Pantech Laser Problems Since Best Buy Purchase: Update
As of September 2011, the Pantech Laser phone is experiencing a number of problems. The screen flashes and has black lines running across it. It receives multiples (upwards of 12) of the same text message. The phone often does not ring when it is being called; we tested it by calling it from another phone in the same room.
We first contacted Best Buy for help, but they told us to contact the manufacturer. We then sent emails to both Pantech and AT&T. Pantech told us to do a hard reset (haven’t had the chance to do this yet) as well as take out the SIM to check the connections and ask AT&T to confirm that the SIM is programmed correctly.
AT&T called us but left a message on the wrong number associated with our account (family plan). They also emailed asking us to call them back. We will be stopping by the AT&T store to talk directly with an associate, but I don’t think this will go very far because they didn’t sell it to us (though it is a corporate store).
All in all, I think the phone has just been a great disappointment. Maybe our hopes were a little high when purchasing a non-smartphone, but we still had to sign a 2-year contract and expect the phone to last that long. It has been only 9 months, and not only did we sign a contract, but they also require a text messaging plan. They sell these phones like they are something special, but in the end they are worse than a standard phone because they don’t last.
We are still early in the process of trying to get this fixed. Unfortunately, our faith in humanity generally doesn’t extend to wireless companies. Maybe we will be surprised. Maybe Pantech or AT&T will admit that the phone is junk and should not be sold. We doubt it.
The hardest part about this is that if we need to send it in, we are without this phone for days or weeks.
Phones Review Says: We will not mention any names here, but we do wish to say thanks to a Phones Review reader that sent this in to us via email. If anyone else has experienced similar problems to that above please do let us know, we would also like to know if you got the issue sorted out and of course who is responsible to fix the issue.
Do you think Best Buy, Pantech or AT&T should be the ones to help out the customers above problems.
Update: Update: Had an update email of what is happening, here is the email.
Hi Mark, a quick update. My wife took her phone to the AT&T store. They said that they cannot really help her because she didn’t buy it from them. I understand this, but they are a corporate owned store, there must be something they can do.
Additionally, the manager said “we see a lot of phones come in with problems that are bought at other stores”. Why say this? Like AT&T sells the Pantech Laser and has never got one back, but they see ones that were sold at Best Buy all the time? I call BS on that. Stop trying to make my wife feel bad for buying it at Best Buy.
Also, he must have taken the battery out and inspected the phone some because she told me that the moister sensor sticker says the phone has been exposed to water, which is total BS. If that is the case, Pantech probably won’t even help.
This isn’t the end of this saga. There will be a resolution we are satisfied with. I am due for an upgrade and I was really liking the Galaxy S II, I will use that for leverage.
Update 2: So, we talked further with AT&T customer service over the phone. They said they could not help us if we do not have their insurance and the moisture sensor has been activated. Additionally, they explained that even putting the phone in your pocket could cause it to activate because of “body moisture”.
Still need to pursue Pantech support further. I have more to say about this and will be writing more if you are interested.
Comments
9 thoughts on “Pantech Laser Problems Since Best Buy Purchase: Update”
I have this exact same phone and have been frustrated the entire time I’ve had it. My parents & brother all got the phone at the same time as me as well. Most notable problems we’ve all had: The phone will go into an emergency calls only mode (for no reason), we won’t receive calls, or texts. The only way we know the phone is in this mode is if we try to call out and then it alerts us to the emergency calls only mode. We have to turn the phone off to get it working. Here lately…it will turn itself off out of the blue for no reason. And I usually get 3-4 of the same texts a few times a day. I’ve sent the phone it once and they sent me another Laser…even though I told them, my ENTIRE family has the same phone with all the same problems…of course the replacement hasn’t been any better. I don’t know what to do and we’ve got 15 months left with these stupid phones!Â
I am on my 2nd Pantech so far. First very bad reception & now second is the doing the same. Text will go to Outbox & sit there so watch out for your messages. Phone will also turn itself of for no reason. I am not sure they are so good.Â
I have the same phone, and have had it for only 3 months so far, and most of the same issues. My battery doesn’t last long, if i was texting alot and it would get very hott when I would charge it or again if i was texting a lot. Sometimes i would turn my phone and go to messages and it wouldn’t show my contacts, but some weird symbol. Many times i would see i had missed calls and realize my phone didn’t even ring. It would turn off randomly alot and then sometimes when a message didn’t send it wouldn’t tell me but just go to my outbox, so i would wonder for an hour why someone didn’t text back and then go to my messages and see it in my outbox. I would recieve some of the same texts about 3-8 times.For about a week my screen has been  turning red and blue, which i really wondered why, and today it just like went black and my screen won’t turn on any more. I’m really depressed because other than the issues i really liked this phone, and bye-bye contacts & pictures. I really reccomend not to get this phone, unless you like getting a lot of new phones, and wasting pictures.
I am having issues with my pantech lazer right now as well. I DID buy it from ATT (like it matters) and will be going to them this weekend, so wish me luck.
My issues are that when I get a message it comes in twice. But that is nothing compared to my biggest issue. I cannot answer calls, read messages or anything because when I press on the screen the phone vibrates like it received my signal to perform a tast but it does nothing.
So far I have had 2 lazer’s. My problem is the plug where they cahrge. Something happens and it gets bigger so the cord fits loose and the phone won’t charge. I bought mine at Best Buy but called AT&T for the warranty. There have not been any problems with exchanges. The original warranty was for a year so that continues with the refurbished phone I receive. Either that or 90 days whichever is greater. My 3rd lazer is on it’s way now. I wonder how long it will last?
Terrible touchscreen, you have to opn the phone to do anything
My laser screen goes black on out going calls and will not come back on. I have to take out my battery to stop the phone call. Unless, the person I call hangs up first then the screen goes back on. It is a real pain when I get a voice mail box then I have to pull the battery out to stop the call and get screen back. Also, after charging on occasion my touch screen goes hay wire and will not calibrate correctly for days at a time. I have to press a half an inch away form wanted icons to access messages contacts etc… And recently I have been getting triple messages but it seems to happen only from Sprint or T Mobile friends odd.
I just got this phone August 2 and i have had only one problem, the battery life. I charge it and it goes out in about an hour. Other then that it works awesome for me. My friend used to have this phone and he had the same battery life problem but nothing else and he bought a new battery for it and it worked fine afterwards. Im going to buy a new battery in a few days and hopefully it will work for me.
My Laser won’t connect 90% of the calls I make. Message service is spotty and it seems to never get good reception anywhere. What’s wrong?!!?!?!??!?