Mobile Phones or Cell Phones: When your mobile phone repairs may not be honored under warranty

Like it or not, as modern high-tech users, we have all become very accustomed to the mobile or cell phone. The mobile phone is part of our daily range of “must have” tools that we carry with us in our pockets or in our women’s handbags wherever we go. After all, we live in the age of instant communication and the mobile phone is that important tool that allows us to keep in touch with the office, monitor our investments in stocks and shares, talk to our loved ones and call for help if we need help. unfortunate enough to have a car breakdown.

As someone who travels frequently and considers mobile phone use absolutely essential for communication, I spare no effort to keep up with the latest developments in mobile phone technology and the newest models for most major brands.

Therefore, it was during one of my trips to Malaysia that I decided to buy a newer mobile phone that had bluetooth technology some years ago when it was first released. The established “Sony” with its blue tooth technology, as a newer model of a mobile phone, had a small footprint, a slider cover that opened to reveal the call touch pads, was lightweight, and looked sleek, colored silver on the case and just what I needed. No matter the cost, it was one of the newer models at the time, and there was always a sacrifice in a higher price if you ever wanted newer technology.

So I happily paid with a credit card and was done with the purchase. Within a few days I was back in Australia and using my mobile phone happily, until just 6 months later, it didn’t work.

Every time a new mobile phone malfunctions, and especially during the warranty period, there is cause for concern. Newer mobile phone technology means higher price, better technology, more durability, longer battery life and better features, but for this SONY model, there was cause for concern because it was my third mobile phone that I had in use and therefore it was not constantly in use. So why had it malfunctioned just after a short 6 months?

Checking the warranty card that came with the mobile phone revealed that as long as I could send the mobile phone back to the agent I bought it from, they could repair it free of charge as it was still under warranty. I could also get service as long as I could send it to an authorized Sony Service Center agent within Australia, but as I was going to be in Malaysia again, while still within the warranty period, I opted to give the dealer who sold me the mobile Another visit to get it repaired.

The sales agent diligently noted down the details of the Sony mobile phone and said that since it was one of the newer mobile phones, he would have to send it to the authorized service center for repair and would call me to find out the status of the repair. Then I could feel a relief as I thought all things were being taken care of.

In the end, there was a conspicuous absence of a phone call from the agent and I contacted them, they told me that the mobile phone could not be repaired for free even during the warranty period!

Now, if you’re a mobile phone user, this rings alarm bells… because when is a warranty for an expensive brand mobile phone not a warranty?

After all, the Sony mobile phone is not an electronics and communication technology brand to be taken lightly – it is an established brand!

“We have opened your mobile phone and found that it was moldy inside. Your warranty is voided by mold!” the agent repaired, probably reading the report from the authorized service center.

Now, first of all, when I bought the mobile phone, I was told that it had a 12-month warranty from the date of purchase, and the warranty was even international. Secondly, the mobile phone was never used excessively or exposed to water or rain. But even though it was used in Australia, where the climate was slightly cooler than tropical Malaysia, Sony’s mobile phone was well known for its good design, and I couldn’t believe that all mobile phones get moldy due to weather and conditions. colder weather conditions. in Mediterranean Australia. There was never a clause that said mold would void the warranty.

In the end, I had to shell out a sum of $200 to clean out the mold and get the mobile working again about 3 months later, because when it got fixed, I was back in Australia and had to find a friend. to get it back for me.

Now the lesson from this experience is simple: read the fine print in the warranty that comes with every mobile phone purchase. Just because what you buy is an established brand, never assume that its design is designed to keep out moisture. or that it does not get moldy inside, not even if it is Sony. I was told that it was standard policy to treat mold conditions inside the cell phone as a result of improper use of the cell phone, which voided any warranty.

Although the mobile phone was a newer model, and I had always considered it an important part of my professional tools, there was never any instance of mobile phone misuse that could have allowed water to seep inside the mobile phone. If there was any mold, it would only have been the change in climate of the country of purchase and the country of use.

Let my experience be your guide and pay attention to the fine print of your warranty to be sure if mold conditions are covered under warranty, especially if you are going to be using a mobile phone purchased abroad where there are different weather conditions.