Implicit 13-month term to claim cashback?

Pagan98

I'm just coming to the end of my 12-month cashback contract through Mobileshop.com. (Thanks to this forum I'll have saved £360 over the course of the year! :T ) My current contract is with O2 who have not impressed me with their network coverage, which seems a lot patchier than T-mobile and Orange, so I'm looking to move network.

Unfortunately, Mobileshop.com tend to do their best offers on O2 which leaves me investigating other providers like Phones2U and Phonebox Direct. I've noticed that their cashback T&Cs state send the bill received 6, 9 & 12 months or 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12 months after connection respectively. Doesn't this implicitly require you to keep the contract live for 13 months, even though the deals are advertised as 12 months FREE line rental on a 12 month contract?

Anyone reached the end of their contract with these providers and willing to share their experience?

TIA.

pnefc_2

I've been using onestopphoneshop for 2 years with a similar deal cashback at 6,9 & 12 months. you can still cancel your contract at month 11 and then when you recieve your last bill which will be month 12, you send that off and recieve your cash back.

i'm just coming up to month 10 on 2 phones I have with 3 via onestopphoneshop and have had no problems with them at all, so will more than likely going for a 3rd year with them.

Pagan98

Thanks for the reply, pnefc, but this is still confusing me - maybe the heat is frying my brain today!

With Mobileshop, the cashback required the 5th, 7th, 9th and 12th bills to be sent. But with P2U & PBD, they require the bill received after you've been connected for however many months. The networks bill in advance, so the bill received after you've been connected 6 months is actually the seventh bill. Now if you cancel at the end of the 12-month contract (giving notice at month 11) will you actually receive a 13th bill to show that you've been connected for 12 months?

I guess it all depends on whether the network send a final bill, even if there are no outstanding charges - your experience suggests they do.

thor

Well I had just cancelled my btmobile contract on the 12 month anniversary(you can't cancel more than a day in advance of the min term without becoming liable for a cancellation fee) and they informed me that they will send a 13th and final bill with details of outstanding charges. I was assured that it will probably be a bill for £0 but that it is needed to tie up any loose ends. I figure that this is what will happen in your case. Call O2 and ask them.