3 is the cheapest, but is it best

teenage_Drama

Bought a nokia 6280 on contract, faulty handset, no network coverage after 2 days (my dad had a 3 phone with poor network coverage, he was unable to make calls and use his monthly allowance just because of the network coverage, no matter how many times he had it repaired, he still experienced the same problem)i wasnt satisfied with customer service, had to call them several times just to deal with 1 problem, wouldnt recommend 3, i am just sending this phone back and ending this contract.

gromituk

digitaltoast wrote:

How are they going to make
money?

By you not sticking to the T&Cs so that you don't get your cashbacks.

Why don't they just have a cheaper tarriff in the first place rather than
all this complicated cashback/chequeback?

Because you are dealing with two parties: the retailer and the network operator. The network operator gives the retailer a bonus for new customers, and the retailer passes it on to you. Part of the reason for the cashback process is for the retailer to make sure you haven't changed tariff or cancelled your contract with the network operator, which would result in the retailer not getting or having to pay back the money. Part of it is to make life difficult for you so you forget or mess up and then you don't get your money. Many people are too disorganised to play the cashback game successfully.

By the way, if the retailer plays dirty or goes out of business you will still have to continue your contract with the network (or pay the cancellation fee). You must be able to accommodate this risk.

PS I've heard that some cashback deals now stipulate that you mustn't send your bills in *early*. This is worrying - it's quite easy to remember to send in a bill when it lands on your doorstep; much harder if you have to wait for n days before doing so.

adadibhai

MORPH3US wrote:

Why the heck do you have 5 contracts??

And what is it with people downgrading? I have never taken out a contract with the intention of downgrading, I just find the best deal for the phone that suits me with cashback....

I have 5 contracts because two of them happened to be buy 1 get one free deals and the last one was bought because my wife wanted the phone that was on offer.

The cashback deals were such that there was no hassle and it was a one time upfront payment via cheque of the whole year's line rental. But it only works out that cheap if you downgrade(!)

Check the company out:
http://www.dmcdirect.co.uk/dmc/index.asp

There is a branch local to me so it sounded good at the time.

adadibhai

MORPH3US wrote:

Why the heck do you have 5 contracts??

And what is it with people downgrading? I have never taken out a contract with the intention of downgrading, I just find the best deal for the phone that suits me with cashback....

I have 5 contracts because two of them happened to be buy 1 get one free deals and the last one was bought because my wife wanted the phone that was on offer.

The cashback deals were such that there was no hassle and it was a one time upfront payment via cheque of the whole year's line rental. But it only works out that cheap if you downgrade(!)

Check the company out:
http://www.dmcdirect.co.uk/dmc/index.asp

There is a branch local to me so it sounded good at the time.

olly300

adadibhai wrote:

Hi,

So 5 contracts x £25 for each stage of downgrading comes to an unhealth £250 worth of administration fees???!!!

MAN, I AM ABSOLUTELY GUTTED. I had no other option but to put the phone down on her and do some homework - check it out with our friend here, Mr Lewis.

Any advice for me please?? Is there such a thing as this in the T&C's?

Can anyone please save me from gettin ripped off????!

Pleeeeeese??!

!

Check the terms and conditions on Three's website.

One thing I should point out is that Three where taken to the Regulator, OFCOM, in January 2006. In May 2006 OFCOM made a ruling that lots of Three's terms and conditions of contract where unfair as they breached consumer regulations.

The Indian customer service staff seem unaware of this and cause lots of agro.

Therefore if you took out your contract before May 2006 and didn't get any updates in your bills or sent new contract terms, then I would try and get in contact with Three Customer Services in Scotland to sort the matter out. Demand a contract in the post.

By the way lots of call centre staff read from scripts in the UK. I did when I worked at a call centre however it was a requirement that you try and personalise the script to increase "customer satisfaction."

digitaltoast

Just to follow this up, I decided to go for it, picked the phone up, upon which my brother and a friend told me that the 6280 was an incredibly cheaply made, tacky and delicate phone.

Went to slide the back off, very gently, and the tacky little bit of plastic which covers the camera lens, seperated from the black plastic back!

Back we go in the morning - can't believe how flimsy this phone is!!

gromituk

I've got a 6280 and have not had this problem. One swallow doesn't make a summer.

Compare with the N73 - the net is full of stories about its joystick falling off, and I've experienced this too.

What's "tacky" about the 6280? It's neither pink, nor does it have flashing lights, nor inset costume diamonds. :rolleyes:

digitaltoast

gromituk wrote:

What's "tacky" about the 6280? It's neither pink, nor does it have flashing lights, nor inset costume diamonds. :rolleyes:

I mean, tacky as in build quality compared with other Nokias I've had.

Try the following phrase in Google:
nokia 6280 "build quality"
In fact, I wish I'd never typed that now because as well as the build quality, apparently they're prone to excessive crashing and something which has annoyed me intensely so far (the backlight going off after a few seconds) doesn't look like it has a fix yet.

Might see if I can swap-out for a decent phone when I take it back at lunchtime.

plzhelpmesave!

forget the poor quality of the 6280 (my battery dies every day!), do other people even get reception on 3??? i get text msgs telling me i have voicemail as my fone doesnt even ring..... really annoying!

robellett

adadibhai wrote:

I have 5 contracts because two of them happened to be buy 1 get one free deals and the last one was bought because my wife wanted the phone that was on offer.

The cashback deals were such that there was no hassle and it was a one time upfront payment via cheque of the whole year's line rental. But it only works out that cheap if you downgrade(!)

Check the company out:
http://www.dmcdirect.co.uk/dmc/index.asp

There is a branch local to me so it sounded good at the time.

Didn't see any full cash payments upfront on their website, so potentially misleading. Saw the usual cashback claims in arrears stuff, with a banner ad 'Cashback Upfront Guaranteed'. Don't think any of their Home Page offers had it.