A while back I bought a new Serra Wireless t-stick (HSPA+) from the Telecom store. I was really encouraged to buy it due to the advertising at the time basically staying that you can use it anywhere, the ads featured someone rock climbing and using it on top of a large mountain, someone using it in the doorway of a campervan (without an extension cord, which was not included), and someone using it on a crowded train. I concluded from the information that it was robust, and could be used in places where it could be knocked.....In other words it was fit for the purpose advertised.

I bought the stick back to the Telecom Store, and was told that they easily break when knocked, but knocks were not covered by the warranty. I tried to challenge them by saying it did not fit the purpose being advertised.  They said I should have used an extension cord, this was not included in the pack and none of the advertising featured anyone using this cord. They told be the only safe place to use the stick was on a staple desk, and not to even use it on my lap via my laptop without the extension cord, as it risked being knocked.

I was very annoyed by this because Telecom on one hand was making money out of people wanting to be more mobile, but when it broke they said I was using it the wrong way and it should be only using it on a staple desk.....If I knew this from the start I would have not purchased. My thinking was that if someone was using on top of a mountain then surly it must be robust, and be able to withstand some knocks.

 What are your opinions on this?,


PS When I visited the Telecom Store the other day, I found out the Serra Wireless have now changed there design, and now when it is knocked it swiffles (moves). I was also told that the reason why they changed the design was because of the above problem, and allot of people had the same problem.

PPS The staff at the Telecom store declined me a refund or replacement on the spot, they said they could send it off to a mobile repair place but it would be at my expense if it was found to not be Telecoms fault. Any way they did decline me, and I paid a very high fee for it to be looked at. What I found out later was the mobile repair place just took photos of the stick, and they don’t even open them let alone repair them, so I paid $196 for a few photos and a 2min job !!.