[SixStringMadness]

RIM tech support is incapable of assisting in a technical manner. They get too confused if you ask a question that's not on their flow chart.

[dennie82]

Something tells me RIM should have offered a 1 year support period with the PB instead of this noob-like 90 day one. Any idea what nationality these support reps are? Would be nice if you guys could ask them where they're based out of. I'm interested to know if RIM outsourced their PB support to some 3rd party company/call center type deal.

Of course They outsourced BlackBerry support to a 3rd party company. My previous company, and they hired pretty much almost anyone, with or without qualifications.

[kbeard26]

To the people that are having software issues with the playbook are you on update .1705 ? Hopefully updates will be daily and they will get better. This is still RIM's best device IMO. i called tech support earlier and resolved my own issue. Then advised my rep to tell customers in the future how to resolve this issue.

[LLAmos]

I've been on with them all morning regarding two different issues. While they could have been more knowledgeable, it was easy to simply register at their support site and call in.

Go here (PlayBook Support - Contact Support) to register your Playbook. I found this link from an email BB sent to me yesterday when I registered and updated the software on that rascal. Using the link, you will register your PB for the 90 days of included customer support. Be sure to have your serial number handy (swipe down to pull up the menu at the main screen--the one with all your icons...that will pull up ABOUT...you'll find your SN there). Once registered, call the number back -- 877 644 8410.

When I've called, they techs have not been particularly knowledgeable--mostly, I think, because they are just going live and are kind of tabula rasa about where the challenges are.

The tech registered my issue (batch deleting messages on the PB locks up my BB Style. They're going to call me back in two days to see if the issue has been resolved.

Also, their telephone system has problems--dropping calls and putting people into a "select 1 for English" followed shortly by "select 1 for Spanish" (in Spanish) ****-loop.

I feel for them.

Seriously.

Lalita

[striper522]

LLAmos, thank you for the link, I have finally registered it.

That aside, I have now security wiped the Playbook and re-installed the current OS through BB Desktop. Of course, I am at work at the moment and don't have a Wifi signal and it won't let me bypass this step....do stay tuned.

I need to set the record straight about the Playbook though...like I have said in previous posts, this thing is hot...damn hot. If all or at least most of the bugs get worked out of it, I am going to be one happy camper. At the moment though, I am one angry, frustrated individual that feels as though RIM is not treating me how I want to be treated, especially after shelling out $500! To have to deal with utterly untrained, marble mouthed, non english speaking techs has me at my limit. I am not bashing any non english people here, just the fact that if you want to help me with my problem, I need to understand you. I originally thought they were talking on a VoIP line because the quality sucked, but after listening closer, I decided it wasnt, but they just don't here. I must have given my email to the person five times.

I appreciate all of the suggestions and help, because it has been the only help that I have gotten so far. Crackberry Nation, I thank you!

I will update when I get a chance to link to my home Wifi and see how it goes...fingers crossed

[dkingsf]

LLAmos, thank you for the link, I have finally registered it.

That aside, I have now security wiped the Playbook and re-installed the current OS through BB Desktop. Of course, I am at work at the moment and don't have a Wifi signal and it won't let me bypass this step....do stay tuned.

I need to set the record straight about the Playbook though...like I have said in previous posts, this thing is hot...damn hot. If all or at least most of the bugs get worked out of it, I am going to be one happy camper. At the moment though, I am one angry, frustrated individual that feels as though RIM is not treating me how I want to be treated, especially after shelling out $500! To have to deal with utterly untrained, marble mouthed, non english speaking techs has me at my limit. I am not bashing any non english people here, just the fact that if you want to help me with my problem, I need to understand you. I originally thought they were talking on a VoIP line because the quality sucked, but after listening closer, I decided it wasnt, but they just don't here. I must have given my email to the person five times.

I appreciate all of the suggestions and help, because it has been the only help that I have gotten so far. Crackberry Nation, I thank you!

I will update when I get a chance to link to my home Wifi and see how it goes...fingers crossed

You don't mean physically do you?

[Boots4283]

I haven't had to contact their support for the Playbook but I do contact their support for BES from time to time for my job. Their support is one of the best out there bar none.

[striper522]

@dkingsf....sorry, my bad...not physical, just the security wipe option on the main options tab.

@Boots4283, I'm sure their BES support is tops, there is a boatload of it out their and that is their bread & butter, so to speak. The industry demands it. The Playbook on the other hand is a tiny population, mainly Crackberry addicts that have been reading the forums on it.

[striper522]

I will have to say that i am up and running now.....i am cautiously optimistic about it. i had some issues re syncing my bridge with my storm but i was able to ,manually pair them. One thing i noted that does need addressing is the capitalization. When i type on my phone it always capitalizes the first letter of a sentence and the letter I....which as you can see above, it didnt.

I am slightly happier.....thanks again!

[JRSCCivic98]

Of course They outsourced BlackBerry support to a 3rd party company. My previous company, and they hired pretty much almost anyone, with or without qualifications.

This is the sort of crap that could land RIM in hot water if a lot of unhappy customers sue them for not providing proper support for the 90 days they said and even the same low level of support for the paid support options after those 90 days. There are a lot of companies that only offer limited 90 day support for their products (seems to be a growing trend instead of standing behind their product for an entire year), but those other companies also provide PROPER support and not this inadequate stuff RIM seems to think is OK.

[bkurant]

i feel bad for rim tech support guys, i really do.
sure some of them are totally out of it, but the majority are really trying hard and with os updates coming up every few seconds, no one had the time to train them properly.

i read numerous reviews - good, detail ones and others, mainly from media outlets like nyt, pc world, etc who cant help themselves in choosing ipads over pb (apple must be a major source of ads for them). yet, nothing i read was a show stopper, so i was really excited to get 32gb pb from staples.
sadly, this little beauty could not - no matter what - update its os. kept on failing after about 2 hours of trying ... at 85%... each time.
after researching crackberry and spending 5 hours on the phone with rim tech support - the issue is still unresolved. the case is now with level 3 support who says he had not seen this problem before. he is researching it and will call back tomorrow.
needless to say that without resolution, pb will go back to staples. very sad, as this is a first bad experience after so many great years with bb.
still, i cant blame tech support, only rim for releasing pb too soon.

[striper522]

@bkurant....let me clarify....my anger and frustration falls squarley on RIM for hiring and/or contracting out, people that have no business wasting my time with gibberish questions like "What is your PIN on the back of the unit" and "did you register yet". It is a very poor showing by RIM. If they really want to break into the tablet market with the PB, they better step up their whole game. While the PB does seem to work for me(for now)....I am utterly disgusted with their customer support.

[SixStringMadness]

I actually registered the PB, got the screen that said, "you have successfully registered your playbook" and they still couldn't find it, even on the second call when they first call said they registered it after not finding it.

I don't know about the rest of RIM, but these two most recent calls have been the two worst tech support calls ever, and I've had some real doozies in my day.

[1812dave]

This is the sort of crap that could land RIM in hot water if a lot of unhappy customers sue them for not providing proper support for the 90 days they said and even the same low level of support for the paid support options after those 90 days. There are a lot of companies that only offer limited 90 day support for their products (seems to be a growing trend instead of standing behind their product for an entire year), but those other companies also provide PROPER support and not this inadequate stuff RIM seems to think is OK.

HAHA! In case you haven't noticed, pretty much EVERY high tech mfgr has lousy tech support. Shall we sue the entire lot of them?? My fingers would hurt if I typed a list of all the lousy tech support I've gotten with various devices.