Dial-a-phone - Should I do it?

Jagg_2

mobilejunkie wrote: »

Rule number ONE; have a clear, written and unequivocal set of t&c for your contract at the point of sale. At present, the t&c are NOT clear at all - e.g. what is their definition of "month 6", how long do you have to make your claim (almost certainly 60 days but you need everything IN WRITING beforehand). I regard this dealer as relatively safe BUT unless you CAN follow the groundrules (and right now you cannot!) do not take out any deal where you rely on the cashback to meet your needs.

How would you suggest I get my hands on a full copy of the T&Cs? Their TCs on the website aren't very clear and those regarding cashbacks are non-existent, perhaps due to a website fault. If I emailed or gave them a call, would they email a full copy of the TCs?

mobilejunkie

Maybe. It's your money to risk if not!

System

I've used a cashback provider before (Mobiles UK) and had no problems, got all my cashback

Since creating my account with Dial-A-Phone (about a week ago), they gave the wrong sort code to T-Mobile (luckily I noticed it call on the contract), and they didn't set up my internet plan correctly so I'm being charged £1 a day for using the internet on my mobile (as opposed to the monthly 1GB limit)

Need to call them tomorrow to sort it out, so time to see how good their customer service is lol

thor

I have been using DAP for 3 or 4 years and would agree with those who regard them as trustworthy(for a mobile retailer that is).
I have claimed about a dozen cashbacks from them so far and the only problem I have found is that for about half of them I need to send them an email as they do not always acknowledge receipt of my bills as promised in the T&Cs.
Another thing; their claim instructions are very clear and unambiguous.

lurkylurky

I signed my DF up to a Dialaphone deal in June last year and we claimed his first cash back in November. The money arrived in his account about a week later. The process couldn't have been easier and once you've signed up for an online Dialaphone account you can find details of your claim schedule.

A couple of things to watch out for is the insurance which is automatically added (free for a month) and then £6 ish a month thereafter. It was easy to cancel by phone, though. Also free for a month access to Gadget Helpline which is then charged at £17.50 for 6 months (from memory). This was easy to cancel online.

I took screenshots every step of the way when ordering but so far haven't needed to refer back to these as everything has gone swimmingly. I then signed DS up to a deal in September and was able to get £20 for DF through their "recommend a friend" scheme. This arrived in DF's account after 2 weeks.

So far, so good for us.

Jagg_2

I have received a copy of the T&Cs regarding cashback after sending them an email and I'm fairly satisfied. But one thing that is bothering me is the following section:

We reserve the right, should we choose, to change our payment method in the future. For example, we may apply credits to your airtime account instead of crediting your bank account or vice versa.

...That seems rather dodgy; they could simply change the cashback to airtime and get away with it. Has anyone ever fell into this trap? How likely are they to change the cashback to airtime? Does it depend on if the network provider changes its offer?

mobilejunkie

It probably merely means a credit against the monthly bill(s) - though that would leave a problem on the final claim when you are presumably cancelling the contract. As for clarification in writing - escpecially what would happen 9if I am correct in my assumption) when the final credit would be made against a contract which (by the time is is received) will have terminated. If you are not satisfied with the answer - unambiguous and in writing - then don't take out the deal.

mobilejunkie

I note that Dialaphone - AND Phones4u - no longer display their cashback t&c on their websites. Despite recommending them above all others for the last three years - AND being interested in a deal from them now - it is of concern that the link to the cashback t&c (STILL) doesn't work and it is impossible to know exactly what they are from the snippets which are available. From the above it is also clear they have known about this for at least a month - and done absolutely nothing about it. That is more what I would expect from cpw companies and NOT Phones4u - so as far as I am concerned they won't get my business again unless and until they provide proper t&c so that I know (and am happy with) what I am signing up to!