Early cancellation question on 3 network

CarmenCow

Hi all. First post here, so be kind.

I am 14 months into a 24 month contract with 3 Mobile and have recently moved to an area where I do not get any phone signal or 3G.

I have rang 3 and explained the problem to them and they have told me that I have 3 options...

1 - Pay an early termination fee of £175 to cover cost of the handset.

2 - Use a signal booster which requires home broadband.

2 - Continue paying the £36 a month contract with a £4.30 discount for the remaining 10 months.

Are these my only options? I do not have £175 for a lump payment, I only have a dongle for internet use so it isn't always connected and the £4.30 discount seems unfairly minimal...

Ideally, I would like to reduce the tariff to the bare minimum. No texts, calls or data as I won't be using it and just pay however much that costs, but 3 are saying that I can not change tariff.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

DUTR

Welcome to the forum, but hand on you heart, you know 3 are correct, you moved not them move or de-comission the local cell site.
In future try and avoid the looooong 24 month contract, if your handset is sim unlocked then you could get a sim only for a network that covers your new location. Personally in your case I would just see out the remainder of the agreement with the discount offered.

grumbler

CarmenCow wrote: »

Are these my only options?

Pretty much yes.

I do not have £175 for a lump payment,

Keep paying monthly then. £175 is a very good offer considering that £32*10=£320

I only have a dongle for internet use so it isn't always connected

If it's the same '3' dongle I don't see how it can help.

and the £4.30 discount seems unfairly minimal...

Even this is just a gesture of goodwill. They don't have any obligations to offer you any discount.

MarkBargain

I agree with grumbler, the £175 is a very good offer so borrow the money if you can and pay that.

What handset is it? Can you sell it to raise some of the £175? You could then take a more affordable contract (e.g. £10 a month) with another network that comes with a new handset.