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Infrared port on T68i unusable - useless range. |
festamus
Joined: Aug 28, 2002
Posts: 9
PM |
Further to my problem as posted in the thread "T68i and Jornada Pocket PC woes" - I've discovered that my T68i WILL work over infrared provided the IR port is almost LITERALLY TOUCHING the other IR port, be it that of the Jornada or my Nokia 6210. Otherwise - nothing works over IR. Even a gap of an inch or a centimetre results in NO communication working over IR. Unlike my Nokia 6210 which seems to work over a very reasonable range with my Jornada.
This means the T68i, due to the 'high' location of the IR from the back of the phone, needs physically holding against the other device, literally pressed together, and this can't be done lying either unit on a flat surface (otherwise the ports won't align). Making the IR port as it is, working over a range of <1cm virtually USELESS.
The question is - would you guys say this phone is therefore faulty? And worthy of a warranty replacement?
I plan on phoning Sony Ericsson's support line tomorrow and asking them 'innocently' over what range their IR port should work - and what is the optimum. If they say anything other than 'literally touching', only then will I tell them the stellar performance of my particular T68i. Then I shall be marching down to Phones4u for the warranty replacement I figure the owe me. *sigh* |
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arnoldc
Joined: Dec 14, 2001
Posts: > 500
From: Philippines
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obviously faulty! |
Jison
Joined: Jul 01, 2002
Posts: 356
From: Sweden
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Definitly faulty. I've got several inches to my computer
This post was posted from a T68i |
Jabba
Joined: Aug 23, 2002
Posts: 22
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I use mine 5 inches away |
abudinsz
Joined: Jun 08, 2002
Posts: 63
From: USA
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I've gotten it to work more than 5 meters away so I would say there is a definite problem!! |
chyeoh
Joined: Aug 12, 2002
Posts: 76
From: Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
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IR is sentive to light surrounding ...
chyeoh@HP Mini 1001TU |
festamus
Joined: Aug 28, 2002
Posts: 9
PM |
I considered other light sources interfering... so I tried it in a room with natural dayling only, in a room with no lights on and the curtains drawn, in a room with a desk lamp on, in a room with a flourescent light on, and in a darkened room to no avail.
Ericsson replied to an email I sent when I first encountered the problem. The first person to read the email forwarded it on to their Data Support deparment. Who have taken two days to send THIS.
"Dear Sir/Madam,
The below query is not a data support issue. Please call the number below
and select option 2, where the agent will help you to establish whether your
IR port is defective or not, and on what the next step is.
Yours Sincerely
Ericsson Data Support"
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Mithrandir
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 9
From: unknown - he's often seen in t
PM |
Your phone's faulty. My t68i can connect up to 1 meter using the ir on my fujitsu laptop. Go to your store and claim your replacement unit.
This post was posted from a T68i |
festamus
Joined: Aug 28, 2002
Posts: 9
PM |
I phoned Sony Ericsson's support line. Spoke to a top bloke, who after quickly explaining the problem to him, said to take the phone back and get it replaced. And since it was only 4 days old, he was nice enough to inform me of my consumer's statutory rights... basically - I've been sold a phone. It IS faulty. So they'd basically better put it right one way or another, or else!
So I went to Phones 4u - and the girl who served me (the same one who sold me the phone in the first place) was *great*. I told her the problem, and the whole thing about infrared and crap was lost on her - she barely even knew what it was for so took my word for it that it was faulty. Didn't even ask for me to demonstrate (I took my 6210 and PPC as well) - went straight out the back to get me a new one. She suggested I try that one to see if it works - at which point I got the final vindication that my phone WAS broken. The new one worked flawlessly from half way across the desk using the EXACT same settings on my 6210 and PPC. Vindication.
So she put the exchange into her computer, and the phoned Orange to organize what needs organizing through them. It's at THAT point when things started to take a turn for the annoying. Orange said she *shouldn't* have run the exchange through her computer, because they need speaking to first, and they AREN'T giving me an exchange. They "referring the problem to their technical department" who will, they claim, phone me within the next 48 hours (this at 3PM on a Friday afternoon - so I find them keeping their promise over the weekend unliklely!)...
I know exactly what the problem is with my phone. For whatever reason, the transmitting LED of the IR port is too weak to produce a reliable signal at point blank range, or even ANY usable signal past about 1cm distance from another IR device. I spent the 4 days I DID have the phone convincing myself that it was faulty. I wasn't prepared to report a fault if it was just me getting settings wrong or my gear being uncompatiable (which I would accept as my own problem - not theirs). But I was able to 'experimentally' prove that the IR port was faulty, and now that I've seen another T68i talk to my 6210, I'm 110% sure its' faulty.
If Orange mess me about there'll be hell to pay. I'm already somewhat unhappy that they put the brakes on my replacement. Swines. |
Cophia
Joined: Jul 22, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Sydney
PM |
If you signed a new contract when buying the phone in the U.K., then you have the right to demand a refund if you are not satisfied within 14 days of purchase. You can cancel your contract, return the phone and only pay for the cost of any calls you have made.
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festamus
Joined: Aug 28, 2002
Posts: 9
PM |
Actually, no. Apparently, since I'm an upgrade customer, I don't need the 14 days backing out period that you get with new connections. Neither, according to Orange, am I worthy of any customer service. They told the girl in the shop they'd call me in the next 48 hours - and she passed the message on for them. It's now 56 hours later and counting, and they still haven't pulled their heads out of the arses and decided that a faulty phone is a faulty phone and needs replacing!! Genius!
My patience is wearing a little thin with Orange. The phone is EASY to demonstrate as faulty. It's not like it's even an intermittent fault. But because it's a fault with IR, and not with some nice big clear simple feature as found on Kiddie's phones with snap on Winnie the Pooh covers and countless nice ring tones, they seem to have developed a case of prolonged (by 56 hrs) moronity over at Orange. And if when I eventually DO speak to them on the phone (e.g. when I go back to Phones 4u tomorrow and tell them that Orange didn't make the call I was promised, and ask the girl in Phones 4u to phone Orange so I can speak to them) it probably will take just a hint of them not sorting the problem that same day before I start asking for managers or supervisors to be put on the line. Luckily I think shouting and balling at poor call centre operators is dispicable, and shall remain calm but firm. 
My phone is faulty and was faulty when they sold me it. I reported the fault well within 14 days, as AFAIK is the time allowed me in my Statutory Rights. I can show it to be faulty beyond doubt. WHY is it so hard for Orange to contemplate replacing it?
I'm heartened though, by the fact Phones 4u are on my side. Sony Ericsson seem to be too - the guy I spoke to on their helpline listened to me describe the fault and asked if I got it from a local shop (which I did) then told me to take it back there and effectively demand a replacement - and was then nice enough to point out to me my statutory rights in this matter. One wonders if he suspected Orange would give me grief... |
festamus
Joined: Aug 28, 2002
Posts: 9
PM |
All worked out beautifully in the end.
Orange didn't phone me back within 48 hours... so I phoned them. Obviously there isn't an option to speak to their "Technical Department" direct, so I spoke to a nice Customer Services rep called Claire - who sounded local (I'm from Co. Durham where Orange have a couple of big call centres). It's amazing what you can get done if you're polite, patient, sound happy and easy going, and last but not least if you flirt a bit.
She offered to phone their tech department to see what was going on, which apparently isn't something she's supposed to do but would do anyway! She said she got through to some bloke in their Tech Department, who she told me had said he was surprised it had even been referred to them as usually it was just a case of an instant authorisation for an exchange... But he wouldn't sign off the replacement! I'd have to wait.
So she said that she'd phone them AGAIN for me, and if she got the same guy, she'd just hang up! She had me on hold for a couple of minutes longer than before, which I took to be a good sign, and came back on the line to tell me that she had to 'work her charms' with the guy in the Tech. Department, and that he'd have it signed off on the system, but he wouldn't be able to get it done straight away (this was by this point 5:30 ish so I wasn't surprised)... so she would phone me back in the morning when she started her shift at whatever time would be convenient for me. Sure enough - a couple of minutes after the start of her shift this morning she was on the phone with an action ID no. for my replacement.
Went to Phones 4u with that and now have a working T68i whose infrared works *beautifully* with my Pocket PC and 6210!
Bravo Claire @ Orange! |
Ego-maniac
Joined: Nov 16, 2002
Posts: 17
From: Bishop Auckland,UK
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Sorry too hear that you had sooo many problems sorting this. I actually work for Phones4u and know how difficult it is to authorise an exchange like this. Orange is a pain in the arse they think they are the experts and don't beleive we know what we are doing. I actually have a technology related degree *sigh!!! working at a phone shop* and know when a phone is broke but they ask me too wait too.
The best networks for instant replacements on upgrades is voda,o2 and t-mob. cause they use mainly GSM fones they are easy swapped if there is a fault with them. Slightly harder if there is no fault.
Which shop did you visit in county durham btw as i am from that area.
Cheers Ego |
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Posted: 2002-08-30 06:21
