Demo Device - thanks O2!!!

[Anonymous]

 
I urgently need some assistance in relation to having received a demo BlackBerry Q10 handset from an O2 store in Hove last November, which has always been faulty for the simple reason that it isn't a proper handset. Until very recently I was unaware that the device given to me was a demo!

I have been going around in circles since November with no viable solution from any so-called experts, and I have found that certain senior members of staff connected with the Hove store – namely an area manager called Ash and someone who initially appeared efficient called Omar – have been extremely unhelpful and blanked me.

My handset, which the BlackBerry technical team have informed me is built for demo purposes and therefore will develop faults, has been sent away for repair a number of times and the strange problem that no one can resolve is down to fact that it is a demo device.

The BlackBerry technical team have informed me to “demand” that the network that gave me the demo handset replace it. However, this is where the O2 store in Hove has been stalling for time and been deliberately unco-operative. I have never experienced such poor customer service overall when it is clearly a human error by Omar in November 2011 to have given me a demo handset that will never function properly.

I have been informed by BlackBerry that however many factory resets and repairs take place that this demo device will never function as it is meant to.

This bad experience with O2 has been shocking, and the fact that the O2 store in Hove, Omar and the area manager Ash are not prepared to do anything despite the fact that they gave me a demo handset is extremely disappointing.

I simply need a reliable and unlocked high-end device that can deal with around a hundred emails a day, with BlackBerry seemingly the perfect handset for that. However, I don't specifically need another Q10 BlackBerry to replace this demo device, and need to resolve this dilemma asap.

Any advice as to what can be resolved as being given a non-functioning demo device by O2 after four or five repairs, and then for the various O2 staff to then be so unhelpful despite their initial human error is not good enough.

[Anonymous]

By emailing Ronan Dunne your complaint will be elevated to the Executive Complaints Team. They are above the Complaints Review Service and it is as high as you can go within o2.

However you MUST have gone through CRS first (which in this case I believe the OP has done but putting it here for others who may read it).

Executive Complaints Team tend to respond quickly and in my experience fairly.

Please let us know how you get on.

[Anonymous]

Although emailed Ronan Dunne and spoken to Area Manager, plus received note from @Toby that something will be resolved it has gone very quiet ... lovely demo device fails to function properly and still no working handset since November thanks to being given the BB Q10 handset! Grrrrr ...

[Anonymous]

We really feel your frustration on this ,and it's reasonable to expect a speedy outcome.

Hang in there.

[jonsie]

Until we have been in this rather unique situation we can only imagine rather than feel the frustration. It a matter of keep pushing and although very time consuming I would be calling every day until it was sorted out to my satisfaction. Sent you a PM.

[Anonymous]

Well ...

Finally getting somewhere.

Received a phone call from the Area Manager to say that a replacement O2 device had been ordered and would be available on Saturday to exchange for the demo model ... but that they wouldn't be able to unlock it!

I did explain that if i pay to get an unlatching code from somewhere that means the handset warranty becomes void. So left him with that nugget of information, which I'm surprised in his position he wasn't aware of!

I'm no longer an O2 customer, so unlocking the handset is vital.

Been informed that "out of goodwill" they will try to find me a case for the device... i'm not expecting that to actually happen.

Ronan Dunne's colleague got in touch with me just before close of business on Friday afternoon to state that the shop provided the demo so they should be the ones to replace the device. And basically because the handset didn't appear on the O2 system then customer complaints couldn't help and neither could anyone at O2. Although this colleague from Customer Relations did contact the O2 franchise store in Hove to ensure something was being sorted.

The nightmare is almost over thankfully. Due to collect the Q10 BlackBerry replacement on Saturday, but only after the O2 Guru has fully tested it, and then the next stage is trying to get O2 to provide an unlatching code - which is like pulling teeth because the O2 customer services will simply state (as they have previously done so) "That IMEI and your number don't add up so there's nothing we can do about it until you have used your O2 sim in the handset for 12 months"...

Almost there and because of this terrible experience I personally can never, ever put my faith in an O2 franchise store again - not even for a phone case (and I'm not holding my breath for a free case tomorrow "out of goodwill")!

[jonsie]

Well, some progress thankfully.

As you are no longer an O2 customer and think you may have problems getting it unlocked, my choice would be to sell the phone and put the money towards a new phone of your choice. Sim free of course.

Hopefully you are nearly at a satisfactory conclusion.

[Anonymous]

Hi @Anonymous


Thank heavens for that.

Regarding unlocking.

There is nothing to stop you 'lending' your phone to a family member etc who are on an O2 contract and they insert their O2 SIM card ,and they use the phone to make calls which latches the imei to their account ,and they request the unlock solution via the unlock form.