3 - 'Refer a Friend' fiasco and a warning

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Mobile phone companies seem to becoming increasingly inept and often just downright 'dodgy' IMHO. Witness this recent fiasco with '3' when I attempted to join them as a new customer...
A friend of mine recently signed up with '3' and after a week or so received a 'refer a friend' leaflet which he passed on to me. Basically the deal is that if I signed up with 3 then he would get £30 credit and so would I.

I went to 3's online shop and tried to order a phone using the refer a friend link given in the leaflet - unfortunately it didn't work. After about an hour messing about with their online 'chat' help facility I was given another link which DID work. I entered my friend's number and ordered the phone - all went smoothly and the order was accepted as a 'refer a friend' order..
The phone arrived this morning but their was no mention of the 'refer a friend' account credit. Being a suspicious soul I rang their customer helpline (an 0870 number!). Sure enough there was no record of my order being a refer a friend order. I was then told that 'refer a friend' would only apply if the friend has been connected for AT LEAST 30 DAYS - otherwise the order is just treated as a normal order and no credit applied. There is NO MENTION of this condition anywhere in the printed literature or on the website (not even in the terms and conditions small print).
Needless to say I am returning the phone.
I received a verbal apology that this condition was not mentioned in the literature and was given an 0870 number to ring for their 'complaints' department.
This unmentioned condition strikes me as very very dodgy indeed since my friend was sent the referral literature just one week after connecting to 3 and I reckon most people would want to use it straight away. I suspect a lot of 'friends' are going to order phones and not receive any credit.