Fresh mobile closing

MarkLS12

I know the main issue now is the hassle getting it sorted but in case it helps:
The T Mobile network is also used by both Virgin Mobile and "Ikea Family" http://www.familymobile.co.uk/

Yorkshire_Pud

I sent an email to Fresh with my mobile number but they replied that under the Data Protection Act they can't deal with my enquiry unless I reply with my full name, address post code, mobile number, where I bought the SIM and how much was my last top up! All over a non-secure email address!!

I want to protect my data by NOT sending them all that info!

Seems ridiculous and another example of stalling and putting obstacles in my way to resolve my problem with Fresh - getting a refund of unused credit.

They engender despair.

Rora

I got that message the first time too... which is why I hunted dwn the CEO's email address - although it seems Customer Services vet his email anyway!

dan-_3

My other half is on a little-known tariff with Fresh where she gets a monthly bill for her calls rather than having to top-up in advance. Her monthly bill is usually between 80p and £5.00, hence why CPW is not bothered about loosing her as a customer. The cost of posting the monthly bill must sometimes outweigh her call charges!

Does anyone know of any other operators operating this type of pay-monthly deal?

If not she will just have to get her phone unlocked and get a PAYG deal with Tesco or Asda.

MarkLS12

Three do a "Sim Zero", 30 day contract, only pay for what you use, but I don't see the point of it, I'd prefer PAYG.

Tesco have an auto top up service.
I've not used it but I presume you set it to do something like: top up with £10 every time your balance falls below £5
Ikea FamilyMobile have a similar thing and probably some of the others do too.

mickW_2

In view of the urgency I would take a chance that it unlocks ok. Any market stall will do this for £10 then get a number transfer via Fresh and get a free PAYG sim from Asda calls 8p text 4p. Then you have the same number and cheap calls also the same phone. Carphone Warehouse are a shocking company. Ive decided to use up the credit on my 2 fresh sims and put Asda sim cards in after unlocking.

Rora wrote: »

I searched and found the CEO's email address and sent the following:

Dear Mr Dunstone
I have been a customer of Carphone Warehouse as long as I can remember and since its launch have been on your “Fresh” network. 21st January I received the standard message from Talk Mobile saying Fresh was closing down and pointing me in the direction of their site to sign up – which I was happy to do as it was also a Carphone Warehouse network provider. Now at Christmas I was recipient of a lovely LG phone – locked into the T.Mobile Network to be sure BUT as Fresh used this network this was not an issue at all…. 1st February my new Talk Mobile account went live with my phone number transferred over for me – brilliant! I duly swapped over my Fresh sim card for my Talk Mobile sim card….
LOCKED!
So now my LG GW520 is useless, and I can’t o back to my Fresh sim as this has been “terminated” by the transfer to Talk and I don’t have a “backup” phone as my last phone has gone to Mobile Heaven.
Today (I hadn’t been able to leave the house any earlier due to my osteoarthritis flaring up) I went into my local Carphone Warehouse to see what could be done and came away with the following options:
1. Get the phone ‘unlocked’ which I am loathe to do as it can corrupt the software
2. Buy a new phone (and your company will give me a WHOLE £31 for my old handset - Only 2 months old!) that is Talk Mobile compatible
3. Buy a new sim for T.Mobile and go through the scenario of getting a PAC number, informing them of the change I require of keep hold of my number, wait for it to be scheduled (all the time unable to be contacted – and you will see why this is IMPORTANT later in this maon!) etc. etc.
Now I had chosen the LG520GW because it had a 3.0 Mega pixel camera, a pull out keyboard (Did I mention that I have osteoarthritis and the keyboard makes it easier), picture messaging and internet access. I need the good pixel rate and the picture messaging to allow me to send pictures of stray and abandoned animals and all their details back to the Rescue Centre for which I volunteer. I need my number to REMAIN THE SAME as all the vets, the RSPCA and other rescues round the country have it so they can contact me to collect stray and unwanted animals (I specialise in ferrets and the RSPCA like to bring them along to me so as they don’t specialise in their care!)… so it is not JUST inconvenient to be without mobile phone – it may mean a healthy animal is put to sleep if I can’t be contacted for a few days! (See – I said it was important didn’t I?)
And all because your company’s TWO providers DON’T use the same mobile networks.
I’d just like to quote your own spiel back at you for a second:

From the beginning the company has followed Five Fundamental Rules:
·If we don’t look after the customer, someone else will
·Nothing is gained by winning an argument but losing a customer
·Always deliver what we promise. If in doubt, under promise and over deliver
·Always treat customers as we ourselves would like to be treated
·The reputation of the whole company is in the hands of each individual

So after all that – have you any solutions/answers?

I do look forward to hearing from you.

Regards
Dawn Bradfield


To which I got the following reply:

Dear Mrs Bradfield,
I'm very sorry that Carphone Warehouse have taken so long in replying to your email. This is due to a high
volume of emails into the department regarding the migration of Fresh accounts to the Talkmobile network.
I would like to advise that I am unable to send out a new handset for you as the handset is not locked to either the Fresh nor the Talkmobile network but is locked to the T-Mobile network. When transferring you over from Fresh to Talkmobile we understand it runs from 2 separate networks however we would not know what handset is being used and whether or not the handset being used is locked or not.
I would like to advise that to have the handset unlocked you can either contact T-Mobile for the Subsidiary code or you can take the phone into an independent retailer for it to be unlocked. These are the only ways that the phone can be unlocked.
I understand that you are not happy with the current changes and the closure of the Fresh Mobile network and would like to offer my sincerest apologies for any the inconvenience this has caused.
I trust this is fully resolved for you
Regards
Sharon Orr
Carphone Warehouse Customer Services
0870 071 5888 / 5888 from your Talkmobile sim

So I have now replied and await their next response:

Dear Sharon

Thankyou for your reply but this doesn’t really resolve the issue does it?

I mean- I wrote to you asking for help in resolving a problem not of MY making but of yours. The problm still exists – my phone, which worked perfectly well on the Fresh network (Using T-Mobile) no longer works since Fresh was transferred to Talk Mobile (which uses the Vodaphone network). Yes we users were given the option to “opt in” but if you have been a customer of a good service provider you ARE going to want to stay with them aren’t you? You would also expect that they have previously considered that during the move SOME of their customers are going to experience problems due to handsets being locked to the previous suppliers’ network – and at the point of “Opt In” you could ask if this was going to be the case perhaps? This is called an “Impact Assessment” in business speak. So was an Impact Assessment carried out before the decision to migrate Fresh to Talk?

So why should I take the chance on corrupting the software on my brand new phone by going through the process of “unlocking” it? This phone was a gift – can I turn round to the giver and say “sorry but I broke it” within a month?


I would like to advise that I am unable to send out a new handset for you as the handset is not locked to either the Fresh nor the Talkmobile network but is locked to the T-Mobile network.

Mmmm – this argument doesn’t really hold water does it ? – FRESH used the T-Mobile network ergo my handset is locked to the NETWORK that FRESH USED.

And, as I didn’t actually ASK for a new handset – just a solution to my problem, I cannot see why you have written this statement anyway.

Oh and in case you are interested
1 if I hadn’t found a tatty old phone that just about works there would probably have been 4 animals needlessly “euthnaesed” in the time I was waiting for your reply as this about a third of the number I have had handed over to me in this period.
2 Comic Sans – NOT a very good font to use – it doesn’t really give the correct impression
3 I note from my lack of “Read Response” in my email that Mr Charles Dunstone hasn’t yet read ANY of my previous mails (probably including this one).
4 Sending an email from a mail-box that doesn’t accept replies doesn’t stop people replying – it just winds them up a bit more

Your message has encountered delivery problems to the following recipient(s):

[EMAIL="cdunstone@kana-carephonewarehouse.com"]cdunstone@kana-carephonewarehouse.com[/EMAIL]
Delivery failed

Unable to deliver to destination domain
1 Cannot resolve kana-carephonewarehouse.com

Now I wasn’t really cross, just a bit put out, when this issue first came to light but now I am getting a bit angst-ridden. I have a lovely new phone that I can’t use and am relying on an old phone that needs a good shake now and again to keep it breathing.

I’m still smiling – but through gritted teeth.

Regards
Dawn



Does anyone fancy opening a book on their reply?

Rora

They've got my "love to annoy" side wound up now - I think even if I risk getting the phone unlocked etc. I may continue my correspondence with them

When you are given a pointy stick it seems such a shame not to use it!

[Deleted User]

I e-mailed Fesh asking for a refund and they said no and recommended talkmobile for transfer of credits. I e-mailed again saying I was annoyed and asking for refund and they said they were sorry I was annoyed and still no refund. I tried various consumer help lines without help beyond recommending I complain to ombudspeople. I finally e-mailed Paul Gossling of the Independent N'paper 'Questions of Cash' a few days ago and I got a phone call today from a Mark Harrison of Carphonewarehouse saying he had been contacted by their press office. the bottom line, they will send me a refund cq in 28 days and he gave me a PAC code. Bought an Asda sim, rang Asda helpline and gave them pac and my existing number. I should be up and running day after tomorrow. Thanks Paul :APower of the press!!!!

bohma2000

[quote=[Deleted User];30219825]I e-mailed Fesh asking for a refund and they said no and recommended talkmobile for transfer of credits. I e-mailed again saying I was annoyed and asking for refund and they said they were sorry I was annoyed and still no refund. I tried various consumer help lines without help beyond recommending I complain to ombudspeople. I finally e-mailed Paul Gossling of the Independent N'paper 'Questions of Cash' a few days ago and I got a phone call today from a Mark Harrison of Carphonewarehouse saying he had been contacted by their press office. the bottom line, they will send me a refund cq in 28 days and he gave me a PAC code. Bought an Asda sim, rang Asda helpline and gave them pac and my existing number. I should be up and running day after tomorrow. Thanks Paul :APower of the press!!!![/QUOTE]

This proves what I have been saying all along. Fresh have no legal right to refuse to refund your unused credits. They are just making it as difficult as possible for you to obtain the refund.

It might be a good idea for all who are having difficulty in getting a refund to contact Paul Gossling at the Independent?

happyshopper

bohma2000 wrote: »

It might be a good idea for all who are having difficulty in getting a refund to contact Paul Gossling at the Independent?

The email for Paul Gosling, 'Questions of Cash' at the Independent is [EMAIL="cash@independent.co.uk"]cash@independent.co.uk[/EMAIL]

Good luck! Please report any other successes here.

hs