I’m with you (edit: in the entitlement to a solution and accountability as to what they were thinking selling this phone beyond when thus knew it would not be unable.) Let’s give them something to think about
FWIW, I, too, had considered ordering one of the /e/Samsungs last summer…but then I read the specs, which stated that VoLTE was not functional.
The impending VoLTE requirement was fairly well publicized by all the U.S. carriers starting in summer 2020, so I realized that these phones would not be a viable option. Fortunately it was super easy to install /e/ on my Sony, which is certified for VoLTE with T-mobile and does work fine. (Most phone brands don’t have that IMS incompatibility issue when it comes to custom ROMs.)
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I think i appreciate your point; it was not unknowable that this would become an issue (although i bought mine before summer)
Nonetheless, this cuts (and retreats*) both ways, i think; it’s disingenuous (to put it nicely) to sell a phone with a year warranty that doesn’t have an expected lifetime of at least one year… let alone the many years one might expect from such an expensive phone.
(*and how could /e/ know by then that the phone would not work?)
I bought the phone last spring. I don’t know if VoLTE was the thing at that time. Regardless, if /e/ were a truly ethical company, at least there should have been a big red warning at the top of the page indicating the call service would end at a certain time; at best they should have pulled the phone from the store as soon as they knew it would be an issue. In typical corporate manner they decided they have to make that dollar and not take a loss on unsold units.
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I’m in the same situation with 2 S9’s. There was, for a time, a project to implement VoLTE, but I believe it has been abandoned. We moved from ATT to TMobile for now, but I know there’s really no hope for VoLTE on the Samsung to be fixed in time so we must move to another phone.
It would be nice if /e/ could offer those of us who purchased a Samsung from the /e/ store within the last year or so a swap for a Teracube 2e.
This might be of interest:
I understand the OPs frustration, but its not really Murenas (e) fault. I don´t know how much the US networks are saving by turning off 3G, we still have 2G (as well as 3G and 5G) from 1992!!!
Just checked, 2G (and 3G) due to be turned off here 31/12/2025! I will have upgraded my S9 Plus by then.
I’m guessing your here is the UK?
No, but it does seem to be most of Europe.
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I mentioned the same thing via support email; if this were the exact same phone (pre-upgrade to 10 when i could still use twrp and other things) but with VoLTE, i’d have what i need (only by he g960f was affected if i recall, there were other S9 model numbers without the issue, but maybe those don’t work in the US?).
As it is i am under warranty, and the phone doesn’t work as a phone (and was disallowed as early as nov from calling won out issues, well before my warranty expired, despite the months it took to communicate about a return)b i expect to be made whole in the sense that the same phone working would be fine or (next best =>) enough money back to buy a comparable phone or (lastly =>) a phone they choose for me of comparable value.
Obviously comparable value is debatable given i got months and months of valuable usage, but i also expected it to be sold in good faith that it would last much more than just a year, i.e. amortisation is not near where expected.
"Selling devices that they knew or should’ve known would no longer provide core functionality before the warranty period had expired finally put them in a de facto position of having to honour more warranties than they were willing and/or able; but for their willful negligence (or a much less confident, more expert, and scrutinising) user base, such inability would not have existed.
@impaul
@jc6
@ An.Ri
@ HekatheGreat
The overall response from all my emails thus far: if your phone has issues, it will be repaired, which does not mean money back or trade-in…we did not advertise the phone as supporting VoLTE and don’t control US carriers…not obliged to compensate you…custom ROMs are not able to utilise VoLTE (what?? This last bit is false…)
I’m willing to be satisfied by whatever solution with which they come up, but if I’m not, then i will consider starting a small class action suit if enough others feel similarly: nothing to bankrupt the company or anything, just a punishment for what i (we?) consider misbehaviour.
Sign me up for the class action suit.
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I get your frustration, and believe me if I was in your position I would be upset too, but I can’t think that a class action suit is the way to go. This is a nonprofit organization that is partially funded by donations from members of the community, that beleive in what /e/ is trying to accomplish. A lawsuit isn’t taking money out of the coffers of a giant corporation, its taking the wind out of the sails of a worthwhile cause.
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I got this in an email which was not posted in the forum:
“Hello All,
I get that some people are frustrated. Indeed, I’d also feel bad if my phone no longer has coverage.
However, it seems like some of you are missing basic things like:
- You can always turn to customer service and explain the issues you are facing. I would expect someone to do this, instead of complaining on the forum.
- Do you really believe that you are intentionally put in such a situation? Do you really think someone would want to sell a phone you can’t use? These phones were stopped being sold long ago to prevent such issues.
- T-Mobile is still working, for those who have coverage. Also, I believe their 2G support will be at least until year-end.
- You can always install Google Android, which should make VoLTE work. However, unlike in Europe, US mobile operator’s choose which hardware to let on their network. Even with VoLTE, they might not let you use their network.
- Do you think it is fair to use a phone for a year and then ask for your money back? Have you thought about this from the perspective of a seller?
- Again, see point 1.”
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There is no point in contacting customer service now, you’ve spelled out that they are not going to do anything.
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Not long ago enough.
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No T-Mobile where I am.
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I bought a preloaded phone from /e/ so I wouldn’t have to mess with this process.
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You have not thought of this from the perspective of the buyer. Even if I paid less than the over $500 I paid for this phone I would expect to get years of service out of it. Who would knowingly spend $500 on a phone that would be useless in ten months.
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I checked with the support team and have been informed that the user has sent the phone back to the support team. Once received they will evaluate the condition and based on that the price will be refunded to the user.
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What user are you talking about because it’s not me. Will this apply to everyone that want’s to do this? If so where do we send it and should we include any supporting documents.
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You can send the details of your device to helpdesk@e.email and the team will get back to you ASAP. Pl state the issue details and what exactly is the problem you are facing.
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Duly noted.
Not quite there yet, but i’ll certainly keep us updated here.
@An.ri
@HekatheGreat
Not sure if this includes you, but i can only @ mention two others per response, so see above
For sure this will be considered; I reiterated elsewhere that I’ve enjoyed this community, and it has been empowering. Lawyers may say similar to what you have: “we intend to get them for all they’re worth”, to which my response would be “an injunction, some fines, or just satisfying the customer by fulfilling a warranty promise would suffice; the goal is to first get a full account of what happened, maybe then to punish but not to eradicate…there is much value to be preserved…”
Nonetheless, that value is not primarily monetary (for most of us here).
I have a hard time feeling valued as a customer when they excuse themselves from a full account of what went wrong and allow conflicts of interest to creep into their narratives, e.g. “we never said these phones had VoLTE” (specious: no one questioned that they would work as a phone for ~1 year, and that assumption was reasonably based on them being sold as “phone”) or “we believe we are not obliged to compensate you” (Oh yeah, and how did you inform that belief?? i wonder…); indeed such behaviour is more consistent with objectifying their customers as sources of cash above all else, i.e. “nevermind if they contribute to our community; we need their money.” That better not be what we find out.
It would be one (already bad) thing if /e/ murena did not stand for what it stands for, but these are some of the most insidiously profit-motivated behaviours that we’ve come to expect from the likes of google/Facebook/etc.
This should be a detailed conversation about what went wrong that led them to sell phones that would not work for the expected duration and then wait months before finally addressing it with “maybe we’ll give you up to 100$ back, at our discretion” instead of saying up front what was being considered in case it came to that. This conversation should NOT be with a posture defending that behaviour or keeping from us the details that would allow us to judge for ourselves whether WE think they were fair.
If we find out the reason they sold / intended to sell / did not honour warranties for phones they knew would be no good was that they were so badly in need of money that they’d try to fleece their own community (which i would be somewhat surprised and truly offended to find out), then this entire community needs to reconsider how willing they are to open their wallets to a group who claims privacy is priority number 1 but actually wants money more…