Cancelled three contract- got Pac code - obligated to return phone?

Reser_2

Hi.

I recently managed to cancel my Three contract early since the signal in my area had recently hit rock bottom (0-1 bars) because of loosing an O2 mast early this year, the only mast i get any form of signal from here, and they had not informed me of this.

However when I finally got my PAC code e.t.c they said they want me to send my phone back to them.

I have now used my PAC code on a new Iphone contract with 02, as far as i know , officialy once a PAC code has been used the contract is over right?

So once my PAC code has gone thorugh if I didnt bother to send the phone back, could there be problems?

DarkConvict

Unless you have cancelled in the first 7 days of a contract, i cannot see why you would have to return the contract as the phone would now be yours. I would ask three what is the reason for requesting the phone back.

How early have you cancelled your contract? Have you paid a termination fee?

Reser_2

DarkConvict wrote: »

Unless you have cancelled in the first 7 days of a contract, i cannot see why you would have to return the contract as the phone would now be yours. I would ask three what is the reason for requesting the phone back.

How early have you cancelled your contract? Have you paid a termination fee?

Well that is probably why.

I have had the phone since May but the contract extension didnt 'officially' start till this month.

However they gave me the PAC code already. So my question is once I used this PAC code is my contract totally over or can they keep charging me untill they get the phone?

I paid no cancellation fee. It was a totally fee-less cancelation because of the fact I had detremental service due to consequences of them no longer using O2 masts.

DarkConvict

As soon as the PAC is used the old contract will terminate i know that much for sure.

As the SIM card will not have a number and hence a contract associated with it. Mine will Vodafone just came to an end and now the number is on my Orange Sim the Vodafone contract is over.

Can you explain your contract extension, maybe there is something more unusual about your circumstances. Did you get the phone at the start of a new contract in May, if so how long was your contract meant to be?
Phone operators have to make there money back on the supplied phone at least otherwise it isn't profitable. So its odd you could finish early without a termination fee

Reser_2

I extended my contract for a further 18 months with a phone upgrade.

However on 3 you can get your phone upgrade 3 months before your contract ends as long as you agree a new contract. So I had the new phone before the new contract started.

However my signal suddenly got so bad I could pretty much not use my phone at home anymore which is where I use it most. So I rang the technical line and they found out that the closest mast to me was the O2 mast they had recently lost and that signal in my area was now terrible unless outside and it would not improve anytime soon.

They then said because of this they can offer me a cancelation of my contract with no fees to me.

Which I took since I had been planning to buy an iphone either way and had regretted staying with 3 since the service is terrible, I was actually about to sell the phone I had gotten to go towards the cost of an iphone, do not know what they would have said if I had done that already.

DarkConvict

Honestly i don't know the legal standpoint on this, but ethically i would return the phone. I know operators are rarely fair to us so i would await some feedback from other members of this forum.

You are in an unusual position that coverage has been lost from your area, you have just got a new phone and they cancelled your contract at no charge.
But hey you could have lost the phone and had to go back to using your original one so they dont even know if you still have it.

You could have the option of keeping the phone and wait and see if they make further contact requesting it. I've forgotten to return items before such as keyboards that went faulty but still got the replacement anyway, and never got chased up. But phones tend to cost a lot more.

Reser_2

Yeah ethically It would probably be the right thing to do. However I think anyone who has ever had the misfortune of using 'three' would agree, having the oppourtunity to get one up on them is tempting.

They gave me so much hell over the years even when i tried to take up this current cancelation. Lieing to me and trying to almost lock me into another contract that they had lied about the final price for.

I will probably hold on to the phone for now and see what happens.

soul619

you pay for the phone by paying the full lengh of the contract if you dont pay a termination fee or pay out the whole contract they can ask for the phone back in return

big_stu_3

I had a very similar issue a couple of months back - signal lost; 3 offered termination of the contract for no fee - and only when it came to actually getting the PAC was I told that as I hadn't served HALF of the contract I would have to return the phone (my lovely, shiny E71 ).

I did query it at the time, saying that there was nothing in the T&C's that said anything to this effect, but they weren't going to budge. After about 10 days they started sending 'reminder' letters which suggested that my contract wouldn't be terminated until the phone was returned, so I just sent it back because - like so many people here - I was so desperate to get out of the contract with 3!!

robbies_gal

i dont see wot the problem is -i cant seem to cancel my contract with orange at all coz of signal-if they asked for the phone back i wouldnt hesitate if they hadnt charged me for leaving

DarkConvict

gabbyevs wrote: »

i dont see wot the problem is -i cant seem to cancel my contract with orange at all coz of signal-if they asked for the phone back i wouldnt hesitate if they hadnt charged me for leaving

The difference here might be that there was signal at time of sale, but there is not anymore due to removal of a mast.