PAC codes and cancelling contracts

Rave

Sorry if this is a common question.

I currently have a Nokia 7600 on 3 which I picked up on the £6.99 a month after rebate for Talk&Text 600 deal last November. Being a bit lazy though, I've not got around to trying to source another deal until now, so ATM I'm just paying the £30 a month for 500 miutes when in all honesty I almost never use more than 200. So, I've seen various offers on Reestit Mutton where, after three rebates, I can get a basic phone, 200 xnet minutes and 100 texts on O2 for a year for free.

So, simply, I want to transfer at minimum cost (albeit that if the new phone is free, switching to it earlier costs me effectively nothing even if I'm paying line rental to 3 that I'm not using). If I phone 3 tomorrow and request a PAC code, what happens then? Last time around, I signed up to 3 and then faxed Vodafone with a 30 day cancellation notice (and requesting a PAC code)....and the cheeky ******s completely ignored it. It took about three months to finally get my number transferred, and they charged me for three months line rental I didn't use:mad:. However, when I finally
did get a working PAC code, they cancelled my contract as soon as it came through, not 30 days later. Was that because I'd phoned them up and shouted, or do they always work like that?

If, after requesting a PAC code, I then find that the best new contract deal is still on 3, can I get a new contract (with rebates etc.) and keep my old number? Or am I definately out once I request a PAC code? Surprisingly, since most reports I hear about 3 are that they're rubbish, I've been pretty happy with their service. I'd just rather pay a lot less for it:).

Finally, if anyone fancies going beyond the call of duty, then if you know a better deal than a Nokia 6030 free for a year with 200 xnet minutes and 100 texts on O2, then feel free to point it out to me. I really don't need a funky phone, but something small and light with a better than VGA camera and/or half decent MP3 capability would be cool:). My wife is on PAYG atm so she could do with one too....

Woby_Tide

If you don't use the PAC code you just carry on on your existing contract, it only initiates a cancellation when you give it to a new network. And no you can't get a decent new deal on 3 from elsewhere and retain your number, you will only be able to take a 3 upgrade deal and retain your number so won't get the cashback or dealer incentive to make it cheaper.

Steve_xx

This is a decent deal at the moment. 200 minutes at anytime to any network, but no texts I'm afraid. More or less free for 18 months with The Link, part of Dixons group:

http://www.thelink.com/martprd/store/lin_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1792482176.1136381227@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccgeaddgjghgjhkcflgceggdhhmdgmi.0&page=Product&sku=502538&fm=0&sm=0&tm=undefined

fatboyonadiet

You could get your PAC and don't have to use it, you can't however get a PAC and go from '3' to '3', you'd have to go from '3' to another network (PAYG would obviously be best) and then back to '3'. However when you ring 3 CS they might offer you a good deal and go someway to match it - no experience of how good their retention offers are.