Disgusted and Dissatisfied yet again

Good day,

A few months ago on the 14th October 2017, I had taken my Sony Xperia M5 Aqua Dual into the Pavilion branch of Telkom due to the unit overheating and the battery draining at really fast rates.

The staff member who deals with technical issues assisted me and had booked the phone in for repairs. I did not know that the phone was apparantly out of warranty which seems weird to me since the phone was taken on by myself via a purchase agreement.

When the phone went in for repairs, I had thought that it would be repaired or replaced, which it was.

I had received an sms to let me know that my phone was ready for collection, so I went through to the Pavilion to collect my phone, only to get there for a consultant / technical consultant to tell me that the phones had arrived but they were not yet sorted out for me to collect and I had to come back on another day to collect, but he was aware that I was not getting my old phone back but rather a NEW one. I said ok and left the store only to return a few days later.

Upon my return to the store to collect my phone for a second time, a technical consultant, went to get my phone from the back room. When he arrived I noticed that he was holding a phone that was wrapped in the job sheet and held together by an elastic / rubber band, with no box which instantly told me it is not a new phone. Clearly the epitome of professional service…

He then proceeded to say “Hi Ma’am, you are very lucky. They had to replace your handset. The company tried everything to repair the phone and when they couldn’t, they decided to give you a refurbished handset. You are very lucky that they even gave you the refurbished handset.”

The consultant then proceeded to tell me that the phone has a new IMEI number. This confused me as the phone is still under the purchase agreement and is not yet paid in full. Secondly when I told him about how this would affect insurance and he just said nothing. Why was I not told that my original phone was replaced and that it would be replaced with a refurbished unit. Why, when going to collect the phone the first time, was I told that the phone I would be receiving was a new unit?

The very fact that he said that I was lucky that they were replacing it, even with a refurbished handset, made me feel like I had no choice other than to just shut up and take the handset they were giving me, regardless of the fact that I was paying for it and it was not a freebie.

The replacement, refurbished unit started reheating and having the battery drain fast once again from December 2017. According to the Job Details sheet, it says that the comments were that the battery was not lasting (which was true) and that the device overheats (which was also true) however it also says that the TAMP GLASS was cracked (WHICH IS NOT TRUE AT ALL). The original device handed in was in pristine condition. It arrived to telkom in a flip cover, also with a glass screenguard on and plastic on the back, which means my original phone did not even have a scratch on it let alone a crack.

Firstly I do not think it is fair to replace a phone without notifying a customer as the IMEI number of the phone is what is used to insure a phone. Secondly there was no box provided for the phone so if, at the end of the term of the purchase agreement, I wished to sell the phone as a second hand phone, I would not have been able to because the IMEI number on the box would not match the IMEI number on the new handset.

Now, the same problem that occured with the original phone that was handed in, has been occurring with the refurbished, replacement unit that was given to me.

Am I now expected to send the phone back in, only to get another refurbished, second hand unit. Amazing isn’t it, that I purchased a new phone from Telkom, and ended up with a second hand one… Really makes me wonder…

I would like to know what is to be done about this and I will not be visiting any telkom store until prior arrangements have been made as I am not going to go join the long queues only to repeat the same story that I have told you, to a consultant.

I had migrated from MTN to Telkom Mobile a few years ago and since then I have had nothing but issues and problems from having to have a 28 month contract due to have to restart a contract in its 4th month. I have had the ex-manager of the pavilion branch start contracts on my name which she never received authority from me to start. I had been incorrectly billed on so many occassions that it became almost normal, let alone the experience I have had with the purchase of this handset. Also my husband has had his business line tampered with by being billed for services such as data that was never actually given to him (in terms of the username and password) no matter how many visits to the store he made and how many times he requested it.

I am not comparing but I think these days after all of this nonsensel, I wonder why I actually chose to leave MTN. I have had handsets become irrepairable before whilst with them and when they said they would replace it, they replaced it with a new one, in the box, and kept the old one. They did not make customers dance around and settle for a refurbished phone, nor make it seem like they were doing the customer a favour. I have read the terms and conditions and I think I am now done with this entire endevour and will honestly not wish to take any such telkom mobile contract or purchase agreement.

Kindly find attached scanned documents that were given to me on booking in of the original phone, and on collection of the refurbished unit.

I look forward to a positive response and resolution, as in all honesty, I am at a point where I want a complete refund for the months paid on the purchase agreement or a replacement handset to the value of the purchase agreement. I am not willing to accept a refurbished handset or a credit this time, or I will have to take this to consumer watch.

Should you not be able to reach me, as I am not always able to answer my phone due to the nature of my employment, you may contact my brother, on ********** , whom I authorize to assist with this regard.

Thanks and Best Regards,

Adele Caren Clive District Court Prosecutor Cell: ********** Alternate Tel: ********** Email: ********** / **********