Well, now one and a half month after first reporting the issue to fairphone, they finally started the screen replacement procedure. I have to say that I am outraged. I have been calling the support many weeks ago and they had me assured that the replacement screen would be directly on its way once its back in stock, which is “in a week or two”. That’s seven weeks ago.
And now, instead of just sending me the damn screen, I just got an email to “Start a return request” and send my old screen to them?! I could have done that 7 weeks ago already, if someone would just have told me to! I don’t know how to express my anger: within those last weeks I moved to country where sending a package internationally will cost me about 50 €. For that price, I could almost buy a replacement screen myself (I know that this is not the fault of fairphone, but this situation could have been avoided completely).
This phone is a catastrophy. I already bought a cheap phone in the meantime and now I’m saving up for a new Samsung. Needless to say the Fairphone missed all its goals entirely: it left an environmental mark bigger than if I had just bought a single super-unfair-phone one year ago.
Here’s an update to my long, painful and tedious process…
After I couldn’t arrange a pick up date for DHL through FP’s platform I called them. They let me go through the same process of trying to arrange a pick up date through their platform (after them not accepting my request first again) and once again it is not working. I call them and explain I’ve already tried two times and I can try to arrange it with DHL myself.
Now with DHL it seems like I’m missing some kind of invoice which I was supposed to have received from Fairphone. Then the guy from DHL that was supposed to pick up the package didn’t come to pick up the package. When I call DHL they say that the guy tried to call me, which he didn’t, and he tried looking for my name on the doorbell but couldn’t find it (our name is the only name on the doorbells). So tired of dealing with customer services…
It’s been almost a month since I’ve sent my display. I’ve been calling Fairphone about 4 times since then checking how things are going forward. Last week I finally received an email saying they will replace my display under warranty and that I just had to reply to confirm address, which I did next day. I haven’t heard from them again and calling them now I hear they have not started with the shipping back process… This is pretty insane.
I received the phone in January, had issues with the display since June and send in a request for replacement in July. In august I get a message the screens are in stock and will be replace by the end of august. End of October I finally managed to arrange the pick-up date directly with DHL, because Fairphone’s system didn’t work and they made me try it 2 times, with the typical fairphone delayed or no replies.
It’s now the end of November and I still don’t have a replacement display. That’s six months with a mal-functioning screen.
Looking at my e-mails I’ve gotten e-mails from 8 different people over those months. And that doesn’t include all the people I talked to by calling to check on the process. This is so frustrating and because of this process I fail to recommend Fairphone to anyone since I don’t want them to end up in this situation.
Does anybody know if it is still possible to refund the money?
I have read from another user who had serious issues with his Fairphone 2 covered by warranty. Fairphone were not able to handle his case in adequate time, too, so he engaged a lawyer who made contact with Fairphone. They reacted immediately to his letter and offered a full refund.
What kind of people do that? I have replaced my screen 5 times, and now the last time i have bought a “cheap ASUS phone” in replacement waiting for Fairphone to react. They offered to refund my money but the fairphone cause is too important for me so i wait a replacement using my other shitty phone.
Keep going Fairphone people, your project is maybe not perfect but I believe in this!
Assholes who “hires lawyers” dont diserve to be a part of this. This is why so many things go wrong in this world.
I totally agree with @David_Geneva. Everybody interested in this phone is smart enough to understand that this is an small company trying to grow doing things right.
This topic has weekly-updated information about the number of opened tickets, in which you can see the progress Fairphone support team is doing: Current Support Status (Last update 10.01.18)
I also hope that the screen module’s manufacturer is taking care of this issues to refurbish the malfunctioning screens and Fairphone isn’t losing money with all this.
My touchscreen (FP2 build in 2015) has the same problem, no response on left side.
Have to send the Display (not the whole phone) back, so I can’t use the phone at the moment
Let’s hope that it works out!
My screen has finally arrived, 2 days after my last post. Once the shipping started it went very fast. It feels good to have a fully operational phone again after half a year. Now let’s see how long it lasts.
Same case here @siemen… It’s been 4 weeks since I sent the display, and 4 months since I first reported the screen issues. I believe in Fairphone project, but it’s a pity that I can’t recommend it as I can’t trust the phone itself and its technical support.
7 days ago I received the tracking number, so I thought everything would be smooth, but I check the information everyday and it just says “Shipment information received”. Positive thinking, positive thinking…
I just got a replacement Display (14.12.2017), the shipping notification came just 90mins before delivery, I don’t have my FP2 at the office right now, so I can’t test the display at the moment.
I had the same problem, 8 mm on the left side of the screen didn’t respond. Submitted a support request on 2017-11-16, got a response within two business days with instructions to create a return request. In the meantime, I figured it would be best to order a new module and ask Fairphone to reimburse that one, instead of being without a working phone for an uncertain amount of time. So, I ordered a new module on 2017-11-23, and asked if reimbursement of the new module (depending on the assessment of the old one) was possible. Again, I received a response within two business days that it was unusual, but they would accommodate it. Next, my new module arrived 2017-11-27 (within three (!) business days after the order, pretty quick) and after a quick swap I had a well-working display again! So far, so good.
The return process was a bit less smooth, my first selection for pick-up by DHL didn’t work, no courier showed up, and I could not pick a new date in the portal. So, I called DHL to make a new appointment, they told me no pick-up was ever scheduled and referred me back to Fairphone to get their accountnumber first. So, I called Fairphone support. The support person understood the problem and gave me an accountnumber to give to DHL to schedule a new pick-up. So, I called DHL again and they were able to reschedule the pick-up for the same day, and this time the courier showed up. The return was delivered at Fairphone the next day. I allowed some time for the assessment, but after a week I send a message asking for an update. Within a day, I received a response that I should receive the reimbursement within five working days. It was already transferred the next day, eight working days after sending in the old display module.
Overall, I’m very happy with Fairphone support (thanks guys!), although the return portal feels a bit shaky and could use improvement. Keep in mind that I’m located in The Netherlands, which probably helps with shipping speed.
So, I would recommend the following approach:
Make sure it’s the hardware by trying the troubleshooting steps above.
Create a return ticket as recommended above (with order nr, IMEI, screenshot, subject, etc)
(optional) Order a new display module
I know, this is a bit of a gamble. You might not get a refund, but a repaired screen instead (according to the Fairphone warranty). However, I reasoned I could always sell the new screen to another user or keep it as a spare. But it definitely shortens the time you are without a working phone.
Return the broken module.
If the return portal doesn’t work, call (or write) Fairphone to get their DHL account number, then DHL to schedule the pick-up.
Wait for the assessment response, write/call if it takes longer then a week.
What should LOS users do in that case? Are there any apps you can do the same with?
Or could the maintenance and checkup tool be integrated into the Lineage OS?
I did exactly that, talked with their support first to make sure it’s OK and ordered a new display module, which came really quickly. After confirming the new display module fixed the issue, I started the return process for the old display module. All good from Fairphone’s side and there was not a second I had to be without my FP2
After 2 years service, my FP2 is not completly dead, but a big area of the touchscreen in not “touchable” any more. The backcover is broken (for the 2 time) and the top module (with the headphone jack) is also broken (for the 2 time).
No answer from fairphone since 10 days…
@WiKo: Did this trick help you in the long run? Or was it just for a short time till the problem appeared again?
And does anyone know if they really improved the display so the problem will never return even if there will be some pressure on the phone or some moisture while going in the rain or something like this (in normal use)?
So far, so good.