I am writing this email after trying for 1 hour 27 minutes and 32 seconds to address the problem with the defective product sold to me by Samsung. I can hardly express my disbelief at the deplorable experience dealing with the individuals that titled themselves as technical support experts. An hour and 27 minutes after speaking to 4 Samsung representatives at 50 cents (CAD)/minute...what a waste of time and money, literally!! Not just for the phone call to Samsung but also for purchasing the Samsung Gear Icon X. I can imagine how busy you gentlemen are so, i will give a brief summary of what transpired up to this point. I have purchased many Samsung products over the years which include: my television, wireless bluetooth speaker and soundbar, tablet, my phones and recently the Samsung Gear Icon X (2018 Version). I recently purchased the latter prior to travelling before Christmas, approximately 2 months ago. I loved the mobility and technology contained in the product as I was potentially considering buying the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 but as they cost significantly more and didn't have the in-built 4GB capacity provided by the Gear Icon X. I decided to purchase another Samsung product, knowing that i have never experienced any issues with a Samsung product and that your brand stands behind the commodities which it offers. I purchased the item in Canada prior to going away for work for an extended period potentially a year..or longer. I am unable to tell as I am working with an N.G.O to make a difference for people without basic means and opportunities in South America. I am presently working with residents living in the barrios in Colombia. As part of my routine, i would use the Samsung Gear Icon X to go for a run or while travelling on a bus, train or flight to which i appreciated its compatibility with my lifestyle. A few days ago, the right earbud stopped functioning as it should. The sound in it is barely audible. Only the left appears to still be fully functional although i have exercised care for the product knowing that such items are quite likely considerably more costly or are hard to purchase where i presently am. Yet still, the product which is evidently defective has failed my expectations although all i did was purchase another Samsung product expecting that Samsung would stand behind the products endorsed and sold across the world. I went online to see if there was possible a troubleshoot for the problem i am experiencing with the Icon Gear X, only to discover there are a vast amount people who have and are still experiencing the same issue...either with the right or the left. I decided to follow the instructions provided by the Samsung Community forum on Samsung's website. It advised to remove the wingtip and clean the mesh on the earbud with a soft cloth or q-tip. I adhered to this, twice however, the status quo remained. The Samsung community forum advised that if the problem persisted...to call the support centre at 1-800-Samsung. I proceeded accordingly and when prompted as to whether i wanted to proceed in English, i selected as such. I was then directed to technical support for the U.S. I spoke to an agent by the name of Raiesh (not sure if that's how it is spelt) in the Philippines. I explained my dilemma with the product and he advised that he wanted to troubleshoot the product with me and asked me to remove the wingtip (silicone) and to press the button for 7 seconds and to then hold it for an additional 5 seconds. I followed his instructions to the tee. The problem still persisted nonetheless. Raeish was provided more information and determined that as i purchased the item in Canada and am Canadian, i would need to be directed to the Samsung support line in Canada. I explained to him that the call was long distance for me as i am calling from Colombia and incurring charges per minute. He advised that he would take my information and would proactively provide such to the agent to follow on the Canadian support line for Samsung. Sure enough, Raeish didn't and simply transferred me to a Canadian technical support agent whom i had to start over again with. This agent, supposedly a product expert, knew hardly anything about the product and after explaining to her how costly the call was for me (a non-profit employee with a very, very humble wage)...she proceeded to put me on hold at least 4 times and came back with no solution. She then advised that i should wait till i return to Canada at the end of this year or potentially longer as the company i work for is trying to provide access to better alternatives for drinking water and healthcare options for the impoverished here (this project will definitely take a long time and i am fully committed to it). I tried to explain to her that my warranty would be void by that time but she was apathetic to such and seemed to be trying to pass me off/end the call. I had to request numerous times to speak to her supervisor/manager and only after insisting did she finally transfer me. By then, i had been on the phone for about 3/4 of an hour. I was then transferred to Diane, the technical support supervisor. What an experience!!! I was surprised that she was the technical support supervisor as she spoke to me in a belittling manner and was even more apathetic and aloof to the issues i was experiencing with the Samsung product and seemed not to be concerned. I tried to explain the same thing that i could provide all my information but she only wanted my Canadian number although i am not presently there. I explained that i could be contacted through numerous options which included my email, skype, my local number here etc...but she essentially treated me like another headache to get rid of although i tried to reason with her so she could understand my circumstance which is far from unique. After explaining to her how much the call was costing me (i know i could have hung up but after so many minutes and paying so far, it only made sense have a resolution to the matter). She said i should look for Samsung here and that i would have to pay them to fix a product that should have been extensively properly tested prior to being distributed to the public for sale. I mean it is supposed to be the newer version so i presumed the 2018 version would have the kinks sorted out; however, either of you gentleman only need to take a look online to see that this is clearly not one of Samsung's triumphs. I cannot express how disappointed i was to be treated in such a manner...my entire experience with her was highlighted by her disdain and indifference to my concern. After explaining that i was calling from South America, she proceeded to keep putting me on hold several times only to provide no solution. She advised that i should wait till i go back to Canada and that there was nothing she could do. I don't understand how trained professionals could encounter a concern and simply proceed to offer the status quo as the best recommended option or express a lack of concern although i can assure either of you on my everything i stand for that this product has a problem with it. I then tried to explain that maybe she could look into a possible solution for both parties and respond to me via email as the call was costing me but everytime i expressed this to her...she made an ouvert point of putting me on hold either to further aggravate me or to have me give up and hang up. She did this several more times...took my information and then transferred me, yet again to another agent by the name of Leo (Executive relations department). Once again, although i'd expressed several times that it was a costly call for me, she nevertheless neglected to advise the agent at the executive relations department as to the nature of the call and he asked for me to explain the nature of the problem for a fourth time...after 1 hour an 10 minutes plus. I yet again, had to explain now to Leo. His solution....i should wait till i go back to Canada or look for a Samsung repair centre to get the defective product distributed by Samsung, fixed subjective to their charges and incidentals. Another recommendation of his was that i should mail the product to someone in Canada along with a bill of sale. I explained to him that mailing such would cost me to send and to receive here again in South America but he couldn't be bothered which seems to be a recurring theme with the front line employed to address the product concerns of the public who only called in the first place, under the presumption that Samsung (A world leader in innovation) had measures in place for contingencies related to sub-standard products. I explained my situation to him and advised that i had even bought the Samsung LED case for my Samsung phone and had it mailed here but 2 months later still hadn't received the case as such happens here with the mailing system (Potentially lost or stolen along the way). He said there was nothing further he could do (Even though hardly any effort was expended on his end) and to email his manager and that everyone in his department are all managers and even if i did email that department (sbr.seca@***.com), i would more or less be endeavoring in an exercise in futility. When or how is this a standard practice at Samsung? When i typed or said the word "Samsung", i'd always attached something of reverence with your brand but after today i can safely say how extensively underwhelmed i was by my encounter with all 4 agents. I am left feeling that there is hardly any difference between Samsung and Huawei. Even after the negative media reports of the Note 7 and the issue with the indicted South Korean politician, none of such changed my perception or unshakable confidence in Samsung. After all those years, i can now say that today was the straw that broke the camel's back. I know your organization will still remain but all i ask is for someone in Samsung to provide a solution to my situation as not all circumstances are absolute. Please re-inspire confidence in me again so i can go back to my perception and faith in your brand; unless i was wrong in the first place. As mentioned by Ayn Rand. If ever one is facing a contradiction...either their premise or conclusion is wrong. I would like to hope that my conclusion after today's experience, is the aberration. I spent the final 17 minutes talking to Leo to no avail. He advised me that he was neither in the U.S, nor Canada and gave me a number associated with the interaction (512241****). 1 hour, 27 minutes and 32 seconds as indicated by my Samsung S8+. Numerous years from now, i will still remember how and what broke my confidence finally in Samsung.