1. SullyFish's Avatar
    I bought a brand new Key2 LE from WOOT.com and I was generally happy with it until the fingerprint reader died.

    I talked to WOOT and they said talk to Blackberry mobile ( TCL) because of the one year manufacturer warranty.

    After filling out all the forms for TCL they replied that I have to talk to some Indian company because TCL - Blackberry didn't manufacture my phone!

    "The EMEI you provided is for a phone manufactured by Optiemus Infracom Limited"

    I am in the US and I bought the phone new in the US and it is clearly a Blackberry Key2 LE made by TCL....so how can you try to weasel out of honoring your warranty?

    I am really irked!
    07-08-19 02:14 PM
  2. Bla1ze's Avatar
    I am in the US and I bought the phone new in the US and it is clearly a Blackberry Key2 LE made by TCL....so how can you try to weasel out of honoring your warranty?
    The device you purchased is not manufactured by TCL, it's licensed and manufactured by Optiemus Infracom Limited. When you bought the device, it was indicated to be an International model, more specifically the Indian variant BBF100-6 - https://forums.crackberry.com/e?link...token=Xb7rBHuw I agree it's a terrible policy, but they're not wrong. Unfortunately, the devil is in the details and many folks have been burned by those same details. Additionally, Woot should also suffer some of the blame here as the warranty they advise of is not even applicable to the KEY2 or KEY2 LE they are selling.
    07-08-19 02:47 PM
  3. SullyFish's Avatar
    And there is no way to tell if you have a Blackberry or a Optiemus? HA! That's just great.

    It says its a Blackberry.....looks like a Blackberry....has the Blackberry Logo on the back.........it was sold as a Blackberry in a Blackberry box......

    Now that it broke within the warranty period it is suddenly a Optiemus ???
    That does not inspire great confidence in TCL.

    How can you say this is not wrong?
    07-08-19 02:59 PM
  4. conite's Avatar
    And there is no way to tell if you have a Blackberry or a Optiemus? HA! That's just great.

    It says its a Blackberry.....looks like a Blackberry....has the Blackberry Logo on the back.........it was sold as a Blackberry in a Blackberry box......

    Now that it broke within the warranty period it is suddenly a Optiemus ???
    That does no inspire great confidence in TCL.

    How can you say this is not wrong?
    What is your device PRD?

    Type *#837837# into your phone dialer.

    The BlackBerry licencees sell phones customised, manufactured, and supported for specific markets. That is why one should never import.

    The BlackBerry brand is not the only served of device variants that does this. Your foreign model doesn't even support some of the LTE bands in North America.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...gid=1381535354
    07-08-19 03:03 PM
  5. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    The device you purchased is not manufactured by TCL, it's licensed and manufactured by Optiemus Infracom Limited. I agree it's a terrible policy, but they're not wrong.
    Sometimes you have to wonder WHY is Woot offering this deal.... Many looking to save some cash found they had somehow purchased one of these Indian devices. Only going to get worse now that you almost can't find a US version anymore. Going to Amazon to buy a KEY... requires a user having an idea of what they need to be looking for to get the right device.

    Failure on both BlackBerry and TCL part to protect the brand....
    07-08-19 03:03 PM
  6. Bla1ze's Avatar
    And there is no way to tell if you have a Blackberry or a Optiemus? HA! That's just great.
    Sure there is... as I noted, you can tell by the variant BBF100-6 that's highlighted on the purchase page and by the fact it says International Version. Granted, someone just looking for a deal or blindly purchasing might know that info, but it is there. - https://forums.crackberry.com/e?link...token=RIRD7rCJ

    How can you say this is not wrong?
    I said they're not wrong from a legal stand point and agreed with you that it was a terrible policy. I feel for you get caught up in that situation, but I was just highlighting the reality of it all. TCL is at fault here, Woot is at fault here, Optiemus Infracom Limited is at fault here, BlackBerry is at fault here, and there's a certain level of 'Buyer beware' to be extended here as well.
    elfabio80 likes this.
    07-08-19 03:05 PM
  7. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    And there is no way to tell if you have a Blackberry or a Optiemus? HA! That's just great.

    It says its a Blackberry.....looks like a Blackberry....has the Blackberry Logo on the back.........it was sold as a Blackberry in a Blackberry box......

    Now that it broke within the warranty period it is suddenly a Optiemus ???
    That does no inspire great confidence in TCL.

    How can you say this is not wrong?
    Sure you can... what is the model number of your phone?

    .
    07-08-19 03:06 PM
  8. Bla1ze's Avatar
    Sometimes you have to wonder WHY is Woot offering this deal.... Many looking to save some cash found they had somehow purchased one of these Indian devices. Only going to get worse now that you almost can't find a US version anymore. Going to Amazon to buy a KEY... requires a user having an idea of what they need to be looking for to get the right device.

    Failure on both BlackBerry and TCL part to protect the brand....
    And Woot honestly.
    07-08-19 03:07 PM
  9. conite's Avatar
    And there is no way to tell if you have a Blackberry or a Optiemus? HA! That's just great.

    It says its a Blackberry.....looks like a Blackberry....has the Blackberry Logo on the back.........it was sold as a Blackberry in a Blackberry box......

    Now that it broke within the warranty period it is suddenly a Optiemus ???
    That does not inspire great confidence in TCL.

    How can you say this is not wrong?
    You should go after the seller for trying to dump a foreign model on you.

    Wait.... Oops:
    07-08-19 03:12 PM
  10. Bla1ze's Avatar
    You should go after the seller for trying to dump a foreign model on you.

    Wait.... Oops:[IMG=683x1024]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190708/bfb40272d2a1ae77350f1a6aadba3931.jpg[/url]
    And giving you the impression of having a valid warranty based on inaccurate information.
    07-08-19 03:16 PM
  11. John Albert's Avatar
    What I don't understand why are they many Indian versions flooding North America market?
    Why don't they sell those phones in India?
    If those exceeded the indian market demand, why make many of them in first place!
    07-08-19 03:41 PM
  12. conite's Avatar
    What I don't understand why are they many Indian versions flooding North America market?
    Why don't they sell those phones in India?
    If those exceeded the indian market demand, why make many of them in first place!
    They probably ordered a pre-determined quantity.

    They are trying to dump them, and importers are grabbing them to turn a tidy sum.
    07-08-19 03:47 PM
  13. Bla1ze's Avatar
    They probably ordered a pre-determined quantity.

    They are trying to dump them, and importers are grabbing them to turn a tidy sum.
    Yup, just buy a few pallets at a discount / bulk pricing and flip em.
    07-08-19 04:00 PM
  14. SullyFish's Avatar
    Okay, I'm not as angry as I was. Still pretty amusing that your supposed to know that an "international version" is not really a Blackberry!

    I bought it specifically for the dual sim and international bandwidths. I travel frequently and thought it would be useful. It's done okay in several countries so far.


    Also.... I find it a bit hard to believe that they set up and duplicate manufacturing facility in India just to make faux Blackberry's .

    Oh jeeez. Now I'm pissed off again! Time to go yell at the cat.
    07-08-19 04:02 PM
  15. ray689's Avatar
    Okay, I'm not as angry as I was. Still pretty amusing that your supposed to know that an "international version" is not really a Blackberry!

    I bought it specifically for the dual sim and international bandwidths. I travel frequently and thought it would be useful. It's done okay in several countries so far.


    Also.... I find it a bit hard to believe that they set up and duplicate manufacturing facility in India just to make faux Blackberry's .

    Oh jeeez. Now I'm pissed off again! Time to go yell at the cat.
    They aren't fake BlackBerry's. Just made for a different market by a sub-licencee that's all. You're bone to pick is with the seller.
    07-08-19 04:07 PM
  16. SullyFish's Avatar
    They aren't fake BlackBerry's. Just made for a different market by a sub-licencee that's all. You're bone to pick is with the seller.
    So the Indians set up a duplicate manufacturing facility in India just for this Optiemus phone?

    Or were they in fact made by TCL in China and sent to India?

    That's my question.

    My cat is starting to get annoyed that I'm yelling so much......
    the_boon likes this.
    07-08-19 04:49 PM
  17. conite's Avatar
    So the Indians set up a duplicate manufacturing facility in India just for this Optiemus phone?

    Or were they in fact made by TCL in China and sent to India?

    That's my question.

    My cat is starting to get annoyed that I'm yelling so much......
    Whether they built it themselves, or contracted TCL for a unique batch doesn't really matter, does it? The fact is, it's an Optiemus device.
    07-08-19 05:08 PM
  18. PantherBlitz's Avatar
    It says its a Blackberry.....looks like a Blackberry....has the Blackberry Logo on the back.........it was sold as a Blackberry in a Blackberry box......
    TCL has no obligation to warrant that phone for you because they are not the license holder that profited from that phone. Optiemus is. Expecting TCL to cover for someone else's obligation at their expense does not sound reasonable.

    Your beef should be with Woot. They are clear that they have a 90 day warranty on merch that does not have a manufacturer's warranty. If you are still in the 90 day period you can try arguing that there is no warranty from India on US sales and that Woot should cover it under their own stated policy.
    07-08-19 05:10 PM
  19. the_boon's Avatar
    Does the spacebar at least still enter spaces correctly? Is it just that the option to set up a fingerprint is gone?
    07-08-19 05:39 PM
  20. rthonpm's Avatar
    So the Indians set up a duplicate manufacturing facility in India just for this Optiemus phone?

    Or were they in fact made by TCL in China and sent to India?

    That's my question.

    My cat is starting to get annoyed that I'm yelling so much......
    It's a licensing issue. TCL designed the phone, but the variant you had was built and sold by Optiemus since they have the exclusive rights to BlackBerry branded phones in India.
    07-08-19 07:34 PM
  21. SullyFish's Avatar
    Does the spacebar at least still enter spaces correctly? Is it just that the option to set up a fingerprint is gone?
    Yes, it still types a space. The fingerprint functionality is gone though.

    I can live with it for now. I'm just really disappointed with TCL.
    07-08-19 11:29 PM
  22. Platinum_2's Avatar
    Yes, it still types a space. The fingerprint functionality is gone though.

    I can live with it for now. I'm just really disappointed with TCL.
    Stop blaming TCL. Let me help you understand. BlackBerry "phones" are now like RCA. Ever heard of them? RCA is just a "brand name" that manufacturers of various electronics can "license" to sell their goods under with the intent of "brand recognition."

    The only thing "BlackBerry" about a blackberry phone is the software, which is still done by BlackBerry Ltd.

    International versions of the Key2 are made by an entirely different company than TCL (though TCL did provide the design), BlackBerry Ltd, etc. They are intended for an entirely different market. They are subject to different warranties, updates, etc.

    You need to be disappointed with Woot. They implied a warranty you did not receive.
    07-09-19 07:10 AM
  23. conite's Avatar
    Yes, it still types a space. The fingerprint functionality is gone though.

    I can live with it for now. I'm just really disappointed with TCL.
    Agree with @Platinum_2. The only villain here is WOOT.
    07-09-19 07:51 AM
  24. SteinwayTransitCorp's Avatar
    Ahhhh but it was at a good price............................Buyer Beware ! !
    07-09-19 08:45 AM
  25. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Agree with @Platinum_2. The only villain here is WOOT.
    When a retailer uses the word Shenanigans and Suckers.... the buyer has some responsibility. If I were the OP, I'd lay out my complaint and see how they respond. Then I'd move to report them to the local Better Business Bureau and see if gets anything. The stated warranty is not even from the correct company... With all the dead BlackBerry website links these days, why does BlackBerry still have that page up?

    At least Amazon now has (no Warranty in The USA) on it's BBF100-6 listing (for the most part).
    Sigewif likes this.
    07-09-19 09:04 AM
42 12

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