The Mobile Outlet

despatchdave

I bet you can still buy a phone from them.........!
Dave

athomick

despatchdave wrote: »

This is purely my opinion and not based on fact but I think this is a delaying tactic. No where in this letter does it mention that they have 'gone under'. And, as usual I have still not had any correspondence from TMO!
Dave

I quite agree. They have not gone bust and will not do so until they feel as though they have little chance of getting any more commission back from the networks. This announcement is a delaying tactic!! They are trying to keep their customers off their back until they have scrounged all the money owed to them so that they can then happily go bust before paying out their customers. It is a tactic which appears to be working judging by recent comments. Read post number 1477 written in November, 1952 in January and 1883 from January. It should not be a surprise that this has happened. In my opinion though there is still time for some to get their money. It all hangs on someone locating where they are trading from and posting it on this forum. Where do the directors live??

sec79

I sent bill 12 by recorded delivery on Friday 8 February first class to the Shipley address, as stated in my terms and conditions. When I checked the Royal Mail website yesterday as to when the package had been signed for it told me to check back later.

I took a copy of my bill, and I'm not sure whether to send it again, this time by special delivery with loss insurance. The only reason I haven't is that if the redirect to the location at Bradford City is no longer in operation, and no-one has been in these offices all week, will anything sent even by Special Delivery get signed for. I obviously need to make sure they receive my bill, but don't want to pay out for special delivery with loss insurance if there's no-one there to sign for it. If no-one is in the office, does anyone know what will happen to any Special Delivery items?
thanks

maplewood2

sec79 wrote: »

If no-one is in the office, does anyone know what will happen to any Special Delivery items? thanks

You should really contact the post office to get the answer to that question.

laticsforlife

What is the point of these conversations about postage - there is no more TMO - and anyone who thinks they will be back is deluding themselves.

Their next step is liquidation.

meinnit

I tracked the bills I sent by Special Delivery online and got the same...

A delivery was attempted for your item with reference xxx
You can collect the item from your local enquiry office by bringing your card and proof of identification and address

Looks like the redirect is no longer in force.

bangragal

I wrote a letter to T-Mobile (addressed to the Managing Director Jim Hyde) asking to change to a lower plan (currently paying £35 a month).

Got a letter back today, with a link to the statement made by TMO on 13th Feb but they're refusing to change me to a different plan as they state "...the offer that you agreed to was made directly with the Mobile Outlet..."

They also stated that they no longer allow TMO to offer their products because of all the complaints they've received.

The reply came from on Ann Meskill (Directors' Office Co-ordinator). She does give an email address and phone number if anyone else feels its worth a go:

CL&DO@t-mobile.co.uk
0191 5124459

Personally, I think that T-Mobile should bear some responsibility, and at least offer a small reduction as a sign of good will like some other providers have. Perhaps the more people who get in contact, the more likely this is to happen?

tahrey

mzqa395 wrote: »

‘We ask our customers to remain patient over the next few weeks whilst we are dealing with the non- payment of commissions. We will send out an email keeping customers informed and updated as and when we have anything to report.’

(Ace Ventura voice) Rh-h-h-HEAAALLLY?
I haven't heard diddly squat from them. I'd have been in the middle of sorting out my previous bills and cashback vouchers etc right now (awaiting my 6-month bill in the post), if I hadn't heard of the company's troubles through a family friend (who ended up contacting trading standards over non-payment, only to be told they were filing for liquidation), doing a largely fruitless internet search, and turning to this site where I felt I was guaranteed to get some decent info...

It's a right let down, I only went with them because I'd had an (only slightly, really) poor experience with e2save the year before, and MO were supposed to be more reliable. Really would be nice, if they say they're going to email their customers, if they'd actually go on and do it. They have my address - they sent the shipping information to it!

In a statement accompanying the letter, the management team at The Mobile Outlet claim they started their own cashback incentives following ‘visits which were made by network dealer managers, who openly promoted and encouraged us as a company to run with a 40% business model, even though our model was a lot higher.’

I wonder if pointing these things out to the networks when calling up to ask for tarriff reductions would hold any water? I'm only on the EXPENSIVE (£42/month!) tarriff that I'm on, because it was the cheapest - AFTER CASHBACK - for the phone I wanted (N70), and therefore I suspect the one being most heavily promoted by the network (TM), possibly in the knowledge that the industry was about to spontaneously combust, leaving them with plenty of stranded contractees suddenly finding they'd gone from a very cheap deal, to a very pricey one, and not being able to do anything about it :mad: :mad:

Allegedly said family friend was successfully able to get their charges reduced, but I don't know what net he was with, it might have been 3hree or Orange. I will just have to gather what info I can (recommendations from here, TM's online T&Cs and the contract info I was actually sent, etc) and see if I have any kind of legal or moral leg to stand on when trying to get this reduced. If I had actually been buying directly from them, after all, there's NO WAY would have chosen such a costly deal... this one gives 100% free internet (which I do sometimes use, but could easily do without) and £120 "Flext" allowance per month (which I certainly don't use - even with a heavy load of calls, texts and picture messages it's not gone but a sliver over £40 - and it doesn't even include 0845 and 0800 calls!). Without this dodgy promotion, a £15-20 pcm plan would have easily covered my usage, for more than £250 per year less.

Grr!

Time to spread the word to anyone you know with a mobile, BTW, just in case they're on a MO (or other struggling cashbacker) plan... perhaps if enough people get heavy handed with them something can get done?
10000 people all cancelling their DDs, if it could be organised, would give them an almighty headache and be very slow and painful to process through the courts, vs just cutting our plans (a loss of, oh, £120? That's less than them filing against me, really, though of course they'd probably win out for the remaining sum + penalty + costs/damages) for the remaining six months.

tahrey

Incidentally, to share a bit of first stage research, the quick T&Cs FAQ on T-Mobile's website currently states:

Can I change my price plan? (personal customers only)
If you're a pay monthly customer, you can move free of charge once a month, with effect from your next bill. You'll just need to have been with us for at least 11 months if moving to a cheaper plan. You can do this online in My T-Mobile> or by calling Customer Services on 150 (charges may apply). If you're a pay as you go customer, you can move between plans as often as you like. Just call 146 from your mobile and follow the prompts.


Hmmm, sounds like a good time to be PAYG. Ironic as I only became a contract customer because PAYG was starting to suck really hard.

Not sure if it still said the same as that ~6 months ago when I joined them in August, however. I'll have to check what I was sent in the post/email.

mobilejunkie

All nonesense. TMO were ALWAYS one of the worse three dealers. There is no comeback against the networks. Cancelling a direct debit will severely damage only one person - you. All this and a lot more is a well trodden path I'm afraid. Check out Mobile Affiliates, Mobile Connections and numerous others in exactly the same position - but far more advanced than this one.