3 is the cheapest, but is it best

ArtfulDodger

My Three 18 month contract is just about to end. I've been pretty happy with the service but my phone, a 6280, has put me off Nokias for life! I got the 6280 because of the "half price line rental for 18 months offer" they had so I've put up with it.

I would like to renew with Three but would like a better phone. Has anyone had any luck getting their "half price line rental" offers extended?

If I go into a Three store and ask about upgrades will I have the same leverage as if I phone up?

Thanks.

Sarahsaver

I have got a N73 and it was fine until about a month ago, but i darent send it back to them as last time when i had a dodgy motorola it was nearly a week without a phone as no replacement was supplied whilst 'repairing' it

wolvesinwales

Sarahsaver wrote: »

I have got a N73 and it was fine until about a month ago, but i darent send it back to them as last time when i had a dodgy motorola it was nearly a week without a phone as no replacement was supplied whilst 'repairing' it

That is the problem with Three these days there are no cheapy phones about you can keep as a back up, i was lucky to pick up a Threepay phone for £10 last year from Superdrug but these days there is nothing like that about apart from on E bay i suppose.

Tiggywinkle_2

My experience of 3 has been horrendous in the last 8 months! I phoned up to try to cancel my contract, which had come to it's full term - three times and on each occassion 3 said that the contract notice had not been given, because they didnt have it on their computer system. Finally in July I had to say that I would cancel my direct debit with my bank in order for them to actually acknowledge that I was giving notice to end the contract. At that time I was given a PAK code to take to O2 which O2 were unable to use so had to request a second one, within the 30 days usage period. 3 then billed me for another months line rental because they say the contract isnt ended until the PAK code is activated! I have disputed this but they refuse to listen and sent my details to a debt collecting agency! I can only say that I would never recommend 3 to anyone because I felt that they did all this to prevent me from ending my contract and glean more money from me. :mad: Think twice before you enter into a contract with them.

gromituk

Your options are:
1) give 30 days' notice and don't request a PAC, whereupon the contract will cease after 30 days;
2) request a PAC, whereupon the contract will cease if the PAC is used within 30 days, and will continue thereafter.

You cannot give notice and request a PAC. Of course it's designed to stop you leaving - I'm sure all the networks play similar tricks.

jadejie

lumscx wrote: »

they offered me a retention deal today. 10 pounds per month for 18months 300 mix&match + N95 :beer:

how long have you been with them?

burf16

I use 3 and have never had any problems at all. Apart from the first N95 they sent me, it didn't work at all. But they sent me another one pretty quickly.

Golfpro_2

Hiya moneysavers,

I know mobile deals are beutiful in the eye of the beholder but i`m going to take a shot at it. This is a great deal but you need to be a reasonable ebayer also.

I`m a cashback junkie in the past three years i havent paid a penny for my three contract talk and text 1100 from the infamous dreaded Mobile Rainbow. Until this years i had three seperate phones and havent had a penny back. Now have issued Money claim online and they are admitting some of claim is due. By the way i`m owed £1457. OOOHHHH!
Well this year i`m fed up and have satrted looking for other standard contracts.

Goto Three website and you`ll see mix and match deals. 300,500 etc etc
You can have what ever mix of minutes you and texts you want. You dont have to specify what split, you must simply not go over the amount of say 300 for either.

Right at the moment im on t & T 1100. thats 600 mins 400 texts and some video media stuff included.
I went for mix match 300 why? well at moment you get 300 mins three to three calls free with the deal on top of your mix match 300 any network minutes. Now most of my mins are to wife or mother and mates all on three.
Heres the great thing...the free three mins start getting used from start of month, its not a con where you have to use the any network mins first before they kick in.

What else i hear you say. If you have multiple contracts to start up. You can live chat them on website and get a promo code for £20 accesories voucher. Just live chat some dumb !!!! question and pretend your buying two contracts but undecided then ask if theres any other deals or promos that might tempt you. they send you a code and you just tap it in and update before proceeding to checkout.

Also at checkout when tapping in your details at bottom is a box for referred friend number to insert.
I had a friend on three goto web site press on refer a friend and get £60 credit - £30 each link. They send friend an email she send si to her friends you must follow link to three website from that email. Dont worry deals are the same through the link. Then choose phone and ad accesory voucher , Important to update first, then checkout and you must then put her mobile three number in that box on the checkout page. Thats it done.

Woahh whats the cost, we could ahve figured out all that? I hear u say!

Pick the Sony eriksson k850i cyber shot and although its another £5 a month for a dissapointing 18 months contract. If you have got any reasonable feedback on ebay you can sell it on there for circa £180. Ive seen some o feedbacks fetching made up prices, but a study of the plus 200 feedbackers are getting genuine £180 back.
Obviously im a three user already so i`m going to use last years phone, but you can ditch their K850i and pick up any of the free phones theyre selling on website from others on ebay who are selling them after choosing the lesser phones that are free. A new sony 550 is circa £30 new in box. Buy and use that if you havent got one. But specualte to accumulate on the k850i to get more money back.
The n95 8gb is £15 a month M&M but more outlay more risk and the return figures selling on ebay after you take off the cost per month extra is not worth messing with.

So £15 a month for line rental M&M 300
u get 300 3 to 3 mins free
u get £30 voucher credit free referral
u get £180 back for selling K850i (basically £10 off your line rental for 18 months)
u get £20 accesories back
PLUS the K850i comes with a 50 free Video mins normally cahrged at .50 a minute included

I have got one coming Tuesday then when on contract im going to order and referr my mother and wifes phones another £60 split x 2.
This nets line rental down to somthing like £7.23 not inc the video mins.

After 12 months of risking £1457 on Mobile Rainbow cashback im off the idea of cashback not to mention the ink cartridge costs of copying all those bill and the need to send them individually by special deliverey at £5 a time for three phones at 4 intervals in 12 months. .. and £70 court cost Its a mugs game. these companies release all liabilty when they liquidate and thats goodby to your hard earned cash ....this deal looks much better.
Hope it helps sorry its a bit long winded.

gromituk

Off-topic, sorry: you are wise to be suspicious of cashback (I got mine just before CoolNewMobile/Mobile Affiliates went bust, because I was lucky enough to push them in time). But special delivery is pointless unless you buy the consequential insurance, because otherwise you are only covered for the cost of a few sheets of paper. Nor will it cover you if the recipient claims not to have received what you sent. Recorded is quite adequate for cashback claims.

john-306

Golfpro wrote: »

Hiya moneysavers,

I know mobile deals are beutiful in the eye of the beholder but i`m going to take a shot at it. This is a great deal but you need to be a reasonable ebayer also.

I`m a cashback junkie in the past three years i havent paid a penny for my three contract talk and text 1100 from the infamous dreaded Mobile Rainbow. Until this years i had three seperate phones and havent had a penny back. Now have issued Money claim online and they are admitting some of claim is due. By the way i`m owed £1457. OOOHHHH!
Well this year i`m fed up and have satrted looking for other standard contracts.

Goto Three website and you`ll see mix and match deals. 300,500 etc etc
You can have what ever mix of minutes you and texts you want. You dont have to specify what split, you must simply not go over the amount of say 300 for either.

Right at the moment im on t & T 1100. thats 600 mins 400 texts and some video media stuff included.
I went for mix match 300 why? well at moment you get 300 mins three to three calls free with the deal on top of your mix match 300 any network minutes. Now most of my mins are to wife or mother and mates all on three.
Heres the great thing...the free three mins start getting used from start of month, its not a con where you have to use the any network mins first before they kick in.

What else i hear you say. If you have multiple contracts to start up. You can live chat them on website and get a promo code for £20 accesories voucher. Just live chat some dumb !!!! question and pretend your buying two contracts but undecided then ask if theres any other deals or promos that might tempt you. they send you a code and you just tap it in and update before proceeding to checkout.

Also at checkout when tapping in your details at bottom is a box for referred friend number to insert.
I had a friend on three goto web site press on refer a friend and get £60 credit - £30 each link. They send friend an email she send si to her friends you must follow link to three website from that email. Dont worry deals are the same through the link. Then choose phone and ad accesory voucher , Important to update first, then checkout and you must then put her mobile three number in that box on the checkout page. Thats it done.

Woahh whats the cost, we could ahve figured out all that? I hear u say!

Pick the Sony eriksson k850i cyber shot and although its another £5 a month for a dissapointing 18 months contract. If you have got any reasonable feedback on ebay you can sell it on there for circa £180. Ive seen some o feedbacks fetching made up prices, but a study of the plus 200 feedbackers are getting genuine £180 back.
Obviously im a three user already so i`m going to use last years phone, but you can ditch their K850i and pick up any of the free phones theyre selling on website from others on ebay who are selling them after choosing the lesser phones that are free. A new sony 550 is circa £30 new in box. Buy and use that if you havent got one. But specualte to accumulate on the k850i to get more money back.
The n95 8gb is £15 a month M&M but more outlay more risk and the return figures selling on ebay after you take off the cost per month extra is not worth messing with.

So £15 a month for line rental M&M 300
u get 300 3 to 3 mins free
u get £30 voucher credit free referral
u get £180 back for selling K850i (basically £10 off your line rental for 18 months)
u get £20 accesories back
PLUS the K850i comes with a 50 free Video mins normally cahrged at .50 a minute included

I have got one coming Tuesday then when on contract im going to order and referr my mother and wifes phones another £60 split x 2.
This nets line rental down to somthing like £7.23 not inc the video mins.

After 12 months of risking £1457 on Mobile Rainbow cashback im off the idea of cashback not to mention the ink cartridge costs of copying all those bill and the need to send them individually by special deliverey at £5 a time for three phones at 4 intervals in 12 months. .. and £70 court cost Its a mugs game. these companies release all liabilty when they liquidate and thats goodby to your hard earned cash ....this deal looks much better.
Hope it helps sorry its a bit long winded.

Don't forget Quidco too, another £32.50;)