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Faulty iPhone - should I return it to Vodafone UK or Apple?

TwiceNightly

TwiceNightly

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 20, 2008
547
478
Hi guys,

I got my iPhone 4S delivered on launch day from Vodafone and it's just developed a fault with the speaker. Basically it sounds like it's "blown" and has gone very rattly when making sounds and the sound is all distorted.

As I got it from Vodafone UK should I return it to them or go and see a genius at an Apple store for a replacement?

All the iPhones I've bought before have been directly from Apple so when I have seen them they have just changed it no problem, but I'm not sure what the deal is if I got it from Vodafone?


Thanks for any help!
 
Actually I Beg To differ

seanfranklin said:
Apple provides the warranty, so go to the genius bar. They'll fix you up.
Click to expand...

If it was purchased sim free then Apple is the place to go. You need to get Vodaphone on the case as it is their property for the duration of your contract.

Phone them, and you should have a return label that came with your phone. It's a Vodaphone issue, they will replace it for you.
 
Contrary to the above poster, it's an Apple issue not a Vodafone issue.

I believe you should go to Apple for this one, however if you are within your 7 days of buying the phone then you can return it and Vodafone will give you a new one.

If you go through Vodafone to get your phone repaired then it will be a long arduous process, hence why Apple deal with their own products which are within warranty and it'll be far quicker.
 
Macman45 said:
A big deal over this but read your paperwork...You will find that faulty equipment should be returned to Vodaphone.

I'm out of here.
Click to expand...

Wrong! I am on Vodafone and got a faulty unit (broken vibration motor). Took it to Apple store in Covent Garden and had it replaced in minutes.
 
Macman45 said:
A big deal over this but read your paperwork...You will find that faulty equipment should be returned to Vodaphone.

I'm out of here.
Click to expand...

Bingo.

Under UK (and EU) law, Vodafone has a legal responsibility to provide product support (as any retailer selling any product in the UK does)

Apple chooses to offer their own warranty, but they are under no obligation to do so. However, as they were offering a warranty at the time you purchased the device, they must honour that.

You'll probably find a better repair experience with Apple though.
 
Apple's customer service is extremely good. I would take it there every time.

How do you find 3G coverage with voda, i find them terrible. You could always send it back to them and take out a contract with someone else :)
 
Daveoc64 said:
Bingo.

Under UK (and EU) law, Vodafone has a legal responsibility to provide product support (as any retailer selling any product in the UK does)

Apple chooses to offer their own warranty, but they are under no obligation to do so. However, as they were offering a warranty at the time you purchased the device, they must honour that.

You'll probably find a better repair experience with Apple though.
Click to expand...

Apple IS under obligation to do so and they will. Well, it depends I guess. If you through your iPhone against a wall, Apple will obviously refuse to repair it. Vodafone will, but only if you have insurance with them. If the problem is Apple's fault, Apple will deal with it.

When I had mine replaced at the apple store, I was just told to tell Vodafone my new IMEI number if I have insurance with them OR any other insurance provider.
 
You can do either. If you go to voda they will merely send it to Apple and you will be iPhone-less for a week or two. If you go directly to Apple they should sort you out immediately.
 
Wow thanks for all the replies guys!


In the past I have booked a genius appointment, gone in and they have immediately swapped my iPhone so that's what I was hoping for because as you say it can be a bit of a drawn out process with Vodafone.

I called Vodafone last night to ask them too and they said they are getting a technical engineer to call me this morning between 9-11am to run through some diagnostics - not sure what they're going to ask me but I hope it's not "is the phone on silent?" :rolleyes:

I have also booked an appointment with my local Apple Store and am going to go in there on Saturday, I just wasn't sure of the technicalities behind it as I didn't actually buy the handset - Vodafone did and sold it to me?
 
Macman45 said:
If it was purchased sim free then Apple is the place to go. You need to get Vodaphone on the case as it is their property for the duration of your contract.

Phone them, and you should have a return label that came with your phone. It's a Vodaphone issue, they will replace it for you.
Click to expand...

In fact Vodafone only offer their warranty for the first 12 months of the contract , not for the lifetime of your contract.

They treat the iPhone diffrently to other phones where they do offer full contract warranty.
 
Vodafone never bothered calling me, my call was supposed to be between 9am and 11am and I'm still waiting
 
Return to Vodafone

Hi there, personally I'd send it back to Vodafone to get a brand new replacement as if you return it to apple (and they will replace it) you will end a refurbished unit with a serial number that starts with 5K and will clearly identify your iPhone as a refurbished unit. There is nothing wrong with refurbs if your swapping a 6 month old phone but if its that new......get a new one! :D:apple:
 
Vodafone never called me back in the end so I called them and after a few attempts of "systems going down" and things like that I got through:

Vodafone call:
They have offered to send me a refurbished unit when they become available which I will swap out with my faulty one. There is no stock at the moment so it is booked in for Monday, then she said I will receive a text on Monday saying that it is out of stock and what I have to do is call and get my new estimated delivery date then, but they might not be able to tell me when it will be as they don't know when stock is coming in but it will be approximately 3 weeks. This makes it a little difficult to arrange when they say "where do you want it delivered to?" as if I don't know what date it is how do I know where I'll be?

After that I called my Apple store as I'd had enough..

Apple call:
Me: I've got a faulty iPhone 4S
Apple: OK come in tomorrow and we'll take a look and if it's faulty we''ll give you a refurb 4S
Me: Even if I got it through Vodafone?
Apple: Yeah no problem, we just lock the refurb back onto the Vodafone network


I think I know which I'll be doing, Vodafone are a bloody shambles :rolleyes:
 
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