Verizon does not stand behind their product!

[MyDroid123]

I currently received my 6th or 7th replacement Droid a couple days ago, (I lost count after 3 or 4). I know in the next 2-3 months I will have to go into my local store to get it replaced again. They keyboard is the issue, it always raises from the backing and becomes too hard to type.

I've tried emailing, talking to customer support, and going into my store, with no help whatsoever. My options are: Buy a "Certified Preowned Device" (The only other Droid series phone they offer under this program is the Droid Eris for $169.99.) Or buy a phone at the full market price (I am not eligible for an upgrade until January 2012.) Or I was told by email I could try my luck on eBay or Amazon. Or of course, get a 7th or 8th Droid sent to me.

Those were literally the options given to me, after 6 faulty devices. I would much rather pay the $200 to cancel my contract and go elsewhere, to a carrier that can provide me with a working phone. I would hate to do this because I like the service, I like Verizon, and I like the phone selection, but what good is it to keep a service with a phone you have to keep replacing every few months?

Any suggestions guys? I'm not going to go on for the next 7 months like this, should I try the BBB?

Thanks.

[#2]

6 or 7 replacements...I would say you are obviously abusing your phone. I am still on my original Droid after 15 months with no problems.

[mdram4x4]

---

jimfitzgerald wrote:
6 or 7 replacements...I would say you are obviously abusing your phone.

---

agreed, if the same thing happens so man times, then it is most likely something you are doing

[icetrout]

Then you have one of the original ones without the software updates that are the problems, or so it seems. I, by the way am currently on #4 Droid x since Jan 2011 and absolutely do not abuse phones!

[#5]

---

icetrout wrote:

Then you have one of the original ones without the software updates that are the problems, or so it seems. I, by the way am currently on #4 Droid x since Jan 2011 and absolutely do not abuse phones!

---

Who are you talking to? I think we probably all have all the software updates. The software updates are not a problem. It's people who don't know how to operate their phone or have it loaded down with problematic apps.

[Jax_Omen]

A) 6000 texts, while an astronomical amount IMO, isn't all that much overall. I've met people with literally 7.5x that many texts (yes, 45000 texts per month, per line)

B) keyboards wear out over time. Even a "regular" (read: rubber membrane, not the mechanical ones) PC keyboard is only rated for approximately 1 million keystrokes. This sounds like a lot until you realize that if you type 60 words per minute, that's 18000 characters per hour, or about 55.5 hours of typing 60wpm. That's... really not very much, when you think about it. And that's a standard, real PC keyboard. I haven't seen statistics but I'd be amazed at any cell phone having a keyboard being rated at even half a million keystrokes... 6000 texts a month, if you give it an average of only 25 characters a text (5 words), which I think is fairly reasonable, and assume that half the texts are incoming... that's still 75000 keystrokes a month. And I'm giving a LOT of assumptions to keep that number as low as possible.

C) I went off on a tangent a bit, but my point was it's not fair or reasonable to accuse him of "abusing" his phone... he's just a heavy user. I do recommend learning to use a touchscreen to text on, simply because they suffer wear and tear at a much, much slower rate than a physical keyboard.

[#7]

I stand by my theory that he's abusing his phone. It's not simply a matter of how many text or keystrokes, etc. It's how you treat the phone. The Motorola Droid is a quality phone and anyone who has managed to damage as many as he has is definitely doing something wrong.

[Jax_Omen]

Oh he probably is doing something to his phone, but "texting too much" is not a reasonable accusation to levy against someone. Even a heavy texter should have their keyboard last 6+ months... not 2.

[nene787]

Same here i being with my original droid since july 2010 i replace it once in december 2010 and havent had any problem since.

[MyDroid123]

Just wanted to update you guys and decided to reply on here instead of making a new post. Ultimately they said they weren't able to do anything. The weird thing is, when I logged on to pay my bill last month, it said I was eligible for an upgrade, so I checked out the prices, and they were all the prices for a new 2 yr. contract, like a full eligible upgrade. My contract doesn’t end until January 2012. I'm not sure if this is how Verizon works, or if they did this to compensate for my troubles. Either way it was a nice surprise and I look forward to upgrading when the Droid 3 comes out in the next couple months.

Another side note, I had to go into a Verizon Wireless store last weekend to get my phone replaced. I got it around the same time I made the first post, so maybe a month and a half I've had this one, same issue, the keyboard.

Here is the funny thing, I got my replacement today via FedEx, I was excited to get a keyboard that wasn’t defective, and so I opened it up and tried to use it right away. To my surprise, the back piece won’t go on all the way on one of the sides. It's like the part that hinges onto it is broke or something, on the actual phone. It worked 100% perfectly with my old phone.

It just came in the mail, I unboxed it, tried to use it, and I couldn't, but I probably abused it within those first 30 seconds right?

Needless to say I rang FedEx up, they are overnighting me another Droid, and this will be my 9th one (roughly).

Youtube video I made today showing my defective keyboard and the defective phone I received today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XSI6JOXMJY

[TBhouston]

Yah Verizon sure doesn't stand by their product, i see you're on the same device you started with...

I watched about 9 seconds of your video, "as you can see its a piece off XXX"

"I can't wait for the droid 3 to come out"

.....

What a huge disconnect.. this phone hasn't worked for you, do you believe a shiny new box will help?

I guess thats why you neglect to take any responsibility for anything wrong with the devices. Good thing there is a manufacture warranty though

[MyDroid123]

Yea the same device that breaks every 2 months, my 9th device, yea that 1...

And I would think after almost 2 years, the difference between the Droid and Droid 3 will be a bit different, yea? More than just a "shiny new box" I hope!! That's why I'm looking forward to the release of the Droid 3

And your right, I'll take responsibility, I must have broken the other device I received 10 minutes before my video, when I was taking it out the box....

Unbelievable

[gibson92]

Funny thing is, I completely agree with you. I doubt it is something you are doing to your phone because sometimes I wonder if the replacements being shipped are thoroughly tested and not given the "power on, so it works" check. Us consumers will never know what happens when phones are being tested or even if they really are. Anyway, I can sympathize with you because I am on my fourth of fifth Droid and I have almost zero third-party apps. I am pretty much running it straight from the box because I am tired of Verizon giving me the same robotic excuses instead of working with Motorola to figure out a solution. Excuse me for being accused of mishandling my phone if I seldom use it at all anymore and excuse me again that Motorola confessed "70 percent of phones have been returned because of performance issues." Is it a coincidence that your and my phones are faulty? No. Is it by chance that there are people with phones that have yet to defect? No. It is merely a system of location and selective distribution. If a company knows its products are crap, does it care that you find that out after it is too late to exchange it? Not at all. All that matters is PROFIT and Verizon has taught me that. 

[Spiral]

I don't think you will get any satisfaction from the BBB on this issue.  Verizon is fulfilling their obligations by replacing (above and beyond IMO) your damaged/faulty units when asked.  They no longer give away "free" upgrades.

[MyDroid123]

If I was abusing my phone Verizon wouldn't accept it on a warranty exchange. I use a little over 6000 texts a month and also use aim/yahoo daily, using the keyboard exclusively. I guess after that much use the keyboard becomes faulty.

[mdram4x4]

ummmm 6k texts per month? yeah, its most likely worn out

i dont see how anyone can send that many

thats an avg of 1 every 5 min assuming you sleep 8 hours

how do you work? or drive or do anything?

[tlkng1]

I have to ask here.  6000 texts a month, even counting different avenues, is 200 per day (for an average 30 day month).  The phone is a cell phone; why not use it as such and call?  You could also use the virtual keyboard occasionally.

[luckyhawaiianWA]

I didn't realize this person was asking people to critique their amount of texts instead of finding a solution to their keyboard issues. I send a few thousand a month and still have lonts of time to work, sleep, and partake in other activities. I've had my droid since Oct 2009. I usually text with the keyboard, but have been using the touchscreen more in the last few months. unfortunetly now, my touchscreen is having MANY complimcations. Not saying it's related (have seen many others with the same issue), but it's definitly more of a hassle then the keyboard being raised....you should try using the 'voice to text' as often as u can.....it'll help a lot....

[MyDroid123]

I'm not sure that's just what I see on my bill, maybe that counts my aim/yahoo messages, and I sleep 5 to 6 hours a night. Your probably right about the keyboard being worn out. I didn't read there was a text message limit before your phone's keyboard breaks. I'm not sure what to do, I'm going to give Motorola a call after work and see what they say.

[#20]

Turn your phone off and do something besides text.

[droidsw]

I'm not a Verizon homer, but it's Moto's product, not Verizon's. That's like complaining to Tom Thumb because your Nacho Doritos are stale.

Take it up with Moto. Post in the Moto forum. Call Moto customer service.