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Customer Service for Cell Phones?

Posted by Cliff on from the finding-that-pesky-part dept.

oliphaunt asks: "I'm a victim of planned obsolescence! I'm in a customer service battle with Nokia right now, and I'm wondering if anyone out there has found a solution to a similar problem. I've tried eBay, I've tried Yahoo! auctions, I've tried Google Groups, and I've tried talking to Nokia directly- all to no avail. Now I'm faced with throwing away a phone that originally cost more than $600 USD, because I can't get a 35 cent part. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!"

"I bought a Nokia 8860 used from a friend about 2 years ago. It worked great until about 6 months ago, when the memory stopped recording new events between hard resets- so if I add your phone number to my address book, and then my main battery dies or I turn the phone off and remove the main battery, the phone erases your number. I've had the problem diagnosed by a couple of different Nokia approved service centers- there is an internal battery, the size of a watch battery, that somehow powers updates to the memory when the main battery disconnects. In this eBay auction, it's part number 16 in the exploded diagram. It's essentially a tiny watch battery, with a leaf spring welded on one edge to keep it in contact with the IC, and gold contacts to the (+) and (-) terminals on the other edge that actually make the contact.

The problem is, none of the service centers I've contacted stock the replacement battery, and they claim that Nokia won't ship them the part if they order it. The phone has been discontinued by Nokia USA, and Nokia tells me on the phone and in writing that they won't even acknowledge the existence of a replacement part market, much less actually sell me the thing I need to make the phone work.

Being a good geek, I tried cleaning the contacts with a pencil eraser, and confirmed that the original battery was dead with my trusty multi-meter. I've tried to find the OEM battery manufacturer that Nokia uses. No luck so far. And I took the old part out, and soldered the contacts and spring onto a random new hearing aid battery I bought from Walgreens- no dice. As a last ditch effort, I actually bought one of the kits from the guy with the eBay auction referenced above. The battery in that phone was dead too.

I'm running out of ideas! Nokia obviously wants me to buy a new phone- but mine is perfectly good, except for want of a 35-cent part with some additional metal bits attached. I've told them that their brand reputation is at stake with me. They don't seem overly concerned. What else can I try?"

6 of 38 comments (clear)

  1. Repair of Nokia equipment by XO · · Score: 3, Informative

    try this

    --
    "Champagne for my real friends - and real pain for my sham friends!" http://ericblade.postalboard.com/
  2. A friend of mine has a cell phone shop by eggstasy · · Score: 3, Informative

    He sells and repair cell phones, as well as regular PC hardware. I can ask him about your cell phone if you want, but mind you, we're in Portugal, and with the holidays and all, snail mail could take two weeks.
    I dont know how good his English is though, I guess I could relay messages between you two if you can't really find any local repair shops.
    His website is at http://www.telespot.pt
    I made it =)
    Anyway, I'm sure there's lots of "unofficial" phone shops around there too and they could work on your cell for a small fee.

  3. Here call this guy. by Neck_of_the_Woods · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://www.all4cell.com/sales/82-88conv_kits.html

    They have a conversion kit that includes the battery. I am sure if you get in touch with them they would sell you just the battery.

    Good luck, google it next time. :P

    --
    Neck_of_the_Woods
    #/usr/local/surf/glassy/overhead
  4. Duracell DL2025? by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 3, Informative

    Nokia obviously wants me to buy a new phone- but mine is perfectly good, except for want of a 35-cent part with some additional metal bits attached.

    I'm a little confused... didn't you just point us to the battery that you need?

    The link that you referenced points to the DL2025 Duracell battery. If this really is the battery that you want, they are pretty darn common.

    --
    "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    1. Re:Duracell DL2025? by toybuilder · · Score: 4, Informative

      Well, if it's just the matter of a tab on the thing, just take an electrically compatible coin battery, and solder on a piece of wire...

      This assumes, of course, that the problem is with the battery. Are you sure about that?

      Anwyays, there is a trick to soldering a wire onto batteries -- the aluminum doesn't like being soldered -- first, clean the surface thorougly using a fine abrasive to throughly remove the oxide layer and make sure it doesn't get contaminated.

      Next, pour liquid flux (or in an emergency, a drop of motor oil) onto the aluminum, taking care to avoid trapping air under the oil.

      Then, with a soldering iron, apply a good dose of melted solder onto the flux-covered spot. Then, attach the wire to the solder.

      Good luck.

  5. How hard is it to google? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Why is this so difficult? It took 20 seconds to find on google: 8 bucks. http://www.all4cell.com/parts/8800pts.html