you a new model or a brand new phone of the model you currently own.

So the phone you have now is your old phone, but with a new IMEI (I am guessing) so classed as refurbished.

asparagusnextleft

From what I've read today it doesn't sound like they offer anyone a new phone when they claim they can't repair them 'within a reasonable timescale'.

Everyone gets lumbered with what they call a refurb.

The fault on mine was that it would completely lock up on the HTC boot screen. I could only switch it off by removing the battery and it wouldn't do a factory reset, it just kept going back to the boot screen.

Welshdebtor

asparagusnextleft wrote: »

From what I've read today it doesn't sound like they offer anyone a new phone when they claim they can't repair them 'within a reasonable timescale'.

Everyone gets lumbered with what they call a refurb.

The fault on mine was that it would completely lock up on the HTC boot screen. I could only switch it off by removing the battery and it wouldn't do a factory reset, it just kept going back to the boot screen.

I have found the same from searching as well. Maybe they send this letter out with all repairs. Maybe it is something along the lines of, more than a certain amount of new parts (i.e 50%) and it's is classed as a refurb. If that is the case you have nothing to worry about, think of it as your old phone but now having had a transplant

ruggedtoast

I had a refurb phone once and I hated it. It had marks on it from some careless person and I always looked after mine so well. Rubbish. And what if they had kept out in an unclean pocket? I didn't want that phone.

I'm afraid it its standard practise to send out a refurb. If you want your one repaired you need it sent to htc.

alnsv1000s

I send my customers phones direct to HTC and if the fault cannot be fixed I usually get brand new replacements for them. If you go through the networks nominated repair centre you normally get refurbs after 30 days from the start of the contract.

I always try and deal direct with the manufacturer.

adonis

The trouble with refurbs is the parts used may not be genuine, if it is a cheap pattern part it may not work as well.

Also when the refurb was built in the factory it would have only had a quick test and won't always show a problem until the customer uses it to its full potential.

asparagusnextleft

I had assumed (naively) that Vodafone would have sent it off to HTC to be repaired and I didn't know I could send it straight off to HTC myself to be fixed.

I guess there is now no chance that I could get my original phone back from Vodafone to send straight to HTC

Ruggedtoast, I keep thinking that someone else has had this second hand phone up to their ear which is another reason why I am not going to use it.