Buying Mobile Phones Over the Net

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princesssuzie

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I would have to say that I am really peeved today and can't believe the incompetence of Virgin Mobile Phones.

I've been with Virgin with many years and never had any problems until now. On the 12th of Nov I ordered a brand new mobile phone over the internet and thought that it would be a simple process of ordering and having it delivered and working withing a short time, all without leaving my house.

Well, that was the first mistake I made. It was all too easy. The first problem was, although it arrived within 3 days it didn't work from the start. I then rang the information number which takes you straight to someone in the Philipines, unbelievable I know but that person suggested as I was visiting Sydney within a week that I take the phone with me and have them look at it. I'm sorry but I consider my time away to be precious enough without wasting it in a Virgin office in Sydney.

A couple of days later I rang someone else that was a little more helpful but said that they would send a satchel out but it would take up to 5 - 7 days to arrive. I said ok and 2 weeks have passed and no satchel. Today I rang them again and they informed me that the wrong info had gone through and the satchel had never been sent. I was totally furious and demanded to talk to the Manager. Firstly they informed me that there was no manager and that she would get in contact with me some time within the next 24 - 48 hrs. I said you've got to be f...ing joking and eventually after hanging on the phone for an eternity they found me someone - a Manager I presume.

He was very polite but they didn't help me much as I'd been stuffed around now for nearly one month. I asked how on earth does a satchel take 5 - 7 days to arrive when a phone only took 3 days to arrive. He had no answers. I did get his name and he assures me that the satchel will arrive in 5 days and that he'll ring to make sure it got here.

I will keep you informed of how it goes, I did also threaten them with Consumer Affairs which they seemed to understand what it was.

My advice would be never to buy a mobile phone over the net with Virgin.

Sorry, about the drawn out message but just needed to vent....thanks for listening.....
 

DT4eva

Gold Member
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We have a virgin phone too
brought a prepayed phone, rang virgin up got the unlocking code, yahoo its unlocked
just the other day the telstra phone went flat. so having the virgin phone swapped sim cards.
now the virgin phone is asking for an unlocking code for the telstra card to work.
guess it will be another call to the Phillipines again.

thanks for the reminder Suzie
 
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Althalus

now the virgin phone is asking for an unlocking code for the telstra card to work.
Sure it isn't just a SIM PIN number? If so, that is the SIM card's PIN, which would make it a call to Telstra :)

although it arrived within 3 days it didn't work from the start.
What was wrong with it? The phone itself was dead?

I then rang the information number which takes you straight to someone in the Philipines
These overseas callcentress are the reason some carriers are a lot cheaper than others. You do pay for what you get.

I will keep you informed of how it goes, I did also threaten them with Consumer Affairs which they seemed to understand what it was.
Good luck with it. If you cannot resolve it, I would suggest not bothering with consumer affairs. Give the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman a call.

Hope you don't need to resort to the TIO, but good luck :)
 

someguy

Silver Member
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Well expect to have to pay for that unlock code....

Which by the way isn't a Virgin thing. Most carriers sell phones that are locked to their particular network only and to unlock the phone so you can use any sim card in it requires you to put a certain amount of credit on the phone or to pay a (ridiculous) fee
 
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Althalus

Well expect to have to pay for that unlock code....

Which by the way isn't a Virgin thing. Most carriers sell phones that are locked to their particular network only and to unlock the phone so you can use any sim card in it requires you to put a certain amount of credit on the phone or to pay a (ridiculous) fee

All carriers lock their pre paid phones, but most people don't realise that they subsidise them as well... Which is why they are locked.
The carrier expects to get a return on their subsidisation with the purchase of credit.
If you aren't using that carrier's SIM card in the handset then expect to pay to get it unlocked, as that fee is basically to cover the cost of the handset, plus a slice of profit of course (since they are businesses...)
So the fee is not really ridiculous, it is simply the cost of the phone. If it was incorporated into the purchase price and sold unlocked, would people complain so much?
 
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MuchEnlightenment

slavegirlsuzie, I agree with you about the frustration of dealing with foreign call centres, it seems that everyone is using them now and it is frustrating trying to get any service out of them, I have given up on a problem that I have with my ADSL as the Indian callcentre is absolutely hopeless.
 

princesssuzie

Foundation Member
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Just a quick update but a good result in the end. I ended up sending the phone back and after 8 weeks I still hadn't heard anything. I then rang Consumer Affairs who said that it would be better if I could sort it out with the company concerned otherwise there would be court costs, etc.

I then emailed Customer Service Team and after many emails backwards and forwards telling them about the disgusting service I had received I finally got a phone sent on April 1st which up to now works. It was the same brand phone that I wanted but a different model as the original one was outdated.

Well, 5 months later I finally have a working mobile phone in my hands.

With that sort of service I'm sure that life must be rather hard for Virgin.

Suzie
 

jpcw123

Silver Member
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If you ever have problems with a mobile carrier call the telecoms ombudsman. They will give you a number to call at the carrier and you generally get very quick action, if not you call the ombudsman back he they will follow it up for you. As an added bonus the carrier gets a small penalty every time you contact the ombudsman. More often that not you can also get a credit of some sort through this process.
 
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theplatinumshadow

My brother bought one off ebay and it turned out to be a display phone that did nothing...
 

Sir Stefan

Agent Provocateur
Foundation Member
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Wow Suzie....why you been keeping this secret from me for so long???

I didn't know that one could order Virgins via the internet....

As fo me.....I couldn't give bugger whether they work of not upon arrival... and in fact would prefer that they didn't.....as I would have lots of fun and joy in teaching them myself!

And as for visiting Sydney...well I would do it on a weekly basis if I could pick up a new Virgin each time!
 

princesssuzie

Foundation Member
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Next update....managed to keep phone for 2 months and then a bit on the side broke off and now the phone is not even useable.....bloody phones...think I'll have to start the process of complaints again....prob another 5 mths before I get my money back or a new phone....hmmm....can i be bothered....not sure....will tell u when we next talk......

Suzie
 
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Minxxy

As someone who works for a utility, I cant tell you how powerful an Ombudsman is.
Any complaint escalated to the Ombudsman for that industry (i.e. Telecommunications, Finance, Energy etc) costs the company money. And all the Ombudsman does is take your complaint and send it to the company telling them to fix it with their bill - sometimes a few hundred dollars.

It is certainly an incentive some company's need to get their arse into gear and help you out...

PS The 3 Call Centre in India has always been super helpful to me. I dont care where you are - I care if they can help. Its not the Indians fault - its the useless a-holes in Australia who give them no support or authority to be able to scratch their own arse without someone else's authority.
 
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