Well, I finally am getting a brand new iPhone 3G direct from the factory in Shenzhen, CN. How did I get here?
Well, lets just say, it was a long road to travel, and a very hefty phone bill, at that. Here we go:
I bought the phone 8GB Model on about September 14th and I got it through AT&T. BIG MISTAKE (In my case). Anyways, I loved the thing, got it activated, and went home as happy as could be. About a week passes and I notce a SKIN FLAKE under the glass, between the screen and the glass istelf. I was flabergasted. After investigation, I also found there was also a dead pixel and 3 other large dust particles between the screen and the glass. So, I brought it to the Apple Store 2 days later.
At the Apple Store, I exchange it (small world, the genius was the big brother of a senior at my school). So he replaced it and then it had the same problem but worse, so they exchanged it again for another refurbished phone (An AppleCare Rep. on the phone who was really nice, told me how to read the serial numbers to tell if it is refurb. 5K in the beginning of the serial number means its been owned and refurbished.)
So, two days later, the same exact problem occured! Plus this one the plastic back was messed up and the screen had a bit of light leak on the left. Also, with the dust being so small, it was a little harder to see. As well, the glass was popped up near the location of the camera a little, and the speaker screen was all cock-eyed like someone put it back in wrong. So I brought it back again.
This time, the "genius" I waited 30 minutes for, didn't see a thing. He said he couldn't do anything. I said I was going to cancel my service then if we didn't get a new phone because this is the third one I am on and the same problem, and then he was like "I don't care if you cancel your service. it doesn't bother me." I responded in a sense of, "Woah mister. Did you just say you didn't care about a customer?" (In my mind). So I said I wanted to see his manager, and he obliged. The manager was a little mean at first,a dn i showed him my phone. He sort of nodded he head in acknowledgment of the dust, and he said they could replace it with a service phone only. As well, he explained I can't get a new one out of box because I didn't buy it at the Apple Store. If I had, they could have refunded the money for the phone, and then I could have "rebought" another one.
So, I open it up and same thing yet again. This time a bit bigger, but only when the screen was on. A lot of light leak was also present between the silver bezel and the screen, and same problem with the speaker screen. I said it was good, and went home to immediately call Apple.
I attempted to go to the guy I had originally called to get an advance exchange earlier that week, but I instead opted to go for regular. So I called back and set up a repair. Then last Sunday (Sept. 28), I called and asked a different guy if he could get me a new one and exaplained my story. He put me on hold, and two minutes later he said it was being "elevated to the parts department." Once I was transfered, i actually shouted, "YES!!!! FINALLY SOMEONE HIGHER THAN NORMAL APPLECARE!!!" (Even though I don't have an AppleCare Protection Plan). So I get a really nice young guy, really funny and really understood me, and felt very bad for the fact that I had to go through 4 phones before I got someone to help me correctly. He told me he would research it and call me back. He gave me his direct number and extension, and I gave him mine.
20 minutes later I get the call. He said either: 1) I could get a customer replacement, a longer process, that would invlolve me signing some legal documents, faxing them, and then waiting for them to be processed and then confirm my info and a new one would be sent. Or, 2) I could get an advance exchange, but this would require me to put $399.99 on my debit card on hold, and also it wouldn't have the accessories (full box). So, I obvviously opted for the "Customer Replacement," for my piece of mind in knowing I am getting a good phone.
So, long story short, they emailed me back, my mom faxed the documents and the phone was being prepared on the 1st. Then, it was prepared for shipment the morning of Oct 2nd. Then, today I come to realize it shipped last evening, rather than the night before, when it was ready much earlier than Apple's normal shipping time from their factory in China. That ramp worker must have been really bad. Anyways, as I type this it is currently making its way through the UPS Sort Ramp in Anchorage, AK. Just like my iPod Touch did just about a year ago! Now my iPhone can see the journey its little cousin took
!
I also looked up what plane was flying from Hong Kong to AK through a great website (you can use this for EVERYTHING.) And my iPhone is on a 747 (I LOVE 747s, and I cant beleive my iPHONE HAS BEEN ON ONE AND ME, Mr. AVIATION BUFF< HASNT!)
None the less, the phone will leave there in about an hour, and then it will make its way to Louisville, KY, and then to Henrietta, NY (Where I know a district manager, with whom I will be speaking to because I can't sign for it on Monday). Yes, I said Monday.
If Apple hadn't processed it like idiots I would have gotten it today, but, oh well. I will include the links to the flights and the tracking info, just so you can see the progression.
NOTE: This is not in any way to put a hate mail on Apple. I actually kind of like the company and its products, some more than others. This goes for their practices too, but I am not trying to negatively affect Apple. This was to explain my story and get your reactions for what you would have done.
Here are the links:
UPS Flight from Hong Kong to Anchorage, Alaska: UPS63
UPS Flight(s) from Anchorage, Alaska to Louisville, KY (UPS HQ): UPS61 UPS81
UPS103
Tracking Information: iShip (Most Up-To-The-Minute)
So, please post your comments below! Include your thoughts, reactions, views on Apple if you wish, suggestions to both future problems or how I could have handled the situation, and also on how you like the iPhone 3G.
Thanks for reading!
See you next time,
TechDude15 (John A.)
Well, lets just say, it was a long road to travel, and a very hefty phone bill, at that. Here we go:
I bought the phone 8GB Model on about September 14th and I got it through AT&T. BIG MISTAKE (In my case). Anyways, I loved the thing, got it activated, and went home as happy as could be. About a week passes and I notce a SKIN FLAKE under the glass, between the screen and the glass istelf. I was flabergasted. After investigation, I also found there was also a dead pixel and 3 other large dust particles between the screen and the glass. So, I brought it to the Apple Store 2 days later.
At the Apple Store, I exchange it (small world, the genius was the big brother of a senior at my school). So he replaced it and then it had the same problem but worse, so they exchanged it again for another refurbished phone (An AppleCare Rep. on the phone who was really nice, told me how to read the serial numbers to tell if it is refurb. 5K in the beginning of the serial number means its been owned and refurbished.)
So, two days later, the same exact problem occured! Plus this one the plastic back was messed up and the screen had a bit of light leak on the left. Also, with the dust being so small, it was a little harder to see. As well, the glass was popped up near the location of the camera a little, and the speaker screen was all cock-eyed like someone put it back in wrong. So I brought it back again.
This time, the "genius" I waited 30 minutes for, didn't see a thing. He said he couldn't do anything. I said I was going to cancel my service then if we didn't get a new phone because this is the third one I am on and the same problem, and then he was like "I don't care if you cancel your service. it doesn't bother me." I responded in a sense of, "Woah mister. Did you just say you didn't care about a customer?" (In my mind). So I said I wanted to see his manager, and he obliged. The manager was a little mean at first,a dn i showed him my phone. He sort of nodded he head in acknowledgment of the dust, and he said they could replace it with a service phone only. As well, he explained I can't get a new one out of box because I didn't buy it at the Apple Store. If I had, they could have refunded the money for the phone, and then I could have "rebought" another one.
So, I open it up and same thing yet again. This time a bit bigger, but only when the screen was on. A lot of light leak was also present between the silver bezel and the screen, and same problem with the speaker screen. I said it was good, and went home to immediately call Apple.
I attempted to go to the guy I had originally called to get an advance exchange earlier that week, but I instead opted to go for regular. So I called back and set up a repair. Then last Sunday (Sept. 28), I called and asked a different guy if he could get me a new one and exaplained my story. He put me on hold, and two minutes later he said it was being "elevated to the parts department." Once I was transfered, i actually shouted, "YES!!!! FINALLY SOMEONE HIGHER THAN NORMAL APPLECARE!!!" (Even though I don't have an AppleCare Protection Plan). So I get a really nice young guy, really funny and really understood me, and felt very bad for the fact that I had to go through 4 phones before I got someone to help me correctly. He told me he would research it and call me back. He gave me his direct number and extension, and I gave him mine.
20 minutes later I get the call. He said either: 1) I could get a customer replacement, a longer process, that would invlolve me signing some legal documents, faxing them, and then waiting for them to be processed and then confirm my info and a new one would be sent. Or, 2) I could get an advance exchange, but this would require me to put $399.99 on my debit card on hold, and also it wouldn't have the accessories (full box). So, I obvviously opted for the "Customer Replacement," for my piece of mind in knowing I am getting a good phone.
So, long story short, they emailed me back, my mom faxed the documents and the phone was being prepared on the 1st. Then, it was prepared for shipment the morning of Oct 2nd. Then, today I come to realize it shipped last evening, rather than the night before, when it was ready much earlier than Apple's normal shipping time from their factory in China. That ramp worker must have been really bad. Anyways, as I type this it is currently making its way through the UPS Sort Ramp in Anchorage, AK. Just like my iPod Touch did just about a year ago! Now my iPhone can see the journey its little cousin took
!I also looked up what plane was flying from Hong Kong to AK through a great website (you can use this for EVERYTHING.) And my iPhone is on a 747 (I LOVE 747s, and I cant beleive my iPHONE HAS BEEN ON ONE AND ME, Mr. AVIATION BUFF< HASNT!)
None the less, the phone will leave there in about an hour, and then it will make its way to Louisville, KY, and then to Henrietta, NY (Where I know a district manager, with whom I will be speaking to because I can't sign for it on Monday). Yes, I said Monday.
If Apple hadn't processed it like idiots I would have gotten it today, but, oh well. I will include the links to the flights and the tracking info, just so you can see the progression.
NOTE: This is not in any way to put a hate mail on Apple. I actually kind of like the company and its products, some more than others. This goes for their practices too, but I am not trying to negatively affect Apple. This was to explain my story and get your reactions for what you would have done.
Here are the links:
UPS Flight from Hong Kong to Anchorage, Alaska: UPS63
UPS Flight(s) from Anchorage, Alaska to Louisville, KY (UPS HQ): UPS61 UPS81
UPS103
Tracking Information: iShip (Most Up-To-The-Minute)
So, please post your comments below! Include your thoughts, reactions, views on Apple if you wish, suggestions to both future problems or how I could have handled the situation, and also on how you like the iPhone 3G.
Thanks for reading!
See you next time,
TechDude15 (John A.)
