Nowadays, the mobile phone is almost an indispensible tool for communication in Hong Kong. If problem arises with the handset, one's daily life may be significantly affected.
The Consumer Council received 1,085 complaint cases regarding mobile phones in the first 9 months of this year, in which 457 cases (42%) involved repair and maintenance services. In 2010, among the 1,825 complaints cases on mobile phones, only 533 cases (29%) were repair and maintenance related. The significant increase reflects the unsatisfactory maintenance services offered by mobile phone suppliers.
The latest issue of CHOICE magazine highlights some typical complaint cases on the maintenance service of mobile phones:
Case 1
Ms Chiu bought a mobile phone of the latest model of brand X in telecommunication company A. After using the mobile phone for about a month, she found that the phone emitted interfering noises so she took it to the Company X for checking and repair. A staff of the company told her the problem could not be fixed, and the phone could be exchanged for a new one. Ms Chiu later received from the company a 'new' telephone which has no packaging. She made an enquiry about the case and found that the handset she had received was not a model sold in Hong Kong. Very much discontented, she came to the Consumer Council for assistance.
The supplier of the mobile phone responded that it was their company's policy to use 'serviced units' to handle the repair requests of their customers, and stressed that the phone which the complainant had received, though not brand new, has capabilities as good as a new phone. The Company neither offered a new set nor returned the original phone to the complainant, insisting that it was the company's global policy on product maintenance.
Case 2
Mr Chin bought a mobile phone from telecommunication company B, but found the phone out of order after using it for 3 months. He took the phone to the company for repair and was informed that the circuit board of the phone was damaged and it had to be replaced. However, the board was out of stock. Mr Chin waited for 2 months and repeatedly received replies from the company that the parts had not yet arrived. Dissatisfied with the long delay, Mr Chin eventually brought the case to the Consumer Council.
After many failed attempts, the Council finally got in touch with the manager of company B, who replied that Mr Chin's phone could not be repaired as the production of the circuit board had discontinued. The company offered to sell another model to Mr Chin at wholesale price. Much disappointed, Mr Chin refused the proposed solution and insisted not to buy any product from that company ever again.
Case 3
Mr Suen bought a mobile phone of the latest model of brand C. After using the phone for 6 months, he frequently found problems with the phone and took it to the Company C for repair. However, after several rounds of repair, the problems persisted. Company C later proposed to trade in the phone in question for HK$1,500, but Mr Suen had to pay a HK$300 handling charge. Mr Suen found the company's offer ridiculous, as he had to pay extra money in trading the malfunctioning phone, which should be the responsibility of company C. After the Council's mediation, Company C finally agreed to change a new set for Mr Suen.
It is debatable whether a mobile phone supplier should use a 'service unit' to deal with cases of repair and maintenance of mobile phones. It has been reported that the supplier in question has recently amended its global maintenance policy in the Asia region, in that their customers can now get a new mobile phone set if the old one can no longer be fixed. The Consumer Council has written to the company requesting the company to implement this maintenance policy in Hong Kong.
The Council also urges the vendors of mobile phones to have sufficient stock of spare parts when they start selling a phone set. If the spare parts are out of stock or that they will cease production, the mobile phone vendors are obliged to inform consumers about the availability or production status of the spare parts at the time of sale. It is an important point to note that the consumers are paying for the monthly network charges while they are waiting for the repair of their phones.
The Council has received many complaints about persistent problems of mobile phones after repeated repairs. Many consumers find the after-sale services of the phone suppliers unsatisfactory, and the repair service is far below professional standard. It is particularly annoying for consumers when they have to bring along their malfunctioning phones to the service centre repeatedly for repair. Inadequate after-sale service is detrimental to the phone company's reputation.
The Consumer Council reminds consumers to pay particular attention to the phone company's clauses on repair and maintenance before deciding to buy a mobile phone.
| CHOICE magazine is now also available online (at https://echoice.consumer.org.hk/) and via fixed-line and mobile services of PCCW. Members from the media who are invited by this Council to the Press Conference may quote the content of this Press Statement. The Consumer Council reserves all its right (including copyright) in respect of CHOICE Magazine and Online CHOICE ( https://echoice.consumer.org.hk/ ). |