SK Telecom effectively taking over Helio
By Nilay Patel 
posted Nov 9th 2007 2:02PM
posted Nov 9th 2007 2:02PM
[Via MobileTech News]
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This is great news because i have the helio ocean and i mean i really like the phone but the service is just hanous. The worst customer service i've ever had. I once had to call 6 times to 6 different reps because NONE of them could give me the answer i was looking for. I wanted to know was when did my minutes recycle? Start over...........no one had a clue what I was talking. Most frustrating thing ever.
what areas does helio even have service coverage? Is it limited to major metro areas?
Helio uses Sprint service. So it works everywhere Sprint does, which is pretty much everywhere.
drocpsu: Helio piggy backs off of Sprint and I think Verizon's coverage areas. If you are in one of those places your good :)
i think they use Verizon and sprint networks so the service is very good. The best I've had.....its the customer service that sucks BIG TIME!!
I think they use one or the other, but not both to cover area. Their service is the lowest common denominator of the two. I had verizon and went to a helio ocean. My coverage now sucks - as my friend's did who had cingular. I agree that their customer service is awful.
meant sprint - not cingular!
With Helio burning cash and the possibility of them closing whenever SK decides enough is enough, they should put in place a transition plan to Sprint. I don't want to buy a phone and have the company go out of business 1 month later and Helio is at risk of that, sadly.
I would consider it if I had some sort of guarantee that I wouldn't have a paperweight within, oh, 2 years, which is about how often I change my phone.
Awww crap.......
I was awaiting the demise of Helio so I could get out of my contract. Screw you SKT...... Screw you.
So in other words, they will be ot of business, bankrupt and gone out the door in less than a year? Though tso.
LOL................I was hoping for the same............I was hoping they would go downhill so i can get out of my contract too!
hahahaah
MUUUAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHA!!!!
I am a helio ocean user and you can't fault the pure coolness of their products. I think its painfully obvious that helios customer service isn't up to par. But i'm a little confused by everyones comments. Your upset that the company is going to be more stable and dump tons of money into R&D?!?! Please press alt + f4 right now!
Because you don't belong on engadget. Things can only get better now ... and hopefully they can bring that overseas goodness that we constantly drool over.
YES! I'm reading the "$100m into handset development and marketing" bit as "We're making our phone lineup bigger and including more, sweeter phones". Their customer service isn't bad either... if you speak Korean. The problems are limited to their English Customer service- hope they get the Korean people to do English CS too.
This is welcome news for 9 November, this being my one year anniversary of signing up for Helio's service (which they don't let me get away from knowing, by emailing and texting me "happy anniversary"/"thank you" messages).
The only place I've seen Helio phones sold at (actually I only saw a neon sign in the window) was a Dollar Store of the "ma and pa kind"...meaning not a national chain such as Dollar Tree or other crap. So if that's the demographic they're shooting for...well the end is near then. Also for all those who have Helio phones...with the recent "CDMA unlocking" you may be able to use that device on Sprint or VZV (that's IF the phone is not locked at this point). If Helio goes kaput, I wish you all good luck and hope you'll be ablo to port their HUGE selection of four or five phones (which I do agree...are quite nice). Or one could wish maybe Helio would build the third national GSM/WCDMA network...wouldn't that be nice.
Maciek
www.symbiosis60.com
Don't hold your breath. Most of SK Telecom's stuff is CDMA, so that's how they'll stay. I do wish they'd get with the times, though- When the Hero came out, I noticed that my Korean classmate had one, but it was completely silver. Then I noticed the "june" branding (used by Helio's parent, SK Telecom, in Korea). He said that it had been out in Korea for 4 years already, and that it wasn't a good value now. Now, with the new phones this is less true, but it does show how far behind America is when they consider a 4-year old phone "amazing".
They should get SKY and Motorola into their lineup. They have some great Korea-only phones that would make great Helio exclusives (believe it or not, Motorola's Korean lineup far surpasses what they offer America).
Well if you ever want a lesson in how to flush millions down the toilet I think Helio should be the case study. Great products, good cell service, and the industry's WORST customer service. I literally spent 4 months with these maniacs trying to resolve my situation. I basically ported a number for less than 30 days and switched back, but due to a customer service rep outright lying to me it rolled over the 30 days and they wanted to charge me $400 for early termination and a phone which I had already returned to the store. After explaining this to one manager, who did her job very well, I was given a full credit only to have it later denied by billing. When I asked to speak with billing they had no clue what their number was or even where they were located. After that I reported their asses to the FCC and BBB. Finally after 4 months I was sent a check and even ended up making $50 after all was said and done. NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH HELIO!
No, never do business with any phone company. They will all screw you over.
Who knows, maybe the whole idea of boutique MVNOs throws people off.
For me, I figure, "hey, they're reselling sprint and making a premium. screw that, I'll go to the source"
I found the Ocean to be enticing, but on this news, I'm glad I hesitated.
OMG I love myHelio.......I get Service Every Where .........From Boston to Las Vegas ..I do live in a Metropolotin area so I guess Im lucky....I talk like Crazy I Email Like crazy I text Like crazy I have the Helio Ocean and the $99.00 Bucks a month Unlimited....So no hidden Charges I like that.........