iPhone 5 reservation snag

[spiral8]

So after waiting for just over 6 weeks for my iPhone 5 revervation to come through, I can say that I'm pretty much at my witts end with this company.

I went in this evening to pick up the phone. The guy behind the counter was looking at my file and notified me that even though they had my phone, I wasn't eligible for an upgrade on my phone until early March 2013. This was news to me.

The clerk advised me to use the Fido kiosk's phone to call Fido customer service and see if they could help me out. I was advised I'd need to buy out of my contract so I could get myself into another contract.

This seems highly deceptive to me. Had I known that I'd be forced to buy my way out of my current contract, I wouldn't have signed up for the iPhone 5 registration in the first place. I had to reserve the phone on my online account, so I don't understand why there was no notification that I would be forced to buy out of my current contract to get the new phone...The only reason I did was that I have over $180 in Fido dollars so the phone would've, essentially, been free.

Well, that's it. I'm really pissed and when my contract comes to an end next year, I'll be looking for a different phone company.

***Edited to add labels***

[LucidEvening]

Unfortunately, this is not Fido's fault, but your's. You were aware that you were still on a contract that has obvious fees to get out of for paying the subsidy. What gives you the audaicty to reserve a phone and pay the subsidy price when your still on a contract? There is only one way to get out early and that is to pay the fees for buying out the rest of your contract. Fido doesn't send you information because the reservation system is only reservation. It isn't there for telling you if you need to pay extra upgrade fees to get a new contract and buy out the old one. If you can't follow the rules, by all means, jump ship and join another phone company. Just make to be aware of all the rules before you go with them.

[spiral8]

You're right, of course, it is my responsibility to know the limitations of my contract.

However, it is the company's responsibility to be straightforward with those limitations, and Fido surely was not.

Nowhere in the reservation process did it say anything like "terms and conditions apply, please check your current Fido contract to see if you are eligible". I imagine Fido hoped that people would break their contracts early. That revenue from their cancellation fees would help subsidize the $100 credits many of us on the reservation list were/are due to recieve.

The fact that the original text Fido sent about the reservation boasts that they will "waive the $25 hardware upgrade fee" is highly misleading in this context.

What is also strange is that back when the iPhone 4 came out, I contacted custmer service because my current phone wasn't woking properly. CS told me flat out that I was NOT eligible for an upgrade at that time, and I'd need to get my phone fixed instead. That was fine, because they were upfront about my situation. However that wasn't the case this time. So my question is, why?

I'm sorry, but I don't know ALL the ins and outs of my contract and (outside of people who change their phones as often as some people change their socks) you'd be hard pressed to find someone who does.

[10yearfido]

I agree with lucid. There doesn't seem to be any deception on Fido's part. Of course they will let any customer reserve a phone. There is not rational reason for them to prevent customer that are still on contract from reserving a phone. In fact it makes sense to allow it for those customers that want to pay off their existing contract and/or pay full price for a phone. They should allow these customers to reserve, and so they do.

I am not sure how they are being perceived as not transparent in this case. I have my complaints about Fido behavior frequently enough, but this doesn't seem like a good one to me.

[Benoit71A · Accepted solution]

I have to agree as well. I did my homework BEFORE I reserved a phone, and kept in constant contact with Fido about the details and about the cost of the phone. I knew I wasn't eligible until Feb. 2013, and, if you are set up online, it shows you when your contract is about to run out. The upgrade is always 6 months before the end of your contract. Fido was even nice enough to drop the fee for breaking my contract to $80.

You just need to be calm with them, explain things, and they'll be willing to work with you. I have said bad things about Fdo in the past but I am very happy wit the way they helped me out and I am enjoying my iPhone 5. I had $274 FD's, so I pretty much got a free phone. As 10yearfido said they let anbody reserve a phone bacause what if you want to buy it at full price? Or, what if you're like me and always skip one model then upgrade to the next one, no matter what? Fido wasn't in the wrong here. It is just a matter of you doing proper homework and asking questions.

[LucidEvening]

Well, at the end of the day, you and I know Fido may not do something like this. This is why some people end up paying ridiculous fees and priced because they were not aware of the all "rules" regarding their plan, contract, etc. This is why I have done my homework to make sure I can upgrade at the right time, so I can get a new phone at a subsidy price. For me, I was able to upgrade to a iPhone 5 with my Fido Dollars and to only pay for the $30 upgrade + 3 year contract till 2015. Overall, I'm happy.

[archc22]

Fido kiosek is useless. They do not follow the policies outlines on Fido site. I had a defective unit and they said I can't exchange another one then told me to go apple store. I was under the 30mins and 15days satisfaction guarantee requirement. I refuse to go Apple store as I believe the store manager at that location should follow that policy stated by Fido. So, I returned the device to them and went to apple store to get another one. Fido retail stores ... all they care is about profit...

As a consumer, you are responsible to know your stuff as well not completely rely on Fido to tell you yes or no. Do not make wrong assumptions.

[ndru920]

I had a similar issue with them, but not quite:

Waited for over a month on the reservation system, and they've been sending me texts about their appreciation of my patience, and offered $50 + $50 credits for waiting so long.  I thought, great, Fido is really appreciating their customers now.

HOWEVER, the reality goes:
My reserved iphone finally got shipped to the store today, however when I got there, they said I'm still on a contract and they cannot sell me the iPhone 5 at full price and that I would have to renew my contract to get the phone.  I asked multiple times with different fido reps on the phone (before i placed the reservation), if I can keep my contract and use fido dollars to get the iphone at the full price and all of them said yes.   I've spent hours there waiting on the phone, and they gave me an excuse that "every store has their own policy" and left me with ZERO help, ended up walking away. 

No where on the site or reservation system does it say "stores have different policy", or "you must renew your contract".  Plus, I've confirmed multiple times with different reps before hand.    I am thoroughly disappointed with this company.