Bye bye 3 - hello err, 3?

scooby75

After an appaling total of a 4 hour fibfest by 3 retention staff over the phone (I won't go into detail - it's too long and painful!), I've told them to stick it and send my PAC and cancel my two contracts, so now I'm on the hunt for the best deals (again).

I'm looking for the Galaxy S2 and the Erricson X8. I've used MSEs tips and tried comparison sites and now I'm in a quandary.

Stores like "buymobilephones" are offering the phones I want on really really cheap tarrifs by redemption. I've heard about this in the past where people get stung by not getting their cashback.

The alternative is to get contracts by the same sellers that sell 3 contracts cheaper than what 3 sell them! As much as I am loathe to go back to 3, they were the cheapest and I never had any problems with the phone or service but...... damned if I do....

keith1950

Hi, its either cancel the contract OR send a PAC , not both.

You use the PAC within 30 days and THAT cancels the contract.

If you want to keep your numbers request your PAC only.

If you want to keep your numbers and go back to 3 temporarily transfer your number to a PAYG on another network and then transfer them back to 3.

If you cancel the contracts you lose you numbers!.

As the Galaxy S2 is so new the prices haven't dropped much yet but you can buy from these companies for as little as £25/month and if you are unsure about cashback by redemption go for one with automatic cashback,although with such expensive phones there is little in the way of cashbacks on £25/month tariffs but remember to check quidco/topcashback before buying.

E2save have a Samsung Galaxy S2 on Talk Mobile - Free phone/ 500 mins/1500 texts/1gb data for £25/month.

I have found lately that the likes of buymobilephones /e2save/mobiles.co.uk have become more reliable but you can buy from them without involving cashback by redemption if you are unsure.

malcspring

Looks you are in a similar situation to me at the moment. I am coming to the end of my contract and 3 cannot seem to come close to these resellers with regard to price (Buymobilephones, Affordable Mobiles, etc). Only thing is now they operate a cashback system which is irritating in the extreme whereby you have to submit your phone bills a certain times in order to get the cashback. You are still paying the full whack to 3 though then claiming some of the money back over the whole life of the contract.

keith1950

Hi, you get the cashback because the retailer is paying you most of the commission it receives for the sale.
The higher the cashback the more the risk- to the buyer.
If the buyer goes for no risk-automatic cashback, then the cashback is smaller.
With these sites the customer doesn't have to enter a cashback deal, they can just pick the lowest mins/text/data they can live with and they will still save money compared to the networks and possibly also get an automatic cashback.

My last deal was on a cheaper phone ( worth around £100 on PAYG ) but I got £320 automatic cashback from retailer and £50 through quidco.
The example I gave for the Galaxy S2 on Talk Mobile is one of the cheapest around at the moment if the customer can get by on 500 mins/1500 texts/1gb data plus its also another of the many CPW companies.

fiendishlyclever

I've ported to Giffgaff - I hadn't made a firm decision until I called Three technical support. They told me some absolute tosh (who writes their scripts for them?) and then I spent an hour on the phone to speak to retentions.

5 mins to technical support and 45 mins to retentions. That's right Three - you make the people who are thinking about leaving wait so long that they will leave out of sheer frustration by the time they get to speak to someone. In my case I was so cross I typed my PAC code straight into the giffgaff page as they gave it to me.

On the upside I now have unlimited texts and internet for only a few pounds more each month. On the downside there are more places where I don't get a full 3g signal and end up with sluggish 2g/edge (but that will ease as 3g900 is rolled out).

I see your dilemma - and some of the cashback deals on TopCashback are far better than retentions might offer. To be fair to Three I didn't let them tell me what I could have had, I wasn't interested in a new contract (my last one was only £5.50 a month so I doubt I'd get anything nearly as good).

Port out your number to a PAYG provider and then port it back to Three for one of their new customer deals - then you have the satisfaction of leaving them, and you get a good deal for going back to them

scooby75

Well I've decided not to go for a cashback unless it's automatic - I'd rather pay a bit more than take the risk and I can't really aford the higher tarriffs to begin with. That Samsung S2 deal mentioned by Keith1950 seems good - where was it?

Just another question. I gave 30 days notice to 3 yesterday and got the PACs. Now I don't want to be running two contracts at once, so can I order a contract phone online now (as there are some good deals about that I don't want to miss) and start it in a few weeks time? I haven't swapped phone companies for ages so don't know how it works.

malcspring

Hello Scooby75, I am in the process of sorting out a new contract and like you was initially looking at the Galaxy S2, but realised that it was too expensive, so I am now looking at the Samsung Galaxy Ace. I only want to be spending around £15 p/m, but was worried as alot of the online retaillers can undercut the network providers by offering the cashback offers. Like you I want an automatic cashback as you don't get as much back, but at least if the dealer going bust you may well have got your cashback before they do rather than it being drip-fed over the course of the contract. It is damage limitation really. I shall be looking at your post with great interest to see what the outcome is.

Malcolm

scooby75

HI Malc. The S2 is available free on a £26 contract without having to use cashback - in fact I've yet to comes across a cashback offer for he phone that doesn't involve forking out a small fortune!

This is from affordable mobiles (use Uswitch) for a contract with......3 (oh gawd!). Anyway, you get 500 minutes and texts and 1 gb of data (plus 2000 free 3 to 3 minutes and then free skype to skype should you run out of minutes). A really good deal imho - just a shame about the operator!

malcspring

Thanks for the pointer, but as much as would love the S2 I think it is going to be too expensive. I have found an alternative however in the Galaxy Ace @ £15 p/m through Omio with £15 automatic cashback from buymobiles.net. 300 mins, 300 texts, 500mb of internet and free handset. Over the term of the contract it works out at £14.70 p/m. That is closer to the usage that I need.

keith1950

Hi scooby75, the deal I referred to is on the E2Save website.

If you use quidco or topcashback you can also get £46 cashback through them.

As I previously said its either cancel OR use a PAC.

If they give you a PAC you have 30 days to use it and if you don't use it your contract continues on a 30 day rolling basis until you cancel.

If you decide not to use the PAC make sure to ring and cancel the contract.

Generally, however you work it, there will be some overlap of contracts ( up to a month in some cases ) and remember your 1st bill on your new contract can cost up to 2 months depending when in the billing cycle of that network you purchase.

paulofessex

Don't forget with '3' instead of going for a full upgrade you can ask for a 'sim only' upgrade. They usually offer a great reduction regarding the monthly tarriff and this also enables you to do a full upgrade at anytime within the next 12 months. Certainly gives you some breathing space until you decide what you want to do and save some money at the same time.