Telkom *****ing from me
On the 29th of August 2019,I bought an iPhone 8 64GB on contract from Telkom,on arrival the phone was functional until I used it for not more than an hour then the phone freezes completely then shows a blank screen(video attached).
On the 30th of August I then took the phone back to Telkom(Lakeside Benoni Store),I was told they can’t replace the device because Apple products don’t have an Out Of Box failure,so they need to book the device in for repairs. Two weeks went by then I got an sms to say the phone is back from repairs.Collected the phone from the store and after using the phone for a while,it still had the same problem.The next day I then took the phone back to the store and they said they have to book it in again.
Weeks & Months went by and I never heard from Telkom again,I visited the store several time but they couldn’t tell me what’s happening with the device and no way forward,that when I contacted ICASA around Feb/Mar 2020 and I still couldn’t get help.
After complaining,visiting the store,logging in cases through Telkom,I got the device back in late January 2021,only to find it still has the same problem.I took it back to the store and they booked it in again for repairs.On the 12th of Feb I was told the phone is back from repairs and collected the phone.The device still had the same problem,now the phone coming back with new problems.Proximity Sensor not working anymore,Right side of QWERTY Keyboard wasn’t functioning fully and also had some glue peeling off off on the side of the screen which tells me the phone was disassembled so I took it back to the store the next day.I was told I should come back Monday to speak to Natasha,the Manager of the store.
I went to the store on Monday and Natasha referred me to her “trustee” by the name of Patrick.He assured me that the matter will be resolved in a professional way.Told me about Telkom’s procedure that if a phone was booked in 3 times for the same problem,they must give me a replacement yet there’s already 4 job cards on the phone with the same software issue.He then said he’ll have a meeting the next day with Natasha and other people who should be involved in this case and will give me a call the next day with the outcome of the meeting.Surely he did call me the next day and told me to bring the device in to the store.
I then went to the store and I told them,I don’t want this device anymore coz I’ve been paying for the phone for 18 months yet I’ve never even used it.The store booked in the device,the agent even said she’s scared to deal with me because of “my case” which is what every other agents and managers(Natasha,Brian,Belville) from Telkom that I’ve been dealing with have been doing,running away from their responsibilities as representatives of Telkom Mobile.
I got an SMS today(23rd of February 2021) to say the phone is back from repairs.After 5 job cards on the same device with the same problem for over 18 months,Telkom still give me the same device back with scratches and new problems.I went in store and they told me that there’s a problem with my charger,that’s why the device has this problem.I refused to take the device in the hopes that ICASA can help me with this case. It’s been 18 months of uninterrupted payments to Telkom for a device that I’ve never used a single day in my life.The device’s warranty has even expired while in Telkom’s possession.They still insist on giving me the same device with new problem and scratches and after 18 months I’m told my charger has a problem which I don’t even get a chance to put the phone on charge coz it freezes.