Rip-offs Big Time

<p>I bought one of the Vodacom phones on 21st December 2016 as a gift. I paid R999.00 for it. In March the phone fell on its screen and cracked but was working perfectly well because the crack did not interfere with the display on the screen. It started giving issues with the charging in May and numerous phone charges were used to charge the battery at different times and it workde until recently it did not charge anymore. But since I had the same issue with my Microsoft phone a year ago with the charging port which Vodacom had fixed and the phone is still working now, I figured that it was the same issue with the Vodacom TCT Mobile phone and sent it in for repairs stating that the phone was NOT charging but they dont have to bother with the screen since it works fine as is.</p> <p>They informed me that the guarantee was void because of the screen and I would have to pay for repairs which I understood and agreed. They explained that once the screen was replaced as well, my guarantee would be re-instated. They quoted me R540.61 and told me I had to pay upfront before they repaired the phone.</p> <p>I paid the money and was informed after several calls from myself to them that the phone was ready to be despatched. The Job card stated clearly "NOT CHARGING" as the reason that it was sent to them. When I was told by the technician that the phone was ready but they see there's a problem since the phone was on charge whole day but not charging full, I said to him but that is why I sent the phone to them to fix the charging problem then he argues with me that it was sent for the cracked screen.</p> <p>He then told me he plugged another charger into the phone and it charged very slowly but it was fully charged. I collected the phone later that day and when I got home I checked the phone and it was on 16%. </p> <p>I then contacted them and they told me to send the phone back to them. They will send it to Jhb and if it cannot be repaired, it will be replaced. I sent the phone to them in the original packaging with accesories. I the called a few days later to check up on the progress and was told there is a repair quote of R580 or something from Jhb repairs. I couldn't understand because a week ago I paid R540.61 for a screen and now they telling me I need to pay another R580 to replace the phone but it has a guarantee. If they had concentrated on the actual reason why they got the phone in the first place, they would have found that the charging port cannot be repaired and would not have paid the money which I did. That means I have to pay R1120.00 to replace a phone I paid R999.00 because of their incompetence,</p> <p>I called Cape Town hub to be told that the technician was not in and that the Store Manager had already left at 2pm. I should call back on Monday.</p> <p>I am seriously peeved because this phone issue has been going on since mid June. Why should I be paying any monies at all for something I cannot use.</p>