HP iPaq Pocket PC h6315

Summary: I'm an early-adopter and expect new technology to be filled with interesting challenges. I was not disappointed with the h6315 or T-Mobile.

Soon after receiving the h6315 on 8/26/2004, T-Mobile support (I refuse to refer to them as Customer Care because they are neither "customer-centric" nor "caring") told me to perform a ROM update.

The ROM update probably fixed something, but it did not improve the erratic Bluetooth implementation (Motorola and Jabra headsets were equally difficult to connect and keep connected and the connection to my IBM ThinkPad was more off than on). The ROM upgrade also did not fix the several-times-a-day need to perform a soft reset because the PDA and phone locked-up.

One T-Mobile support rep told me that she recommended disconnecting the cell, WiFi, and Bluetooth services at the beginning of each day and then reconnecting them one-at-a-time to help the phone find itself. I wondered if I should place a call to Dr Phil?

The PDA performed a hard reset (all by itself) twice during the past 8 months for no apparent reason. As you probably know a hard reset obliterates all your data and programs and requires that you restore your most recent back-up. Thank goodness I am a back-up zealot.

The cell phone reception is not nearly as good as a throw-away Nokia Voice Stream unit connected to T-Mobile using the same SIM as the h6315. Also, the h6315 randomly drops calls that extend beyond 20 minutes.

All of these complaints have been recorded with T-Mobile support and their scripted response is, "we are aware of the issue and working on a solution."

Now comes the really incredible part. On March 30,2005 T-Mobile sent me an e-mail containing a link to a site containing another ROM patch. I was thrilled, T-Mobile proactively notified me of a solution. I didn't have to contact them first! Also, the download site indicated that the update would improve overall stability, Bluetooth® performance, voice quality, e-mail performance, and other general improvements.

Very cool, I thought.

Not so fast! A long and painful story followed. Here is the short version. The ROM update locked-up my h6315. I mean LOCKED_UP with no recourse--no soft reset, no hard reset, no battery drain, not even all the kings horses and all the kings men could put the h6315 back together again.

T-Mobile support didn't seem too surprised and said they would "express" me a replacement unit for $15 and, oh by the way, DHL Express could take up to three business days. No one at T-Mobile every understood that in the real world "express" means absolutely, positively, overnight.

One support robot did put down his script long enough to promise to credit me the $15 fee because he agreed that this was not my fault. He then informed me that the "replacement" unit would probably not be a "new" h6315, but would be a "refurbished" model. Oh goodie! I'm feeling really special now and know that the $200 per month service plan I selected really carries some weight with T-Mobile's accountants.

After three business days, the refurbished replacement PDA had not arrived and after speaking with 3 T-Mobile support personnel, I learned that the h6315 was on back-order and I could expect a replacement in an additional 21 days or so. The "or so" concerned me.

I have now been without my $499 h6315 for 11 days and expect to be without it for at least another 16 days. I asked T-Mobile to release me from my Service Agreement and to issue a refund for the purchase price of the h6315, but they refused.

They first said, "we can't," and later correctly stated, "we won't."

T-Mobile did offer a loaner phone, but I would have to pay $100 and it would not have any PDA functionality. T-Mobile also offered a free month of service, but that is not a concession because I will not have cell phone or PDA functionality for at least a month.

I think the h6315 has potential. It has bugs, but I expect that from new technology. What I do not expect or sanction is poor customer service. T-Mobile says, I'm an important customer, but they won't fix the situation they created. In the mean time, my cell phone and PDA are inoperative due to a software patch that T-Mobile instructed me to install.

I have filed a complaint with the FCC, but I really don't expect any resolution. The only recourse I have is posting my opinion on sites like this, on my blog, and by canceling all the T-Mobile accounts my company supports as their Service Agreements expire.

Whatever happened to customer service? How did JD Powers get hoodwinked into recognizing T-Mobile for customer-centric anything. They are horrible. They instructed me to install a software update to fix a problematic phone. The update rendered the phone and PDA inoperative and they refuse to provide a timely resolution.

What part of ownership of a customer's problem does T-Mobile not understand?