Re: Nokia won't repair my US N900 because I live in Canada
 

Did you try to contact Nokia USA?

I think newegg.ca specifically said to contact Nokia USA for any warranty question.

Re: Nokia won't repair my US N900 because I live in Canada
 

Did they tell you this? An alternative explanation (which has the singular advantage of being the actual explanation) is that Nokia Canada don't have the parts or training to repair the N900 because they don't sell the N900. On the other hand, if Nokia globally aren't capable of repairing their own products without damaging them further, who are you suggesting as a viable alternative?

No, it's not. It's like expecting LG Canada to help me find a solution when an LG TV I bought in the US goes wrong.

I'm saying that I should have other options, i.e. Nokia Canada should be able to do more than nothing. My original post describes a corporate fail in action. After a significant outlay of time and trouble on my part, Nokia USA have now accepted my phone for repair, although they have yet to indicate if they will charge me for the repair. If it's free, great - I'm a loyal customer of just about every flagship Nokia phone for over a decade, so this will restore my faith. If not, I can live with that - remember I'm willing to pay for the repair because I love the N900.

They are both owned by the same parent company. They have a coherent global corporate brand, which they invest significant resources in promoting and protecting. I fail to see how it is not in Nokia's best interests to direct me to the person most able to help me continue to feel good about Nokia's product.

If you read my posts, you will see that I'm not expecing Nokia Canada to honour my warranty. In fact I'm not expecting anyone to honour my warranty - I am willing to pay for the repair.

I'm glad that newegg.ca were able to help you and others. However, I didn't buy from newegg.ca (or one of the other tech sites I imagine you're referring to) so that's not really relevant in my case. Hopefully useful for other Canadian N900 owners who bought from newegg though. I am certain that my original vendor does not offer this service.

Re: Nokia won't repair my US N900 because I live in Canada
 

@shallimus

I see that you're in Toronto, one option is to take it to SN Traders in Mississauga. They have a repair relationship with Nokia USA (as most of the devices they sell aren't sold in Canada) and if it is still within the warranty period (which it is), they'll send it off for you and get it fixed. However, make sure you get everything in writing (email them your situation) and keep a copy of your IMEI and any tracking numbers they may give you. I know of one instance where they lost someone's device and it took them a long time and a lot of arguing to replace it.

Re: Nokia won't repair my US N900 because I live in Canada
 

Thanks for the tip - I appreciate the relevant info :) SN Traders are useful for getting devices but like you I've heard a story where their returns system didn't work out too well.

Re: Nokia won't repair my US N900 because I live in Canada
 

So here's a timeline of how this has gone so far:

1. Mon 29th March 2010: I broke my screen. D'oh. Dumb, and means I'll be without my phone for a bit. Maybe this will cost me a few dollars. Oh well. Mood: :(
2. Wed 7th April 2010: After a week researching and weighing up various options, I sent my phone to a friend in the US. Mood: :rolleyes:
3. Mon 26th April: my buddy in the US receives my phone. Canada Post and US Postal Service fail to meet their delivery estimate by a number of days, but hey whatever. Mood: still :rolleyes:
4. Tue 27th April: My buddy in the US ships my phone to Nokia via UPS using the RMA label. Mood: :cool:
5. Friday 7th May: Nokia website Repair Status shows my phone as 'Received'. OK, so that took a while, but it's there. The parcel's last point of transit was Tennessee, which did cause me some concern. Mood: :p for my repair progress, :( for people of Tennessee
6. Monday 10th May: Repair status is 'Out of warranty'. Hmm. Now what? Are they going to ship it back without repairing it? Can I pay them to fix it? I call Nokia USA, and after moderate language barrier and logic issues establish that I need to call Nokia's Alabama repair plant. Have I called the number already? No, I haven't, because you only just informed me of the need to call, and I have been on the phone with you for all of those 30 seconds since you told me. I wish that calling Nokia USA meant speaking to someone in the USA instead of India or the Phillippines. Mood: :rolleyes:
7. Monday 10th May: Alabama repair plant staff (this is outsourced but at least it's definitely in the US) inform me that the "Out of warranty" status isn't necessarily accurate, but it was "to get [my] attention" because they don't have my return address. Of course, the return address was on the UPS label which Nokia provided me when they issued the RMA, but sure I can read it out over the phone to you. So now I have to check back tomorrow. Mood: is there no end to this process? :(
8. Tue 11th May: Called Nokia Alabama (i.e. third-party repair contractors Palco) 24 hours later as directed. Spoke to a very nice lady who was able to tell me that the damage is not covered by warranty (OK, as expected) and that a quote will be mailed out to me (boo! I don't have time for that!) but if I call back tomorrow it should be available over the phone. Mood: :o a glimmer of hope, tempered with a little voice whispering "Sounds too easy!"
9. Wed 12th May: Quote for repair is a fairly reasonable US$103. I paid over the phone and have been told 7-14 days. Here's hoping these stories of Palco-induced disaster are the exception and not the rule. Mood: yesterday was told quote would be available today, today quote was available - could be worse. Fingers crossed. :o"
10. Mon 17th May: Called for an update and have been told that my phone has been repaired already, and in fact shipped on Friday. Tracking number confirms that something is in transit. Whether it's my correctly-repaired N900 remains to be seen, but I live in hope (for now). Mood: maybe? perhaps? possibly? my N900 back in my posession soon?! :eek:
11. Tue 18th May: N900 has been delivered to my friends in the US. New game: just how much will it cost to get it back to me in Canada (through US customs etc.)? Mood: greedy tax vultures, get your claws off my phone - it already belongs to me and you have already taxed it! :mad:

Re: Nokia won't repair my US N900 because I live in Canada
 

I'm starting to think that Nokia has it's days counted...

The n900 is a great phone but the lack of decent apps currently and stories like yours everyday is making me to start to think that android is the best way to go...

Maybe there is some financial reasons for this, but Nokia should be ashamed of not providing support for its customers...

Can you contact nokia where you got the phone from and post it to them?

Another idea, is this damage something that you might be able to claim in your house hold insurance?

Re: Nokia won't repair my US N900 because I live in Canada
 

Hang in there... :)

I dropped my N900 today, and I nearly died! :eek:

Luckily no damage and everything still works... for now. :o

Re: Nokia won't repair my US N900 because I live in Canada
 

Lack of [polished] apps is a bit sad because it will hinder general adoption of this phone/platform, but I was really enjoying geeking out on my N900 (until I broke the screen). I have to agree, though: Nokia just don't seem to be good at capitalising on great hardware and kernel with an end-user experience which sits right with the average smartphone consumer.

Agree. This is in no way a first class experience. A bit of googling suggests that Nokia USA support process tends towards the hideously bad. Of course, people who don't have any problems with it seldom spend time on the internet discussing how they had no problems with it, but still...

I did contact Nokia Canada - in fact that was the first thing I did once I broke the screen (apart from the swearing ;)). They told me they would send it back to me without touching it. It's not just me who's heard this from Nokia Canada: it's standard policy. It is my disappointment and confusion at this policy which caused me to start this thread in the first place.

I don't know. I will look into it, but if it's just $100 or so I will soak it up. It's not the cost which bothers me - it's the fact that the whole process of getting the phone repaired is difficult, longwinded, confusing and frustrating.

Re: Nokia won't repair my US N900 because I live in Canada
 

So my phone has now been repaired (allegedly). From the tracking number, it looks like it will arrive at my US-resident friends' place either today or tomorrow.

This means that if you're based in the US, break your N900 screen and use the RMA procedure to get it repaired, you're looking at US$103 ($95 flat rate repair fee, $8 shipping fee) and a 3 week turnaround time if like me you are willing and able to follow up at every stage of the process with [several] phone calls (armed with notes from previous calls). Nokia won't drive this process, and the Nokia US online repair status page doesn't provide any status update at all once they have determined that your phone is out of warranty. I'm paying for the repair, so I don't understand why this should be.

You must be prepared to call regularly to find out what needs to happen next:

• I only knew to call to pay for the repair over the phone because I asked what the next step was when I called to check that my phone had been accepted for repair.
• My phone was only accepted for repair at Palco because I called them previously (otherwise it would have been in stuck in limbo because they were unable to read the return address on the UPS-printed label).
• I only knew to call Palco in the first place because the Nokia rep asked me if I had done so (err, no? I'm not psychic)
• The only reason that call took place is because I called Nokia US (several times) to ask why I had heard nothing and whether there was anything else I needed to do etc. etc.

Of course, if you're based in Canada, add another 2-4 weeks and $50-100 (depending how much you want to spend on international postage) for a total of roughly 6 weeks and almost $200. I still don't see how any of this is an experience worthy of a flagship device from a thought/market leader in the mobile field.

Of course, I'm still waiting to see if Canadian Customs take a chunk out of me on the way in, and whether Palco have actually repaired my phone properly...

Time will tell.

Re: Nokia won't repair my US N900 because I live in Canada
 

My allegedly-repaired-by-Palco N900 has been delivered to my friends in the US. Looks OK, but they don't have the battery so can't test (also don't have the technical know-how to really make a complete assessment).

Spent 10 minutes on hold with Canada Border Services Agency to determine if there is any way to avoid paying tax on something I already own and which only left Canada to be repaired.
Then followed yet another phone conversation with someone who (understandably) doesn't care about my phone repair as much as I do...
...and we're done.

Good news: according to the agent I spoke to, cell phones enter Canada tax free.
Bad news: I have to pay tax on the repair work carried out in the US... because apparently getting taxed once just isn't enough. I understand why Canada has to tax such a thing (protect domestic workforce etc. etc.) but does that really apply in this case? Apparently it does. Bastards. :mad:

As it stands I'm looking at the following charges:

• $35 to send it to my friends in the US
• $0 for them to send it to Nokia US
• $103 for Nokia US to repair it and send it back to my friends in the US
• $40 for my friends to ship it back to me (just shipping cost)
• Potentially $26 brokerage fee (for UPS to clear it through customs)
• Potentially $13.39 import tax (13% tax on the the $103 repair fee)

This all adds up to around $220 (as the Canadian dollar isn't that far off parity I am too lazy to convert the various values, but I'm only going for a ballpark figure).

Here's a question: how much is my N900 worth right now? No battery, no back cover, screen was broken but has been repaired (but not inspected by anyone who cares about it). Would you buy it from me for $220?

This isn't me offering it for sale (I'm not). Rather, I'm trying to figure out if this process has been worth it or not. Of course, my assessment will remain incomplete until I can determine whether or not Palco have successfully repaired my phone...