Network problems with 3 since start of contract

lexilex

Hi,

I started a new contract with 3 at the end of July. Before starting the contract I had a very long conversation with a sales rep on the Live Chat on 3's website. One of the questions I asked was about coverage. I work two minutes away from where I live, and so it was vital coverage in this area was good. I was told the postcode I live and work in had excellent coverage so ordered the contract online.

Within a couple of days I realised this was not the case. I was not always able to make calls, the internet wouldn't load and texts were not sending straight away.

I was told there was work taking place in my area, and it would last one week. Three credited me for this week.

However, the day work was supposed to have been completed, I was still having problems. I called again, and was told the work had finished on time, and there should no longer be any issues. They would send an outside company to look at the phone mast in my area. This was supposed to have been completed by no later than 24th August.

Having heard nothing, I called them on 27th. I was told there had been no update, and they would call me as soon as they heard anything.

I went on holiday on 30th August for two weeks and had no signal whatsoever during this time. I had informed them on 27th I was going on holiday.

When I finally managed to get a signal on my return home on Thursday, I had a text to say they were still looking into my issue. I called them, and the guy promised he personally would call me Friday, never happened.

I called again yesterday, and another guy told me he personally would call me back two hours later, again, never happened.

I am at the end of my tether really, and wondering what you guys would recommend me doing next?

I am on to my second phone (HTC One S) due an unrelated issue, so I very much doubt its the phone.

To be fair to Three, they have said they will refund me the full amount since the start of my contract, but except for the week maintenance was carried out, this has yet to be seen. Even if they do, I am without a phone at home and at work. If there was an emergency, I would have no way of contacting anybody, and nobody would be able to contact me either.

Advice would be great! Thanks

DUTR

Not sure why you don't just take the refund?

lexilex

DUTR wrote: »

Not sure why you don't just take the refund?

For the monthly bills? They keep saying another department will sort this, but the other department never calls me back.

Also, even with the refund, I still want a working phone!

DUTR

lexilex wrote: »

For the monthly bills? They keep saying another department will sort this, but the other department never calls me back.

Also, even with the refund, I still want a working phone!

Well not sure what network you were on before 3, there are several providers to choose from across the UK?

lexilex

DUTR wrote: »

Well not sure what network you were on before 3, there are several providers to choose from across the UK?

I was with Orange for 5 years. Moved the Three because they offered a better deal, and was told excellent coverage. I was with 3 before Orange and had no problems then.

DUTR

lexilex wrote: »

I was with Orange for 5 years. Moved the Three because they offered a better deal, and was told excellent coverage. I was with 3 before Orange and had no problems then.

So the soulution is obvious, take the refund and return to Orange or one of the other networks that offer coverage where you are likely to use the phone, a cheap deal is of little use if you cannot take advantage of the airtime offered, Orange never went into receivership when you left and neither will 3, I'm not being harsh, I just cannot see what the problem is when the solution is as plain as daylight.

lexilex

DUTR wrote: »

So the soulution is obvious, take the refund and return to Orange or one of the other networks that offer coverage where you are likely to use the phone, a cheap deal is of little use if you cannot take advantage of the airtime offered, Orange never went into receivership when you left and neither will 3, I'm not being harsh, I just cannot see what the problem is when the solution is as plain as daylight.

I am in a two year contract?

DUTR

lexilex wrote: »

I am in a two year contract?

In your original post you included"To be fair to Three, they have said they will refund me the full amount since the start of my contract, but except for the week maintenance was carried out, this has yet to be seen. Even if they do, I am without a phone at home and at work. If there was an emergency, I would have no way of contacting anybody, and nobody would be able to contact me either."

I can never understand why people agree to 24 month phone contracts, but that's just me, hindsight is a great thing a payg on the new network may have saved you a lot of dissapointment, don't knbow how you are going to resolve it other than accepting the refund.

lexilex

DUTR wrote: »

In your original post you included"To be fair to Three, they have said they will refund me the full amount since the start of my contract, but except for the week maintenance was carried out, this has yet to be seen. Even if they do, I am without a phone at home and at work. If there was an emergency, I would have no way of contacting anybody, and nobody would be able to contact me either."

I can never understand why people agree to 24 month phone contracts, but that's just me, hindsight is a great thing a payg on the new network may have saved you a lot of dissapointment, don't knbow how you are going to resolve it other than accepting the refund.

Yes, they have offered to refund my contract from the start to now.

Believe me, I was very reluctant to take out a 24 month contract, it's the longest I have had, but I wanted a specific phone, which is very expensive to buy. Even if I did have a 12/18 month contract though, the problem would remain.

Buzby

Agreed. Why ever take someone's word on coverage? It's a black art at best, and when all is said and done, a PREDICTION, nothing more. Prague tell me I'm in a great area of coverage, but in reality I have no service at home. This is due to a dip in the geography between me and the local mast. A cancellation was the only route, but within a week of activation.

PAYG leaves you free to switch to any network and not be caught out when circumstances change.

DUTR

lexilex wrote: »

Yes, they have offered to refund my contract from the start to now.

Believe me, I was very reluctant to take out a 24 month contract, it's the longest I have had, but I wanted a specific phone, which is very expensive to buy. Even if I did have a 12/18 month contract though, the problem would remain.

All handsets are expensive to buy, suppose say I wanted an S3 or iphone 5 ? I just go to the shop take the hit of £500-600 quid and remain on a sim only deal hence low monthly outlay, there is no point in pretending that taking a 24 month commitment of say £30-40 per month is saving me anything worth writing home about, once the initial outlay is spent it is spent, otherwise the money is just sitting in some bank account, the other benefit to that way is that the buyer really evaluates if the handset is worth the money or not, buy a house or car perhaps on credit, but many other purchases there is just no need, a good £20 of your monthly is going to the purchase price of the handset.
I'm not surprised 3 have not phoned you back I had a sim zero which I was not using, when I called to cancel the data add on, they started bleating on about their special offers, I had to remind them many times that I don't use the service, never really had an issue with coverage though.