3 is the cheapest, but is it best

jenniewb

Meks1980 wrote: »

OK so I cancelled on the Sunday... Was told it was all cancelled and everything was fine. I asked if they could confirm in writing that it was cancelled but was told its all automatic.

Called on Monday to confirm.. Was told all cancelled... Today the phone arrives through the post!

Also comes with a letter saying if I wish to return within 17 days then I need to call a 0844 number to get a special number and they will send a special post bag so I can send it back... Not happy!

Thats so similar to what happened to me twice!

First time they would not let me cancel "until you have tried the phone". Said it wouldn't be cancelled unless I had shown I had tried it. I turned it on, said "OK I don't like it" they said "oh but you tried it now, you can't send it back". Here I am 17 months later....

Tried to cancel early over Xmas, this phone is so runnish its broken down 8 times already and was hoping this last time they'd just cancel early. They said they wouldn't cancel early but would terminate my contract when it ends in Feb.
One week later I get a letter congratulating me on continuing the contract and that it ends in December 2011 and should I cancel I would be charged the full amount.

These were just two of several issues I have had with 3, I don't like to make assumptions but I don't think they know UK law IYSWIM.

I hate 3. So much stress- you can't put a price on your mental health! I will be leaving as soon as and have ended my contract and this time will take them to the small claims court should they try anything- I didn't even know this was possible last time but this time I am more aware and have done my research!

lornski_2

I had a mobile with 3 and was nearing the end of my contract. I broke my phone and requested that for the next few months, if i could downgrade my phone to a cheaper package as i was paying for texts and minutes i couldn't use. They refused, even though other providers have allowed me to upgrade or downgrade my package, to suit my usage. It then resulted in a bit of a stand off and i ended up paying them the full amount after a few months of battle. A couple of years later, i applied for a job in banking and failed the credit scoring. I was so suprised and downloaded my credit file to find out why. And low and behold it was because of 3 mobile. I got in touch with them and they reckon i still owe them money even though i never had any further correspondence from them. It has been referred to a company called LOWELL GROUP who later claimed i owed £80.55. As I couldnt afford to pay in full I asked if i could pay half one month and the remainder another, but they said, in that case the debt would be £156! I have paid them the original £80.55 and they are still refusing to close the account. This has been going on for 4 years now.

TooDee

Handset: iPhone 4

Most commonly used location: work and home in Glocestershire

Ease and reliability and connection: seems to have improved over the years. I still get a bit of a shaky service at home but then I live in the middle of no where.

Any other problems: my previous hand set was a nokia n95 and I had no end of problems with it. I would call this 3's problem though as they did try to fix the handset and give me a new one in the end.

Overall service and rating (out of 10): 8/10 not perfect but its the happiest i've ever been with a mobile phone network.

I've found the guys in the shop to be more helpful than anyone on the phone. The manager at my local store advised me of the totally unlimited internet thing that they do now on most of the contracts before it was avaliable. They also took my old contract down to just £10 a month for my mobie hating bf so I could get the iphone earlier.

I was with Orange before and was constantly going over my bill. I think thats only happened once or twice with 3 and the bills are cheaper in the first place.

Also use my phone pretty much all day everyday for internet and had only ever had one text to say i'd reached the limit of my fair usage and now I have totally unlimited anyway.

EdW_2

This is one of those topics with an impossible answer.

I think it really depends on the experience an individual has, and that applies to any company. I know friends who have had almighty problems with Sky, for example, whereas they've always been great for me - clear comms, problems solved immediately etc. etc.

I have HTC Hero with 3, my wife an X10 Mini-Pro, and never been happier with a phone provider. The deals (one plan) give you pretty much everything covered, including unlimited internet, no problems with coverage and no problems with service. We spend £50 a month between us, and that's for 100s of texts, minutes and constant internet use, work e-mails on the phone, android market downloads.

Got to laugh at the buyer who has cancelled on the basis of "ridicule on facebook". Is that the way of the modern market? The HTC Desire is arguably a better phone than the Iphone - essentially because it uses the wonderful open Android market rather than the walled garden on Apple's I-Store.

This not only means free MP3s if you install the right ap, but also free Android applications for old computer emulators - my Hero has a C64, Speccie, Megadrive, SNES, NES, Gameboy advance and PC Engine emulator on, get the ROMS on line, and it's the perfect games machine.

A miserable flight to the canaries the other day was enlivened by me completing Bruce Lee on the C64, and then winning the Play Offs in John Madden 92. What more do you want!

Roland_Flagg

I'm looking for a new phone after leaving Orange.
I need about 300 mins, 100 text and 1GB a month.
I don't really want to pay more than £12 a month.

Am I better off phoning 3 to haggle or just go through a cashback site and pick a phone/plan from their website?

Jonno71

Went into the 3 store today for a quote (coming away from O2) for my iPhone 4 on PAYG. They can offer me more compared to O2, thats for certain.

300 mins
3000 texts (any network)
1gb web

£15 month

fiendishlyclever

Jonno71 wrote: »

Went into the 3 store today for a quote (coming away from O2) for my iPhone 4 on PAYG. They can offer me more compared to O2, thats for certain.

300 mins
3000 texts (any network)
1gb web

£15 month

You can get that on giffgaff with unlimited internet and unlimited texts - on the O2 network.

Any network is only as good as the reception you get in the areas you want to use it. If its a contract you could get a free payg sim to try out reception first

Jonno71

fiendishlyclever wrote: »

You can get that on giffgaff with unlimited internet and unlimited texts - on the O2 network.

Any network is only as good as the reception you get in the areas you want to use it. If its a contract you could get a free payg sim to try out reception first

Hiya

I'm currently with O2 (have been for over a decade) and their service has gone down hill, rapidly, hence why I am looking for a more reliable provider at a near-as-price that I'm already paying with O2 so I can leave O2.

giffgaff, if I'm correct, is connected someway with O2.

riddler?

I've been with 3 for about 4 or 5 years now and don't have a bad word to say about them.

Initially, when I first signed up with 3 I was in Manchester. This included outh Manchester (Fallowfield, Didsbury, Withington etc) as well as central Manchester and signal was perfect.

I have since spent time in Derby, London and Hertfordshire and again, signal is fine apart from about 1 year ago where I had a bit of trouble in the small town I was living in, in Hertfordshire. This has now been resolved.

I have always found customer services to respond quickly to any issues and despite being based abroad, there haven't been any of the usual problems.

I also get great deals as they are by far the cheapest provider offering the fastest 3G by miles.

mickym

I dont know how some of you are getting deals as low as £5 per month?!

Is that price after multiple loyalty discounts over many years?

My missus was on the following

£20 Texter
1000 Texts
200 Mins Talk Time

includes addons

Text 3000
3 to 3 calls
Internet Max (2GB)

for £20 per month.

To be honest she doesn't use that amount of text, and internet. But the 3 to 3 calls were definitely handy as we both have 3 contracts.


When called to get a deal they would only offer the above for £15 per month, for a new 'flexible' 12 month contract where she could upgrade whenever she wanted.

Pushing them on further discounts got me no where.

In the end I went for a £10 SIM 300 deal (new 12 month contract). Will be using this with a Orange San francisco I have Sim Unlocked and installed a custom ROM on. Got it for £99 from argos the other week, and other than a crappy camera on it, is a fantastic phone for the price.

Only downside is that we wont have free 3 to 3 calls anymore (well i do on my contract...so not so bad.)

I dont know if the rules are changing at Three...but we cancelled her contract a month ago, and got not one call from their 'special' retentions team.