Getting support in a global world

[PeterSeybolt]

I bought a Xperia Z3 Dual SIM D6633 via the webshop Mobicity.co.uk

Regrettfully I have experienced severe problems with it but inspite of the supportpage stating that it is under warranty until 2016-04-15 based on it's IEMIE number neither the SonyMobile support in Sweden nor the UK are able to support me based on that the model has not been introduced in these two markets.

They have not been able to tell me which market the unit originally was intended for. I find it strange to say the least that the EIMEI database contains information about the warranty expiry date BUT NOT where to send it.

Does anyone have any advice for how I shall go about to find the service organisation that will accept responsibility?

Mobile devices are sold in airports all over the world the support and warranty shoould be global. It should be possible to hand in your Xperia device to an authorized Sonymobile service facility anywhere in the world and if they can't solve the problem locally then it should be their task to send it to the nearest Sonymobile facility that are capable to solve the problem.

I have been told to contact my reseller BUT they neither answer mail nor phone.

Anyone that give me advice?

Best regards

Peter S

[FrontierGate]

Dual sim versions are sold in Middle East countries, China and some places?  I am not too sure about D6633.

[lokrsw]

D6683 are sold in Hong Kong, D6633 in Europe, USA, Brazil, Argentina, Arabia, Russia and other countries.

[Uliwooly]

@lokrsw

I haven't seen the dual SIM variant here in the US, at least not through Sony. 

[lokrsw]

@uliwooly

Yup, main vesions are single sim in t-mobile, verizon etc.

[Uliwooly]

@lokrsw

Verizon only has one Xperia, or had an Xperia, the Xperia Z3V which is a CDMA phone not GSM.

[lokrsw]

@uliwooly 

Networks

- GSM GPRS/EDGE (2G) 

- UMTS HSPA (3G)

- 4G LTE

- CDMA

Sony Xperia Z3V specs

so it's also GSM like many others phone and works with GSM network, CDMA it's just a band that this phone support.

[exsanguinator]

Big brand companies in every country are different,
some support grey imports some do not.
Sony should support their products anywhere in the world if they sell their products in duty free shops at airports
I suggest to get hold of someone at a managerial level and provide you with an answer in writing, and if unfavourable, contact head office to confirm.
Sony franchises in smaller countries are basically international sales reps,and have a duty of care to represent Head Office
I've dealt with Casio,B&O,AKG etc..and have no problems sorting out issues under warranty, regardless where they were bought
At the very least,the website should have physical contact details for that countries consumer watchdog to intervene
Either way, you are going to lose a few hairs trying to sort something out, as that is life, and its only the country you're in, that will determine if you go bald or not..Unfortunately

[exsanguinator]

I forgot to add...the fones imei number is useless, without a proof of purchase slip in any country as warranty is non transferable,so the onus is on the claimant to supply evidence in that

[PeterSeybolt]

Another day with several hours spent in vain trying to find the part of Sonymobile that will accept responsibility for my faulty Xperia Z3 Dual SIM D6633.

The support in Sweden claimed that they could not see where in the world that my unit was originally delivered but based on the customisation software that was found by typing *#*#7378423#*#* , they told me that the unit was delivered in Hongkong so I spent quite some time on the chat with a services representative that told me that:

1. He could not find anything based on the IMEI number.

2. Asked me who the reseller was and when I told him it was Mobicity.co.uk a subsidary of CEeCL China Europe E-Commerce Ltd. he told me that as they were not an authorized reseller there was no warranty....
3. When I pointed out that as there is no list of authorized reseller on the Sonymobile webpage he stated that there was one on Facebook and also on posters LoL.

So I tried Sweden again and they said that the D6633 was released in Poland, so I spent more than half an hour with the Polish support final result same as before BUT I learned a few things...

1. In Poland they were able to use the IMEI number to determine that the unit was delivered to HongKong via a distributor called Telecom Services network (Who I so far have failed to find on the web) So they could get a lot more from the IMEI than their Swedish counterparts and certainly more than the guy in Hongkong who claimed that they did not use the IMEI at all.....

2. The Polish lady said that the Polish support could not help since the unit was delivered to Honkong but said that she could see that the factory warranty was in effect until 2016-04-15 AND that the HongKong office were obliged to honour it.

3. I learnt that Sonymobile has an international database for support calls since she obviously knew of details I had discussed in previous chats and calls However she could not find my chat with support agent HK-006 (Which I naturally have on record)

4. She started talking about certain radiobands not being supported in certain markets LoL again, the very strength of 3GPP is the ability to roam and while not every band is available everywhere with all other mobile terminals that I have had since 2000 I have managed to use them in every country I have visited.......

Naturally none of the support agents would provide me with any information about their superiors nor the management of the global support organisation. But after 18 years with Ericsson I do not give up that easy.

So why do I spend this much energy to get it sorted, well I do have a professional reason. Sweden being the second country in Europe where the regulator has made an exemption from the licence obligation for 5 MHz of spectrum between 1875 and 1880 MHz makes it a market for local Mobile networks which my company supplies. This creates a need for Dual SIM terminals and currently the only vendor who dares to "Disobey" the Swedish operators is Huawei and I would like my customers to have access to all good phones on the market.

Unless my account here is terminated for being politically incorrect I will keep you posted on what happens next, stay tuned;-)

Best regards

Peter Seybolt