T-mobile pac code and 30 day notice contradiction

colmax

T-mobile have a contradictory system which makes it impossible to leave them without incurring a notice period charge.

They tell you very clearly that you MUST use your pac code within 30 days of requesting it or it will become invalid and the account will remain open.

Then they say that if you don't give 30 days notice you will be charged a "notice period charge. "

Here's the contradiction. The 30 days notice period starts at the same time as the request for the pac. Therefore you are obliged to use the pac before it becomes invalid 30 days later, meaning that you cannot avoid the "notice period charge" if you wish to port your number.

Yet another example of t-mobile viewing its customers as cash cows to be milked regularly.:mad:

grumbler

I don't see any contradiction here.
You have to give a notice and to pay for 30 days after giving a notice. During these 30 days you can keep using the services and then use the PAC at the end of 30 days (few days before).

colmax

That's the whole point,

if you use the pac within the 30 days then you get the charge because the account closes when the pac is used therefore not giving the 30 days notice.

If you wait past the 30 days then the pac becomes invalid. So, I repeat, you can't port your number and avoid the notice period charge.

colmax

T mobile charge you anyway until the last day of use, the notice period charge is specifically because a person leaves without giving 30 days notice. It is added on top of the charge till the usage ends.

grumbler

colmax wrote: »

...So, I repeat, you can't port your number and avoid the notice period charge.

So, can you avoid it if you don't port?

gjchester

colmax wrote: »

Yet another example of t-mobile viewing its customers as cash cows to be milked regularly.:mad:

All networks work the same,

You need an active account to have a PAC, using it means you don't give notice and get the fee. The alternative would be people put in the 30 day notice, then leave it to day 29 to port a number and when there are issues and they lose the number get upset.

Port failures happen from time to time, this way at least you don't risk losing your number.

colmax

That's an interesting point, I've been with 4 different networks over the years and have never been charged this type of fee. Only T-mobile. Also, it is totally unfair and contradictory to say that it is a fee for not giving notice. Even if you wait till day 29 you will still get charged a notice fee for using it within 30 days, or t-mobile will de-activate the pac if it isn't used by your new network on day 30 and your account will remain open, needing a new pac request.

In reality according to your reasoning it is a fee for porting a number. Which they should be honest and open about.

Funny though, after Grumblers helpful comments, I decided to phone T-mobile to see what they would say and they have just finished agreeing with my argument and refunding my early notice charge because the supervisor agreed that it is very ambiguous wording.

I hope someone saves some money as a result of this post.

gjchester

colmax wrote: »

In reality according to your reasoning it is a fee for porting a number. Which they should be honest and open about.

No it's a fee for lack of notice.

Ofcom guidelines state the 30 days limit to a PAC, but no network will allow a cancellation and a PAC to be active at the same time for the same number.
Why not, you would have thought it was possible, however no network offers the service probably for fear of a number not porting correctly and the associated account then closing, so leaving the number lost, who'd get the blame, the old or the new network.

Alternatively what would happen if you took out a contract with a new network on day 29, then the PAC failed as it was cancelled by the originating network, and you'd be left with 2 contracts running to pay for.

Take a look at this thread - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4466713 It took 10 days to port the number, the rest of the threads not relevant, but you can see how issues can be created if the old account was to be cancelled before the number is ported, hence the cancellation of the notice if you ask for a PAC


It's often mentioned on here people give notice, and ask for a PAC (so cancelling the notice) and then don't use the PAC so leaving the contract still running, your idea would prevent this, but its not something the networks offer as it presents potential issues with porting if it doesn't go smoothly.

OneADay

I always try to give 30 days notice, 30 days prior to end of contract and ask for PAC code.

T-Mobile are the only network, in my experience, who lump an extra month's line rental on the final bill. On the positive side, I have complained to them and got final bill reduced / refunded by the appropriate amount. This is how they work, just have to be more careful with them than other networks.

grumbler

OneADay wrote: »

...
T-Mobile are the only network, in my experience, who lump an extra month's line rental on the final bill. ...

Indeed they often do this, but in this thread this information is OOT and hence confusing.

colmax

Thanks everyone for your helpful and interesting comments. Although I'm unsure what OOT means.

So in reality it seems to still come down to the same thing, T-mobile have found a way to add an extra charge at the end of the contract, which it is almost impossible to avoid if you have the cheek to want to take your number with you.

I only know one thing for certain, T-mobile, IMHO, are not as a company interested in the needs of their customers, and I stand by my comment that they are just looking for any opportunity to milk their cash cow customers. After 24 months of constant worry about what would appear on my next bill I am glad to be away from them.

And I am a loyal customer, I have two mobiles and the O2 one has been active with O2 continuously since 1998, I am trying Talk-talk now on the phone which just left t-mobile and if they turn out to be good, I will stay with them for the foreseeable future. If not, I'll probably put them both on O2 next time. O2 really do care about customer relations.