Virgin's Rip Off on an almost new Blackberry charging repair and ridiculous phone return

[aprings63]

I have a 2 month old Blackberry Curve 9300 on a pay monthly contract with Virgin (3 phones on my account including this one).

This Blackberry stops charging.  One day its fine, the next it isn't.  Virgin Tech people have decided that this is due to using excessive force when plugging in the charger, detaching the motherboard and therefore £65 to repair it or don't pay and have it returned unrepaired.

On a 2 month old phone, are you serious?  Well apparently yes, take it or leave it.  No way on earth it could possibly be a phone fault.

I have called customer services about cancelling my contract but that will have to wait until the contract is up.  Apparently they have had many complaints about this repair with Blackberrys and they were surprised to hear it has happened on a phone that is only 2 months old.  But tough, what the Tech people say is gospel.

Now trying to arrange to pay for the repair and have the phone returned, Virgin can only say it will be sent on Monday to my home address.  There won't be anyone in during working hours but again, tough, they will not deliver to a work address, despite the phone being delivered to my work address 2 months ago when it was new.  What a flexible and helpful attitude.

Cheers Virgin, you really know how to encourage customer loyalty.

Sorry, suppose that should be Virgin Mobile not Virgin as a whole, don't suppose they are bothered that I pay them for 3 phones with no problems until this, or that I have a full Virgin Media package of home phone, broadband, TV Xl etc

[Trickiejohn]

You can get the phone back and go direct to Blackberry if you feel hard done to

A quick look on the web indicates that Blackberry's view is that its a user damage issue - revolving around attempting to put the charge in the wrong way and a bit of heavy handy pressure in the bargin

Now that not my view, I don't have a view on your phone or its user.

I have a view that the micro USB slot is difficult to use and is eay to try ti fit it upside down ( I'm on my 2nd HTC and we also have 2 other HTC and 1 BB in the family all use the same connector)

[aprings63]

Thanks for your comments, see the point re ease of getting plug/sockets upside down.  However I have never done anything to force the plug.  But I've had enough, without the Blackberry for nearly week now, so I'll pay for the repair and wrap it in cotton wool when charging.

Just to show Virgin's customer friendliness, as I am at work and can't spend another 30mins or more calling & queuing, my partner called to agree the repair and pay but, despite being happy to talk to her re my account, using my password, Virgin won't take the repair payment through my direct debit, they won't let my partner pay on her own credit card, or by giving Virgin details of my card.  They have to call me later.  Smooth process ..........

[Trickiejohn]

you can call when you get home sooner the better the tech team are available in theory til 8pm, but when its busy yo have trouble after 7pm tbo

you do need to speak to the tech team as they can take the payment and start the proccess

Waiting will cost 24 hours at least and they call between 10 am and 4pm iirc

[aprings63]

Oh it just keeps getting better.  I paid the £65 Thursday night and Saturday morning a Blackberry is delivered, not the one I returned for repair but another which has been refurbished & serviced.  Ok, same warranty, but why couldn't my 2 month old phone be repaired if it was all so straightforward and clearly my fault?  And why was I sent a charger with a cable that cannot be removed to connect the phone to the pc, like the charger I returned?

So 55 minutes later, still tough, fault down to me, Blackberry returned to manufacturer, Virgin therefore issue a refurb.  And as for the inferior charger, well really helpful of Virgin, yet again tough, and suggested I go on ebay to buy a replacement myself for only £1-2.

Then of course try the 'new' Blackberry and ............ yes, magic, it doesn't work.  The battery appears dead, it won't turn on, it won't charge.  Try again, battery & sim out, back in again, charging plug gently inserted so I don't wreck another delicate Blackberry ........... still dead.  So another 40 minutes on the phone to VIrgin (customer services cannot put you through to a tech person, even after previous calls and time spent, you still have to join the queue) and I now await another envelope to return this Blackberry.

The tech person I spoke to was very helpful and understanding and Virgin will not be attempting to charge me for this.

Of course based on past performance I wouldn't put anything past Virgin now, so hopefully I won't have to argue again about not paying for a repair to a faulty phone that has been sent to me at my cost as a replacement.

Great quality control, great customer service.  Actually why did I bother in the first place, since Virgin recommend ebay for replacements perhaps I should have just bought a refurbed Blackberry on there for less than £65?!?