Really Bad News About My New Sprint Service - Nexus 6

[Arysyn]

Ugh, I'm very disappointed/upset/sad, etc.

 

I just opened my new Nexus 6, that I'm starting Sprint service with, and it has three hairs on the back of the device - certainly not my hairs nor my mother's, who is sitting with me calling Sprint now while I type this post.

 

We need to get this activated, as tonight is the deadline on my MetroPCS service, and I didn't want to pay another $50 for the month of May to receive service I don't need since I now have Sprint. We are porting the number to Sprint, which unless we activate this device, we'll lose the telephone number, according to what both Sprint and MetroPCS told my mother earlier today.

 

But why the heck would Sprint send me a potentially used device, which the only thing I can think of is that these hairs belong to the person who boxed the device. These hairs were clearly attached to the device along with what appears to be some sort of moisture/perspiration-possibly, in causing these hairs to be "stuck" on the device, the back of the device is where they are/were, as some of them came off as I was pulling to inspect the device.

 

I'm feeling badly now, because I wanted this to work, but my mother who is highly stressed/easily agitated, although she seems to be handling this issue pretty calmly right now, thank goodness. I hope Sprint is going to be helpful in replacing this, since if my mother starts stressing out, I'll need to cancel it, because she has high blood pressure and at least seems satisfied enough with T-Mobile and MetroPCS, even though I'm not.

 

Although, if this device actually is new, then what possibly is going on with Google's quality control department, or Motorola's. The LG Google Nexus 5 I had for a short time prior to when T-Mobile decided to not let me keep my NFB discount I was initially told I could keep, which caused me to need to return the device, at least that device is was in very good condition and hair-free.

[dkyeager]

Activate it first to keep your number. Any scratches on the glass? Hair likely held on by static charge. Later, if you find any other issues, take it back to the Sprint store (assuming you purchased it there).

[burnout8488]

Does the device function with the hair removed? 

[Arysyn]

Activate it first to keep your number. Any scratches on the glass? Hair likely held on by static charge. Later, if you find any other issues, take it back to the Sprint store (assuming you purchased it there).

 

The covering on the glass looked pretty good, except for a spot the size of my thumbprint where there was a weird moisture spot that wasn't on any part of the glass, along with very thin scratch mark, but nothing that looked like used from that perspective. The main shock/surprise came when I turned the phone around the back and noticed the hairs.

 

Does the device function with the hair removed? 

 

Ha!

 

I actually haven't checked that function, for obvious reasons. I bought a new device and don't expect to have hairs as part of the deal.

 

The concern I'm having right now though is my mother is starting to get upset as Sprint is redirecting her through various departments.

[burnout8488]

Honestly if the device is 99% okay, wipe it down with some rubbing alcohol to clean it up and throw a screen protector on. I would do this 9 times out of 10 than deal with my mother on a rampage for more than 10 minutes. 

[dnwk]

I guess once you activated it, you will have hard time to get it exchanged. Unless you pay the restocking fee. I think it is $36.

[Arysyn]

Good advice here.

 

I'm not going to activate it, as the guy from Sprint couldn't guarantee my number wouldn't be lost in the porting process, as my MetroPCS account will be terminated at midnight without a payment for the next month. Part of the problem though is my mother has been so busy lately I can never get things done when they need to, before it gets to a time where things are tight. Although those are a bunch of personal issues I won't waste space on the site going into, though part of the problem was Sprint not telling us enough detail about the process yesterday, otherwise this could have been done yesterday without the time crunch,.granted the phone issue not have happened also. Since it did, the best thing to do now is to pay for the next month of MetroPCS service, then deal with Sprint retention department about how to resolve the issues.

[Arysyn]

Great news to report!

 

Sprint has come through with the port, according to a person at the corporate office who spoke with my mother today.

 

They also told her that we could go swap the device at the local corporate store, which is really helpful and am glad they are giving me that option, rather than having to wait for a new shipment, which they said could take over a week to do.

 

Its possible this could have been some sort of shipment problem between Motorola and Sprint, that the device was shipped to Sprint used, rather than new. Although, I'm very glad Sprint is being so helpful in resolving this.

 

The thing seems to be that with any company, it is important to speak with someone who speaks clear english whenever a problem occurs, as the frustration my mother was having yesterday was getting people who didn't to understand her/vice versa, where Sprint was just trying to get her through to a more workable situation with someone who could better communicate with her, hence the switching around yesterday.

[travismheim]

Why does this need a separate thread? Go exchange the phone if you aren't happy with the condition or wipe it down and activate it. Who knows what could have happened, I would just activate it if it isn't damaged.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Arysyn]

Why does this need a separate thread? Go exchange the phone if you aren't happy with the condition or wipe it down and activate it. Who knows what could have happened, I would just activate it if it isn't damaged.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

Corporate said we could go exchange the phone, but now for whatever reason, the manager at the closest store here in Woodridge, is claiming he can't exchange devices that were bought online Sprint's website, though a representative at the Employee Referral department is backing up the lady at corporate my mother spoke with yesterday in saying the manager can indeed exchange devices bought online. So what we now are dealing with, is a disagreement between corporate, along with being backed by the Employee Referral department against the corporate-owned store management.

 

Several of the other local stores around here don't have Nexus 6 in stock, though my mother is trying the NW area of stores now, one which has one in stock, seeing what the manager there says about this.

 

Besides, the Nexus 6 we were shipped is in bad shape on the back. Besides the hairs, it was "keyed", where it is obvious someone was holding up the back of the phone with keys scratching indented into the device's backside.

[Vince]

I had a hard time returning a hotspot 2 years ago. It was purchased online, and returned to a corporate store. I think they're reluctant to do it because it hurts their monthly numbers.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6+

[Arysyn]

I just talked with my mother through Skype/her current prepaid T-Mobile telephone I'm trying to help her replace, as I'm over at my grandmother's home still this week. Going back home though next week, so my mother and my aunt can clear up here since my grandmother died a few months ago, and I've been housesitting until they can move her stuff from here to clear it out for people to move in. I've been enjoying sitting here looking out the window in between breaks from online reading of tech stuff.

 

Anyways, I heard from my mother. She's been on the phone with Sprint. Apparently (thank goodness) the manager at a NW suburb store has exactly one new Nexus 6 in stock and is reserving it for us to pick up tomorrow in exchange for the bad one I received. This manager doesn't have a problem with it, which I'm thinking you have a good point about, Vince. Its possible the Woodridge store had once accepted lots of exchanges but had to stop because of their monthly numbers, as you suggested, where the other store may not be experiencing this too often.

 

Sometimes corporate management is more strict to certain stores than others, as I use to speak with people in retail who told me a bunch of similar stories, which is quite sad that not everything in retail is treated equally. Same goes for much in life though, yet it makes things difficult for customers and I imagine hurts the overall company when customers just get too frustrated and leave. I'm a bit more patient with this, as I have hope for Sprint from reading the site, and have had some good customer service experience with them on some levels with this situation, so I'm sticking with it now. I expect the device I'm picking up tomorrow should be in good condition, as I doubt Motorola would send stores used devices, whereas its easier to get through with singular online sales.

 

I would have just done this entire transaction in store if the plan was available at the stores, but alas, it is not, only online. The people I've talked with at the Sprint stores I've been too are the nicest I've encountered, well along with the lady at the MetroPCS store I had setup that account with. Verizon and AT&T were a completely different experience, very rude and impersonal. If my mother decides to add the Samsung Gear S smartwatch plan to the plan we have already with Sprint, we'll get that arranged at the store.

 

BTW Vince, have you been to the store on Ogden in Downers Grove? It is a corporate store and is very nice inside, great employees too!

[Vince]

BTW Vince, have you been to the store on Ogden in Downers Grove? It is a corporate store and is very nice inside, great employees too!

I don't think so. The one in Woodridge is only a few miles from me, and I've had good experiences there, even though I've only been there twice. Once to buy my iPhone 6 in September, and once a month ago to re-activate a line.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6+

[SeanK_]

Send Marci (AT) Sprint (DOT) com an email and explain the issue, they are the executive customer service people who have the power to do anything. They have been a really help with issues that I cannot get resolved with regular support.

 

Even if you get the issue resolved tomorrow, I would still send them an email so they can take a look as to why you had a hard time with this.

[sbolen]

Send Marci (AT) Sprint (DOT) com an email and explain the issue, they are the executive customer service people who have the power to do anything. They have been a really help with issues that I cannot get resolved with regular support.

 

Even if you get the issue resolved tomorrow, I would still send them an email so they can take a look as to why you had a hard time with this.

Also, if things are resolved to your satisfaction and handled with care and kindness, let them know, too. I'm sure 99% of what the executive customer service team hears are irate customers. A nice note would go a long way.

[SeanK_]

Also, if things are resolved to your satisfaction and handled with care and kindness, let them know, too. I'm sure 99% of what the executive customer service team hears are irate customers. A nice note would go a long way.

And that too.

[Arysyn]

Thanks for all of the replies to my issue with the first device.

 

I'm very tired from a long day, hence why I haven't done all my tech/rate plan idea updates, status postings, etc. I'll definitely try to get to these later on Tuesday.

 

A quick update for now though. I exchanged the Nexus 6 for another one, which the new one is in much better shape, so I've got my new device and the Ballistic case that goes with it arrived on Monday also. However, my mother is going to spend more time trying to clean the screen protector better on it late morning Tuesday, as it was late when we got the case delivered and spent awhile checking things that we didn't have time to put together everything completely. The screen protector needs to be cleaned with a certain dust cloth we didn't have earlier, but will later on Thursday, which I need my mother to clean it, as my hands are bad at cleaning particles off of thin materials. The screen protector needs to be attached on the casing pretty quickly over the device screen before dust get in between the layers.

 

I had a brief Sprint service scare tonight though. I tried the device for about 15 minutes in the car, not as long as I would have liked to make a proper assessment of it yet. However, when I got to the main screen, the service was showing 3g for five minutes, until I updated something called the PRL, which seemed to do the trick getting LTE activated, and seemed fast while in the car, though again, I was in a hurry to get the device off before the battery ran out, as I hadn't charged it at that point. I'm wondering still if there is anything I need to do in tuning the device for a better signal, etc. Any suggestions?