3 No Coverage Return Policy

f6100153

Hey,

Apologies if this has already been asked

A friend off mine has just signed up to 3 as I recommended them, I have been with them for years and never get any problems with network coverage.

She has just got a phone 5 days ago and has found she doesn't get any coverage at home or work, therefore little point keeping the phone.

It states on the 3 website if your don't have acceptable coverage you can cancel the contract providing you haven't used the handset. How would you know about the coverage without using the phone?

Any help would be great

Mark

deano72_2

i take it she only took the contract out 5 days ago?
i know they say you cant take it back if you have used it,but i took one back couple of weeks ago after having it for 4 days & using it.they say you have 14days to take it back which is what i did,i said there coverage was krap so handed it back no problem.i also took out another contract out with 3 last wk & i said if i had a problem with it in any shape or form i could i take it back up to 14days,the sales guy said yep no problem & if i didnt belive him he even printed of a bit of paper confirming that which he sighned...so i think she should be fine to take it back. if she has a problem all shes got to say how the hell do i know if works ok or not without using it!

f6100153

Cheers Buddy,

She tried to take it back today but they wouldn't let her return it. Im seeing her at the weekend so I'm going go into the shop with her.

If you have any tips let me know

Guys_Dad

f6100153 wrote: »

Hey,

Apologies if this has already been asked

A friend off mine has just signed up to 3 as I recommended them, I have been with them for years and never get any problems with network coverage.

She has just got a phone 5 days ago and has found she doesn't get any coverage at home or work, therefore little point keeping the phone.

It states on the 3 website if your don't have acceptable coverage you can cancel the contract providing you haven't used the handset. How would you know about the coverage without using the phone?

Any help would be great

Mark

Anyone entering into a 2 year contract without checking out if they can get a signal at home has not done "due diligence" to use the current in-phrase.

How should one check?

1. Look up the coverage charts available on line.

2. Find a friend who has 3 and get them to test it out. You had 3 and recommended it to her. You should have offered to check it out as you must have discovered that 3 has Black spots - all networks do.

Ask yourself if she would have accepted a used handset instead of a brand new one at the same price. Most people wouldn't. So why should 3 or any network be lumbered withe 2nd hand used handsets no one wants instead of new when buyers haven't even checked out if the service works at home?

Sorry to sound harsh, but their t&c are very clear - and I bet she didn't check out the returns policy before signing 2 years of her mobile life away. All networks have slightly different t&c re returns and it is vital that these are checked out before committing to £500 or so contract, particularly when you are not sure if you can even get a signal.

korny88

Surely they will allow you a 7-14 day cooling off period as the above poster has said. I believe on Orange, they give you 7 days.

Guys_Dad

korny88 wrote: »

Surely they will allow you a 7-14 day cooling off period as the above poster has said. I believe on Orange, they give you 7 days.

If they did, then OP wouldn't have started this thread, would they?

Each network - not to mention 3rd party reseller has published t&c. Here are 3's t&c that I think also applies to their shops.
http://ask3.three.co.uk/SRVS/Data/Hutch/KnowledgeBases/Ask3/document/web/retail1.htm

If you use it - then tough.

S0litaire

*NOTE* that section of the T&C is if you decide you don't want it NOT for bad coverage.

"3" is the only network to offer a get out clause at ANY TIME during the contract if you loose signal coverage.

Check here http://www.communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk/


Cancellation policy details for contracts :
H3G
Retains policy to allows customers to cancel contract at any time if they get poor coverage.
Applicable only to coverage problems.
Applicable to contracts bought in-store, over the phone or online.

deano72_2

guys dad,yep fair enough do a coverage check on your home postcode but the point of having a mobile is so you can use it out & about & that could be anywhere.
i dont really have any tips apart from dont be ar55ie.i took mine back to the shop i bought it from with no probs.
i could of come unstuck maybe if they stuck to there t&cs but when i took out the first phone i did ask could i take it back no Qs asked?he said yep you got upto 14days,he did nt mention one word about if i used it then i wouldnt be able to take it back so i did nt read the small print..
the second fone i got was from a different store & like i posted above he said i could take it back upto 14days even if i used it,so i guess the next thing to do is try take to a different store.if she uses it for the net/data just say it keeps booting you out & keeps dropping signal.
what fone is it.i got ifone 4 & the first one i had was garbish which is why i took it back (signal/booting me off the net) but now got a different one & its worked fine
but defo try another store first, as you might get a more reasonable salesperson..eg i had laptop 29days old,it had a fault so took it back but they said sorry its over 1 day of returns policy,it will have to be sent away for repair,so i took it back to the same store the next day but a different salesperson,they said no problem sir we will give you a replacement..
also on the 3 site they say there coverage checker is only a rough guide so does that mean they could have no coverage in the uk at all!

Guys_Dad

Thanks for that, SOlitaire. Can you find the same info in the link re 3's coverage policy on their web site? That would help OP.

Guys_Dad

deano72 wrote: »

guys dad,yep fair enough do a coverage check on your home postcode but the point of having a mobile is so you can use it out & about & that could be anywhere.
i dont really have any tips apart from dont be ar55ie.i took mine back to the shop i bought it from with no probs.
i could of come unstuck maybe if they stuck to there t&cs but when i took out the first phone i did ask could i take it back no Qs asked?he said yep you got upto 14days,he did nt mention one word about if i used it then i wouldnt be able to take it back so i did nt read the small print..
the second fone i got was from a different store & like i posted above he said i could take it back upto 14days even if i used it,so i guess the next thing to do is try take to a different store.if she uses it for the net/data just say it keeps booting you out & keeps dropping signal.
what fone is it.i got ifone 4 & the first one i had was garbish which is why i took it back (signal/booting me off the net) but now got a different one & its worked fine
but defo try another store first, as you might get a more reasonable salesperson..eg i had laptop 29days old,it had a fault so took it back but they said sorry its over 1 day of returns policy,it will have to be sent away for repair,so i took it back to the same store the next day but a different saleperson,they said no problem sir we will give you a replacement..
also on there site they say there coverage checker is only a rough guide so does that mean they could have no coverage in the uk at all!

Maybe I did sound a bit harsh and if so, sorry. But this forum is littered with people who find they can't get coverage at home/work and are trapped in 2 year contracts. So does that not make my advice to try at home/work first before committing to a 2 year contract worth taking?

Faulty handsets are different from signal problems and shops don't like getting 2nd hand handsets back because shoppers can't get signals. And you are right, of course, about different sales people applying different discretion on exchanges/returns.

But my point is why not check out first if you can - and in this case, OP is on 3 and recommended it to their friend.

S0litaire

Guys_Dad wrote: »

Thanks for that, SOlitaire. Can you find the same info in the link re 3's coverage policy on their web site? That would help OP.

Unfortunately Three don't advertise this policy, the OP will have to ask about it directly in a shop or on the phone. (It's not listed in their public T&C's). They may have to ask a few times, The consumer panel found that some of the staff (Three and 3rd party) didn't know about this policy until they contacted head office for confirmation...

Best thing the OP can do is to take a copy of the Consumer Panel report with them if they go into the store and show them it.


Also remember that T-Mobile have turned off a lot of transmitters when they joined with Orange (due to over-saturation of masts) and Three piggyback on T-Mobiles for 2g / voice calls where they don't have 3G Masts.

The coverage checker may not be upto date in some regions. My area was listed as "excellent" for the "Three" network 6 months ago, but just before Christmas my mobile started to loose signal easily, now the Checker has my house in a weak/poor area.