Belkin Support & Quality

Someone might already know that Belkin are actually providing lifetime warranty for all of their router products. But how good is their services? Anyone have any ideas?

Well, I got a Belkin wireless modem router on last December ('07) PC Fair. My first impression to it was really good, as a lot of my friends were actually recommending it regardless of the speed and service supports. But after being used for nearly 6 months (with never turn off once), unexpectedly that my Belkin was down without being able to connect to internet. The lights blinks awhile each time I power up and poof... gone. Some people might say that because I run it for 24 x 7. But too bad, if I were to comment on quality, the D-Link wireless router which I bought 4-5 years back is still working fine after I had it run for 24 x 7 for more than 3 years! Even still works pretty fine right now when my Belkin is down.

Extracted from Belkin: ContactUs

Too bad, I lost the receipt and from whichever shop that we bought it from - unknown, not even a telephone no. So, without much choices, I just have to make a so call "Belkin Malaysia" toll-free no. First of all, let me just comment that calling direct to the toll-free, which is 1800-81-2076 will direct you to New Zealand call centre support. Meaning you might get a 4-5 seconds delay each time you speak on the phone and before they could listen to what you are saying. Poor communication and just have to give a damn patient when you talk to them about your problem.

But of cause, my Belkin is covered under lifetime warranty, I could easily get a 1-to-1 replacement. But I guess I have to give them a really gold service provider in this case. Guess what? You just have to make a phone calls and report on your problem, after going through some troubleshooting that they guided you, verified. They will then proceed with 1-to-1 replacement. What do they do then? After 1 day, they send you an email, which will looks something like this:

Extracted from my email (click to enlarge)

Next, what you need to do with this email? Of cause, just print it out and bring it to which ever shop that selling Belkin, they will give you a 1-to-1 replacement on the spot! without having you to bring where you purchase the unit from. They just recognize the email print-out and that's it.

Should you give this a GOLD service?

Alright. I'm done with the service. Let's continue to the quality. I'm not sure is it I'm the only one or there are a lot of this similar cases. The first time I had my router changed 1-to-1 replacement, with having the problem of blinks and auto-shut off. After I got the unit changed, and use it for 2 months. Here comes another quite a similar problem, but slightly different symptoms that it was unable to turn on the power at all. Is this caused by the quality? Or most of the new units selling in the shopfront are refurbished?

Fortunately, I got another 1-to-1 replacement last night. But I was wondering is it I am allowed to changed 1-to-1 replacement lifetime? The key thing is not about the replacement, I wonder this unit will gonna last me for how many months again? Perhaps Belkin should really look into this problem.

Here some pictures taken for my broken router and my newly changed unit (2nd unit of 1-to-1 replacement).

This is the broken unit (1st unit of replacement)

The new unit (2nd unit of replacement)

2nd unit of replacement (opened unit)

H e n r i c k
Belkin Support & Quality