This letter is a copy of my second attempt at trying contacting an actual person from T-Mobile Customer Relations (which has been next to impossible) in regard to my T-Mobile account number xxxxxxxx and cellular number XXX-XXX-XXXX. The issue I am having is that I have been charged an out of warranty fee for a cellular phone that I returned to T-Mobile that had no signs of any damage that I am aware of when it left my hands, and I should not be charged without further explanation and or proof of my damaging the item.
You see in early February I called T-Mobile for technical support on my Motorola V3 Razr phone. I was experiencing difficulty hearing people on the other end, whether it be that I called them or they called me they were inaudible. I had originally called T-Mobile on the handset which I was having the difficulty and was asked to call back on another phone. I then called right back from the 2nd phone on my account and spoke to a very nice young woman whom assisted me in trouble shooting the problem. I went through all of the procedures with her, and when nothing corrected the problem she had said it was probably a faulty speaker. I went on to explain that the phone was the 3rd Razr phone I had sent in with problems and how frustrated I was becoming with the entire phone situation, she had spoken with her supervisor to try and get me an different phone, one that I might not experience as many problems with, but that was not available to me at the time, and her suggestion was that I try once again send my phone in and to get a replacement, and that it should hopefully work correctly. I hesitantly accepted being presented with no other alternative. Within just a matter of days I got the new phone (on a Friday) and then on Saturday I took the phone to the mailbox and mailed the old phone back to T-Mobile.
On March 1 I received my statement with an invoice amount for 107.50 on it for equipment out of warranty. When I called for further explanation I spoke to a young man Cardrell who when I explained the situation said well you musta got it wet, and so it was no longer covered by warranty. I then proceeded to explain that I had not gotten it wet, that I had never lost service or been unable to use the phone, but rather that the reason I had sent it in was because it went from working fine to having a speaker not sounding correctly and me having to put my calls on the speakerphone speaker instead. Cardrell then tried telling me that perhaps I hadn't known my phone had gotten wet, and that even sometimes taking it from a very cold place to a very warm place can cause water damage because of condensation. I tried to assure him that I had treated this phone no differently than any of the other Razr's I had returned previously, all of which I was not billed for liquid damage. When I felt that I was getting no where speaking to him, and that he being quite short with me giving me 1 or 2 word responses, I asked to speak to someone else.
I was then put on with a supervisor Pandora, who also sounded irritated with me and my situation from the very first word she spoke. She said there was nothing that she could do either, that the service center reported that there was liquid damage, that this matter was final. She went on to say that there was nothing more she would do about it, and her final comment was that there was no one else to speak with because she was the end of the line. After going back and forth with her, explaining that I was not okay about her resolution, what I finally got was that I would have the option of writing a formal complaint to customer relations, in an attempt to resolving what I feel is an underhanded and unjust situation. Which I have done, and felt that it has not gotten me much farther. On March 15th, I received no phone call, but rather a mysterious voicemail that was from Stephanie of Customer Relations stating what I had already heard twice before, that the liquid damage was verified and was valid, so I would be charged.
What boggles me is that a phone that worked without fail (with the exception of the speaker issue) can be used against me as an out of warranty issue. Had I known any of this would take place I would have just kept the phone I had and used it until the end of my contract. What I also do not understand is why no one wants to recognize the fact that there is a possibility that I might not have been the one who damaged the phone. I was not aware of any insurance that I could have purchased for the package that I sent via USPS back to T-Mobile, however, the USPS does offer insurance on their packages because things do happen that they have no control over. Why is this not a possibility, or rather why is it if this is the case that I am responsible? If I had the choice, I would have gladly purchased insurance for a few dollars rather than possibly having to pay 100.00 or more. If it would have been up to me I would have possibly packaged the phone differently for return shipment, had it not been that I was instructed to return the phone in the box the new phone was sent in.in the message from Stephanie that I received over the phone she has mentioned that I agreed to a possibly re-stocking fee, or out of warranty charge before the replacement handset was sent out, which I did, I verbally agreed that if the phone was damaged with liquid damage, or cracked of broken handset I would accept responsibility. When I was asked if the phone was damaged, had a cracked screen or plastic or had experienced liquid damage and I said No! And the phone I returned had none of those damages.
It frustrates and upsets me to think that my side of this issue is so easily disregarded, and that I am going to be one have to sit idly by and pay an addition $107.50 for a phone which I did not do anything harmful to. Especially since I have already paid for once when it was new at $200.00 plus dollars. I am very offended by the repeated accusations that it is my fault. If I had purposely known something was wrong with it, or thought that it was anything more than just a mechanical error, I can honestly sat that I would not have sent the phone back in such a manner as I had insurance for just such an instance that would have covered an accident with a deductible approximately the same as what I have now been
charged.
I was under the impression that T-Mobile was a company that claims to put their customers first let this issue be final without even actually speaking to the customer, and let their some of their agents act in such a reprehensible manner? It seems that after reviewing this site and others T-Mobile doesn't have such an outstanding reputation... But they must pay their help really well to cover for them because according to Pandora, there is never anything that happens to a cellular phone that the owner didn't do to it. That the owner, whether it be knowingly or not, had to have done it, then making the phone's owner completely responsible. I feel that the only thing I did wrong with that particular Razr was putting it into that box and mailing it back.
I am a competent and rational person, and because is no conceivable way that T-Mobile will ever be able to convince me that I damaged the phone (unknowingly or not) unless I speak to someone personally about this matter, I will have no choice than to keep writing letters, posting entries like this, and possibly contact the FCC until I get the response that I want. There is no other logical explanation I can come up with beside that something did happen between the mailbox I put the package into, and your service center. I say this because, again, according to Pandora there could not be even a glimmer of a chance that something else may have happened, not even an act of God. I am no expert, nor a psychic, so what honestly happened in this case is beyond me, but in the wake of the last few years earth changing natural disasters goodness only knows what lies ahead in the future. But I do know that someone should really inform the T-Mobile supervisor Pandora that, yes, indeed bad things do happen that no one has control over! So whether it be while it was in transit, or God forbid even at the T-Mobile service center that something happened would it still then be my fault? I do not know how anyone could possibly say yes. I stand by my statements, and would like to speak to someone to help me come to a resolution about this issue. I am very unhappy, and with only 5 1/2 months left in my contract, am very, very seriously considering to taking my business elsewhere, because I do not appreciate the accusations of being a liar or a thief! I feel as if I am being backed into a corner with the current resolution and cannot accept that I must acknowledge what someone else says that I have done as a final answer. My questions have gone unanswered as to the extent the liquid damage, for example what caused the liquid damage (water or another substance)? Was there signs of burning/scorching (that are caused by a battery) or corrosion? Were the screens damaged with liquid? I would like to know these specifics for clarity purposes, that is if that information is even available, because all I have been told all along is liquid damage and that just is not a good enough definition for me.
Future T-Mobile Customers BEWARE, you could be getting a lot more than you bargain for... And for those of you that are current customers with issues, I empathize with you entirely! Never surrender! Never give-up!
Thanks!
Carman
Bloomington, Illinois
U.S.A.
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