Swithcing process & best timing question

JeremiahT

Hi all,

Preliminaries:
I have just taken out a SIM-only monthly rolling contract with Virgin Mobile and want to switch from Three's monthly contract which requires 30 days notice (been with them for several years). I also want to port my Three number to Virgin so I have requested (and received) a PAC code from Three today.

My questions are:
1. Having requested a PAC code from Three today, does this constitute the start of the 30-day notice of cancellation (assuming the PAC code is used within the next 30 days)? i.e., cancellation will occur on 5 June 2012?

2. I have Three's 300-or-so x-network mins left to use until the next bill arrives on 13 May, and would normally have 1100 mins renewed again to commence for the month following 13 May.

- To maximise my money's worth, should I use up Three's 300 mins and then give Virgin the PAC code OR use up the 300 mins and then wait and use the next 1100 mins (after 13 May but before 5 June) i.e., all free mins within the next 30 days and then provide the PAC code about a week before the 30-days PAC runs out??

If I use 300 mins & 1100 mins on Three I can still make use of the Virgin 1125 x-network mins SIM in another mobile in the meantime - would this maximise best value during a switchover or have I misunderstood something and ought to switch with PAC straightaway for example?

Many thanks indeed for any suggestions or recommendations!!

Regards
Jeremiah

macman

Requesting a PAC is not giving notice, it is an 'option to cancel' that is time limited to 30 days. If you don't use it, it expires.

grumbler

1. Cancellation will occur on the day the number is ported, but you'll have to pay for 30 days pro-rata regardless if the number is ported earlier.
2. I think your '3' allowance will be calculated pro-rata too for the part of the billing month before you port the number.

JeremiahT

grumbler wrote: »

1. Cancellation will occur on the day the number is ported, but you'll have to pay for 30 days pro-rata regardless if the number is ported earlier.
2. I think your '3' allowance will be calculated pro-rata too for the part of the billing month before you port the number.

Thank you macman & grumbler for your comments.

So if next month's bill is due on 13 May and I have 300 mins allowance left to use before this date - am I better off using up the allowance before porting over, i.e., don't port until 13 May or allowance is used up?

And does this mean that since I requested my PAC code on 6 May my account will be terminated and I will be billed up to 5 June irrespective of when I actually port over within the 30 day period, i.,e., it doesn't matter if I port today or on 4 June, because the account termination will occur on 5 June?

Regards
Jeremiah

grumbler

JeremiahT wrote: »

So if next month's bill is due on 13 May and I have 300 mins allowance left to use before this date - am I better off using up the allowance before porting over, i.e., don't port until 13 May or allowance is used up?

Your allowance is for the billing month that starts/ends not when the bill is due. As I said, I am not sure, but I think it is risky to use the full allowance if you port in the middle of the billing month.

And does this mean that since I requested my PAC code on 6 May my account will be terminated and I will be billed up to 5 June irrespective of when I actually port over within the 30 day period, i.,e., it doesn't matter if I port today or on 4 June, because the account termination will occur on 5 June?

Again, as I said the account gets terminated on the day the number is ported, but you will be billed until the 5th of June regardless. Part of this period is likely to be covered by you recent bill (advance payment for the next billing month).