Can you even get W520s with internal modems anymore?

[Growly]

Reposted from the Lenovo forums:

So after some searching I've discovered that this is not a new issue, but I've also discovered that there are no conclusive solutions to the problem, either.

I want a W520 with an internal modem. I don't think that's too much to ask. Every ThinkPad I've owned until now has had a modem. Lenovo took liberties with pretty much every aspect of the design but the modem - the modem is my rock.

So anyway, I configured what I thought would be My New Baby with everything I could. I jumped on a sale and EPP discount that my rational mind would have thought better of in a more complete state. When I looked at the order confirmation in detail some weeks later I saw the line "NO MODEM", which upset me. I received the laptop today and lo and behold, exactly as described by others in this forum, the RJ11 port is blanked out.

I called the post-sales team to complain; they offered me to take the laptop back and give me a refund. But I want a ThinkPad, just with a modem. They put me through to the sales team, which said that they couldn't even configure a W520 with a modem for me.

What gives? What is this nonsense? I had no option to configure a modem or other - but this has always been the case. Except, in the past, the implicit understanding was that my ThinkPad would come with a modem.

I guess the worst part is that, just as it happened with the T60p, my perfect machine is being pulled out from underneath me. (Back then, they discontinued the FlexView panels the week before I went to order. I was a very unhappy camper for a very long time. It engendered a sort of emotional void that I have spent many ThinkPads since trying to fill, unsuccessfully.)

[Growly]

I just got off the phone again. The manager present on the sales line insisted that there was no way of configuring a modem, and that it had been taken out due to "business decisions". I pointed out that my model is listed in the tabook with a modem and that all product shots on the website include a modem, so really I haven't gotten what I paid for (but I didn't say anything about false advertising). Anyone who'd purchased a ThinkPad before now could therefore expect it to come standard, as there was no information otherwise. I suggested that they pay for the part and have it sent out to me, but being a weekend that helpdesk is closed. So I wait patiently.

I don't want an external modem. That is another thing to carry around.

(To me this is now a matter of principle. I'm genuinely sad to say that I will probably return this machine and not get another. Not until I had placed the order was it mentioned anywhere that this feature had been removed. A modem might be a trivial thing, but it's really the straw that broke the camel's back. Lenovo really wants to profit from the mass-market, and so it shall, at the cost of its once most-loyal proponents.)

Hopefully this thread at least provides some insight for anyone else who faces the same issue, at least until the W520 is replaced...

[chairsky]

Actually some pre-configured models have built-in modem (i.e. my 427623U does have modem port), but CTO model does not have such an option.

[Growly]

I kept pointing out what the tabook said in it, but the sales guy wouldn't listen

[chairsky]

I kept pointing out what the tabook said in it, but the sales guy wouldn't listen

The sales guy should be fired

[Q-Ball]

That's actually rather strange, since I have a 4270CTO machine (made in 04/11) which has the modem on it.

In fact, I don't know why they don't just ship the specific part out to a dealer for an FRU change. Or does it require a system board change?

[AMATX]

While you're at it, might as well get a floppy disk too, righto?

Time does march on, whether you like it or not.

Actually, Q-Ball has an interesting take on this - check the detailed parts/maintenance manuals and see if there's a modem gizmo you can purchase and add it in yourself. There's likely a spot where it hooks up to and Lenovo is just no longer supplying the part, due to lack of demand. After all, it's highly unlikely that Lenovo made up different mboards just for a modem/no modem config change.

[Growly]

While you're at it, might as well get a floppy disk too, righto?

Everyone brings that up! I've already stated that this is about principle! I mean, the VGA port is old, but there's a lot of infrastructure still relying on it. I've never used the Firewire port for anything. The fingerprint reader is unreliable and pointless in my experience (recognising my friend's thumb and my index finger as the same). Mostly I'm mad that they took it out without telling anyone - without even waiting for a new model (blanking out the RJ11 port is tacky).

And I already got the USB floopy drive, anyway.

Actually, Q-Ball has an interesting take on this - check the detailed parts/maintenance manuals and see if there's a modem gizmo you can purchase and add it in yourself. There's likely a spot where it hooks up to and Lenovo is just no longer supplying the part, due to lack of demand. After all, it's highly unlikely that Lenovo made up different mboards just for a modem/no modem config change.

I asked about this. Lenovo wouldn't cooperate. I'm sure the parts are trivial to install, even if I have to route my own twisted pair around the back. I'm not sure if the jacks are available, though.

[AMATX]

Don't ask Lenovo, look in the maintenance/parts manual, then check around to suppliers and order by part number. Numbnutz at Lenovo are just gonna blow this off; you have to do it yourself.

[richk]

I don't have one to look at, but it is hard to tell what parts you need. The modem card is easy: 60Y3207 You also need a cable and you need to get a jack to connect to the cable. The cable is in the "system Misc. Parts" (FRU 04W1584) which also has something called "RJ-11 Dummy" and "RJ-11 bracket". Maybe the bracket is the jack, but who knows? The misc parts will be hard to find, but I often get such thinge from IBM, who still handles Lenovo parts.

http://www-304.ibm.com/shop/americas/we ... logId=-840

[Growly]

Don't ask Lenovo, look in the maintenance/parts manual, then check around to suppliers and order by part number. Numbnutz at Lenovo are just gonna blow this off; you have to do it yourself.

I don't have one to look at, but it is hard to tell what parts you need. The modem card is easy: 60Y3207 You also need a cable and you need to get a jack to connect to the cable. The cable is in the "system Misc. Parts" (FRU 04W1584) which also has something called "RJ-11 Dummy" and "RJ-11 bracket". Maybe the bracket is the jack, but who knows? The misc parts will be hard to find, but I often get such thinge from IBM, who still handles Lenovo parts.

http://www-304.ibm.com/shop/americas/we ... logId=-840

Thank you for your replies. AMATX is right: the numbnutz at Lenovo completely blew it off. Even my thread asking for help on the Lenovo forums has been completely and unfairly dismissed. A rant it was, but it was not trivial. And richk is right too. I looked up the part numbers, but Lenovo "doesn't carry them". Dead end.

I don't really care about the modem anymore; I'm sending this machine back. It's not worth spending this much money on something to have to fight just get what you want. I can wait a year and pick up the same thing for a quarter of the price then put all the parts I want in, too. I'm bitterly disappointed in Lenovo following this experience, and can only hope that others can avoid the customer non-service.

Thanks again.

[thecuriousWill]

I contacted Lenovo about this issue as well about a month ago and they gave me the same response that the w520s do not come with 56k modems built in anymore. From reading other forums, the only ones that actually have the modem are pre-built or pre-configured w520s--many that are for school/college use such as for professors. They even took a screenshot of the my configuration sheet for my w520 from their screen to prove mine wasn't supposed to have the modem. Hope that helps.

* I spent a good 4-5 hours researching this back a month ago because I really wanted the modem too, and I even got in contact with one of the head customer satisfaction guy via email. Of course their response is the same as expected.

[Growly]

I contacted Lenovo about this issue as well about a month ago and they gave me the same response that the w520s do not come with 56k modems built in anymore. From reading other forums, the only ones that actually have the modem are pre-built or pre-configured w520s--many that are for school/college use such as for professors. They even took a screenshot of the my configuration sheet for my w520 from their screen to prove mine wasn't supposed to have the modem. Hope that helps.

* I spent a good 4-5 hours researching this back a month ago because I really wanted the modem too, and I even got in contact with one of the head customer satisfaction guy via email. Of course their response is the same as expected.

Thanks for your response. It's nice to know I'm not the only in the universe to whom this is relevant. Unfortunately I'm stuck trying to get in touch with anyone from customer satisfaction.

Sigh.

[lead_org]

Thank you for your replies. AMATX is right: the numbnutz at Lenovo completely blew it off. Even my thread asking for help on the Lenovo forums has been completely and unfairly dismissed. A rant it was, but it was not trivial. And richk is right too. I looked up the part numbers, but Lenovo "doesn't carry them". Dead end.

I don't really care about the modem anymore; I'm sending this machine back. It's not worth spending this much money on something to have to fight just get what you want. I can wait a year and pick up the same thing for a quarter of the price then put all the parts I want in, too. I'm bitterly disappointed in Lenovo following this experience, and can only hope that others can avoid the customer non-service.

Thanks again.

I asked a Lenovo ANZ manager to contact you in the other thread. Just email her at the address provided, then you should able to get some help from Lenovo ANZ regarding the issue.

[Growly]

I asked a Lenovo ANZ manager to contact you in the other thread. Just email her at the address provided, then you should able to get some help from Lenovo ANZ regarding the issue.

Thank you for that. I will follow that up and explain the situation.

For anyone else's benefit: calling the Lenovo helpdesks routinely for the last couple of weeks meant that I was fast approaching the end of the 21-day return period. I knew if I tried to return the machine after this period the number of obstacles would triple. I've just managed to finally get a return authorised. It was difficult to try and negotiate the return without having to pay the 15% restocking fee: I explained that the exclusion of the modem was a surprising fact that was not mentioned anywhere, repeatedly, but despite sympathetic throwaway lines no one was able to action whatever needed actioning to actually let me return the machine. (Oh and apparently tabook.pdf is not reference worthy, despite the otherwise shallow specifications listed on the site and the inconsistent system configuration tool.)

I was lucky enough to get transferred to an operator in the sales department who not only understood my situation but was willing to do something about it. She put me back through to the post-sales returns department, from which I had been transferred, and said whatever needed to be said for my return to be organised. Everyone else was bound by their operational flow charts and processes. This was my second 30-minute call in the last 8 hours.

I also spoke with a helpful operator yesterday, Tammi, but she was unable to get anywhere despite her efforts. I thought I'd mention that so it's not all bad.

I mean, it's pretty bad. But not all bad. But pretty bad.

[lead_org]

Since you got the authorised return in Australia despite the purchase of the laptop in the states is pretty good. Obviously the amount of hoop jumping needs to be cut down in the future.

[Growly]

Oh no, I'm still in the US. I'll be back in Aussie in a couple of weeks. I shudder to think what that would've involved, ha!

[ark]

A quick search around the web suggests that there may be regulatory problems. For example, it appears that in Australia, there are special requirements on electromagnetic emissions from telecommunications devices, and a laptop with a modem permanently built in is a telecommunications device.

I am wondering, therefore, whether Lenovo is refusing to install modems in build-to-order machines because they would have to do compliance testing on each configuration in order to meet some regulation or other. Perhaps they test their stock configurations, but don't want to devote the resources to testing custom configurations.

If the modem is a separate device attached via USB port, then perhaps only the modem would need compliance testing; but if it's buit into the machine, then the whole machine might need to be tested.

[hellosailor]

arc, you may have something there. Of course you'd have to go to Corporate and take hostages to get a true answer, but "compliance testing" for a simple thing (like a UL/CSA approval for a power supply) can be a $50,000 investment according to people who have paid to do it.

Now take the wide use of WiFi and cellular and networks, pretty much killing mass market (ha!) use of telephone lines for the past few years...and it WOULD seem very possible that a manufacturer would drop phone modem hardware, rather than pay that kind of testing fee in a dozen or more venues.

Kind of a lousy excuse in any case, but considering the ways they try to squeeze every last penny out of products these days, I could understand if someone said "economically unfeasible". Modems, audio line inputs, serial ports...either you jeep old computers around, or get a bag of USB adapters. That's just where everything has gone to.