Orange SPV C500 Dust issue: UPDATE

[Guest stevewooding]

Folks,

I heard from my contact at Orange today (and thanks to those who replied with photos of their dusty screens!) - they've worked with the HTC engineers and think they've got a fix for the problem. They've apologised for not getting this done sooner and hope to be able to get their 3rd-generation dust-free SPV C500 handsets out as quickly as possible.

I'm expecting a call next Friday to let me know how they're progressing. So far they've called whenever they promised and one lucky modaco member had TWO handsets changed by courier earlier this week - thanks for volunteering your phone(s) Cheng!

Looks like we did it. :lol:

Steve

(ps. for those who're interested, the 1st generation of C500s used small bumps/pins at the corners of the screen bezel internally to aid fitting it together. This caused a problem with the seal as the bumps squeezed it too much and created a gap. If your phone screen goes dusty from the corners inwards, chances are you have a 1st generation handset.

The 2nd generation had a slightly modified bezel and HTC changed the order in which the phone was assembled too. However, this didn't fix the problem completely - dust still got in from the sides of the screen but tended to take longer.

They're now on the 3rd generation, having done something with the bezel and seal too (if I've understood them correctly) which should hopefully eradicate the problem.)

[Guest dava]

Steve - thxs for the update, glad that we have folks on Modaco who are pushing forward with what has now become an issue for me on my second gen C500.

Any ideas if Orange will replace faulty handsets directly in the UK or if we will have to send to HTC? Hoping to avoid a week or so w/out phone.

[Guest stevewooding]

That's what I'm hoping to get out of them next week. Idealy I'm sure we'd all like couriered replacements rather than a HTC fix with a weeks wait. I'll keep ya posted!

Steve

[Guest xenophobe]

If you would be as kind to ask about US Users with the Audiovox 5600, that would be appreciated too.

[Guest DarkJedi]

here here. i'm just starting to have the problem. audiovox said that i could send it to them, to have them clean it. i'm like, i can do that, and who's to say that it wont come back???

[Guest stevewooding]

I can see what my contact at Orange can do though I've never spoken to anyone from HTC first hand - my gripe (and the online petition that got the ball rolling) was with Orange UK (for supplying a handset with an inherent fault then trying to class it as a cosmetic issue), and they're the one's I'm dealing with, who're then dealing with HTC as Orange (i.e. big players in business) rather than me (i.e. one lone consumer!). I dunno how consumer law differs in the US, but here the buyers contract is with the seller, not the manufacturer.

I'll see what I can do.

Steve.

[Guest bronksy]

I can see what my contact at Orange can do

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well i just discovered my dust...even in a Krussell case. I'm joining this thread so I know when to send mine back. Are they going to refurb them or send out new ones?

I'll wait with baited breath,,,

[Guest Confused Stu]

Very cheeky question on the grounds that if you don't ask, you don't get - if Orange do set up something to return phones with dust problems, I don't suppose those of us who voided our warranties by stripping the phone to clean it could have an amnesty and be included too?

I know the answer is going to be "no!", but figured it would be nice to get AN answer rather than keep wondering. :-k

[Guest bronksy]

I suggested a while back that the users on this forum are alll 'early adopters' and that generally we beta-test products that are new to market, discover their faults and then the supplier/manufacturer makes the changes.

Without starting a rant, i still think it's disgraceful that we have to find 'work arounds' for something whether it be software or cosmetic.

Granted, software on the phone can be affected by other software the user puts on, but cosmetic problems... there's no excuse for it.

It makes you think if anyone EVER tests these handsets in different usage conditions.

My phone has been in a case 99% of it's life. I have dust on the screen, but not just small specks, massive big f**k off blobs of rubbish.

There really is NO excuse for this!

[Guest addisor]

Hi guys, just joined the forum and have found loads of top stuff, thanks. My contribution is, i've had a C500 since September and dust build up started straight away. Fed up to say the least. Finally rang Orange and went through the fault diagnosis procedure explaining the dust is a stain on the screen, guess what, new handset due tomorrow morning by courier. Any idea how I can check its a third generation handset I'm getting? as I don't want a cleaned up old one.

Rob

[Guest bronksy]

AFAIK the 3rd Gen handsets are not done yet...true?

[Guest gilesjuk]

I must have a 2nd gen then. The speck of dust has appeared on the right hand side of the screen and it's taken a month and a bit of use.

[Guest bronksy]

I think i'm loosing the will to live. I just am so fustrated with the delays for these big companies to get off their backsides and actually admit they're wrong.

It's just so gawddawn annoying :roll:

[Guest nowimboard]

I got a c500 on contract back in september and i had dust problems after a month but I had a replacement through just 3 weeks ago [ i had my c500 lost/stolen just

before christmas] and i have a high level of dust on the screen already.

Orange have to do something about it as if the dust becomes a serious problem you jsut phonethem up and state you want a replacement of a refund under the sales of goods act Not Fit For Purpose.

But hopefully they will manage to do something about this problem. And its about time dam it!

[Guest Fizz_daz]

my dust started top appear after one week and is bad after 3...

[Guest bronksy]

well seems like we're all waiting.. let's see how long we have to wait.

I reckon it will never happen to be honest. I think that even if they just change the handsets of the people who have noticed the problem, and for what the admin charges for that will be, would be no where near as much as offering to sort out the problem.

Whats a few unhappy customers when there's a whole world of PAYG people to please :lol:

[Guest chucky.egg]

Orange have to do something about it ... phone them up and state you want a replacement of a refund under the sales of goods act Not Fit For Purpose.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not sure it's quite that simple though is it!

The dust doesn't stop you using the phone or any of it's features, it's just annoying, so I can't see how you can claim it's not fit for the purpose

[Guest shack77]

I can see what my contact at Orange can do though I've never spoken to anyone from HTC first hand - my gripe (and the online petition that got the ball rolling) was with Orange UK (for supplying a handset with an inherent fault then trying to class it as a cosmetic issue), and they're the one's I'm dealing with, who're then dealing with HTC as Orange (i.e. big players in business) rather than me (i.e. one lone consumer!). I dunno how consumer law differs in the US, but here the buyers contract is with the seller, not the manufacturer.

I'll see what I can do.

Steve.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dunno why I'm writing this, feels like I should tho...

I've had a couple of chats with HTC and they seem like very helpful folk.

After reading all this I haven't taken the original screen cover off yet.. and I've had it two weeks. It only comes off for dvd's!!

I'm sure my time will come to join the ranks.

[Guest Cheng]

When I spoke to Orange on the phone (as they were arranging the courier to exchange my phones) they said that they were "very suprised at the number of users affected" and that they were keen to get the problem sorted. When I asked "What if I get this problem again?" they were so suprised about the problem and had not really heard of it before, my new handsets would not be the new 'fixed' handsets, however I was given a name of a very senior member of orange that "at any mention of her name" would get me talking to the right people to get my phone replaced quickly.

Guess what..both my new handsets have dust..again! When the new handsets get released I'll be phoning up orange again..

[Guest nowimboard]

And the name of this person is? :lol:

[Guest]

Can't understand how Orange are suprised at the dust issue. As far as I can recall the original SPV had a dust issue.

[Guest Tristan]

Yeah, I just went to the Orange City Point, because the dust just couldn't be ignored any more, large blots of it were obscuring my sight when in sunlight. They were also quite surprised by it, but had heard of the problem before. They're just now going to replace my phone, and I'll get my new one in two days (Quite quick really)

[Guest sainthalo]

re earlier comment, it is "not fit for its purpose" as the screen visibility is hindered by dust. also it is "not of satisfactory quality" either. both in sale of goods act. do you work for orange?

[Guest fraccaro]

here here.  i'm just starting to have the problem.  audiovox said that i could send it to them, to have them clean it.  i'm like, i can do that, and who's to say that it wont come back???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I sent mine in to Audiovox a few weeks after purchase. They cleaned it and sure enough within the same week that I received it "clean" it became dusty again. I called them again only to have them tell me they are aware of the problem and are working on a permanent solution. I feel as though the rep. only said that to get me off the phone. Do you think we could contact HTC and have them repair our handsets instead of going through Audiovox? Does anyone have any contact info for HTC? Thanks.

[Guest bronksy]

any news on the next gen or shall we give up on this as a bad job now that they're clearly working on the new C550 of the rumours are true...