N70 from Vodafone - generic and network specific i...

Question

Reading this string on the N70 has very been enlightening. I can now start to see the extent of the difference between users real experiences and what I have been told by support people at Vodafone and Nokia. There are technical issues and also some very real commercial issues which I think people should be aware of. It leaves me with the problem to decide what I need to do - return the phone to Vodafone or persist? Views and comments would be very welcome.
I have had Nokia handsets since my first 201 and got my latest N70 from Vodafone at the beginning of December '05. I purchased it over the net and have had to deal with Vodafone through there 191 call centres to try to fix issues. I am now on my third N70 and have lost faith in both Vodafone and Nokia in being able to supply a working product or fix problems.
The issues I have encountered are:
1.) MMS
Cannot send an MMS message over around 43K - says it is sending, fails, repeats the send multple times and then reports the send failure. After discussing this with Vodafone in multiple calls over many days and weeks they finaly admitted there is a problem but said it was with the N70 and not their network.
2.) Radio / handset reboot.
Multiple times when I use the radio, it produces a VERY load electrical 'crack', the radio cuts out and the phone reboots / restarts. When it does this, even though I have my security pin request set, it does not ask me for the code. Bug for sure **bleep** also a major security loophole!
3.) Lifeblog
This came ready installed on the N70 but would not run on the handset. If you go to run it the screen flashes as through it is loading and then returns back to the menu without running. I downloaded the software from the Nokia site and installed it and it still did not work. Vodafone would not help saying it was nothing to do with them and so I called Nokia Club line support to get their help. They walked me through the very same process and it still did not run.
4.) Firmware version
In the end the Nokia person asked to check the firmware version by inputting *#0000#, it came back as V 2.0539.1.2 19-10-05 AM84 and he immediately said I needed to get this updated to V 3.0546.2.3 and the would likely solve the Lifeblogg issue and maybe the MMS send problem. He said this was not the very latest Nokia version but was the latest available version for Vodafone handsets and their agents could only upgrade my phone to this version and gave me a Nokia agent in my area.
5.) Nokia agents support for firmware upgrades
I called them and they said that they had experienced trouble upgrading the firmware on the N70 which took them a whole afternoon and they would not be doing any more until the Nokia engineer came and showed them how to improve the process and this was likely to be at the end of January '06!
6.) Vodafone - lack of support, especially for web purchases
My advise is to be very cautious about web purchases from Vodafone with regard to support and upgrades. I have found out that they outsource their support to another company - Phonecare. Phonecare do all of the technical upgrades and fixes and the Vodafone stores send customer handsets to them to be fixed. Trouble is that Phonecare will not touch any of the Vodafone handsets purchased over the net. I believe this is because there is no revenue stream to them. So if like me you need to get your firmware upgraded, they refuse to do it and Vodafone cannot do it themselves.
6.)Nokia escallation of issues
I have called Nokia Club line to get these issues highlighted and escallated asking that someone who manages their Vodafone account would raise these issues. The response was no. I asked for the contact details of a senior Nokia manager to take this up with again the answer was not no.
7.) Vodaphone - summary
I will not go into all of the exchanges I have had over the last month and a half but, the following is clear:
* Vodafone is a purely a telesales and marketing operation
* Their 'technical support' does not exist
* They have outsourced their technical support to Phonecare
* They are knowingly selling faulty goods to the public
* They do not have a way to fix these problems for web sales
* They can only do this because the sale of goods act does not cover the web
* They say they only ship N70's with the latest firmware (V3)
* They are still shipping with the previous version (V2)
* They have no process to fix the problem for web purchases
* They do not have details of a technical fix any of above
* They do not have an technical escallation or QA process
* they cannot ship me a handset with the correct firmware
* Vodafone is a 'real' cell like organisation
* it is impossible to escallate issues
* You are confined to your 191 immediate contact point
* You cannot escallate to senior managers within Vodafone.
* Vodaphone's stated sultion to my problems is either to:
- change the handset to another make/model or,
return the phone and cancel the contract
Customer satisfaction response to latest Vodaphone - 'Under the tree' 3G experience:
Anger and total frustration - it has cost me many hours in land line calls identifying problems and getting them recognised when it is clear that others had the same experience. I would guess that all Vodafone N70's being shipped by Vodafone have these problems particularly the MMS, Lifeblog and firmware revision. That must be thousands of frustrated users out there and nobody within Vodafone or Nokia is escallating the issues to get it resolved! There response on both sides is to plead ignorance of all issues.
Current Objective Ratings:
Vodfone 0 out of 10 - Useless, selling faulty goods they cannot repair or support.
Nokia 3 out of 10 - The bits of the N70 that work look nice but, slow O/S - have used faster PDA's with Windows CE. They should take some ownership and do something about the problems their users are experiencing via Vodafone.
And back to my dilema: what to do - I thing I need to return the phone before I get stuck with something nobody can fix...
Unless of course there is another answer out there somewhere?
Any comments from senior Vodafone or Nokia staff that believe they can fix this would be most welcome!

Answer 1

Thanks for your input.
Dealing with the issues you raise:
I am surprised Nokia do not seem to be interested in looking after their brand and product good name and reputation. They obviously have an OEM contract with Vodafone which will cover things like minimum support level, good will and maintaing Nokias good name and reputation. Someone on that account team should take note and make sure Vodafone conform to the agreement.
MMS; I managed to get a response from a Vodafone 'Technical support' person who said: 'Unfortunately you are the victim of another network issue. The N70 specifically has a network fault sending ANY mms over 40KB in size. I would bet that if the video clip was below this size it would work. This problem IS already with our engineers for resolution. Again however, timescale is not something I can provide.'
The Radio issue: I use the ipod like white headset that comes as standard with the Vodafone N70. I do not think this is the issue as the phone has reset itself when the radio feature and cable were not in use. It is just that it is more noticeable when you are trying to listen to the radio and you get a very loud 'Crack' as the Radio stops.
Lifeblog: Maybe it is me but, I cannot seem to find anything on this notice board covering this issue?
Firmware: I was told by Nokia I gad to go to a Nokia agent to get the firmware upgrade and the response I got from the agent was that this was currently a problem and they were waiting for the Nokia engineer to sort it out before they wouil attempt it again and that would likely be at the end of January!
With regard to Network providers - I have read this board and am aware of problems with all major Network providers offering the N70. I asked Nokia directly who I should use and they refused to comment and directed me to look at this notice board to help me make my own mind up. After reading this board I am no wiser as to who can provide a fully functional N70.
- Many thanks for your input and comments.