3 is the cheapest, but is it best

soul-replacement

Handset: 3Skypephone 2
Use: Surrey
Network problems: dropped calls, terrible phone, weird background noise.
Any other problems: Well. This might take a few hours. Their customer service is so, so, so awful. The woman I just rang accused me of lying twice, and then implied I can't do maths. I've asked them countless times to change the contract to my name as opposed to my dad's, which they have failed to do. The price I was quoted on the phone was £5 more than on the site, with 200 less minutes. They refuse to believe that I started my contract in September, not March; even though I have bills right here that prove me right. They insist that my contract's not up till next september; it's an 18 month contract. It was therefore over in March. I got told three times that they don't understand my accent; I'm from Surrey, and I speak with estuary english. They were rude, patronising and bullying.
Overall rating: 0/10.

lovelyx

Handset: iPhone 4. Got it on 3 because I really wanted the iPhone and it was the cheapest place around for it.

Most commonly used location: Sheffield and Watford (works perfectly in both). Also used quite regularly in Colwyn Bay in North Wales (doesn't work at all, but then neither did T Mobile when I was on that) and near Llanelli, south Wales (doesn't work at all here either, don't think they've paid much attention to Wales bar the big cities!)

Ease and reliability and connection: It can sometimes show a 'false connection', as I call it - as in, it shows full signal but has trouble connecting. Otherwise I get good signal pretty much everywhere in Sheffield, which is supposed to be good for 3 anyway. I've never had a problem with their customer service either, the man that initially sold me the phone in the shop was great, as was the customer services by phone when I phoned up to request whatever it is you request when you want to keep your number from another network, and when I phoned up today to cancel an add on I'd had for a few months. The lady I spoke to today was very helpful when I inquired about downgrading my package, which I can do in September (I hardly use all my allowances!) They have also been helpful on Twitter and their text service and iPhone app to check allowances, etc, are also good. They have dedicated iPhone help as well, which can be good for when it's handset specific.

Any other problems: I switched the card I was paying with via DD and it took a while for it to activate, so I ended up paying for 2 months at once. Probably my fault as I should have done it in advance, but I didn't realise it wasn't instant. I've had calls from people at 3 trying to sell me a contract for mobile broadband once, and whenever I speak to a customer advisor on the phone they always end the call by asking if I'm interested in taking out another contract, or a contract for an iPad. But they don't pester much when you give them a firm no, at least they haven't in my experience.

Overall service and rating (out of 10): 8/10. I sound like I work for them (I don't!) and overall I'm very happy with the service, but I'd feel more comfortable speaking to someone in a British call centre (can be difficult to understand and be understood when phoning them up currently) and some things are annoying - like being able to buy an add on online, but not being able to cancel it online.

Edit: I've also had a 3 mobile broadband dongle and it was rubbish - couldn't get a signal, when I did it kept dropping, the software wouldn't load properly, was quite expensive...just awful. And don't take their word for whether you can get signal in your area, my OH lived in North Wales and took out a mobile broadband contract after they told him it'd work in his area and he couldn't get any signal at all.

myfairrlady

I started using recently 3 PAY AS YOU GO simcard (instead of my usual Giff Gaff) because we moved and had no broadband for a while. Therefore I signed for £15 per month plan with all you can eat data which includes tethering. I was using my simcard to connect both my PC and netbook to internet (PC via USB and netbook via wireless hotspot). I have to say it worked very well and speed of connection was faster then I expected. I will go back to GiffGaff after the month is over because i can get the same (300 mins and unlimited internet) for £10 instead of £15 (I will not need tethering anymore) but I have to say 3 internet is definitely faster then Giffgaff.

Mrs_Ryan

After a spectacular comedy of errors, I yesterday told 3 to get stuffed. I've gone to Tesco - better deal and UK call centres! I have 2 phones and my Desire HD is still on 3 PAYG but thats fine as I only need it for internet.

scottishgal_2

Do 3 ever contact you through a mobile number? Or is this a scam saying they are 3 does anyone know?

[Deleted User]

Scottishgal, if you're never sure if they're from 3 or not, get their extension number, ring 333 back from your mobile and ask to be transferred.

anuj123

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craig_dufc

Handset: HTC Desire Graphite

Most commonly used location: Dundee

Ease and reliability and connection: Excellent connection for the majority of time - cuts out now and again at work due to the location but other than that perfect

Any other problems: N/A

Overall service and rating (out of 10): i'd have to say 9/10 just due to the customer service line not being the best - although i've only had to contact them twice re delivery of phone

Dundee_shopper

[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]I bought my Three prepay Samsung Galaxy Europa phone online a few weeks ago and in a couple of days of my starting to use it it began to shut itself off, despite being fully charged. [/FONT][FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]The on button was non responsive and t[/FONT][FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]he only remedy was to take the battery out, re-insert it and turn the phone back on.

I visited my local three store today and was told that if I had purchased the phone instore (they were running the exact same offer) they could perform a straight exchange there and then (as they had a large supply of the phones of the same make and model available), however as I had purchased my phone online I would have to contact Three's customer services in order to arrange the exchange. I did this and was told by three's (awful, awful) customer service that while their first course of action was to exchange the phone THEY HAD RUN OUT, so I would have to send it for 'repair' instead. So although the high street stores have lots of [/FONT][FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Samsung Galaxy Europa's in stock, the 3 online store apparently had none. It's of course nonsense, but because I bought the phone online I'm stuck with dealing with them.[/FONT][FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]

People should be made aware that if they purchase from 3's online store and if anything goes wrong you'll receive a lower quality of customer service than if you'd purchased from a high street store doing the EXACT SAME OFFER. Essentially you'll be[/FONT][FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif] penalised for shopping online.[/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]
Suddenly Giff Gaff is looking very attractive indeed.[/FONT]

capn_luxy

Well.. this may be a long story but first of all the customer service is AWFUL. In store (incompetence) and online/by phone.

To cut a long story short, i recently bought a new phone to use with a contract sim which i pay £10 a month for, 2000 mins to other 3 network phones, 100 minutes to landline/other network mobiles and 3000 texts to any network.

The phone mentioned was a pay as you go. I tried it for a week/ almost two and it was excessively over heating if I were to chat on a call for more than 10 minutes.

My mother and myself has the great misfortune of having to ring up Three, go through at least 7 people and repeatedly going back to the automated service for 3 hours until we were finally told that we could send them the phone in a bag that they would send to us.

So many statements were said by the three staff on the customer service phone line that had been contradicted previously by Three staff in my local Three store, passing me from one to the other saying that the other would help, which they didn't.

I sent the phone off for repair, got it back 5 days later with a letter saying that my phone had been replaced because they couldn't fix my phone. On this 'new phone' there was dirt under the screen, it was dusty, and the clips that attach the backing case had been damaged. After further inspection, they had taken my memory card and not given it back, even though the lady we had spoken to on the phone said "put everything in the box that came with the box, the way you received it". The memory card which was part of the deal was in the phone when i got it so i put it back in it. Thankfully I took all the data off the card, as the woman had advised.

Further problems occurred when I found, trying to charge the phone, which had been perfect before I'd sent the previous one off for repair, that this new phone didn't charge with my brand new charger?! These problems (apart from the excessive heating of the phone during call time) all appeared when they sent me this new phone.

We were forced to ring Three to report these new problems with the new phone + to hopefully get it sent of AGAIN to get a new one/get it fixed. We were told by the Three guy that it wasn't a new phone. It was my phone, it had been 'refurbished'. They'd apparently put a new motherboard in. It looked like whoever 'fixed' my phone was very heavy handed considering the state of disarray it was in. They'd even dared to put a sticker on the buttons to make it look like it was brand new (as it had said in the letter) which it wasn't!

I'm completely appalled at the level of service, the lies we've been told and the products themselves which Three provide.

I'm so disappointed that I forked out £90.00 on this phone only to have such problems and endless hassle. I wish I could just get my money back (as i'm only a student and i need the money for my fees for university) i cancel my sim contract and go with another provider.

Does anyone know whether there would be a way for me to get my money back at all???

Help would be greatly appreciated.