Fascinate Replacement Help

[jadams]

I am new to the forum and have been following posts and issues with the Fascinate. I have tried to get mine replaced several times and the best a rep will do, as of today, is offer me a refurb Fascinate or a refurb Droid X. I don't want a 4th Fascinate that won't work and I don't want an old X. How do you get verizon to offer a reasonable replacement???

 

[briguyy]

I just got mine replaced, they didnt offer me another phone but they did offer me an early upgrade to any other phone except the iphone...but i wanted to save my upgrade for later so i got the replacement but the early upgrade might be an option for you.

 

[Bengalfan1]

I am on my second Fascinate and my wife is on her third. I thought Verizon sent out a different phone after 4 replacements did not work. I would try telling them you will drop their service and go to AT&T or Sprint. Maybe that will give you some leverage.

 

[bbsadaj]

I think it depends on who you deal with. It's usually a gamble who you get. My experience with Verizon is that if you deal with them in a calm, cool manner and go in with the game plan of getting a different device it should work. You just have to escalate the call to being able to speak with a supervisor and not flying off the handle right away. Just my two cents of course.

 

[Sta11i0n]

I completely agree with bbsadaj. I worked in the technical support field a few years back and customers that called up screaming about problems and insulting the company and it's products got nowhere. My favorite customers to talk to were old ladies (believe it or not). They're always the least likely to get upset, and the most cooperative. Sure there's a time or 2 where ranting and raving until you get a supervisor that finally gives you what you want to shut you up works. But that's only because you've called 20 times that month and they're just tired of dealing with you. Even then, you're walking a fine line. I moved up in the company I worked for to their security department and we would make house visits to the worst of the worst, giving them an ultimatum that if they were any bit disrespectful again, they would be banished of service. Not to say that Verizon will come knocking on your door, but it's just so much more difficult to be that way when you're the one that needs their help.

To comment on EricHolt's idea, bringing competitors into the mix doesn't seem to scare big red. I too have had problems with my Fascinate (missed call issue was terrible in an emergency situation) and called them up requesting a Charge as a replacement. While going in circles with them about how they can't send anything other than a Fascinate as a replacement anymore, and myself arguing that I was done using the Fascinate even though I do love it when it works properly, I mentioned that I was considering switching to AT&T. Not so much as a threat, but because LTE won't be hitting my area for a while and I had already been into one of their stores and love the Infuse (which does get 4G coverage where I live). To my surprise, they didn't even bat an eye at the comment, and went right back into saying that "Samsung has fixed the problem with the replacements they're sending out." I finally gave in after more than an hour on the phone and decided to give the Fascinate one more shot. Surprisingly, the new phones I got did seem to be better as far as signal strength goes (they average ~-10dBm better) but I have just discovered this week that I have still been missing calls. I just haven't had the time to call them again, assuming I should have a little more leverage now seeing how the replacements that I was told would work properly, don't. I'm honestly not crazy about the Charge compared to the Fascinate (though the larger screen and front facing camera are a plus) but I really do love Samsung phones, and all of their electronics in general. I'm actually one of the "weird" ones that likes TouchWiz. If I can't get a Charge out of them this time. I most likely will be switching providers for a Samsung that will work properly.

 

[MrGr8]

My wife and I had tons of problems with our Fascinates missing call. I was just persistant and kept hounding Verizon until they gave in and sent us both incredible 2's. They seem to be MUCH better phones.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

 

[Sta11i0n]

My wife and I had tons of problems with our Fascinates missing call. I was just persistant and kept hounding Verizon until they gave in and sent us both incredible 2's. They seem to be MUCH better phones.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

When did you get the alternate replacements? I know they were actually offering your choice of the Charge, the X2, or Inc2, but they stopped doing that around the beginning of August (i think the 5th). Just curious if with enough work, you can get them to crack after that date.

 

[briguyy]

For anyone that needs it or doesnt have it this is the number i used to call VZW when they offered me my free early upgrade: 1-866-406-5154 of course all the phones out right now im not interested in so i will wait and see what the Prime has to offer.

 

[Sta11i0n]

For anyone that needs it or doesnt have it this is the number i used to call VZW when they offered me my free early upgrade: 1-866-406-5154 of course all the phones out right now im not interested in so i will wait and see what the Prime has to offer.

Good bit of info. I'm sure others will use it but I'm certainly not interested in getting an upgrade where I would still have to pay $200-$300 to replace a phone (because of problems) I've only had for a year and hardly get anything more feature wise.

 

[briguyy]

Good bit of info. I'm sure others will use it but I'm certainly not interested in getting an upgrade where I would still have to pay $200-$300 to replace a phone (because of problems) I've only had for a year and hardly get anything more feature wise.

Yeah i hear ya, thats why i didnt use it, nothng out their right now worthy enough ( my opinion) but i went to Fry's Electronics which is a big electrnoics superstore here in the area and they had the Charge for $83 so i almost used my upgrade on that but decided to hold off and use it for something else down the road that , like you said, has more features.

 

[MrGr8]

About 2 weeks ago.

Sent from my Droid Incredible 2 using Tapatalk.

 

[MrGr8]

When did you get the alternate replacements? I know they were actually offering your choice of the Charge, the X2, or Inc2, but they stopped doing that around the beginning of August (i think the 5th). Just curious if with enough work, you can get them to crack after that date.

About 2 weeks ago. That was the only phone they offered to replace ours with.

Sent from my Droid Incredible 2 using Tapatalk.

 

[Sta11i0n]

About 2 weeks ago. That was the only phone they offered to replace ours with.

Sent from my Droid Incredible 2 using Tapatalk.

Excellent. Thanks for the update. Hopefully I'll be able to find some free time soon to call them up. I still won't settle for anything other than the Charge, as its most similar to the Fascinate. Thing that erks me is when the reps I speak to try to point fingers at the manufacturer. The way they explained it to me the last time I spoke to them was that Samsung was the one's that would no longer allow alternate phones for replacements. I can't see how it was ever something Sammy was doing seeing how 2 of the 3 choices were competitor brands. It had to be VZ doing the swaps all along, and I aim to have an exception be made.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

 

[MrGr8]

That's exactly what they did when I called. According to VZW it was all Samsungs fault. BTW the also sent us the extended batteries with the incredible 2's.

Sent from my Droid Incredible 2 using Tapatalk.

 

[audioguy61]

On my second Fascinate, I have to say it is better with regard to missed calls although under the same conditions my wife's iphone 4 is better with reception in our house(3 bars when I have zero, 3G when I have 1X). Verizon has offered an early upgrade, I am seriously considering a Droid Bionic if I feel I can't hold out anymore. I am trying to wait as long as possible as I don't absolutely love anything out right now, maybe the fabled Nexus Prime will be the ticket, who knows... I don't think you should expect a replacement with another brand for no other commitment on your part, an early upgrade to me seems a fair deal, being reasonable seems to go a long way. Remember, Verizon's pride lies in their network so any phone that does not make that shine they will not be behind. They want you to have a great experience with their network because it's like I told tech support on my third call; "If I wanted a great phone with lousy reception I would have bought an iPhone on AT&T three years ago".

 

[jadams]

I can't get anywhere with Verizon. I am always nice to the person I talk to. I refuse to use my "upgrade" and spend another $200 on a phone when this one should be replaced under warranty. What sucks is that Verizon has you by the balls. There is very little a customer can do sometimes, all I want is a current phone that WORKS! I should not have to jump through hoops when I call, I get the same BS story that "this is the first time we are hearing of this problem with the Fascinate".