Telkom cell phone repairs an absolute joke!!

<p>I received a brand new Apple iPhone 5s in September 2016. The phone worked perfectly for +- 1 month and then the problem started! Whilst using the phone like typing an sms, whatapp or using an app it would just randomly start rebooting or it would just switch off. I therefore proceed to take it to Telkom Ballito store where the phone had to be booked in for assessment / repairs. Thus I sat for 6 weeks without a phone but still being billed for the contract!! Anyway i finally received the phone back from repairs, hey it was working but to my disappointment not for long. It worked fine for a week and then the same problem started again! Duh i thought this was fixed. So back to Telkom Ballito, phone booked in again, again wait 6 weeks. Get the phone back, phone working fine for a few days then again same issues start. Back to Telkom Ballito, again booked in for repairs, wait 6 weeks, get phone back works +- 2 days . By this time i am getting really irritate with this so i purchase a cheap phone to use whilst this stupid iPhone sits and does its thing. I then take the phone back to Telkom Ballitom again phone bookked in and again wait an eternity for the phone to return, hoping that maybe by the 4th time they can get this right. Anyway I received the phone back but this time was told that the phone has been replaced with " a new phone" (funny thing though this new phone was returned in the same box as the old one and did not come in a new box) anyway the guy in the store switched the phone on to check that it was working etc. and it was but i was not convinced that all the issue was now solved. Anyway 2 days later the "new phone" started doing what the old phone did - rebooting whist in use and to top it off 2 new issues now presented itself , the touch screen worked at random times and the speaker was broken. So much for the new phone! I took it straight back to the Telkom Ballito store and had a melt down as i am no fed up with this utter useless service. They told me that it was not a new phone but rather a refurbished phone. I was not amused and insited on speaking to the manager. I spoke to Penny the assistant store manager and told her the endless problem and i told her that i do not want the phone back and that the phone should be replaced with a new phone immediately her words to me were and I quote "we are only the children here, we can't help you" well that blew me away.. I just took the phone and left! A few days later I took the phone to Telkom Gateway (Umhlanga) on Saturday 29/07/2017 and spoke to the technician there who was helpful in a way, and glad the phone did not let me down and did what it did by NOT WORK so he saw all issues and took photos he said that he would upload when he booked the phone in AGAIN. He was also suprised that seeing as the phone was still under warranty that it had not been replaced with a legit BRAND NEW PHONE. Anyway i am still waiting to see the outcome of this but i am so annoyed with all this running around. Furthermore I am paying monthly for the phone that i have not been able to use since October last year, I dont mind paying for the calls and data but I should be credited for the phone. I think the way this has been handled is disgusting to say the least. I have phoned Telkom mobile to complain but they told me to either go to the store or go onto the Telkom website and chat to an agent online to escelate my issue. Well that was not helpful at all, as we all know the stores are usesless and apparently only " the children", I went online to chat to an agent and explained well that was a waste of time as well as they told me they could not help and that it is a store issue to resolve. I explained i had already been to Telkom Ballito but had no joy, the agent told me to go to another store!! Never in my life have I seen such in dreadful customer service. Telkom are in major breach of their own terms and conditions that I had to sign when I took out the contract. My consumer rights have been violated and thrown out the window. The phone is still under warranty WHY HAVE I NOT BEEN GIVEN A NEW PHONE, I have checked Apple's warranty terms and both phones definately presented with manufature defects and should have been replaced immediately! WHY TELKOM WHY are you unable to reslove this!!!!</p> <p>Regards</p> <p>Lucinda</p>