Broken USB port

[Guest Midos]

So my Pulse's USB port is broken. Loose, not charging and not connecting to my computer. I'm going to take it back to the shop tomorrow (got it a week ago) but since I can't connect it and don't have any battery left, I won't be able to install the December update to restore it to T-Mobile settings. Am I screwed?

I'm thinking maybe not, as it's a hardware issue, but if anybody has any advice I'd appreciate it.

[Guest Sengadog]

So my Pulse's USB port is broken. Loose, not charging and not connecting to my computer. I'm going to take it back to the shop tomorrow (got it a week ago) but since I can't connect it and don't have any battery left, I won't be able to install the December update to restore it to T-Mobile settings. Am I screwed?

I'm thinking maybe not, as it's a hardware issue, but if anybody has any advice I'd appreciate it.

Under the sale of goods act it is irellivant what you have done to the phone with reagrds to the software. You have a hardware issue so they need to sort this for you.

[Guest Jason Patel]

If you have a micro SD reader for the pc copy the files for the december update to it. Plug the card back into the Pulse update it through the normal settings menu.

If you battery is flat you have to find someone local with the same battery to lend you one.

[Guest Jason Patel]

Darn just realised, you have a flat battery.

Post you location maybe someone could meet up with you.

[Guest meinnit]

I always thought the USB port was a bit flimsy and after a fair amount of usage it will eventually break. Unlucky that it broke so soon though

[Guest Midos]

Hey guys, thanks for the responses.

The <ahem> staff at the T-Mobile shop were less than gracious. They blamed me for the damage and said that they weren't liable for "physical damage" to the device. My argument that it was inherently flimsy did not fly. Eventually, after much argument, they agreed to send it to the repair shop to verify if it was "physical damage". In all likelihood I will end up paying for the repair despite this being a fault of the device itself. I may file a complaint with the consumer watchdog, depending on their next move.

On the plus side, they never checked the OS :)

[Guest preetkk]

if they don't fix it then buy a micro-usb port and solder it on yourself?

or pay a local phone shop to do it for you

[Guest zigzack]

Same thing just broke on my Pulse yesterday, I'm going to try T-mobile shop too.

Could you update to tell us how it ended up in your case, or price of fix?

Thanks.

[Guest robot1000]

Same thing just broke on my Pulse yesterday, I'm going to try T-mobile shop too.

Could you update to tell us how it ended up in your case, or price of fix?

Thanks.

If they try to charge you then you should fight your case. The Pulse's USB port should be designed to be used alot and therefore as it has broken within only a couple of months of purchasing it, you should be entitled to a free repair under the sales of goods act. You also have the option of contacting Huawei and benefiting from their Warranty

Edited January 26, 2010 by robot1000

[Guest Midos]

Here's an update to this.

I brought my Pulse into the T-Mobile shop on Oxford St where I bought it and showed it to the assistant, who said that it was "physical damage" (ie, my fault) that wasn't covered by the warranty. After much argument, we called the manager and eventually he agreed to send it off to be looked at.

It came back yesterday, unfixed – T-Mobile's technician has said that the damage was my fault and thus not covered by the warranty. So far I'm not sure about what my options are – the USB broke from normal usage but T-Mobile say my warranty doesn't cover damage that occurs when it's "my fault". It seems obvious to me that the USB port isn't reinforced on the Pulse – mine had recessed back into the casing, with the attachment to the motherboard seeming to have broken off – but they're refusing to help.

Zigzack, please let me know what your experiences of this are. If anybody else can advise me what my options are, I'd be very grateful.

[Guest zigzack]

Here's an update to this.

I brought my Pulse into the T-Mobile shop on Oxford St where I bought it and showed it to the assistant, who said that it was "physical damage" (ie, my fault) that wasn't covered by the warranty. After much argument, we called the manager and eventually he agreed to send it off to be looked at.

It came back yesterday, unfixed – T-Mobile's technician has said that the damage was my fault and thus not covered by the warranty. So far I'm not sure about what my options are – the USB broke from normal usage but T-Mobile say my warranty doesn't cover damage that occurs when it's "my fault". It seems obvious to me that the USB port isn't reinforced on the Pulse – mine had recessed back into the casing, with the attachment to the motherboard seeming to have broken off – but they're refusing to help.

Zigzack, please let me know what your experiences of this are. If anybody else can advise me what my options are, I'd be very grateful.

I ended up not taking mine into T-mobile at all, took it into a repair shop and they said they could fix it for £25 and have it done in an hour. I went for this option as I really didn't want to have to deal with T-mobile and send my phone away. Although in the end it cost £40 and took two days...arghh. I'd broken off some of the components on the motherboard behind the usb port too which is why it cost more (I def got ripped off though, not very good at putting up a fuss, that's why I skipped T-mo to start).

If your good at complaining and don't mind waiting without your phone I would definitely go that way. If you want it fixed most shops should re-solder a usb on for you hopefully cheaper than £25, just remember this voids your warranty all together.

Good luck dude.

Edited June 2, 2010 by zigzack

[Guest meinnit]

I think you should probably write to T-Mobile customer services about this. The fact that yours has broken so soon after buying suggests a manufacturing fault rather than general use. If you need to set up an online petition about the USB port then I will happily sign it because I too believe that the USB port is very flimsy although mine hasn't broken....yet!

[Guest robot1000]

Here's an update to this.

I brought my Pulse into the T-Mobile shop on Oxford St where I bought it and showed it to the assistant, who said that it was "physical damage" (ie, my fault) that wasn't covered by the warranty. After much argument, we called the manager and eventually he agreed to send it off to be looked at.

It came back yesterday, unfixed – T-Mobile's technician has said that the damage was my fault and thus not covered by the warranty. So far I'm not sure about what my options are – the USB broke from normal usage but T-Mobile say my warranty doesn't cover damage that occurs when it's "my fault". It seems obvious to me that the USB port isn't reinforced on the Pulse – mine had recessed back into the casing, with the attachment to the motherboard seeming to have broken off – but they're refusing to help.

Zigzack, please let me know what your experiences of this are. If anybody else can advise me what my options are, I'd be very grateful.

Why not just contact Huawei Customer Support Center directly on: 0845 034 8181

It should be covered by the warranty

[Guest Midos]

Why not just contact Huawei Customer Support Center directly on: 0845 034 8181

It should be covered by the warranty

If T-Mobile say it's not covered by their warranty, would Huawei say any different?

T-Mobile's argument is that the phone broke through a fault of mine, and thus they're not liable. I don't know if this is true, but the fact that zigzack seems to have had *exactly* the same problem seems to undermine their claim that this is our fault – it sounds like a design flaw that hasn't been noticed widely yet.

[Guest Spook Tooth]

If all you did was to connect the USB cable to it and not swing the phone about or force it in with a sledgehammer then I see it as a manufacturing fault - the USB port wasn't sufficiently secured by design/manufacture - in your case, the latter as my own USB port seems okay to me.

Retailers are notoriously bad for ignoring consumer rights as this seems especially true of mobile phone shops judging from some of the comments I've read about T-Mobile's very limited knowledge of consumer law.

You do have rights under the Sale of Goods Act and Supply of Goods and Services Act (which amended the former act). Merchantable quality may be in question but fitness for purpose definitely is. You could try writing a letter to T-Mobile, somewhere higher up the foodchain but if you're going to do that, I guess you should really be looking at securing another charged battery so you can restore the ROM back to stock T-Mobile so your ass is covered.

Else, I'd do what was suggested and bite the bullet by taking the phone to a competent and (hopefully) honest independent mobile phone shop with a repair facility. Or, you could even try another T-Mobile branch altogether maybe. Who knows if the one on Oxford Street even sent it anywhere?

Huawei should be far more accommodating as manufacturer than T-Mobile so it's worth contacting them. I'd give 'em a ring and just explain the USB charging port broke after one week of use, possibly due to faulty (whatever). Can they fix it under warranty?

[Guest Dr Who]

My USB port does not maintain a data connection, yet it is fine with charging. Bought it from TMob via the website - what is the best way to get this repaired do we think? Contacting TMob or Huawei?

[Guest Midos]

My USB port does not maintain a data connection, yet it is fine with charging. Bought it from TMob via the website - what is the best way to get this repaired do we think? Contacting TMob or Huawei?

That was the first thing that happened to mine before the whole thing snapped off the motherboard – I would recommend taking it to T-Mobile immediately before the thing snaps off and you have to join my class action lawsuit! :) So long as there isn't any visible damage I would guess that you'll get a fix or exchange, from the way they acted about my own one.

Edited January 29, 2010 by Midos

[Guest Dr Who]

That was the first thing that happened to mine before the whole thing snapped off the motherboard – I would recommend taking it to T-Mobile immediately before the thing snaps off and you have to join my class action lawsuit! :) So long as there isn't any visible damage I would guess that you'll get a fix or exchange, from the way they acted about my own one.

OK, I will contact them now.

EDIT:

Why.

Is.

Everything.

So.

Painful.

30 minutes on the phone to TMobile later and they directed me to contact HTC(!) directly. Spoke to Huawei (thanks for the number above) and they directed me back to TMobile. I would rather have my teeth pulled out than speak to CS again, so I am going to go to a store and get it sorted there.

Edited January 29, 2010 by Dr Who

[Guest zigzack]

Things have gone from bad to worse for me.

After taking my phone in twice to be repaired and thus losing any warranty whatsoever, it now doesn't get a data connection, does charge nicely though.

In the shop I took it to they say it is one of the processors on the motherboard, probably damaged by a short circuit when the usb broke. I'm thinking it could have been after the first time they fixed it (charged for a few seconds then stopped because of a "faulty fuse"). They also said it would take up to a week to fix.

So much for going the quick and painless route.

Going to get a quote next week, then take it from there. Might look into a micro sd card reader as annoying as it would be....

Hope it goes better for you.

Edited January 29, 2010 by zigzack

[Guest daviddch]

My USB Port broke after a few weeks. It was sent for repair by T-Mobile, and returned unrepaired.

Huawei will have nothing to do with it, they only deal with T-Mobile, and T-Mobile say that the repair centre, SBE Ltd in Milton Keynes, have looked at it according to Huawei's Warrenty, which (allegedly) says that 'physical damage' and is not covered under warranty.

I have kind of given up, frankly, and I was saddened to see that there are more of us out there. OR, clearly, if there are more of us out there, it is more evidence that this is a phone hardware problem, not a case of us users breaking the thing, which is the implication.

Neither T-Mobile nor Huawei have come well out of this, and me neither, being £175 down...

Any advice gratefully recieved (as long as it doesnt include recieving more patronising emails deom T-Mobile Customer Services...)

David Hawdale

[Guest Dr Who]

My USB port does not maintain a data connection, yet it is fine with charging. Bought it from TMob via the website - what is the best way to get this repaired do we think? Contacting TMob or Huawei?

Hmmmm. I have swapped cables to a Nokia branded one and it is now working fine. Connection is as tight as a nats chuff now, whereas before it was wobbling about like an arm in a wizards sleeve.

[Guest dundee18]

Here is an update of what happened to me with my broken USB port -

I called T-Mobile and they said to take it to the shop for them to send of to the repair centre but they also said that if it was physical damage they would not fix it. I also called Consumer Direct and they gave me some interesting advice.

Under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 As Amended - the contract is with T-Mobile not the manufacturer so don't let T-Mobile pan you off.

They said try the polite route first taking the phone in to ask them to repair it.

If no satisfaction then write them a letter - a template can be downloaded from their website - consumerdirect.gov.uk and send it to a person in authority stating that the phone was not of satisfactory quality.

They also said that in the first 6 months the burden of proof is on the seller i.e. they have to prove that the customer did something to break it not the customer prove that there is a problem. Also I may need to get an independant report on the damage that the costs of can be claimed against T-Mobile to prove it was a manufacturing fault.

I took the phone in and they sent it off. It has been away about a week. Could take between 2-4 weeks they said. I suspect that I will need to write to them as they will claim "physical damage".

If still no success after the sending a letter then I need to get back in touch with consumer direct.

They were pretty confident that it should be sorted by T-Mobile. The choices are repaired, replaced or refund but the option is up to T-Mobile. Only a judge in a small claims court can say differently.

Consumer Direct seemed pretty confident that it would be sorted out but may be a longer process.

They also said that if you paid by credit card then under Section 75 Consumer Credit Act, if the cost of the product is over £100 then the credit card company have a responsibility also so I can make a claim against them at the same time. Both can run in parallel but obviously once one have come through you drop the claim with the other. I still need to do this.

I suggest that it may be good for others to contavt Consumer Direct as well as it may give them an idea about how many people have a problem with this.

I have also contacted a solictor friend and he does not see any problem about getting T-Mobile to solve this. He said to he would help if needed.

I have also posted this reply in this thread http://android.modaco.com/index.php?act=Po...mp;qpid=1175408 .

I have also contacted a solictor friend and he does not see any problem about getting T-Mobile to solve this. He said to he would help if needed.

Hope this helps others. I am determined to follow this through until I get a satisfactory answer.

[Guest Spook Tooth]

Good on ya, dundee18. Hope you get it all sorted out with minimal fuss. ;)

[Guest jamesfox.]

Exactly the same problem over here. I know this topic has died out a little but I hope anyone with this problem reads this story too. I will copy and paste the letter I sent to the Managing Director of T-Mobile after several phonecalls to T-Mobile asking US to prove that the phone was faulty, even though the repair team in MK decided it was mine anyway.

My wife and I purchased a T. Mobile Pulse mobile phone from the T. Mobile Aylesbury Store on 24th December 2009, as a Christmas present for our son, at a total cost of £157:01 Including £20:00 Top up. I attach copy of receipt for your reference.

After just two weeks use, the charger lead was inserted into the charging port on the phone in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The phone port came adrift for no apparent reason and disappeared into the body of the phone. As this was an obvious defect in the manufacture of this phone, my son took it back to the Aylesbury Store on 9th January 2010. Instead of offering either a refund or free of charge repair / replacement for this faulty item, the assistant manager insisted on returning the phone to your repair centre. Our son received a brief tick box report back from the repair centre, via the Aylesbury store, stating that the phone was ‘damaged beyond repair’ and that the fault was not within warranty. He was therefore refused a refund, repair or replacement. After expressing his concern to the Aylesbury’s T Mobile store assistant manager, my son was offered various T. Mobile e-mail address and telephone numbers in order for him to discuss his concerns with various departments of the T. Mobile organisation. He spent many hours talking to various departments all of who expressed sympathy but offering no further help, other than directing him on to another departments.

We have not received any explanation of what caused the defect, other than verbal references to user-misuse and excessive force when connecting the charger. We strongly refute this; our son is an intelligent adult, in his final year at university, is highly I.T literate and fully aware how to handle electronic equipment.

My wife and I visited the Aylesbury Store on the 8th February 2010 and discussed our complaint further with the assistant manager. His response was the same as I have described above. The assistant manager offered us a T. Mobile e mail address for us to communicate with our complaint with T. Mobile. This I refused as I am advised our contract is between ourselves and the T. Mobile retail store and furthermore I have no intention of repeating the fiasco endured by my son.

Immediately after leaving the T. Mobile retail store we approached Buckinghamshire County Councils Trading Standards for help and advice. The Trading Standards Officer attempted twice in a period of 15 minutes to telephone your Aylesbury store. On both occasions the phone rang for approximately three to four minutes without reply.

The Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended) requires you, as ‘The Trader’ to prove that the goods conformed to the contract at the time of sale. We are of the opinion the phone is defective; the port should not have come adrift and as such is not fit for purpose or of satisfactory quality. It also raises serious safety concerns as the fault surrounds the charging process.

There has been virtually no customer support from the T. Mobile retail store from where the phone was purchased and indeed no more from the T Mobile company. We are extremely disappointed in having to resort to writing this letter to you explaining our position. The level of after sales service offered to us and our son - a long-standing T. Mobile customer - is nothing short of appalling. The refusal to answer the telephone further enhances our belief of T. Mobile’s sub-standard customer care.

In view of the above, we request a replacement phone of equivalent value and specification or a full refund of all monies paid.

We look forward to your favourable reply.

Hope this clarfies my story a little more.. Got a phonecall response from T-Mobile yesterday once they recieved this letter saying that they are not going to replace it, and gave us the same answers as before. Not happy.

[Guest robot1000]

Exactly the same problem over here. I know this topic has died out a little but I hope anyone with this problem reads this story too. I will copy and paste the letter I sent to the Managing Director of T-Mobile after several phonecalls to T-Mobile asking US to prove that the phone was faulty, even though the repair team in MK decided it was mine anyway.

My wife and I purchased a T. Mobile Pulse mobile phone from the T. Mobile Aylesbury Store on 24th December 2009, as a Christmas present for our son, at a total cost of £157:01 Including £20:00 Top up. I attach copy of receipt for your reference.

After just two weeks use, the charger lead was inserted into the charging port on the phone in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The phone port came adrift for no apparent reason and disappeared into the body of the phone. As this was an obvious defect in the manufacture of this phone, my son took it back to the Aylesbury Store on 9th January 2010. Instead of offering either a refund or free of charge repair / replacement for this faulty item, the assistant manager insisted on returning the phone to your repair centre. Our son received a brief tick box report back from the repair centre, via the Aylesbury store, stating that the phone was ‘damaged beyond repair’ and that the fault was not within warranty. He was therefore refused a refund, repair or replacement. After expressing his concern to the Aylesbury’s T Mobile store assistant manager, my son was offered various T. Mobile e-mail address and telephone numbers in order for him to discuss his concerns with various departments of the T. Mobile organisation. He spent many hours talking to various departments all of who expressed sympathy but offering no further help, other than directing him on to another departments.

We have not received any explanation of what caused the defect, other than verbal references to user-misuse and excessive force when connecting the charger. We strongly refute this; our son is an intelligent adult, in his final year at university, is highly I.T literate and fully aware how to handle electronic equipment.

My wife and I visited the Aylesbury Store on the 8th February 2010 and discussed our complaint further with the assistant manager. His response was the same as I have described above. The assistant manager offered us a T. Mobile e mail address for us to communicate with our complaint with T. Mobile. This I refused as I am advised our contract is between ourselves and the T. Mobile retail store and furthermore I have no intention of repeating the fiasco endured by my son.

Immediately after leaving the T. Mobile retail store we approached Buckinghamshire County Councils Trading Standards for help and advice. The Trading Standards Officer attempted twice in a period of 15 minutes to telephone your Aylesbury store. On both occasions the phone rang for approximately three to four minutes without reply.

The Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended) requires you, as ‘The Trader’ to prove that the goods conformed to the contract at the time of sale. We are of the opinion the phone is defective; the port should not have come adrift and as such is not fit for purpose or of satisfactory quality. It also raises serious safety concerns as the fault surrounds the charging process.

There has been virtually no customer support from the T. Mobile retail store from where the phone was purchased and indeed no more from the T Mobile company. We are extremely disappointed in having to resort to writing this letter to you explaining our position. The level of after sales service offered to us and our son - a long-standing T. Mobile customer - is nothing short of appalling. The refusal to answer the telephone further enhances our belief of T. Mobile’s sub-standard customer care.

In view of the above, we request a replacement phone of equivalent value and specification or a full refund of all monies paid.

We look forward to your favourable reply.

Hope this clarfies my story a little more.. Got a phonecall response from T-Mobile yesterday once they recieved this letter saying that they are not going to replace it, and gave us the same answers as before. Not happy.

Seems like the only way to get a positive outcome, would be to take legal action - https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco2/index.jsp