A cautionary tale.
Maybe you’re here in the Forum researching whether or not you should buy a Fairphone. Maybe like myself, you came to the forum to hear from the experiences of other users to make your decision. Maybe, like myself, you are driven by a desire to have a phone that’s more ethical, more sustainable and more repairable. Great!
After much deliberation, I ordered my Fairphone in March 2020 from CLOVE Technologies in the UK (paying rough $800ish with duties and all). I knew there was a risk of being outside the support area but figured it was repairable with a lot of resources and a community of support to repair whatever issues I encountered. I think in this friendly enthusiastic community of Fairphoners, that risk was downplayed. Or maybe I just so badly wanted to believe that a more ethical, sustainable and repairable phone was available outside of Europe, that I didn’t properly weigh that risk to the reward.
Skip to October 2020 when my display began lifting away from the body of the phone. It was 3ish weeks before I could successfully submit a support ticket (issues with their system at the time). Another week and a half before I got a response. They requested photos and it was into February before they suggested I return it to the support center for diagnosis**. It was March when they informed me that it was a known manufacturing issue**. Finally, just as I am debating whether it’s worth the time and money to send it back, I get caught in the rain and the water damage does in the display. Now, the issue is deemed user damage, though it was no doubt exacerbated by the fact that my phone had been gaping open for near 6 months.
In that time there was no trouble shooting or suggestion of repairing it myself (which I tried to no avail). Support often took weeks to get back to me on simple questions and the best support I received was from @robbert.f to hold it together with electrical tape. (Thank you, you truly are a Fairphone Angel.) I can’t help wondering if the support team was deliberately slow so that further damage would occur and it would be deemed user damage outside of warranty.
I wanted to share this cautionary tale and emphasize the risks of being outside the support area, I know this forum is typically a Fairphone lovefest and I wanted to share my story in case it saved anyone the hurt and hassle of what I went through.
If anyone wants Fairphone 3 parts, I’ll send it your way if you cover the cost of shipping. I just want to be rid of the damn thing that gave me 6 months of feeling virtuous and 6 months of pain.
TLDR: Bought phone with known manufacturing defect, outside of the support area received little to no support. Giving away F***ed -up Fairphone to anyone who wants to cover shipping.
yours,
A Former Fairphoner