The Mobile Republic Review

Overall Rating

Low prices

How long have you got?
Customer service
Delivery
Payment for trade in phones
Communication within company

I ordered a 12 month contract mobile phone from The Mobile Republic in the vain hope that it would be delivered before Christmas, a lot of mobile phone suppliers take a day or so and I thought that this company would be the same. How wrong I was.

After placing the order on 19th December, I was told that the phone was in stock and would be delivered within 5 working days. After numerous emails requesting delivery of the phone I was then told that it would be delivered in good time for when my old contract ran out. How wrong I was.

Numerous emails were then sent requesting any information as to when the phone (Sony Ericsson Z600) could be delivered. The most information they were able to give me regarding this was that the phone was in high demand due to the festive season and rest assured it would be delivered within 24 hours of receipt at their offices. This then changed to 7th January. Needless to say this came and went without any phone. My phone did arrive 7 weeks after I first placed my order.

Happy now? Not so. I then needed to connect my phone to the network. This was supposed to take 24 hours. Again, numerous phone calls and complaints were sent in order to rectify the lack of connection. To connect my phone to the network eventually took 14 days.

Trade in envelope. This is so that you can send your old phone in and get money back for it. The idea is that it saves you having to sell your phone privately. At the time of placing my order, my phone had a value of £50, by the time they actually sent me my envelope it had decreased to £42. My envelope came 10 weeks after I placed my order for the phone. At the time of writing I have still not received my trade in money, this is 2 months later. Their customer service department needs serious work!!

Now I'm supposed to receive a bluetooth dongle to use with my phone. Apparently I am due to receive this 120 days after receiveing my handset. We can live in hope. Although past experience with this outfit makes me cautious.

Their customer service is appalling. They do acknowledge any complaints you may have (multiple) but as for sorting them out, so far I have not received any result.

As the previous reviewer said, please contact Watchdog if you are having problems. I have already done so and am waiting now to hear from them.

I can say in all honesty that you would be better off avoiding this company at all costs. It'll be worth paying a little bit extra to actually get what you order in a reasonable amount of time.