T mobile reception problems

stevemacfjr

I moved from Orange to Tmobile at the end of Feb this year as I was sick of little or no signal strength with Orange.
The first two months were fine and no problems, good signal and even a decent HSDPA signal for internet, but over the May bank holiday weekend I noticed the signal drop badly. This was just at the time I was transferring my orange number to tmobile and so thought it might be a problem with the switching over. Later that week I completely lost my signal and after spending ages on the landline trying to sort out the problem my phone is now locked onto a gsm 2g signal that I have to go upstairs to get.
The problem was logged with a 5 day fix promised. After a week I called again and was told that it was due to thefts at the transmitters in the peterborough area and as it was a problem affecting lots of people the 5 day fix rule no longer applied. When asked how long it would take they couldn't tell me, as long as it took.
I work from home a lot and need a phone, my mobile number is already known at work otherwise I'd just get another phone, but I need this number. When I asked for a PAC code as I'd be cancelling the contract I was told they wouldn't do this as the T & C's state they don't guarentee a signal. I pointed out that it was working fine and now wasn't and that 2 weeks, now getting on for 3, without a decent signal was a failure to provide a reasonable service as would be expected and as such a breach of contract.
Has anyone else managed to get out of a contract by using this argument before or any suggestions as to how to approach this?

DarkConvict

If you have lost signal at your home address (where the contract was taken out, i.e. you haven't moved) then you can cancel so long as you had signal and now no longer have.
You do however have to give them time to fix the issue, probably 4 weeks. If it is not resolved by then, complain to the operator and if no luck to OFCOM. Paying for a service you are not receiving, they have been unable to rectify the fault in the network within a reasonable time and continued to charge.. Its like going to a GYM and finding the swimming pool is out of action for 4 weeks, not good if your just a swimmer.

stevemacfjr

Darkconvict, my thoughts exactly. Needless to say the Tmobile guys didn't see it that way and just kept going on about no guarantee of service in the T & C's. I've emailed customer realtions with the details, but they probably have 7 days to answer then request a certain time to fix and on it drags.

drbesty

It states in the T&Cs that while they will do their best to provide access to the network they cannot guarantee it, and that access may be interupted by site maintainence, upgrades, downtime etc, section 3.1.2

DarkConvict

There is a point were you deem it, that it has been down for just far to long. Most problems last hours if not days tops, weeks/months is taking the *you know what*. Just lodge a complaint with the operator if that fails then move to OFCOM.

Look to get a refund on the amount of days usage was not possible,

drbesty

Usually the networks have 30 days to fix faults, which is deemed a reasonable amount of time, however due to the site being vandalised it may be different in this instance

deano23285

i live in peterborough and its never been good on tmobile

stevemacfjr

Drbesty,
Wasn't aware of the 30 day thing. I work at present for one of the power utilities and we also suffer a great deal of metal theft. The difference for us is that if the service drops we are charged a huge amount of money in fines for each MINUTE the service is down.
I spoke to one of the supervisors and have given them until 2/6/10 when I get a call back explaining what's going on. That gives them one full calander month to fix the problem and I think, is fair enough that if they fail to get the service up and running again gives grounds to declare a breach of contract. Yes I am in a contract with Tmobile and yes it states that they don't guarantee a reception, but this is not a reasonable drop in service, at this rate I could be waiting the whole 2 years of the contract for them to fix it and never get what I'm paying for.
I'm also far enough out of Peterborough to have gotten a really good signal for the first 2 months, that's the pain, I know it can be very good.

deano23285

apparantly they are doing work in the peterborough area to improve the signal which has so far caused mine to disapeer

thank god i only have 6 months left on my contract

DarkConvict

Once the work is finished you will probably get your signal back, if it is taking along time ask for a refund on the days you have had no signal due to the long outage. Paying for a service at your address that had excellent signal, now you have none at all.