Galaxy S3: No one can fix my phone please help

[Artisa]

So I got this T999 as a present in 2012 October-ish and I moved to the UK a couple months back and now of all times it does this to me! It was acting up for a couple of days, randomly turning off (i.e. going black suddenly) and sometimes not turning on unless I took out the battery and put it in again (it occasionally did weird stuff like this when I used the camera) and while I was googling how to fix this problem, it turned off again and that was it, it never turned on again.

Replacing the battery did nothing, the Samsung centre don't want to touch it the second they see the serial number is American, every other mobile repair shop has told me the same thing "We can't fix American Samsungs", I've left it with people overnight twice and neither of them could do anything to turn it on.

I don't understand why they're being all phone racist on me - I was assuming all S3s are the same but clearly that's not the case and now I have no idea how to fix this because no one is willing to look at it!

Short of buying a new phone, anyone got any ideas on how to fix this thing? Or does anyone know any place in London that can fix an American Samsung? Otherwise I'd really love some info on how to fix this on my own...

 

[Golfdriver97]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

So I got this T999 as a present in 2012 October-ish and I moved to the UK a couple months back and now of all times it does this to me! It was acting up for a couple of days, randomly turning off (i.e. going black suddenly) and sometimes not turning on unless I took out the battery and put it in again (it occasionally did weird stuff like this when I used the camera) and while I was googling how to fix this problem, it turned off again and that was it, it never turned on again.

Replacing the battery did nothing, the Samsung centre don't want to touch it the second they see the serial number is American, every other mobile repair shop has told me the same thing "We can't fix American Samsungs", I've left it with people overnight twice and neither of them could do anything to turn it on.

I don't understand why they're being all phone racist on me - I was assuming all S3s are the same but clearly that's not the case and now I have no idea how to fix this because no one is willing to look at it!

Short of buying a new phone, anyone got any ideas on how to fix this thing? Or does anyone know any place in London that can fix an American Samsung? Otherwise I'd really love some info on how to fix this on my own...

Welcome to the forums.
This is just a guess, but it sounds like the motherboard has some kind of issue, possibly even the Sudden Death Syndrome. The American version of the S3 is different from the International version, and I am sure they are built differently.
I am downright surprised that the Samsung center refused to repair it. Have you contacted Samsung via email?

 

[Artisa]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

Welcome to the forums.
This is just a guess, but it sounds like the motherboard has some kind of issue, possibly even the Sudden Death Syndrome. The American version of the S3 is different from the International version, and I am sure they are built differently.
I am downright surprised that the Samsung center refused to repair it. Have you contacted Samsung via email?

Admittedly no, I have not, and seeing as their centres here can't do anything about it I doubt they'll be of much help :/ I did check for the Sudden Death Syndrome a couple of times though, and I did NOT have the infamous insane chip.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

Admittedly no, I have not, and seeing as their centres here can't do anything about it I doubt they'll be of much help :/ I did check for the Sudden Death Syndrome a couple of times though, and I did NOT have the infamous insane chip.

It still may be a motherboard issue. It wouldn't hurt to contact Samsung.

 

[Artisa]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

It still may be a motherboard issue. It wouldn't hurt to contact Samsung.

Okay I just sent them an email but I'm not getting my hopes up - my model isn't even listed.

Thanks for the advice but it looks as though I'm just going to have to save up to buy another phone... once I get a job, sigh.

 

[GTWalling]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

What about an email to Samsung US and see if they can help.

 

[Artisa]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

What about an email to Samsung US and see if they can help.

My email to Samsung:

My model number is not listed in the options - my s3 is an SGH-T999 which is not turning on after having sporadically turned off a few times over a couple of days, I went to various places but everyone tells me the same thing - that they can't deal with American phones.

Please send me a location of a service centre, Samsung or not, that deals with my model of s3, as it is frustrating me to a phenomenal degree.


Their reply:

Thank you for contacting Samsung Customer Support.

In the event that you should require service assistance, please contact the original seller from where the product was initially purchased first for advice.

Please note that our warranty covers manufacturing defects only. To obtain service under warranty in the UK for products manufactured inside the EU, it is recommended that you have kept a dated purchase receipt together with the official Samsung warranty certificate. If you do not have either of these, then a charge may be incurred for any repairs if you send the device to the UK to be serviced.

Any service under warranty will be carried out in our UK service centre. We will provide shipping details at the time the service request is arranged. Shipping costs to and from the service centre will be covered by the customer. We cannot service any device that was manufactured outside the EU. In this case we recommend contacting Samsung in the device?s country of origin for further assistance.

You can read more information about our warranty policy at the following link:

Warranty Information | SUPPORT | SAMSUNG UK

If there is anything else we can help with, please let us know.

----------------

So basically they were completely useless about it, big surprise there, and I'm not willing to empty my pockets to send a defective phone all the way to the States in some meager hope that they'll fix it.

This is ridiculous, I've never heard of a company refusing to attempt to service a product just because it was manufactured outside.

I'm fed up now. I'm joining the masses that switch to iPhone.

 

[GTWalling]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

Reread your original post. In the US the Warranty period is only 12 months. You stated you purchased it around October 2012. So Samsung US or T-Mobile can not do anything. Looks like you will have to pay for the repairs needed. Just like buying a car, when the warranty is up you pay the repairs.

 

[Artisa]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

Reread your original post. In the US the Warranty period is only 12 months. You stated you purchased it around October 2012. So Samsung US or T-Mobile can not do anything. Looks like you will have to pay for the repairs needed. Just like buying a car, when the warranty is up you pay the repairs.

I don't mind paying, that's not the issue - the issue is that no one CAN fix it just because of where it was manufactured.

 

[GTWalling]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

The problem is that the European version of the S3 is totally different than the US version. They are not the same phone. They probably do not know how to work on them.

 

[Artisa]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

The problem is that the European version of the S3 is totally different than the US version. They are not the same phone. They probably do not know how to work on them.

Exactly. That, and they don't have the parts because as if it wasn't stupid enough putting region codes on DVDs and games, there are now regions for phone parts too, which I find totally stupid, because what if someone like me moves in from abroad and their phone stops working? Are we all expected to simply buy a new one locally?!

Bull.

I'm making sure my next phone will have international service coverage.

But thank you for trying to help.

 

[GTWalling]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

That is still not going to solve the problem. The Verizon S3 is a "World Phone", but still can not be repaired overseas under Warranty.

 

[Artisa]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

It can't be repaired out of warranty either. -.-

 

[GTWalling]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

Sure it can, seen several post where an S3 was sent to Samsung and for a Fee was repaired out of warranty.

 

[Artisa]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

Location please? That's all I need, a place in London that will fix my phone regardless of country of origin.

 

[GTWalling]

Re: No one can fix my phone please help

Sorry but you would have to use County of origin.

 

[GSDer]

You can try these guys http://www.fonefunshop.co.uk/Unlocking/unlock/i900_boot_repair.htm

Sent from my rooted, debloated, deodexed Sinclair ZX-80 running CM -0.001 using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Artisa]

Thanks, I finally found someone on Tottenham Court Road that could at least tell me what was wrong with my phone (said the power ic was shot and I needed to replace the motherboard) buuuut it would pretty much cost the same as buying another phone so I think I'll do that instead.