How long does the phone exchange process take?

The phone exchange process can take up to 96 hours, which is a significant wait time. I was frustrated with the lack of clear information about the status of my exchange and the unhelpful staff who couldn't provide any assistance.

Can I return unused minutes and GB?

Unfortunately, unused minutes and GB don't get returned, which means you're essentially throwing away your unused credits. This was a major disappointment for me, and I wish Tele2 would reconsider their policy.

Can I check if a phone is available for exchange or new purchase?

No, Tele2 doesn't allow you to check if a phone is available for exchange or new purchase. This makes it difficult to plan ahead and make informed decisions about your phone exchange process.

What kind of customer support does Tele2 offer?

Tele2's customer support is generally good, with fast response times and helpful staff. However, during my phone exchange process, I encountered some unhelpful staff who made the experience even more frustrating.

Can I accumulate minutes and GB on Tele2?

Yes, Tele2 allows you to carry over unused minutes and GB on some plans, which can be a great benefit for frequent users. I was able to accumulate over 6,000 minutes thanks to this feature, but it didn't make up for the other issues I encountered during my phone exchange process.

What kind of deals does Tele2 offer?

Tele2 offers competitive tariffs with interesting rewards, including a discount of up to 4,000 rubles on a new Xiaomi phone. I was able to find a great deal on a new phone, but the phone exchange process was a nightmare.

How does Tele2's phone exchange process work?

Tele2's phone exchange process involves sending a code to your phone, which you then use to activate your new device. However, during my experience, the code recovery process took 96 hours, and I encountered several issues along the way.

Can I use my old phone's minutes and GB on Tele2?

Unfortunately, Tele2 doesn't allow you to transfer your old phone's minutes and GB to your new device. This means you'll need to start from scratch, which can be frustrating if you've accumulated a large number of minutes and GB.

Tele2 Phone Exchange Nightmare: A Warning to Others

I've been a Tele2 subscriber for a while now, and I've been impressed with their services. Their minute and GB usage is transparent and lower than most other providers. Their tariffs are more interesting and rewarding, and their customer support responds faster than MTS.

Of course, the quality of their connection is average and not always available everywhere. But they do offer more minutes in their package. And the best part is that they let you carry over unused minutes and GB on some of their plans.

Thanks to this carryover feature, I've managed to accumulate around 6,000 minutes.

And that's exactly when my old, trusty flagship smartphone started to show its age. It had become completely useless for internet browsing and app usage, thanks to the manufacturer no longer supporting it. I couldn't even open web pages or apps properly.

That's when I stumbled upon an ad with some really enticing conditions! They were offering a discount of up to 4,000 rubles on a new Xiaomi phone.

You could exchange 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, or 4,000 minutes for a discount on a new Xiaomi phone. The exchange rate is 1 minute = 1 ruble.

I took a look at the phone models available under the promotion.

I have to say, it's not very easy to find the phones on their website. I only found the 'phones' section after I went back to the main page and clicked on the Tele2 logo.

I compared the prices with those on Xiaomi's official website and other market offers. And I have to say, it's a pretty good deal. You can save up to 1,000 rubles.

The promotion runs until December 31st, 2021, but you can exchange minutes until December 27th, 2021.

Exchanging minutes is super easy. Just log in to your Tele2 account, go to the promotions page, and you'll see the offer on the right-hand side when you select smartphones.

Then, you'll see how many minutes you can exchange for a discount.

You can actually buy more minutes on Tele2 MARKET, and it's a great feature! The minutes aren't too expensive, and the discount will be even better. For example, you can buy 50 minutes for 40 rubles, or 1000 minutes for 800 rubles (that's a 200-ruble savings).

I didn't need to buy any extra minutes, though - I already had over 4,000 minutes accumulated.

So, I just selected the maximum number of minutes and clicked 'exchange'.

I received the promo code via SMS and on the website.

The terms of the promotion state that you can apply the promo code directly when ordering on the website or show it to a Tele2 sales representative.

I decided to use the discount code right away when I placed the order.

The phone model I was interested in was only shown in two pickup points on the website.

After I placed the order for self-pickup, I immediately got an SMS saying my order was ready for pickup. Come and grab it!

I went to pick up the order.

The sales staff were nowhere to be found, despite having made an online order.

The phone was out of stock.

All they could offer me was a different model, and only from the display.

The sales staff even called the second pickup point at Tele2, but the phone was only available on display there too. Then, she told me that maybe the phone would be restocked and she'd let me know within three days if it was available on the shelf. Three days later, the order was automatically cancelled. The sales staff also sent me an SMS saying the phone hadn't been received on the general stock.

In short, one big letdown and disappointment. They're selling used phones (display models or opened boxes). I guess that's why they're offering discounts!

I'm not interested in used phones; I need a brand new one!

The sales staff's reassurances that the phone was new didn't convince me. The packaging was tampered with, and the phone was turned on. I have no idea who might have looked at it or how it was handled. It could have been dropped, hit, or who knows what. I have no way of proving that it's not my fault, but rather that I was sold a used phone. If the phone was in sealed packaging, all complaints would be directed at the manufacturer, and that would be their mistake, not mine.

You can't exchange the discount for minutes again!

The discount code is no longer valid, not even if the store cancels the order themselves.

I called the 611 number and submitted a request to update the code. I had to wait 96 hours – four whole days!

The code for the discount was updated the next day (I got an SMS about it). And that's because I kept complaining everywhere! Waiting four days for an updated code is ridiculous, especially since it's their fault that I couldn't buy the phone from the pickup point I specified.

I was choosing a new phone model, and 4,000 minutes would've gone to waste if I didn't.

I ordered it from multiple points, but the pickup locations kept changing throughout the day.

When I arrived to pick up the phone, I encountered a completely uncooperative sales associate. She was rude to the customer in front of me and then to me. Interestingly, the customer in front of me was also trying to get a discounted phone, just a different model, and couldn't even find the display model. He had the same issues with the discount code, but the sales associate didn't explain anything to him properly.

When it was my turn, this sales associate refused to hand me the order because I started recording her behavior on camera. She started threatening me and demanded that I stop filming, although I know my rights and have the right to record. I started writing a complaint, and after a long argument, I finally got the phone.

The phone wasn't on the display, but it was already open. Although the sales associate lied that it was brand new, it became obvious once I turned it on. I also wanted to check the box, but this lady continued to cause trouble and wouldn't give me the box. It was comical, but in reality, the corner of the box had stains from some kind of drink. Hmm... If there were coffee stains on the box, it's possible that the phone suffered from liquid damage too. I immediately pictured the sales associate opening the phone, putting it on the counter while waiting for it to turn on, then yelling at the customer, accidentally knocking over a coffee cup onto the counter where the box and phone were, and... that's why I'll never buy an open phone again.

I went to another T-Mobile store to check out the phone. Again, it was only on the display. This store didn't have any connection with other T-Mobile stores (they work on a franchise model or something), so they couldn't see the inventory or remaining stock.

On my way, I stopped at a random T-Mobile store. They had a brand new phone in its packaging, but it cost $3,000 more than on the website. Even with a coupon, it was more expensive than buying directly from the manufacturer. The sales associate didn't believe me when I said the phone was cheaper on the website.

I'm back on the road, heading to the other end of town.

I'm still in shock that I managed to get my hands on this new phone model after all the hassle I went through. I casually mentioned to a salesperson at a salon that I needed a brand new phone, and guess what? They had it in stock! They brought it out just a few days ago, and I was thrilled to finally get my hands on it. They even let me name the code and applied the discount - it's like a Christmas miracle!

It took me a whole week and a pretty penny (around 1,000 rubles) to get this phone, and it was all because of the ridiculous process I had to go through. I spent hours driving around the city, visiting different stores, and waiting on hold for customer support just to get an update on the phone's status.

And the craziest part? I actually managed to buy the phone by chance.

Never again will I be buying a phone from a Tele2 store!

Here are the issues I encountered:

1. The website doesn't provide any information about my order, and I couldn't even cancel or modify it myself.

2. There's no way to contact the stores directly to check if they have the phone in stock or what condition it's in.

3. The sales staff don't receive any notifications about orders, so you might end up wasting your time.

4. Finding a brand new, unboxed phone that's not on display is like searching for a needle in a haystack.

5. If you need to update your code, you'll have to wait 96 hours or contact customer support - and even then, you can only use it once.

So, if you want to take advantage of this offer without wasting your time, make sure to place your order online and check which stores have the phone in stock. But don't expect to exchange your minutes for a discount without going to the store in person - you'll likely have to visit multiple stores before finding the one with the phone you want. Only then can you exchange your minutes for a discount, get the code, and name it to the salesperson. Otherwise, you might end up without a phone and minutes to spare.