'3' Took Away Signal - Will Not Help

adamcleaver

Hello,

I shall try and keep this brief, and was hoping for any help or suggestions.

My Mum is about 6 months into a 24 month contract with 3.

Six weeks ago the signal in my parents house suddenly disappeared. After a few days she rang up and was eventually told it would be investigated. Over the next 3-4 weeks she kept ringing back and was given no extra information.

She eventually asked that the contract be cancelled as they'd taken away the signal, making the phone useless 99% of the time. They refused, and then informed her that the signal had been down whilst mast upgrades were being carried out, the work was complete - and she wouldn't get her signal back.

She has spoken to Carphone Warehouse where she originally bought the phone, and the store manager has spent 2 hours on the phone to '3', in front of my Mum, and got nowhere. She has written to '3' by recorded mail and not had a response. No-one will help by phone.

She feels totally helpless. Surely '3' have breached the terms of the contract? Before she took out the contract she checked there was a '3' signal in the house, thanks to my wife's '3' phone, and they've taken it away.

Any help or suggestions would be welcome. She's stuck without a mobile phone, and paying for the privilege. It's really upsetting.

Many thanks,

Adam

grumbler

markdavey wrote: »

...

3 are actually pretty good when/if they decide to 'amend' their coverage in an existing location by switching off a transmitter. If your residential address is adversely affected due to this change they will normally let you out of the contract if you return your phone.

....

..........

jennyfive

If it was bought through the Carphone Warehouse, does that not possibly mean she may not need to return it (and can keep it)? If my understanding of third party resellers is correct. You buy the phone from the reseller and the contract with the network is for the minutes, texts, etc. Someone feel free to correct me on this, though.

I would contact 3's cancellations department, she paid for a service which is no longer being provided so it seems to me that they are surely in breach of contract and that she shouldn't be liable for any cancellation fees. If they give you trouble maybe escalate it and see if there's a head office you can call. There may be legal letter templates online if you need them... if I find any good ones I'll post them here. A few cancellation templates were posted on the net during the T-Mobile Fair Use changes fiasco, which could be applicable to your situation with some minor changes perhaps?

adamcleaver

Thanks for the replies so far.

My Mum spent most of her time on the phone with the cancellation department. At the end of her last call, last week, she was told a manager would call her back within 48 hours. No one ever called.

I will try and find some legal letter templates as suggested, maybe there will be something relevant. I don't know if there is anything else that can be tried.

'3' have easily managed to make us feel completely helpless.

fiendishlyclever

If you are on Twitter send a message to @ThreeUK and say you've lost coverage etc. They will set up a call back from exec office - who are in a better position to sort it out.

Worked well for me.

(If you aren't on Twitter they organise callbacks via their blog too)

Exhortation

fiendishlyclever wrote: »

If you are on Twitter send a message to @ThreeUK and say you've lost coverage etc. They will set up a call back from exec office - who are in a better position to sort it out.

Worked well for me.

(If you aren't on Twitter they organise callbacks via their blog too)

Or you could just email their Glasgow office at executive.office@three.co.uk. If you do this, however, be sure to keep it polite and set out the entire history of events as clearly and concisely as possible.

Not receiving a promised call-back doesn't surprise me. I was supposed to get a call from their tech support after 5 p.m. yesterday and I'm still waiting - but with neither hope nor expectation.

markdavey

There are plenty of other threads confirming my statement above about 3 letting people out of contracts where their network rationalisation results in a loss of signal at the billing address. You've just got to speak to the right people.

Example:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3010494

adamcleaver

Hello all,

Many thanks Exhortation for the email address. It took two emails and lots more waiting, but someone just rang and cancelled the contract.

I think it took 8 1/2 weeks to sort out.

Adam