3 is the cheapest, but is it best

pin

robertkeith4138 wrote: »

had a lot of trouble ending my contract. a solicitor's letter did the trick. biggest trouble is you get to speak to overseas call centers and they are brain washed.:beer:

well they are not brain washed, they are just following the script they have been told to follow (by their british employers), or else they lose their jobs.

also, as we are in the uk its "centre" not "center".

daveboy

digp wrote: »

views please on whether (or not) this is the worst UK mobile network?

Yes.

Market Harborough....consistent dropping of signal.

Poor customer service from somewhere in Asia.

Constant calls from 0845 numbers that upon doing some research are linked to 3 in some way trying to get you to renew your contract (must have had five or six numbers try in the last few weeks).

Totally appalling company and can't wait to be released from the torment (letter informing them of intention to cease contract on expiry date sent today!)

Seriously folks, if you want a contract mobile, 3 is dogs mess and is best avoided.

That's my informed opinion of them at least (having stupidly agreed to an 18 month contract some time ago).

Holiday

MORPH3US wrote: »

For me, Three are the best network in the UK. They have their faults, don't get me wrong, but overall service and value are second to none.

M

Totally agree

kpmiyapuram

I have been less experienced user with mobile phones and readily took a 18 months contract from a third party that offered me 6 months half price line rental and free NEC 338 flip phone with camera. Honestly, I thought that was very good offer then. I was offered 3000 offpeak minutes for £25 pm. After my first six months i realized that i was not using my mobile so often and finally understood that i could potentially decrease my line rental. This was on 1000 off peak minutes for £20 a month. Still not very good as most of the calls i used to make were during peak and so was ending up paying for my calls. So far so good and nothing to blame about three. What i liked most was planet 3 to check my account usage and current spend and i think it is the best network.

The first hiccup with three was when i lost my handset - it really costed me a lot of money and finally got a sony ericsson k608i refurbished for £80 with £30 airtime included.

Now when it cames to retention, they offered me something lucrative a £45 for a year with 100 min and 100 texts each month. No new handset, was just offered some credit. Was really happy that they are going to pay back my loyalty.

It was during the end of this retention contract that i realised they have been offering very good deals like 500 min for £15 for life. Asked the customer service if i could get any of those deals. They said it was for only new customers.

And this time, the retentions didn't bother at all. They were more than happy to lose existing customer. Guess they had made enough business to attract new customers that they didn't bother about retentions. The customer services was very rude as if they were brain washed that no other network gives better deals than three.

I think i read in one of the posts here that rather than renewing your contract, better deals often come by signing up new contracts. Thanks to MSE for increasing my awareness about saving money.

wolvesinwales

pmdonovan wrote: »

Looking at coming across to 3, mainly for mobile internet and email. Does anyone know whether you can get Quidco when porting a number across to 3?

Yes just buy through Quidco as if a new contract, you then have a few weeks in which you can port your number. It shouldnt affect Quidco at all, this is exactly what i did plus i recommended myself using a PAYG 3 phone number that i got from Superdrug for £10 so got 2 lots of £30 credit too.

amar_fiaz

pin wrote: »

anyone had any good retention offers from 3 recently?

best they could do me was £15 for 250 mins and 50 texts and a new nokia phone (i think the 6210) for a new 18 month contract.

seems its better for me to cancel existing contract and sign up to a new one with the quidco and phonestophoneshop instant cashback offers.

Its worth persevering with the 3 retention team. My dad's contract is coming to an end at the end of this month. I've been in contact with 3 to ask them what they could do to keep him on as a customer. initially they just offered one of their existing packages which is available to anyone (mix&match 300).

I told them it wasn't good enough (explained i would just cancel the contract and re-register as new and get the same deal via quidco and use my friends details as the recommend a friend - saving approx £80 in cashbacks) and asked for the PAC code. They didn't have too much to say to that, except that i should just think about their offer!!!

Anyway after a couple of more calls from 3 asking me to consider their original offer and me trying to make them see "sense" (i.e. no advantage of my dad staying on as an existing customer when he could do better by just starting a new contract).

They called back last night, this time spoke to my dad (i wasn't around to take the call - office xmas party) and said that as a long standing loyal customer they would offer 500mins, 100 texts plus a new Nokia 6288 all for £5/month for life

Obviously, a very good deal. However, i going to reserve judgement and wait for the first bill. I've read on this forum that there have been instances where 3 will offer a good deal on over the phone but then revert you to an "ordinary" deal and deny all knowledge of their offer.

Will keep you posted of developments. But on the face of it, seems as though 3 are willing to offer very good deals in order to keep customers. BTW the new phone arrived this morning!

pin

amar_fiaz wrote: »

Its worth persevering with the 3 retention team. My dad's contract is coming to an end at the end of this month. I've been in contact with 3 to ask them what they could do to keep him on as a customer. initially they just offered one of their existing packages which is available to anyone (mix&match 300).

I told them it wasn't good enough (explained i would just cancel the contract and re-register as new and get the same deal via quidco and use my friends details as the recommend a friend - saving approx £80 in cashbacks) and asked for the PAC code. They didn't have too much to say to that, except that i should just think about their offer!!!

Anyway after a couple of more calls from 3 asking me to consider their original offer and me trying to make them see "sense" (i.e. no advantage of my dad staying on as an existing customer when he could do better by just starting a new contract).

They called back last night, this time spoke to my dad (i wasn't around to take the call - office xmas party) and said that as a long standing loyal customer they would offer 500mins, 100 texts plus a new Nokia 6288 all for £5/month for life

Obviously, a very good deal. However, i going to reserve judgement and wait for the first bill. I've read on this forum that there have been instances where 3 will offer a good deal on over the phone but then revert you to an "ordinary" deal and deny all knowledge of their offer.

Will keep you posted of developments. But on the face of it, seems as though 3 are willing to offer very good deals in order to keep customers. BTW the new phone arrived this morning!

they offered me the same tariff, but at £10 a month for 18 months.

Money_Cub

Yes 3 is the best.

I left them because I was offered what I considered to be a bad retention deal (have put this on retention thread), went with Virgin, who's service/reception is appalling. I'm happy with Virgin customer service and of course tarriff at £10pm for 300 txt & 300 mins but I cant phone out without switching phone on and off and no one can get through to me or send texts.

Virgin deal is great but no good if you cant use your phone!

Am going back to 3.

angelavdavis

I have had really poor experiences with 3 so will be switching back to my original supplier - t-mobile.

Lost direct debit information, handset issues that 3 refused to acknowledge until it was upgrade time (Nokia 6280)! direct sales text messages (never received before being connected to this network), poor reception, constant internet and call dropouts mid-call/surf, extortionate roaming costs and difficult to find pricing information in advance of trips, wrong package being set even though I was clearly paying for another package and poor customer service. To top it all, it took me 40 minutes on the phone of constant "you are a valued customer...." lines until they would promise to provide my PAC number, that was on Friday and the text never arrived so I have had to phone them again today to get the number!

I generally use my handset along the South Coast - Hastings to Worthing area and up to M25.

Perhaps I was the unlucky one with 3 network?

MORPH3US

angelavdavis wrote: »

direct sales text messages (never received before being connected to this network), poor reception, constant internet and call dropouts mid-call/surf, extortionate roaming costs and difficult to find pricing information in advance of trips,

Won't comment on everything youmention (although I guess that every network has disgruntled customers...) but I am with Three and have never received sales texts, my reception has always been very good and it took me less than 30 seconds to find the roaming costs on their website.

M