had enough of 3, want to gel on early

andy.m_2

I looked at the Escape early thread and there were no replies :rotfl:

I have been on three for donkey's, have always enjoyed a good service network signal, very good customer service and as they kept me on 12 month contract's I've been a happy punter.
Both the Wife and I are on a contract although I took out hers for her so it was always a little difficult when CS would ring her and want to discuss things with me, more a principle than a massive issue.



Fast forward to July 2010 and renewel time brought 2 wildfire's into the mix, but on 18 month contracts, good minutes and internet for 15 a pop.
The Wife inadevertantly pops hers into the washing machine and we take it on the chin, bang the sim into an old handset and plod on.
Fast forward to 3 weeks ago, I buy the Wife a blackberry 9300 (3g).
Pop the sim in and all is ok except no option to import windows live email or access planet 3.
Ring three and they basically wash their hands of it saying that the sim free phone was not bought from them so the software isn't configured at the factory as 3 BBs are, jog on.
I explain to the Wife that therefore the BB isnt fully functioning it's time to leave to another network, both of us. She resists until yesterday.

As a Virgin Media customer we get a letter offering a BB on a 24monther for 10.30 pcm
She now wants to leave

So, contract runs out Decmeber, can upgrade October neither any good for us.
Are they likely to let me reduce the tarif to the minimum, then give all my notice, pay up, get the PAC codes and finally leave?

That way we both (and her sister cos she thinks its a good deal) jump to VM so we get the free calls, BB messenger etc and its 10 pcm with new BB phones....


Any pitfalls you can see?
I am always calm on the phone so will explain my case and never fall out with CS reps.

Any danger they will offer me an extension on her contract and a new BB that is configured to 3 for similar money?

If you go this far then many thanks! :money::beer:

andy.m_2

I have a wildfire and a BB 3g to punt on to soften the blow of any costs so that's not the real issue.

Jon_01

I have a feeling that you can only drop on tariff at best? Not even sure you can do that now, a number of networks have changed to only allowing a downgrade in the last month. . .

Yolina

why don't you just access planet 3 on the BB via the mobile site, then just add to favourites/create a shortcut for it. I normally tend to get sim-free phones and a separate sim-only contract because I'd rather avoid the bloatware from the networks...

andy.m_2

Not using the app method means it is very much slower and using the browser to access hotmail is murder due to the number of drop down boxes.
We tried that and it is painful at best

Yolina

That might be a limitation of the BB rather than anything else. I've just switched to 3 on sim-only, and my HD2 doesn't have the official app (good!) - I went to the mobile version of Planet 3 (not the normal full 3 site), then to the bit with my allowance, created a shortcut for that page and added it to one of my homescreens. One click and my browser loads instantly to that page. I don't know anything about Blackberries and don't use windows live mail so can't help with that bit at all, sorry

Edit: I've timed 3 seconds between me clicking on the shortcut and the allowance page loading

MisterBrico

The reason the bb wont access emails or the web is because bb internet is unique from all other phones.

Your regular internet/smartphone bolt on is no good as you need a BIS supscription (BB Internet Service) , call 3 up and ask if they can change your internet to blackberry internet then it should all work fine.

Whoever said it had to do with 3 software or factories was an idiot haha.

andy.m_2

it was 3 who said that, firstly in the shop, then the shop monkey rang India, then they passed me to the technical division.

I can only go by what the "man" says, and he said we didnt buy it from 3 so clear off basically.

on all other things they have been exemplary, but this is a pretty big fail

Yolina

Have you tried accessing the mobile site for MS live from the BB: http://mobile.microsoft.com/live/en-gb/default.mspx I would assume you only need to sign in once.

chanz4

virgins service aint that good. ask 3 for the manual settings or look them up on the net

Im_just_careful

http://www.windowsliveformobile.com/en-us/blackberry/default.aspx

tells you more.

The key to making a Blackberry work "properly" is the add on service known as BIS.

I've found using web chat with three significantly less awful than the call centre.

The my3.three.co.uk page works on any browser.

I've had it on many different "non-3" devices. All you get with a "3" branded device is a shortcut key. On PAYG (which I am) all I use it for is topping up, on contract I can't see any use for it at all. Perhaps I'm missing something.