mrochester wrote:It's hardly scummy of Nokia to not honour the warranty given that you have willingly voided the warranty by changing the product code. If you want them to honour the warranty, don't change the product code!
Do you genuinely believe what you're saying? Authorised software for use on your specific hardware: unacceptable due to some separate parameter - the product code? If you were flashing your own firmware using a non Nokia tool, or firmware you had purposefully changed, then yes, I would agree with you. The way mobile phone contracts are worded in a legal sense means that the equipment is yours, but you pay for the service. I'm aware from cases that vodafone or Nokia like to think they can somehow restrict what you do with the handset, but you are fully entitled to any firmware updates to provide the correct experience for the hardware you purchased. You seem to agree it's ok to penalise for attempting to achieve this.
It's just an easy way for Nokia to get out of providing support for their products. You'll not Sony Ericsson aren't anywhere near as strict, and in fact very generous. They judge hardware faults based on the hardware, not the software.
You are aware the product code is just that, a code? Hardware is identical. It's well known Nokia f****d up the implementation of operator specific branding, at times perhaps due to cumbersome 'feature' requests from the likes of vodafone.
Generic v30 or v31 N95 software, as an example, is what the product should have sold with. Instead Nokia are selling you a product that is technically capable of what they state, but in practice does not correctly utilise the features due to bugs.
If you wanted a stable firmware, and your operator was stuck on a firmware from 2 years ago, how would you feel if you upgraded, quite rightly *as you own the device*, and get told a hardware fault, which is legally covered, will not be repaired. Go check consumer law, then get back to me. Nokia can state whatever they wish regarding their handsets. In my experience with more timid friends, I've managed to help people get repairs on products flashed with generic firmware, based on the fact that our lovely UK law states hardware faults and software faults are separate.
Yes, I'm a lawyer, so perhaps more clued up than your average customer, granted.
The warranty should be on the hardware, and Nokia's service centres just use the product code change as a get-out clause. Given the high hardware failure rate of mobile devices compared with more standard consumer products, it is a bit disingenuous to avoid repairing a hardware fault that is simply caused by a fault with that hardware, by blaming unauthorised software on it. Generic firmware should be backed by Nokia on any handset, like with most other manufacturers.
As soon as you Nokia fanbois realise this, you'll realise gradually over a period of time Nokia have been shafting it's loyal customers. You may laugh at how Apple treats its customers, but I can assure you many onlookers wonder just why people jump on Nokia product (eg: the N97) when they are put into the market with blatently lacking firmware which is not even worthy of sale.
N85 - very poor build quality, N97 - laughable firmware. I remember the reason for not changing from a Nokia device years ago, due to the very simple interface being user friendly. However, keeping in mind I still own a certain Nokia and think it's great, the same can't be said of the majority of the newer Nokia products on the market.
Back to the topic: change of software does not affect hardware failure. Particularly when that software is Nokia authorised for that hardware; just because you have a different product code - a code which makes no difference to the functionality of the phone keep in mind - you are refused service. Keep in mind that in conformance with standard law, this is not acceptable. You've seen those 'unlimited XXX' mobile offerings that are in fact capped? Those are a gray area - what I'm mentioning is no gray area, the networks and Nokia are just relying on you squirming to accept what they say.
For the record, I am no fan of any manufacturer, however I do find the N95 8GB and SE K800i to be amongst the best phones available, even at the current time. They have held the test of time, unlike more modern offerings, which have displayed that we are clearly in a recession with the cost-cutting that has been implemented.