After lamenting the cost of fixing my Nokia 3330 in my last column, I have come to realise that the problem is far more complex than I first imagined.
Subsidising the price of phones to encourage consumers to become prepaid or contract subscribers creates the impression that the phones are cheaper than they really are.
Stephen Whitford, Journalist, ITWeb
While passing two cellphones stores the week after I had paid R527.30 to fix my mobile, I was horrified to see 3310s for R800 on prepaid or R19 a month on contract. I kicked myself for not spending the extra R300 in order to buy a new phone.
While I can understand why repair costs have to be high, I still find it ludicrous that it is cheaper to replace an 18-month-old phone that cost me about R1 800.
Mike Myers, CEO of the RF Group, which distributes Nokia phones in SA, says the repairs problem has arisen because the public generally has an incorrect understanding of what phones are actually worth as they are often subsidised by the cellular networks.
Subsidising the price of phones to encourage consumers to become prepaid or contract subscribers creates the impression that the phones are cheaper than they really are.
He says this frustrates consumers if their phones need repairs because, in their minds, it is often not worth repairing.
While the networks may discount the price of the phones they sell to consumers, Exact Mobile Phones, which repairs Nokia cellphones, does not discount the cost of repairs.
Exact Mobile Phones MD Rodger Thomas says a rejection fee of R136.80 is charged for the labour done on the phone for the quote (if it is rejected) and R274 is charged for labour if the phone is repaired.
He argues that the equipment used in testing and repairing Nokia phones has to be imported and the costs are substantial. A rejection/labour fee is charged to cover these costs.
This problem is not only experienced by owners of Nokia phones. If you own a Siemens phone that needs repairs, a rejection fee of R120 is charged, while labour will cost R180 excluding the parts for the phone. If you have a bottom of the range phone like the A35, for which you`ll pay about R500, depending on how much it is being discounted by the cellular network, it`s probably not worth repairing.
On the other hand, a cellphone provider like LG does not charge a rejection fee and the price of labour will depend on what repairs are needed.
It is worth mentioning that if you are going to purchase an entry-level phone, Vodacom offers a two-year warranty on all phones whether bought on prepaid or contract, so covering subscribers for the duration of their two-year contract. While the warranty won`t save you from paying to repair a cracked LCD or a water-damaged phone, if the phone has broken through no fault of your own, Vodacom will repair it.
MTN and Cell C only offer a one-year guarantee on their entry-level phones, so anyone taking a two-year contract is on their own if their phone needs repairs after the first year.
So basically, if your phone becomes faulty out of the warranty period like mine did, you`re pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place.
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