What is going on with Envirophone.com

Ronan H

Has anyone any idea whats going on with them? As in, have they gone bust? I lodged a cheque from them today but it appears to have bounced. I have also been expecting another cheque from them for weeks for phones I sent in but I havent received it yet.

I can not log in to the website (doesnt recognise my Email address or uersname) either and the Irish branch of the website doesnt seem to exist any more...

I presume many people have used the service so maybe others are in a similar situation...

Ronan

professore

Yes I have a phone traded in with them and didn't hear anything for ages .... hope it's OK

craichoe

I only get a holding page:

Thank you for visiting nl.envirofone.com

Unfortunately this site is unavailable. We are currently introducing some great new functions to improve this site.
If you have any queries regarding your account please email enquiries@envirofone.com.

Ronan H

It appears that all is well with the service itself but the websites seem to be a bit hit and miss. I did eventually work out for me. What happened with the cheque was that I lodged it with a number of other cheques and they all went through except that one. I then had a missed call from the bank and assumed it had bounced. What actually happened was that it had to be sent to my account holding branch because it was a cheque from a UK bank. So as far as I am aware all is well and things are running smoothly in terms of them still being in business.

HTH.

Ronan

tbh

hey kudos for coming back to set the record straight.

Ronan H

Thanks tbh. I feel it's important to follow up on things and not leave people hanging. It enhances the overall buzz of the boards and helps people gain an element of trust in the system...

Ro

try

These guys are very hard to deal with. Over the Summer I traded a N95. Sent it wuth free post on 15th July. Two weeks later nothing so I rang them. Told me that it musrt be lost and I had no recourse as it was not registered. Reported to Vodafone lost.Four weeks later got an email that phone was received. Few days later phone failed testing cos one clip missing off back cover. Offer reduced by €30. I offered to send them replacement back cover for full price. No way. Promised return of phone within 14 days. Received it after five weeks. Changed the cover and sent vback with registered post to Macclesfield. I had the signature of receipt. They kept telling me that phone must actually be in Slough. Three weeks later acknowledged receipt of phone. Waited for 10 days for cheque to issue. Now have to wait six weeks for cheque to clear.

In the middle of it all because I was being fobbed off about post from IE taking so long, I sent in another one on 20th September from NI with first class recorded. I have the signature, IMEI, tracking number, etc and they still haven't acknowledged receipt.

You get some really stupid cs people answeing the phone.

My experience is that Unless you're a sucker for punishment you should AVOID these guys.

cmpunk

I sold them a nokia 6680 there in the summer and I got my monay In About 4 weaks after I sent them my phone so i think I got looky

try

Do NOT send any valuable phones to these guys.

The phone from the 20th September was eventually received. It was unlocked but they said it was delayed in testing because it was locked. They eventually offered 30% less. I asked for a return. I am now waiting six weeks for it to be returned. They WONT reply to emails and WONT return calls.

plu

On 17th October 2009 I traded a phone with envirofone.ie. I sent it with recorded delivery on the 19th and it was signed for by them on the 23rd. I recorded the IMEI number. I have written on 9 occasions with the track & trace and IMEI numbers enquiring when I would get paid. I was getting no replies. I phoned today and was told I would not be paid for the phone as they deny ever receiving it. It is likely they have assigned it to and paid another account in error

How can I take this further and compel them to pay. My phoning and emailing is a complete waste of time.

Envirofone is a UK based concern. The packet was sent to the UK address. The post office have the signature of receipt.

Possible things I could do to get a remedy?

The value of trade in is €260. I'm looking for some recourse similar to the small claims court here with the minimum cost

LizT

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055273570

nazoil

lizt wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055273570

The link just demonstrates the poor customer service experiences of the posters. The OP in this instance has posted in Consumer Issues and wants to know what remedies may be available to him dealing with a UK company who refuse to cough up. The amount is relatively small so the cost of the remedy would need to be commensurate.

nogoodnamesleft

envirofone wrote: »

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear that you have experienced difficulties using envirofone.

However, if we have signed for your phone I'm sure I can help solve the problem. As you have the IMEI number, that's ideal for me to track it. If you coud suplly that to me I'll look into it further for you.

Kind regards

Keith Dixon
The envirofone team

Sorry to hijack the thread but im always curious about the concept of these companies. Envirofone gives you cash for the phone but what do envirofone do with the mobile once they receive it? Recycle it just for the plastics?

What happens to the working phones are they just recycled regardless? It seems doubtful as you dont seem to request people to send you the chargers?

nogoodnamesleft

I posted on another thread regards Envirophone. I work as an engineer in telecoms and I would be curious to know what "testing" that these companies carry out on the mobiles that are sent to them?

Are the working phones reused and sent on to developing countries?
If they are infact reused in developing countries, Africa much have a secret stockpile of mobie phone chargers considering that you are not requested to send your charger with the phone.

In addition to this GSM is not widely rolled out across certain sub - Saharan africa countries. see the GSM World maps for 2009

http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/GSM_WorldPoster2009A.pdf

What happens to the damaged or non functional phones? Are they recycled for just the plastic?



Or is this a coy attempt of getting the raw material destined for "urban mining" ?


oh in case your wondering what the concept behind urban mining is see here:

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1007034/urban-mining-cell-phone-gold

Bluefoam

Allot of the phones are harvested for precious metals. The electronic boards are melted down and the metals are separated. It's big business, loads of money to be made from it.

plu

envirofone wrote: »

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear that you have experienced difficulties using envirofone.

However, if we have signed for your phone I'm sure I can help solve the problem. As you have the IMEI number, that's ideal for me to track it. If you coud suplly that to me I'll look into it further for you.

Kind regards

Keith Dixon
The envirofone team

I've now written to you twice without a reply.

plu

Bluefoam wrote: »

Allot of the phones are harvested for precious metals. The electronic boards are melted down and the metals are separated. It's big business, loads of money to be made from it.

Then when they get mobiles and refuse to pay for them they make even more money.

dudara

Threads merged.

dudara

Sent them in a very old phone about two weeks ago just to see what the service was like. I received the freepost envelope quickly and got an email saying it had passed the tests successfully also quite quickly. However that was a week ago. I choose PayPal as my method of payment. I can't understand what the hold up is? Surely since it's passed testing all they have to do is click "make payment"? It's really annoying me. I sent them an email yesterday and got a reply today looking for my postcode :rolleyes: I'm in Limerick. Is it too much to expect these guys whose job it is to deal with enquiries to know we don't have postcodes here? :mad: The freephone number on the website for Ireland wouldn't work from my mobile either. I got "does not work for your region". I will try from a landline later and edit accordingly.

edit: Works from my landline

The funny thing is I'm only due €3.52!!! But I was testing envirofone out with this and at least now I know not to send them anything valuable. I'd advise people to steer clear.

RoadKillTs

I sent one into money4yourmobile today. They seem to have better quotes than Envirophone. Will keep ye posted.

Got a pm from envirofone apologising for the delay. Apparently PayPal payments are made on a weekly basis. This is fair enough I just didn't know that and was in the dark. Kudos to them for taking things on board though. Will post back later to report whether I get my €3.52 and will be going wild this Christmas with it

edit:: Got paid ten minutes ago

mo_town

Glad I found this thread. Wont be sending my n95 to these guys. Might just take the €100.00 trade in in the Carphone Warehouse

RoadKillTs

I sent one into money4yourmobile today. They seem to have better quotes than Envirophone. Will keep ye posted.

Just wanted to give an update on this. So I sent the phone in (unregistered) on the 10th and got my cheque today the 16th.
Not bad at all i have to say plus they pay more than Envirophone.

Irishjack32

Saw a new crowd from Kildare advertise in the Sunday World a few weeks ago, they had a text number to get the price of your old mobile, anyway got my cheque two days ago worked ok for me. Cant remember what they were called.

You text the make and model of your phone to 086 125 4646

RoadKillTs

Saw a new crowd from Kildare advertise in the Sunday World a few weeks ago, they had a text number to get the price of your old mobile, anyway got my cheque two days ago worked ok for me.

You text the make and model of your phone to 086 125 4646

Do you mind me asking how much did you get and what was the model?

Irishjack32

It was a Nokia N73 and I got €72

RoadKillTs

It was a Nokia N73 and I got €72

That was very good. Cheers will keep the number.

Bluefoam

The cost of the text message is €73

Irishjack32

I'm not that big of a gob sh1t...LOL it was at normal text rates

Irishjack32

I dug out the cheque stub, They have a website, here it is they are called Green Republic Ltd, http://www.mobilerecycle.ie

blahblah06

anymore update on envirofone im looking to send in my n95. do you get what they say on the site or a lot less