E200 with Tech Support (To return or not return )

[Guest mdw_cubed]

My 3rd E200 handset buzzed in the same way as the previous two. Having reported it to O and it being the same fault for the 3rd time it was refered to Tech Support before I could get a replacement. Tech Support wanted my E200 sent back Recorded Delivery.

This left me without a phone and no guarantee as to when it would return and still paying on a contract. I am sure there are a number of members in the same position wondering what to do. Well, I returned it Tuesday (16th) expecting not see hear this side of Christmas. Tech Support received it Wednesday (17th) morning and I got a call in the afternoon. Tech Support wanted to keep my E200 for further tests. The only issue I have reported is the buzzing so while not a confirmation of the 'Buzzing Issue', it's not a denial either. :wink: Note: You have to include a covering letter describing the issue. I detailed it as best I could and also pointed them in the direction of this forum.

I can't say if other E200s will be turned round as quick, but I was pretty impressed with the speed in which O dealt with it once I sent the handset back. Especially with Christmas approaching. Also, if the way O work is to get phones returned and find the fault before they will register it as a known fault maybe that is what we have to do. Though what is done with the other returns I haven't a clue. :?

This morning my 4th brand new E200 arrived. Tech Support couldn't guarantee the replacement wouldn't have the same issue. Of course it does!

So I have been in contact with O this afternoon and they rang me back this evening. One thing I have found its that the calls back from O do not buzz anyway near the amount when I make a call. Maybe this is coincidence I don't know. Anyway I'm giving it another 24 hours trial and will get back to them tomorrow.

Something new I did find out that is in contridiction to the information I was given on other replacements is that the 28 days new replacement does not run from recieving your new replacement. It runs from the start of the contract leaving me until 24 Dec before I will go onto refurbished replacements. :lol:

On the whole, I feel O customer services are trying their best to sought it out, but if only O would admit the fault and at least say whether it's software or hardware and how they propose to rectify it maybe they will save them and us some hassle. If it's software then tell us, we can wait for a patch and save them the cost of couriered replacement handsets.

Mr Orange, if you're out there and it's possible, can you at least give some hint as to the status of this issue within O?

[Guest walibe]

I really hope its not that bad as I am due to recieve my new e200 tommorow.

[Guest mossywell]

If you go here you'll see a thread that concluded (rightly IMHO) that they all buzz, but that some people simply don't notice it or don't care if they do. I suspect that it has much to do with the phone that you had before. I had a T68i, and whilst being a dreadful phone, the T68i is clear as a bell compared with the E200 which sounds in comparison like a person talking through a kazoo with a towel over their mouth! :roll: In fact, it is by far, the worst sounding phone I've ever had and I regularly had to say "pardon" whilst on calls (male voices being harder to hear than female).

As to whether it's hardware or software (and if the latter, is it "patchable" or are we stuck with some dodgy burnt-in firmware code), I suspect that Orange are keeping quiet until they have a fix. If a fix isn't possible, they will, of course, never admit that there's a problem for commercial or possibly contractual reasons.

As has been reported elsewhere, the buzzing occurs on the earpiece, the headphones and when using a BT headset. However, it does not seem to occur when on speaker. Also, audio files sound fine (as good as can be expected anyway!). However, unlike most people, I doubt it's fixable as I suspect that it is some non-patchable component that is at fault and only a replacement of this component would work. Of course, a complete recall of phones is now out of the question, so my prediction is that Orange will continue to replace handsets as and whewn people complain but will otherwise keep quiet about the problem until the next version of the phone (E300??) comes out.

Well that's my humble tuppence worth!