Help do I need to send my note 4 back?

[baknforth101]

I've been with at&t for 15 years, had the galaxy s2 for two years, no problems. Then the s4 for two years, no problems. Last month I got the note 4 at my local AT&T store, within 3 days it starting dropping calls and completely losing all service, for no reason at all. I'll be in a place with very solid 4G coverage, look at my phone, and there are no bars showing up on the scale. Have gotten several voicemails when the phone didn't even ring, because of having no service. When it does this it also wont bring up a Web page. Called AT&T, they said I had 14 days to return it, so I took it back and they put in a new SIM card, thinking that was the problem. It didn't change anything. It still happens about every 3 days I turn the phone off , wait 3 minutes, problem solved.
I use this phone for business so I can't afford for clients to call and not get through to me. Thinking I will have to have AT&T send me a new one and send this one back, but I'm worried that they will send me a refurbished one and I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT. Checked to see if there was a software update thinking it might fix it, but there isn't one available right now.
What should I do?

 

[Crashdamage]

I would send it back on warranty. Definitely sounds like some kinda hardware problem. And if the exchange unit is a refurbished one I wouldn't be one bit afraid of that.

Over the years I've bought many refurbished electronics and not once have I ever had a problem or even been able to distinguish the refurbished unit from a new one. I almost prefer a refurb because they're thoroughly tested before being reissued.

 

[baknforth101]

Thanks. My issue with refurbished is 1) I'm paying for a brand new phone, and that's what I want. Not something that someone else has already had problems with. Even if it's thoroughly tested, this is the type of issue that is so random, it would probably pass their tests without the problem happening while being tested. Kind of like taking your car to a mechanic to try to fix a random problem. When it's there they can't make the problem show up, so there's no way to know how to fix it. Sure enough, as soon as you leave the parking lot, there it is again (have had this exact thing happen more than once). 2) I always keep my phones for the length of the contract, then sell them on eBay. The difference in value from a refurbished phone to one that was never refurbished is about 25%. That's a big hit to take especially considering I had to pay full new price, for a used phone that had problems before I got. If that makes sense. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, I don't have much choice, I suppose.