Service of the HTC repair centre is very poor

[wamchu]

My replacement phone arrived today after 10 days, should have done within 5 days as HTC promised. Service of the HTC repair centre is very poor. All they had to do is pick the faulty handset and send me a replacement this could have been done within 2-3 days as I live only 15-20 miles from the HTC repair centre. I have called number of times to HTC and every time they keep saying is waiting to be sent out. Anyone has similar experience.

[BrandonG777]

Nexus One spare parts? - Android Help

I think this has more to do with Google and their "unlocked bootloader" detecter. ANY phone including an iPhone you could just flash back to factory settings and they would honor a hardware warranty. Not only will HTC/Google not honor the warranty which I'm perfectly fine with after rooting my phone but they their only option for repairing a rooted phone is to unroot it for approx $200.

Can anyone verify the same behavior on an EVO, Desire, Incredible?

[WERA689]

Originally Posted by BrandonG777

Nexus One spare parts? - Android Help

I think this has more to do with Google and their "unlocked bootloader" detecter. ANY phone including an iPhone you could just flash back to factory settings and they would honor a hardware warranty. Not only will HTC/Google not honor the warranty which I'm perfectly fine with after rooting my phone but they their only option for repairing a rooted phone is to unroot it for approx $200.

Can anyone verify the same behavior on an EVO, Desire, Incredible?

I'm not at all sure where you got this information from, but I have never heard anything like that before! My understanding is (and I have neither rooted OR had to return my phone for service) is that HTC will honor any hardware warranty issues on rooted phones without any issues at all. While they may return an unrooted phone after repair, I've never heard of a $200 charge to un-root a Nexus!

[BrandonG777]

Originally Posted by WERA689

I'm not at all sure where you got this information from, but I have never heard anything like that before! My understanding is (and I have neither rooted OR had to return my phone for service) is that HTC will honor any hardware warranty issues on rooted phones without any issues at all. While they may return an unrooted phone after repair, I've never heard of a $200 charge to un-root a Nexus!

I called them yesterday and was trying to be as friendly as possible as I knew I was at their mercy. The woman who I spoke with was extremely rude and acted like I was out to scam HTC or something. I will call back tomorrow and probably record my conversation this time because if I do get the same story this is almost as bad as my Sony receiver warranty issue where they started the warranty the day my receiver arrived at the rent-to-own not when I purchased it. My receiver failed one month out of warranty. Seriously, I was the biggest supporter of this phone now I'm regretting bad. If someone could get me in contact with one of these "sympathetic" HTC reps I would be really grateful.

Basically the original conversation went like this.. "I need to purchase a replacement power button for my Nexus One." "I'm sorry we don't sell replacement parts your only option is to send us the phone for repair." "Ok, how much am I looking at to get the power button replaced?" "Well the device should be under warranty in that case it would be free." "Well, what if it's not under warranty?" "Is your device unlocked?" "Yes." "Then we will have to relock the phone and reinstate the warranty." "Ok how much is that?" "$190ish" (I can't remember the exact amount) "190 something to relock the device!? Why does that cost so much?" "Well usually the motherboard has to be replaced." "Well, why would the motherboard have to be replaced?" "I don't know we don't do the repairs here and I'm not a technician." "Ok, well I really want my phone unlocked I just want my power button fixed there isn't anyway I can just pay for the power button to get fixed?" "No, sir." "Ok, can I speak to someone about why the motherboard would have to be replaced so I will know how much this is going to cost me?" "Yes, sir can I have your IMEI number?" "Well I don't have it here with me." "Well I can't transfer you without that number." "That's ok do you have the Google purchase order #?" "Uh no don't have that here either." "Ok well sir without either of those I can't transfer you." "Ok Ok give me just a minute and see what I can find." ... .... "OK here it is ..." "Thank you, one moment." ..... "HTC something something Customer Support, can I have your IMEI number please?" "Uh I just gave it to the woman I was speaking with." "Well, sir, there is no way we can transfer that information from HTC because we aren't actually an HTC company."

UGGGGH!! Ok, that's not exactly how it went, but close I did ask her to repeat herself a couple times to make sure I was understanding everything correctly. The gentlemen I spoke with at the tech support center, the non-HTC employee, was extremely helpful and friendly. Although he was apparently unaware of the unlocked bootloader "detector" because he keep just saying flash it back to your original firmware backup and they should fix it under warranty since they wouldnt be able to tell the difference.

Look, I'm not trying to do anything shady or undercover, I just want the phone fixed and I knew when I rooted the phone the warranty is void. I'm just wanting my phone fixed at a reasonable rate. If you know something I don't and can help me out I am ALL ears man.

[WERA689]

Ok, first, it seems that your first contact was just a gen-yoo-ine b**ch.

I sounds like your second contact was on the right page. I'll have to defer to others who have actually been through this process to comment on whether you really need to flash your original firmware or not.

I suspect that if you just send your phone in, they'll fix your button and return it without comment or cost. Can anyone here confirm?

[BrandonG777]

You know, the way she was talking it was just $190ish for the motherboard, that didn't include all the other charges. The basic gist of it was, get ready to get reamed because you're a dirty bastard that rooted one of our phones. I mean I went from bummed out that I was going to be out some change to screw it I'll just pay the ETF and go buy a Droid or something. But seriously in all honesty I just want to find a solution that isn't going to cost me a few hundred dollars.

[bozzy]

Wow. What did the HTC rep say that was so wrong? You rooted your phone and are upset that they will not do warranty repairs on it? You should of known that before hand and I don't see how that is HTC's fault.

[WERA689]

Guys, relax. If you read what I posted earlier, you'd realize that Rooting only voids the SOFTWARE warranty. HTC has been honoring any and all hardware issues regardless of root status.

[BrandonG777]

Originally Posted by bozzy

Wow. What did the HTC rep say that was so wrong? You rooted your phone and are upset that they will not do warranty repairs on it? You should of known that before hand and I don't see how that is HTC's fault.

It's not really what she said but how she said it. It was like I was being talked to like a 2 year old that just stole a cookie. Obviously you didn't read the entire post. I am not expecting or asking them to warranty my phone since it is rooted, what I do expect is a reasonable rate to repair the phone or at least the ability to buy replacement parts. This phone is supposed to be the super phone of "openness" and now I'm treated like I've committed some capital offense. Like I said I'm good with paying to repair my phone I'm not good paying to unroot my phone.

The crazy part of all this, is that this phone was more or less marketed as a development phone that you would be able to get all that Android has to offer but no other phone on the market has a hardware device that monitors software modifications (at least that I'm aware of). Just saying if I was still on an iPhone or even a Motorola Droid my power button broke under warranty after I jailbroke the phone, I flash back to stock and get my phone fixed under warranty. I don't even think the other newer Android phones have this "feature."

[BrandonG777]

Originally Posted by WERA689

Guys, relax. If you read what I posted earlier, you'd realize that Rooting only voids the SOFTWARE warranty. HTC has been honoring any and all hardware issues regardless of root status.

If anyone can confirm this I would really like to know because when I call to setup the repair, it's "Give us your credit card number, send the phone in and we'll let you know." And so far the only estimate they've given me is at least $190. Much more and I'll just cancel the contract and order a different phone. I'm not going to spend $300 - $400 repairing a $500 phone because if that's the kind of repair bill I'm looking at to keep the Nexus One rooted, I'm just going to have to switch to an Evo, Desire, or Incredible.