iPhone nightmare in Vienna, Austria
_*Short Story:*_
I have an iPhone 3G on the Orange network in Vienna, Austria. It doesn't work properly, dropped calls, no 3G over most of the city. In a place (cafe I go to regularly) where I can't even make calls or send SMSs I met a guy with an iPhone 3G on the Orange network who had full 3G/was playing YouTube.
Now Orange wants the phone for a whole two weeks and doesn't offer a replacement in the meantime. I have a no battery, no vibrate, no ring 8 year old backup that I can't use out and about (tethered to the wall at home for battery reasons). Why are USA customers getting instant replacements (three replacements in some cases) and this Orange company is taking my phone for two whole weeks? I need it for work and social contacts. I can't just go out and buy a third phone to cover the two weeks when I don't have one. It's obvious I have a faulty phone if I am getting "no service" where another guy is streaming YouTube. Why do I have to be without a phone for two weeks? I thought Apple restricted the resellers to protect quality, but (especially if you read the long story below) this Orange company is a complete joke.
What should I do? I am a foreigner here so I don't know if there are any legal mechanisms I can use to get some justice. I tried calling Apple but the call dropped and they didn't call back. They also didn't respond to an email. I was hoping someone at Apple USA might notice this and take some pity I suppose. I have run out of options otherwise and will have to take a hit and be without a phone for two weeks. But that's going to cause me a huge amount of inconvenience and turn me off Apple products for life. A premium product purchase from a loyal customer that isn't working should be replaced immediately with no hassles, especially considering there seem to have been many people with problems around the world.
Should I email or call Apple Austria again? It seems they care even less than Orange. I have been considering legal action, but that's just going to cost the earth and not get anywhere. I am sure there is a small claims court type thing here, but I don't speak the language well enough. Any advice from Austrians? Advice from Apple forum veterans?
Peace from Vienna.
(P.S. All updates installed, none of them did anything, asides from representing a few more reception bars to the same numerical "-91" etc. when I am at the office)
_*Longer Story:*_
I bought an iPhone here in Austria with the provider Orange (formerly ONE) and it's had terrible reception all over the north of the city, and in my apartment. I.e. no 3G and dropped calls in apartment, although I can use the slow Internet sometimes, no 3G most places outside and some dropped calls.
I called Orange and tried to get out of the contract because it's a very small city and I am close to the centre, so it's not adequate reception by any means. They said no, and told me a solution to my not getting 3G was to turn off 3G and that "this should abate the problem". They also overcharged me on my first bill and said I shouldn't have got the iPhone "because it's not the best one" (how's that for a loyal partner Apple?). I thought maybe it's the phone, but they said I would have to pay to get it looked at by an Apple technician.
I then was at a local cafe where I can't make calls or send SMSs and someone else there had an iPhone 3G with Orange and they had full 3G reception and were streaming from YouTube. So I thought it must be my handset. I go to an Orange store and they say it's not their problem I have to go to an Apple store. They direct me to a street (they didn't know the name or the number of this place). I get there and after walking around for ages I find it and the guy said he's just an Apple computer reseller and I should go to another store in a different district for warranty. I walk all the way there, and they say "sorry, only Orange can make the warranty claim, I don't know why they keep sending people here".
So after wasting some hours on all this I ring Orange on my other dying handset from home and they say "sorry the iPhone expert isn't here, call us back in 30 minutes". I say "no, can you please call me back instead when he gets there". They say "ok" and take my number to call back. The guy doesn't call back. So I call them and finally get directed by another representative to an Orange store where they will take the phone to have a look at it. But after walking all the way to this new store they say it's going to take *two weeks* for it to be processed.
I.e. I've had nothing but terrible service, and have had to keep my 8 year old phone going (it doesn't ring or vibrate, you just have to notice the lights when someone calls, and it has no battery now) to be able to make and receive calls from my apartment. Furthermore, I now have to give up the partially working iPhone (I really need the email and to be contactable at my office) for two weeks. All this when I am hearing about USA customers getting theirs swapped instantly up to three times.
This is unacceptable, if it has to go into repair then I should get a replacement shouldn't I? Why did Apple pick this partner in Austria?
I have an iPhone 3G on the Orange network in Vienna, Austria. It doesn't work properly, dropped calls, no 3G over most of the city. In a place (cafe I go to regularly) where I can't even make calls or send SMSs I met a guy with an iPhone 3G on the Orange network who had full 3G/was playing YouTube.
Now Orange wants the phone for a whole two weeks and doesn't offer a replacement in the meantime. I have a no battery, no vibrate, no ring 8 year old backup that I can't use out and about (tethered to the wall at home for battery reasons). Why are USA customers getting instant replacements (three replacements in some cases) and this Orange company is taking my phone for two whole weeks? I need it for work and social contacts. I can't just go out and buy a third phone to cover the two weeks when I don't have one. It's obvious I have a faulty phone if I am getting "no service" where another guy is streaming YouTube. Why do I have to be without a phone for two weeks? I thought Apple restricted the resellers to protect quality, but (especially if you read the long story below) this Orange company is a complete joke.
What should I do? I am a foreigner here so I don't know if there are any legal mechanisms I can use to get some justice. I tried calling Apple but the call dropped and they didn't call back. They also didn't respond to an email. I was hoping someone at Apple USA might notice this and take some pity I suppose. I have run out of options otherwise and will have to take a hit and be without a phone for two weeks. But that's going to cause me a huge amount of inconvenience and turn me off Apple products for life. A premium product purchase from a loyal customer that isn't working should be replaced immediately with no hassles, especially considering there seem to have been many people with problems around the world.
Should I email or call Apple Austria again? It seems they care even less than Orange. I have been considering legal action, but that's just going to cost the earth and not get anywhere. I am sure there is a small claims court type thing here, but I don't speak the language well enough. Any advice from Austrians? Advice from Apple forum veterans?
Peace from Vienna.
(P.S. All updates installed, none of them did anything, asides from representing a few more reception bars to the same numerical "-91" etc. when I am at the office)
_*Longer Story:*_
I bought an iPhone here in Austria with the provider Orange (formerly ONE) and it's had terrible reception all over the north of the city, and in my apartment. I.e. no 3G and dropped calls in apartment, although I can use the slow Internet sometimes, no 3G most places outside and some dropped calls.
I called Orange and tried to get out of the contract because it's a very small city and I am close to the centre, so it's not adequate reception by any means. They said no, and told me a solution to my not getting 3G was to turn off 3G and that "this should abate the problem". They also overcharged me on my first bill and said I shouldn't have got the iPhone "because it's not the best one" (how's that for a loyal partner Apple?). I thought maybe it's the phone, but they said I would have to pay to get it looked at by an Apple technician.
I then was at a local cafe where I can't make calls or send SMSs and someone else there had an iPhone 3G with Orange and they had full 3G reception and were streaming from YouTube. So I thought it must be my handset. I go to an Orange store and they say it's not their problem I have to go to an Apple store. They direct me to a street (they didn't know the name or the number of this place). I get there and after walking around for ages I find it and the guy said he's just an Apple computer reseller and I should go to another store in a different district for warranty. I walk all the way there, and they say "sorry, only Orange can make the warranty claim, I don't know why they keep sending people here".
So after wasting some hours on all this I ring Orange on my other dying handset from home and they say "sorry the iPhone expert isn't here, call us back in 30 minutes". I say "no, can you please call me back instead when he gets there". They say "ok" and take my number to call back. The guy doesn't call back. So I call them and finally get directed by another representative to an Orange store where they will take the phone to have a look at it. But after walking all the way to this new store they say it's going to take *two weeks* for it to be processed.
I.e. I've had nothing but terrible service, and have had to keep my 8 year old phone going (it doesn't ring or vibrate, you just have to notice the lights when someone calls, and it has no battery now) to be able to make and receive calls from my apartment. Furthermore, I now have to give up the partially working iPhone (I really need the email and to be contactable at my office) for two weeks. All this when I am hearing about USA customers getting theirs swapped instantly up to three times.
This is unacceptable, if it has to go into repair then I should get a replacement shouldn't I? Why did Apple pick this partner in Austria?
iPhone 3G