Nokia 6303 Mobile Phone — Forced to pay for repairs of manufacturing defect barely two months after purchase

Address:

Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

Dear Sir,

I purchased a Nokia 6303 Classic phone from the Mobile Store, Sector 18, NOIDA on March 7, 2010. The EMEI number of the phone is[protected].

Last week, a stray black line appeared in the middle of the display for no apparent reason. The phone had not been subjected to any undue impact. As I researched on the Internet, I saw that this was a common MANUFACTURING DEFECT with Nokia phones and had been covered under warranty on several occasions. See http://discussions.nokia.co.uk/t5/Eseries-Devices-and/E90-Horizontal-Black-Line-in-LCD-Cover-Display/m-p...⇄

However, when I took the phone to MANNAT TELECOM, Sector 10, NOIDA; an "authorized" service center for Nokia handsets, the service manager blatantly refused to cover the repairs under the warranty scheme. The line on the display was very thin and it was apparent that it was a manufacturing problem flaring up rather than anything else.

We were forced to pay Rs. 1750 (1/4th of the phone's price) for repairs. What's more, the charges include a Rs. 200 labor charge to fix what was obviously Nokia's fault.

It is despicable exploitation on the part of Nokia to charge customers for faults that THEY shipped their phones with. Also, so many cases on the Internet seem to suggest that this fault is covered under the warranty scheme in other countries. So why is it that this warranty benefit is not provided to Indian consumers? If this benefit is indeed available to Indian consumers, is it that the service center owner is openly flouting company rules?

In any case, I would request Nokia to investigate this case and arrange for a REFUND of the "service charges" (Rs. 1750) that we were forced to pay.

It'd serve Nokia India's commercial interests well to deal fairly with its customers!

Thanks.

ASHU VASHISHTHA
First Floor, A-6,
Sector 47,
NOIDA 201301 (UP).

Ph. [protected]
Email: ashu83 (at) gmail (dot) com