What is going on with Keysight calibrations and service center? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: rkeller
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2023, 02:28:49 pm
content: We have been using Keysight since they were Agilent and have always been satisfied with the service and pricing agreements for calibration / service.The last two years however have been less than stellar. We all know prices have gone up but you know when it's egregious. We also had our agreements include calibration and service (for example our 3458A was costing $1,600 per year for calibration with certificate and data plus service within a set amount, which means I can't go surfing with my beloved 3458A and then expect them to restore it) You all know what I mean. This year they wanted to charge double that and charge us again for the same repair (loose banana plug) on the front panel connection board they replaced in 2021. After getting the quote for repair $1,400 plus the charge for calibration we had it sent back and we sent it elsewhere for calibration. They noted the unit was perfect with no repairs or adjustments necessary. To add insult to injury they have been billing us for the repair and calibration that did not occur. They said we might as well pay because the the cost of cancelling our service agreement would be just as much as the service we did not receive.Has anyone else seen this change in what was, until recently, decent to work with?

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2023, 03:57:43 pm
content: Maybe they just like money!Joking aside, Keysight Germany has been proving excellent calibration service in the last few years for me.

author: rkeller
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2023, 07:16:13 pm
content: Glad to know Germany is doing well. The location I am referring to is located in Santa Clara, California. Probably one of the most expensive area's in the country to try and run a business, maybe they are, getting disparate for money. I know there are lot's of companies (at least 57 with over 100 employees in 2022 - 2023 alone) that have moved out; I haven't heard of one that has moved into CA. It was a great place to work and live.

author: J-R
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2023, 07:32:28 pm
content: I believe they may have moved some or all of their calibration services to Malaysia a year or so ago. Or at least stopped doing some here in the US.Last year I had a handheld DMM repaired under warranty and Keysight said it would be an extra month to get it back if I wanted it calibrated since they would have to ship it to Malaysia. (They were willing to do this for free.) I declined since it was a model that is pretty easy to calibrate myself, and I didn't want to wait.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2023, 08:26:41 am
content: The Keysight gold standard calibration lab for the 3458A was the Keysight Loveland, Colorado Standards Laboratory.Here is a nice video about that lab:But it is not listed on their website for service stations:https://www.keysight.com/zz/en/products/services/repair-services/worldwide-service-locations.htmlMaybe that lab was closed?

author: jayk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2023, 10:24:49 pm
content: I think Keysight has a big facility in Roseville now (north of Sacramento). Not sure where else in the US they do cal/refurbishment.

author: cruff
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2023, 01:21:58 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on February 24, 2023, 08:26:41 amThe large campus that HP had in Loveland is now occupied by several unrelated businesses.

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2023, 04:33:47 pm
content: I saw an article about them the other day stating they have some financial issues, looking at the stock price it took a bit of a dive the other week.https://www.fool.com/investing/2023/02/22/why-shares-in-keysight-technologies-crashed-today/In the UK/EU they have withdrawn a lot of support for smaller operators, no longer dealing with the hobby market. Chances they are having one of the company reshuffles.

author: Momchilo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2023, 05:31:12 pm
content: Quote from: mendip_discovery on February 25, 2023, 04:33:47 pmI mean it is Keysight since 2014. Based on their history it is about time for a new name again

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2023, 05:37:32 pm
content: Quote from: Momchilo on February 25, 2023, 05:31:12 pmBe hilarious if it said this -"Keysight has decided to start offering it's products to the electronics hobby market again to boost sales for 2023."

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 25, 2023, 06:06:47 pm
content: At one time there was one of the greatest companies ever. They were called Hewlett-Packard. They made some of the finest instruments ever and had some of the best people in the industry. They were loved and respected by their customers and their employees alike.Now we have this ..

author: scopeman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2023, 08:30:28 pm
content: If you read the Bill and Dave book by Malone you will get a real sense of the downhill slide of the company. I am sure that Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard have rolled over several times in their graves due to the devastation of their beloved company and employees.SamW3OHMOwner of several tons of HP and Agilent gear

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2023, 08:46:00 pm
content: Quote from: BillyO on February 25, 2023, 06:06:47 pmAs far as I'm concerned HP had a great reputation but they threw it out the window when their leadership decided to rename the company "Agilent". What the hell is an Agilent?

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2023, 06:51:57 pm
content: Quote from: scopeman on March 02, 2023, 08:30:28 pmFound a good used hard cover. It's on it's way.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2023, 07:10:49 pm
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on March 02, 2023, 08:46:00 pmThe local Tektronix salesman liked to say it was "Genital spelled sideways". He got a big kick out of that. As far as stupid names made up by a committee go, I don't think it's the worst.HP nostalgia makes me uncomfortable though. I always found HP people to be a little too fanatical, unwilling to ever admit to a mistake or that an HP product wasn't the absolute best. Kind of like Intel or Apple.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2023, 11:35:02 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on March 03, 2023, 07:10:49 pmI would, of course be willing to admit I made a mistake! If it was found that I ever made one of course.

author: Fallenrecruit
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 03, 2023, 11:48:37 pm
content: As someone that has worked at one of the hubs, a lot of the oldies with the knowledge have left and with that from about mid last year the backlog was growing at a rate that could not be kept up to with the way lab management wanted it done. This lead to the loss of several big contracts and a downturn in worker moral. was a great place to work with fantastic people but management from Malaysia was not good for our lab, a lot of people felt underpaid and local management couldn't get the extra cashflow to sort it out.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2023, 07:51:29 am
content: Quote from: Fallenrecruit on March 03, 2023, 11:48:37 pmWow, not cool.I guess we are lucky in Germany then, with Keysight performing well as usual.