I have been with O2 for around twelve years. A long time. A very long time in the mobile phone world. I have rarely had any problems, aside prom my previously written about problems with Nokia. So, when the bottom button on my Samsung Galaxy S2 stopped working, I was annoyed. I tried to work around it for a week or so, but called O2 customer services on the 18th of May and they advised me to take it in to my local store so it could be repaired. The advisor suggested I take it in to the store because then I would be given a replacement phone until my phone was returned. The next day, I took my phone to the store and had to pay a deposit (the advisor didn't warn me about this) for a rental phone. I explained that the only thing wrong with my phone was that the bottom button had stopped working and, whilst I could work around it, this was awkward and I would prefer if it was fixed. The phone was in warranty so I was advised it should not take long and they would let me know.

A week later, I had heard nothing from O2 or the store. As it was in the middle of my exams I hadn't really questioned that I had heard nothing. However, I thought that perhaps I should have done, so I logged in to the repair website and input my reference number. The screen said it was awaiting a response from me. As I hadn't hear anything from anyone, this was a surprise. There was a letter attached which said that my phone had been damaged and, as such, was not covered by the warranty. There was a charge of £79 which I could either pay and they would fix my phone, or I could have my phone returned unfixed. As a student, there is absolutely no way I could afford £79 and I was concerned because I knew the phone was under warranty. I called O2 customer services who put me through to the repair centre. There I was told that the phone showed evidence that it had been "dropped very hard". Again, I was concerned. I certainly hadn't dropped it very hard. I was advised that because of this, the phone was not covered under warranty. I asked for the phone to be returned to me unfixed. 

The next day I received a call from the store to say they had received my phone. I went in to pick it up about ten minutes later and they got the phone out for me. When I got it out of the box, it was not working. Absolutely nothing on the touch-screen was working and it kept saying that there was a "Touchwiz" problem. I was gutted. The phone had worked when I sent it off (apart from the bottom button). I explained to a man in the store that the phone was in worse condition than when I brought it in and he looked puzzled. He told me to take my phone and that he would try and sort it out but that it would be "at least two hours". Four hours later, I called the store, who were still waiting to hear back from the repair centre. They advised that they would call me the next day to update me. When I got home, I discovered there was a letter in the box with my phone. It said that I had a few options, 1. I could check with my insurer to see if they would cover the £79. 2. I could get an upgrade 3. I could recycle my phone. To be honest, the letter was useless and I didn't want a new phone, just my original one to work again. It was utterly useless. I carried out a hard reset and regained enough functionality to make a call, but that was it.

The next day, I was left a message on my home phone asking me to bring the phone back in to the store and they would perform some "jiggery pokery" and get the phone sent off to be fixed again. I had an exam this day, so only received the message in the afternoon. When I returned home, I took the phone straight out to the store and it was sent off for repair again. The man in the store apologised to me and considerately waived the deposit on the rental phone. This was on the 30th of May.

On the 5th of June I received a text from O2 saying that my phone was on its way back to the store and that they would call me to arrange collection. On the 10th of June, having heard nothing from the store, I popped in and asked them if they had any information. I was informed that their computer system said my phone was on its way back and was assured that if it didn't arrive that day, it would definitely arrive by the 11th of June. So, it is now the evening of the 11th of June, and there is no sign of my phone. Tomorrow I will go to the store and chase it up again. I am nearing a month without my phone. As a blogger, I use my phone for far more than calls and am seriously struggling without it. I am frustrated, annoyed and feel very disappointed. The lack of communication from the store has been shoddy. They should have let me know that the phone couldn't be fixed initially. I am a long-standing customer but this incident is certainly challenging my loyalty to the brand.

19th May - Phone taken to shop with bottom button not working

29th May - Phone returned unfixed & in a worse condition than when it was sent off

30th May - Phone taken to shop

5th June - Text received to say phone was on its way back to the shop

11th June - Phone still on the way back to the shop
14th June - my phone was finally found in the shop (where it had been sitting since the 6th of June)
15th June - O2 have offered compensation which I have accepted.