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AT&T Wont let me Return my Tilt!!!

I purchased the phone about a month ago, from the day I purchased it the camera did not operate correctly. I took my device to the store in an attempt to get it replaced with a new one. Unfortunately for me my camera just happened to work that day which was also the last day of the 30 day warranty. The guy pretty much said that he couldnt help me because my device worked, but then he gave me this number saying that if there is any further problems they will take care of it. So I call the ATT warranty department the next day (my camera broke again) and they said that they were sending me a REFURBISHED phone. I talked with them for 2 hours and they pretty much sait there is nothing they can do.
So I get this refurbished phone and right out of the box it looks of poor quality, I later find out that no matter what I do, the device will not charge. So I send in for another refurb which is of even worse condition and this one wont sync to my PC.
Do any of you guys have any ideas that could help I called the warranty department and coustomer care TWICE, asked to speak to both supervisors, threatened to change my entire family's service and they dont reply with anything except that the phone can not be replaced with a new phone. What do you think I should do?

dude that sucks!
ive never had a problem gettin a swap out.. and i bricked my first tilt..
u need to speak to managers and managers only, throw a fit make a scene in the store they'll work with u!

Learn from your mistake so you don't repeat it in the future. If you have an issue with a phone within the 30 day period, make sure it's fully taken care of within that time frame. Unfortunately you took some clerk's word for what would happen instead of double checking yourself.
AT&T most likely isn't going to do anything more from you. They have pretty good customer service and retention, but it is within their rights to give you a refurbished phone.
I also find it hard to believe that they shipped you two refurbished phones that right out of the box appeared to be of "poor quality." If the phone's had a shoddy appearance they wouldn't have been sent back out.
If your next replacement (refurb) is not functional, then tell them that it is getting ridiculous that you have had 3 replacments and they were all bad (again, I find that dubious). If the phone's are malfunctioning to any extent that you can't make calls (like a phone won't recharge) then they should be crediting your account on a daily basis when you can't use the phone.
Lastly, you can threaten to go to your credit card issuer (assuming you bought it with one) or to the BBB. Again, these are mostly threats, and I don't suggest you follow through unless you are truly getting bad refurbs 3 times in a row. Don't just take a negative attitude and look for problems becuase it isn't a new phone...you aren't likely to get one.
However, you could realistically cancel your service, and then refuse to pay any cancellation fees because they weren't honoring their end of the deal by providing you with functioning equipment. Even though you might have a leg to stand on....it will still probably get sent to collections and mar your credit.

Of the refurbs I got, these were in the condition I stated. When I called ATT they said something along the lines of 'every once in awhile a bad one slips through, but its pretty rare.'

I don't doubt a bad one slips through.... but two in a row....
What I am saying is third time is a charm...you can't keep getting bad ones
Also, I know how it can be mentally (as I would feel the same way) that a refurb just isn't as good and you would rather have a new one even if you saw a refurb pass every single test.
Try for #3 and if you are still out of luck...go with the other poster's suggestion and make a scene in the store

This reminds me of when i had the 8525 hermes. I was sent about 3 phones from them that were of bad quality. Bluetooth problems and yellowish tint screen.. The unwritten rule is that after 3 phones youre sopost to get a upgrade of the latest comperable model. Right now the tilt is the latest pocket pc but at the time, the tilt replaced the 8525 and thats how i recieved my tilt..
Moral is.... wait til the next ppc comes out and make a scene.. but also bring that point up to warranty replacement.

bengalih said:
I don't doubt a bad one slips through.... but two in a row....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Happened to me last week, two bad ones, and a third one that was good. It's possible, and somewhat probable for a scenario like that to occur. It's not like saying he put a million dollars on "00" at the roulette table and won

I'm on my fourth tilt in 6 months. The first one got fried by an ebay charger (I think) my daughter threw the next one and messed up the display (can't believe they haven't charged me for that one... yet) The third did't sync with my PC like one of yours and the forth one's been great. All of the replacments have been refirbs but have looked as good as new with the one being bad out of the box.
I agree with bengalih just get another one if it's bad you'll know right away if not it should be perfectly fine.

mtbjoe said:
I'm on my fourth tilt in 6 months. The first one got fried by an ebay charger (I think) my daughter threw the next one and messed up the display (can't believe they haven't charged me for that one... yet) The third did't sync with my PC like one of yours and the forth one's been great. All of the replacments have been refirbs but have looked as good as new with the one being bad out of the box.
I agree with bengalih just get another one if it's bad you'll know right away if not it should be perfectly fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well now we know why AT&T sometimes has such a sweet deal on refurb tilts LOL

Ok you said the second phone couldnt sync to pc. If you search through this forum I guarantee there is a fix for that.

Switch providers and tell them that you are making the switch because of the level of service (with details) that you have to date.

deathpulse said:
Switch providers and tell them that you are making the switch because of the level of service (with details) that you have to date.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Wow Sorry I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing at the insinuation that they would actually care. The sad fact is T-Mobile Is worse in service availability. And Sprint? I wouldn't wish that on my enemy.
Here is a link: http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=4607

No BS this will work !!
I got a brand new custom built HP laptop ( to replace my custom built 2yr old laptop w/ 3yr accidental damage protection) because I followed the same advice I am going to give you. Similar situation with my laptop...sent it back twice, never fixed it right, 14 phone calls, over 450 minutes with customer support and such..won't bore ya with the details
Here's what I did...
Got all my phone records to them together
Had all the invoices etc together
Called and told them I had been "advised" that I had to give them one more chance to make it "right" ! Implying I had legal advise....Then I told them I was going to take them to small claims court..Period !
YES I was going to take them to court cause statistically they always settle!
If not I had my records and was in the right !!! Like you seem to be
Be stern, firm and assertive, not angry or yelling. I basically told them what will happen if they did not make it right...they folded like a cheap lawn chair and I got a brand new custom built $2000 laptop plus a full 3yr accidental damage warranty!
I still get a rush thinking about it !!!

I understand what you mean, but I am completely unprepared to take them to court over such a minor issue. Im going to expend all of my other options first, I still have to go back to the store and argue there that it is there fault because they did not support there 30-day return policy in the first place. The man let me walk out of the store with a broken phone. I should have handeled it then but I didnt realize I would be dialing in and getting more refurbs.
Also, my third refurb arrived today, the device functions completely as intended. The problem now is that the keyboard on this new device does not seem very responsive, or at least, not nearly as responsive as the keyboard on my first device (which I still have). I am upset with this as my other Tilt is in premium condition, not a single scratch. I think I am going to return this one as well.

not good
hey I work for the company and
1. they kinda HAVE to exchange your phone in store if you got it over the phone, over att.com or at a corporate store. if you are within 30 days the rep should do the exchange, the rep u got was an A*&*LE. some act like the store stock and shipping cost come from their pocket.
2. if you get an idiot customer svc rep just hangup and call back , sometime u have to bend the truth. say u have a phone that drops calls ( they are afraid of this) and u tried ur friend's SIM card and still does not work correctly.
3. sorry you did not come to my store.(NY)
4. almost impossible to get a new phone through warranty or insurance.
5. if ya'll have any Q's bout stuff PM me.
out...

This is exactly why sometimes the "best deal" is not a good deal...
I only buy my phones from the bigger retailers, Best Buy & the company directly....
Mom & Pop shops, and online retailers:
- Cheaper up front, can usually get you the best deal if you read the fine print and agree
- Usually require a 2nd contract stating you will not change you plan (or features) within 6 months to 1 year or they charge you a penalty (usually $200 for removing OR changing the kind of data service from a phone like the tilt-- ex.: change from Unlimited data $30/month to Unlimited data & Text for $50/month, you broke the contract, they will charge you $200)
- Do not have to accept returns. Returns are done by companies as a 'favor' -- they are not required by US law (for most stores/products, some exceptions)
Big retailers or the Service Provider directly:
- Always have a return policy
- Almost never require a 2nd contract agreeing to keep features
- Usually $25 more for basic phones, up to $100 more for smartphones (they do not require Data, which most M&P/Internet sites give you $75-$100 off for getting and keeping for 6 months)
Other nice advantage of Big Retailers: If customer service at one place gives you no help and you're within reason to return it... go a few miles to another location and try again.... (again, if you're trying to return something 45 days later, you'll probably get no help where ever you go)

This wasnt a 'Mom and Pop' Shop, it was an official retailer. I was going to get the phone at a smaller AT&T but they said I would have to go to an official store that carried there high-end products. When I bought the phone the person I bought it from, I believe I have his buisiness card, but I will check later, allowed me to open the box in the store. He then told me if I wasn't satisfied I had 30 days for a return or replacement. I came back, 29 days later and they said that I had to call there warranty department because the device was not broken, and there fore he could not replace it. Essentially, they lied to me.

If it's not an AT&T corporate store, it's a Mom & Pop shop...
If they say "Authorized Retailer" they are not directly AT&T, they are reselling AT&T services and do not have to follow AT&T Corporate return policies...
Most of these locations are owned by individuals, or groups of individuals, as a business venture...
Keep in mind, anywhere from 50 to 85% of Wireless stores are NOT corporately owned by their service provider, and all of them (except T-Mobile) are allowed to put giant signs on the front of the building saying "AT&T" "Verizon" or "Sprint"... Sprint requires "Authorized Dealer" added to the logo, T-Mobile requires you to name your store something, and if you use T-Mobile logo it can be no more then 25% of the total sign space. AT&T I don't know the exact policy on their signage, but should require "Authorized Reseller" in the sign...
Of course, people can ignore these requirements, One of my old bosses did.. Hence why he's an old boss..

Quick Tip:
If they don't offer the IPhone they are not corporately owned...
At least in the DC metro area, every corporately owned AT&T store has a live active IPhone on display for customers to try

fizzie said:
I got a brand new custom built HP laptop ( to replace my custom built 2yr old laptop w/ 3yr accidental damage protection) because I followed the same advice I am going to give you. Similar situation with my laptop...sent it back twice, never fixed it right, 14 phone calls, over 450 minutes with customer support and such..won't bore ya with the details
Here's what I did...
Got all my phone records to them together
Had all the invoices etc together
Called and told them I had been "advised" that I had to give them one more chance to make it "right" ! Implying I had legal advise....Then I told them I was going to take them to small claims court..Period !
YES I was going to take them to court cause statistically they always settle!
If not I had my records and was in the right !!! Like you seem to be
Be stern, firm and assertive, not angry or yelling. I basically told them what will happen if they did not make it right...they folded like a cheap lawn chair and I got a brand new custom built $2000 laptop plus a full 3yr accidental damage warranty!
I still get a rush thinking about it !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I worked for Acer Computers and they *****ed out with customers every single time something like this happened. This is sound advise

Should I exchange my Tilt?

My brand new Tilt would not turn back on today when I tried turning the screen back on using the red power buuton like I have done many times befoe. The people at the ATT store reinserted the batery, which got it working again. My last phone had this problem too, which just got worse in time.
Being I'm in the first 30 days, should I swap this out for another Tilt in case this one is defective?

I would, since you are within 30 days. After that you're gonna get refurbs, and they all suck.

Thanks. I will exchange it. I visited with the ATT store manager who assured me I can make the exchange, but she was so rude and insultive about it, which was totally uncalled for, I considered leaving ATT altogether.
I guess maybe I should know better than look to them for help. They're good at selling but not so hot with service, I find. This board, OTH, is fantastic and I'm very appreciative of all the help.

Can I vent here about AT&T's "refurbished" Tilts?!

90 day warranty and 110 days after I buy it the keyboard starts to have letters that aren't working the first time I press them.
I know I have to replace it (myself), but I'm pissed off at AT&T for selling me a lemon!!!!

First of all a "lemon" is "[SIZE=-1]A vehicle, usually new, that has a large number of defects."
The Tilt is not a Vehicle. Nor can it be considered "new" is its refurbished. Also, one defect after warranty does not mean its a lemon.
And when you buy a refurbed anything, you assume the risk that it will break faster then a new. Hence why its so much cheaper.
Is it frustrating? Yes, it is no fun in the end. But such is that risk of Refurbed Items.
[/SIZE]

Ok, so not technically a lemon.
But I thought the real tradeoff in a refurb was taking something that had previously had a problem and was therefore scrutinized again and thus less likely to have another problem immediately?

You take a gamble when you buy a refurb. Chances are fairly good you'll get something that was returned because it was "too much", too expensive, confusing for the user or something along those lines where the unit itself is fine. But you're rolling the dice by paying considerably less than full price and you may well end up with something that has a serious problem. The manufacturer generally turns it on and makes sure it looks ok but nothing more. They're not going to test the wifi, the keyboard, camera, etc, before stuffing it back in a box with all the rest of the crap that the phone ships with and sends it out the door. And when you consider that HTC doesn't care all that much about their brand new stuff, you're really rolling the dice with an HTC refurb.

If the keys work the second time you press them, a new keyboard may not 'fix' anything.
Searching the forum for keyboard issues will yield a lot of results. I know I've read quite a few threads about keyboard lag and missing letters while typing. Most seem to center on T9 and other auto-complete or auto-correct settings. You may find that you don't need a new keyboard after all - some software tweaks may solve your problem.
I bought a refurb Tilt, knowing it was a gamble. Thankfully, I haven't had any problems yet...

I got two junk Tilt's from AT&T before I got a good one. If the third one had also been garbage I would have probably been in serious trouble for what I would have done to one of their stores.
What really annoyed me MOST about it was when I got the second defective one I told them "LOOK, I've 'owned' this phone for 3 weeks and have yet to use it because you keep sending me CRAP!" and they said "Okay, look, tell us where you live and we'll get you to the nearest corporate store and swap it out tonight."
Of course I arrive at the store and they won't touch refurbs. At all. No question.
I got back on the phone in the parking lot and yelled at a few supervisors until they overnighted my new Tilt and took another $50 off of the $50 that it had apparently dropped in the last week, down to a total of $100 for it. Luckily the third one has been fine.
First two had serious keyboard problems.. One the keyboard had a big 'bump' in it and the keys around the right softkey would not work and the softkey was pressed by the screen all the time. The other one the screen freaked out whenever I opened it.

Okay, I reverted to an older rom and it is definitely a keyboard issue. It only affects the b, v, and space bar.
The question is whether I just need the replacement keyboard for $29 or much more...and can a noob replace it without totally effing it up.

Honestly I can say that I have a refurb, had it for about 6 months now, and haven't had problem one with it. Could have just been a fluke thing perhaps?

[Q] How much is a Nexus One worth (in the UK)?

I've got my Nexus One, in pretty much fantastic condition. Zagg cover since day one and no major issues.
It does have the common bug where screen becomes unresponsive when you connect a charger to it but I was told that there's no fix for that.
It's got a few extras: screen protector, cover, UK adapter, cleaning cloth
Bought in April, then 3 weeks later I got the Desire so this has been sat around doing nothing much.
I'm looking to get rid of it now, but have no idea what it's worth. I don't plan on selling it on here but just want to know if someone can give me an idea of how much I can expect for it!
Thanks in advance

well my N1 never had that common bug. I checked again after your post and nothing as you described.
For excellent condition and unlocked, I would say on average in the range of £240-270. For brand new, £290-320. If the bug is very noticeable prob in the range of £180-220 ( few noticeable dents and marks). £250 is the sweet spot for most N1 in good condition. Try Hotdeals Uk.

Thanks, I was certain that I'd read something like that on Modaco, maybe it was something else then.
If it is faulty hardware then I should be able to get it fixed as it's still in warranty. If not I'll list for the cheaper price you said.
I guess the first step is to start using the phone again for a couple of days and see if that issue's still there
Thanks for the help, at least I've got an idea of how much to expect for it

Well I (6 weeks or so ago) sold a brand new, in box, Nexus one on eBay to a chap in Ireland for £325.
Also, might be worth considering unlocking the boot-loader and flashing a popular Rom and adding that in to the selling notes. The normal people love words like "Unlocked" and so on. I bet you could reach the same kind of price if you sell it well (even if it is used).

Dude, YOU CANT SELL nexus one. Because its best phone. I dont thing you want to just quit mobiloty or you want to?

[Q] Advice on the Captivate....refurbished ?

Thinking of buying a "refurbished" at&t captivate. does anybody have any advice to if the device is worth buying if it is refurbished, if any of you guys have bought it that way..and also is it really worth it in att network or should I be warned and wait till MARCHH! to switch over to another carrier ?
currently have a iphone 3g but i really want to switch over to android

Mine is a insurance replacement so it is refurbed, have had other refurbed phones and haven't had any problemss out of either. I love the phone itself. Go to any sub forum and you can tell the phone has gps issues, some worse then others. This is my 3rd (first couldn't go into recovery, and second was lost), and gps is worse then all the previous ones. Even with the problems, I still wouldn't give this phone up. Probably because I love the hardware and its my first android device and apple wasn't a choice for me. As for the network I hadn't any problems with att since 2004. I'm sure that depends on you location tho.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

Two weeks ago I bought the HTC Aria with rebate for $29. Then another employee wrote saying they wanted to upgrade their phone, and wanted the Captivate. I looked online and saw that it was $299. A few days go by and he agrees to the price, and when I go to order it, lo and behold ATT has refurb for $50 each! I bought two, one for him and one for me . I like the aria and it is now my backup, but I love the Captivate and for $50, it's hard to go wrong.
tl;dr, buy it.

Did the refurb unit have any signs of use or scratches or anything? I might get one soon too.

Go for it..it's a great phone. Just make sure you can check it out in person first,or can return it if broken.
Mac

I got a refurb.
And it's perfect. Looks brand new. And no problems

I have a refurb......... no major issues. One thing to look for though.......... I got my first one 4 days ago, worked fine, but after being on for a little bit the battery went completely dead after being on standby for 30 min. yeah, something was wrong with the battery, on top of that it would randomly exit me out of screens.
turned out they sent me one that had NOT been fixed yet, their boo boo. They sent me out a new one and I got it today. This one looked brand new, all the stickers from samsung still on it and everything. Let it charge and turned it on....... no more issues.
It lags a little and the battery life REALLY sux, but those are issues with brand new ones also. I turned on my task killer and put the security level to low so that I could kill everything but non essential apps. Now the battery life seems MUCH better. It seems like this phone takes a long time to charge as well though. I think i wll just allow the battery to fully drain then plug it in, see if that will work, maber get rid of any potential battery memory.

Thanks for the help, appreciate it....I ordered it already and should get it in 2-5 business days so i will post back on my thoughts!
cant wait to start using the android OS!!!!

I am on a refurb now. I love this thing. No [hardware] issues at all.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

i have a refubished phone and its better than the new one I had

I got a new Samsung Captivate and it keeps rebooting on me at random and the keys (especially back key) are really bad. They dont recognzie my touch half the time unless I press really hard on them.
My question is....if I get a replacment how will I be able to tell if its a refurb or not?
Are the refubs typically better since they have had more extensive testing?

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

with anything there are defect but these phones are built like a rock and if you think about it, if there is a x probability that a device has a defect the probability that it has 2 is x^2(in theory, obviously the nature of the defect factors in) so if the phone had a defect that was fixed there is a pretty slim chance that it will be defective after it is repaired.
i wouldn't worry about a refurbished phone, there may be cosmetic damage ect. but i would recommend this phone to anyone on build quality alone. wear and tear related problems should be minimal. id say go for it.

I had 3 refurb fuzes and 2 razr9s. Only real problem you have to worry about is physical defects. Hinges mostly. If there is a software or hardware problem you can send it back.
Edit: you can also get insurance on an unused refurb through at&t
From a phone on an app

Any one who has replaced a phone using insurance or warranty thru ATT is most likely using a refurbed phone. I have replaced every phone i have ever had in 10 years with ATT due to my being really hard on phones at work and all the replacements have been refurbed. I personally have never had an issue with a refurb, they all lokked and performe like new. I actually just got my cappy a few weeks ago and ordered the refurb cause i knew i would end up with one anyway.( and got lucky in doing so and got a batch 1007 phone so my 3button download mode doesnt get wiped.)
Works Perfecly and only set me back $50

I messed up my first captivate. Was able to return it through warranty and got a refurbished unit. I have been using it for 3 months with no issues. Of coarse there is no guarantee
Captivate
Cog 2.2