Cautionary tale about Tesco Sim Only Plans

Heres_the_deal

On checking my online mobile Tesco account I found I've been billed for sending MMS messages. I approached Tesco and was told that MMS are not included in the monthly sim only plan. I was pointed to clause 3.3 in there T&C's. Even though the booklet that come with my sim card expressly states Picture messaging and video calling are included in my plan.
I have also been informed by Tesco that video calling is also not included in Tesco sim only plans . Yet under section 2.3 in Tesco's T&C's it states otherwise.

3.3 Is very ambiguous. Whilst it states that the flexible credit tariff does include MMS, it does not specifically state that MMS is not included in the Tesco Monthly Sim plan ( which is my current plan ) . When you sign up online for a Tesco Sim only deal and your sim card arrives in the post. It's attached to a little booklet stating your inclusive calls include Picture messaging and Video calling. But when you speak to Tesco, they claim that's not on that tariff. In fact you will be billed for both these services outside of your bundle.

I can see this getting very messy.

The T&Cs regarding MMS are pretty cloudy
The T&Cs regarding video calling are very clear
The booklet attached to you sim card states very clearly picture messaging and video calling is included.

I now have a defunct mobile price plan because I signed up to picture messaging and video calling as stated on my sim booklet, but I'm not allowed to have them because...........well just because



Note the highlighted parts of the terms and conditions dated 10th June :

2. Inclusive Credit and Call Charges

2.3 Inclusive Credit can be used to make video calls.

3. Inclusive Credit and Text Charges

3.1 Inclusive Credit can be used for:

(a) texts sent in the UK to UK mobiles,
(b) GPRS browsing on the mobile internet in the UK


3.2 Inclusive Credit can not be used for:

(a) premium rate texts where special charges apply,
(b) texts sent from the UK to international numbers;
(c) texts sent from outside the UK to any number;
(d) any chargeable texts you receive.


3.3 If you’re on a Flexible Credit tariff your Inclusive Credit can also be used for picture or video messages sent from the UK to UK mobiles (subject to having a compatible handset).

caffinebassman

Seems pretty clear to me. Are you on a "Flexible Credit" tariff? if so then the calls should be included.

Worth checking that you were sent the proper T&C for your tariff though incase you were sent the wrong booklet.

If the T&C have changed since you signed up then you should have been notified of that change so you'd need to figure out when and where they supposedly notified you of the changes to see if it was done properly.

Heres_the_deal

caffinebassman wrote: »

Seems pretty clear to me. Are you on a "Flexible Credit" tariff? if so then the calls should be included.
.

No, I'm on the web advertised sim only deal which is £15 per month with 500 mins and unlimited web, data & texts. Both a quick phone call and the booklet confirmed picture texts are included in this plan. Although the T&C's Tesco point you towards are cloudy regarding the MMS inclusion.

If you exclude clause 3.3 all the rest relates to the tariff I'm on.

caffinebassman wrote: »

Worth checking that you were sent the proper T&C for your tariff though incase you were sent the wrong booklet.
.

The booklet states the four sim only tariffs of £10, £15, £20 & £30 and mentions one single tariff which includes picture messaging and video calls.

caffinebassman wrote: »

If the T&C have changed since you signed up then you should have been notified of that change so you'd need to figure out when and where they supposedly notified you of the changes to see if it was done properly.

The last set of T&C's I can find were updated March 2010 and match those of 10th June. So it would appear no change has taken place.

caffinebassman

Well speaking personally in this case I think you're right to feel aggrivated about it and I wouldn't stop hassling them until I had some kind of satisfaction from them. Maybe other folks on here could give you some pointers about dealing with Tesco Mobile - I've never used them. Good luck!

Guys_Dad

Tesco Mobile has a set of t&c for every service - there is not one standard set.

See http://www.tesco.com/mobilenetwork/content.aspx?page=37

When you look at the Tesco monthly t&c, it clearly says " 1.1 The Tesco Mobile Pay Monthly Service includes a number of minutes, texts and/or data which can be used without extra charge ('Inclusive Credit). The Inclusive Credit available to you will depend on the tariff you choose"

You confirm that you are NOT on the Flexible Credit Tariff and, as you identified, within the monthly t&c it clearly reads "3.3 If you’re on a Flexible Credit tariff your Inclusive Credit can also be used for picture or video messages sent from the UK to UK mobiles (subject to having a compatible handset).".

Well, you acknowledge you are not, so that does not apply.
In addition, the Tesco Mobile monthly web page clearly identifies exactly what you are getting for your monthly payment and in none of the set tariffs are ANY MMS messages included.

Given that t&c are always a nightmare to absorb, nonetheless, I believe that Tesco are 100% correct in their application of their plan and t&c.

Sorry.

Heres_the_deal

Guys_Dad wrote: »

You confirm that you are NOT on the Flexible Credit Tariff and, as you identified, within the monthly t&c it clearly reads "3.3 If you’re on a Flexible Credit tariff your Inclusive Credit can also be used for picture or video messages sent from the UK to UK mobiles (subject to having a compatible handset).".
Well, you acknowledge you are not, so that does not apply.
In addition, the Tesco Mobile monthly web page clearly identifies exactly what you are getting for your monthly payment and in none of the set tariffs are ANY MMS messages included.
.

Video calls are clearly shown to be included in 2.3

But back to my original post. I was told by Tesco customer support that MMS was included. But more important ( and also of relevance ) the booklet enclosed with the sim card also states picture messaging and video calls are included in the tariff .

After speaking to trading standards they agree the above T&C's are cloudy. Using clause 3.3 to exclude MMS on the other tariffs is not best practice . The other tariffs should state specifically what is and what is not included. They do for all other services ( calls, data etc are all mentioned by name ) . It's apparently based around assumptions and clarity for Joe public to understand.

Either way, its being dealt with by Tesco and they agree it's an issue that needs looking into.

The point of the post is not to bash Tesco, but to make people aware that MMS is not included . You read the T&C's and that's very admirable. Many people dont have the time, the inclination or even in some case's the intellect to understand the in-depth preamble and fine detail of the fine print. ( which is why T&C's should be clear and concise - which in this case even TS feel they fall down )

If you ask people to ID three use's for a mobile ; I should imagine you will get the following answers. Calls, Text and Picture messaging.
In which case network providers should be very specific about all three, not just the first two.

irish_eyes_3

let us know how you get on as I just signed up for same deal today and decided to google the deal afterwards!! and i missed out on £15 quidco which i found out about later.

i was on o2 for pretty much same deal which is £5 dearer and they wouldn't match but now im a bit peed i cant use mms.

Guys_Dad

I agree that the t&c are cloudy, as you put it. I don't have the booklet that you received, so I am happy to accept your word on that.

It does, indeed, say that video calls are included in 2.3, but then does not say how these would be "charged" against your pre-set monthly plan.

Their t&c are not models of clarity and need changing. However, go back to the web page you presumably ordered from. http://www.tesco.com/mobilenetwork/twocolumn.aspx?page=107

None of the plans mention video or mms as being inclusive, so no one could say that they were misled by the sales page.

But good luck any way.

Heres_the_deal

irish_eyes wrote: »

let us know how you get on as I just signed up for same deal today .

I would be very interested if you receive the same sim package with the included booklet.

Guys_Dad wrote: »

Their t&c are not models of clarity and need changing. However, go back to the web page you presumably ordered from.

None of the plans mention video or mms as being inclusive, so no one could say that they were misled by the sales page.

But good luck any way.

The site you link to was my first port of call for the product, and the exact reason I called Tesco CS to establish what was included in the allowance.
When the sim package arrived it confirmed what I was told by Tesco ( i.e MMS and Video calling included ).

The exact T&C's for my product are (as supplied by Tesco on request ) here I'm unable to post links, but the T&Cs I quote in my first post are the correct ones for my tariff

And here is where we come full circle. My very first post quotes these T&C's and outlines my concerns over clause 2.3 and the ambiguity of clause 3.3 ( has agreed by TS )

Hopefully this can be resolved to a satisfactory conclusion.

thomanski

and the exact reason I called Tesco CS to establish what was included in the allowance.

I've asked the Tesco call centre how much I'd have to pay for data roaming in Europe (primarily France, Germany, Spain). The answer? That would be included in my "unlimited" 500 MB. Great! Everything else seemed reasonable, too. I signed up.

Then I thought, well what if she just didn't have a clue... let me confirm. So I called again and asked the same question. The guy I talked to this time was more thorough and put me on hold to find out. When he came back he said £8/MB.

However, while he put me on hold I had continued searching their web site and finally come across the tariffs here www. tesco.com/mobilenetwork/content.aspx?page=35 according to which it's £4. I pointed it out to him. He put me on hold again. Yes, I was right. However, he added, had I been on an iPhone contract the £8 would have been correct.

You see, they are struggling themselves to understand it all.

Heres_the_deal

I'm still awaiting a reply from Tesco, so am unable to update the thread. But it would help if those who signed up for the sim only deals could confirm what information came with the sim card.


But your comments regarding Tesco staff product knowledge is one of the salient points. We must remember that Joe Public buy on trust ( its the way we work in the UK ), Tescos is an highly trusted company. So you often buy on there advice and knowledge which we know can go wrong.