BEWARE Talkmobile - transfer of phone number

Peggy0628

I recently bought a pay monthly phone on Talkmobile from a Carphone Warehouse shop. I wanted to keep my existing number and the shop assistant told me that I need to get a PAC code from my current provider and give it to Talkmobile. He said I can do this anytime by calling their customer services (he even circled their phone number on a leaflet for me). When a later tried do get the number transfered, the Talkmobile advisor told me that the number can only be trasfered at the time of sale. The shop assistant never mentioned this. My phone number is very important to me and changing it would cause me a lot of trouble and hassle.
Talkmobile said there is nothing they can do. I have to contact Carphone Warehouse and ask them to sort it out. The trouble is that the 14-day cooling off period expired so I can't simply cancel the contract (not fithouw having to repay the contract). If I knew I had to transfer the number at the time of sale, I would have got the PAC code before I signed yp to anything. But because the shop assistant said I can do it later, I just proceed with the sale without transfering it (I did not have the PAC number at the time anyway).
Is there any chance I can get my nymber transfered even though Talkmobile won't help and Carephone Warehouse ignores my complaint?

grumbler

Peggy0628 wrote: »

...
Is there any chance I can get my nymber transfered even though Talkmobile won't help and Carephone Warehouse ignores my complaint?

I don't think so, but you do have a case against incompetent CPW for misselling if you can prove what you say. They have to either deliver what they promised or cancel the contract or compensate you in some way.

I don't understand why people buy phones in stores - facing incompetent and pushy salespeople instead of buying online with a cashback, clear information and extra protection.

Peggy0628

Yes, but if you buy online you have to wait a week or so for it to arrive and if you're not in then you have to make a trip to your sorting office to pick it up. I did not have the time to wait, my old phone broke (it was almost 6 years old) and I needed a new one asap... Besides, just because you buy online doesn't mean you get a better service (I have a few bad experiences with complanies promising delivery on certain day/time, when I had to take time off work only to be sitting at home all day to find out that they changed the delivery day and I had to take another day off later to suit them)...
Proving it might be a problem, it's my word (and my partners who was there with me) against CPW... It was all verbal information so nothinhg in writing. Will see what they come up with when I call them.

MillicentBystander

Peggy0628 wrote: »

Yes, but if you buy online you have to wait a week or so for it to arrive and if you're not in then you have to make a trip to your sorting office to pick it up. I did not have the time to wait, my old phone broke (it was almost 6 years old) and I needed a new one asap... Besides, just because you buy online doesn't mean you get a better service (I have a few bad experiences with complanies promising delivery on certain day/time, when I had to take time off work only to be sitting at home all day to find out that they changed the delivery day and I had to take another day off later to suit them)...
Proving it might be a problem, it's my word (and my partners who was there with me) against CPW... It was all verbal information so nothinhg in writing. Will see what they come up with when I call them.

CPW offer free next day delivery on their phones.

Herongull

There is the possibility that the CPW salesperson was right and the talkmobile "adviser" was talking through his/her hat?

There is another post on this forum where someone was told nonsense by talkmobile, so it is always possible that their advisers are not very accurate?

I can't see any reason for not allowing you to port the number later. It seems very counter-intuitive. Hardly costs them anything does it?

And most (or all) mobile companies let you do it any time (at least that is true of PAYG - not had experience of contracts).

Being nitpicky about the timing puts them at a competitive disadvantage. "Don't get a contract with us until you have your pac code" Huh?

I couldn't spot anything about this in their T&Cs......

Guys_Dad

Herongull wrote: »

There is the possibility that the CPW salesperson was right and the talkmobile "adviser" was talking through his/her hat?

There is another post on this forum where someone was told nonsense by talkmobile, so it is always possible that their advisers are not very accurate?


I couldn't spot anything about this in their T&Cs......

No. Check their web site again.

http://self-help.talkmobile.co.uk/SelfHelpTM/request.do?view()=c%7B8f1166e0-f586-11e0-4cf0-f21c09006c3c%7D

MillicentBystander

Ironically, if you order online there's a warning on the checkout page about having to use the PAC code/transfer number at time of order.

Herongull

Guys_Dad wrote: »

No. Check their web site again.

http://self-help.talkmobile.co.uk/SelfHelpTM/request.do?view()=c%7B8f1166e0-f586-11e0-4cf0-f21c09006c3c%7D

Thank you. I stand corrected.

mobilejunkie

Herongull wrote: »

There is the possibility that the CPW salesperson was right and the talkmobile "adviser" was talking through his/her hat?

There is another post on this forum where someone was told nonsense by talkmobile, so it is always possible that their advisers are not very accurate?

I can't see any reason for not allowing you to port the number later. It seems very counter-intuitive. Hardly costs them anything does it?

And most (or all) mobile companies let you do it any time (at least that is true of PAYG - not had experience of contracts).

Being nitpicky about the timing puts them at a competitive disadvantage. "Don't get a contract with us until you have your pac code" Huh?

I couldn't spot anything about this in their T&Cs......

Now who's giving advice from ignorance? Try ordering it on-line from a cpw clone and it clearly states at the point of sale that the only way to port to this network is at that point and not afterwards.

Herongull

mobilejunkie wrote: »

Now who's giving advice from ignorance? Try ordering it on-line from a cpw clone and it clearly states at the point of sale that the only way to port to this network is at that point and not afterwards.

Well if you actually read my post, you will see that I was raising something as a possibility rather than giving definitive advice. Note the question marks.

There is the possibility that the CPW salesperson was right and the talkmobile "adviser" was talking through his/her hat?

And when Guys Dad found the relevant part of the T&C, I thanked him and agreed that he was right.

diamonds

Ofcom do not say PAC has to be done at contract commencement, years ago circa 2007 I argued this with Vodafone then lodged complaint via Ofcom & Voda admitted they were wrong and dropped it as company procedure. Talk may still have the old rules up for PAC as Voda supply them.

A PAC can be used at anytime in or out, I'd call Ofcom and register a complaint against Talk & their network provider Voda.