3 Mobile contract problem

Deblou7

I took a 3 mobile contract out in April 2010. I am subject to a 24 month contract but I am having lots of problems with my bills.

My contract is for unlimited internet, 300 calls (other than 0800 numbers) and 5000 texts. The contract was advertised at £24 per month but equates to circa £29 per month with VAT and a £3.50 charge for me paying via their automated service rather than direct debit.

Since taking out the contract I have been receiving regular bills charging me for calls when I know that I have not exceeded my limit because I am paranoid about using the thing now! Last month I was charged circa £20 for calls, this month I have been charged £15.89 for calls and in both instances and ones prior I know I have definitely not used my quota! I called them to ask about this latest charge and asked them how i could have exceed my call limit when i still had 120 minutes left to use! They just kept saying i had made the calls! Talk about banging my head against a brick wall.

Every month I call their customer service department in india and every month I end up getting no where. I speak to people I can barely understand and are obviously using a crib sheet. I asked them to transfer me to their cheapest contract because I can see myself getting into debt with these people as I am already having to cut down on food to pay for this but they told me that they cannot downgrade me.

I requested a signed contract between myself and 3 and they have told me that they cannot supply this. I have asked them on numerous occasions to send me itemised bills but still, nothing.

I am ready to cut my sim card up and take the mobile phone boxed back to the shop where I purchased it (phones4u) but I am willing to take the diplomatic route if anyone can give me some advice.

I would really love to just have nothing to do with 3 mobile ever again.

Earthworm

It is likely you have rang numbers not included such as 08 numbers. You should be able to check online?

In terms of the contract Three are right they cannot reduce your plan as the monthly rental is also covering the cost of the handset.

You can cancel the contract by paying early termination charges. Selling the phone can help you cover part of the costs.

Unfortunately until you can establish exactly what calls are putting you over your allowance it is almost impossible to see if it is a mistake or as I have said above.

Deblou7

No, I have not called any 0800 numbers as I know that they are not free. I learnt that lesson at the beginning of the contract.

The original contract was for £18 therefore, all that I am asking them to do is to downgrade me to my original contract, which they cannot supply a copy of, which shows my signature.

I don't exceed my minutes, I am absolutely paranoid about using my phone full stop and only use it when necessary. They have charged me £15.89 for last month as calls but I had 120 minutes still left to used when they were due for renewal. I have checked with them to make sure that the free minutes are cross network and they are.

I am pulling my hair out, its not the odd couple of pounds here and there. I am paying more than £20 more than my contract every month and something is not right and I cannot for the life of me get any help whatsoever from their customer services department. I feel like I am being ripped off and am very unhappy about repeatedly having to pay a bill with charges that I cannot say are down to me.

I could just not pay it and when they issue the debt collectors letter reply stating that I have no contract with them. I don't know what to do, I just know that I cannot afford to do this and it is affecting other important things such as food etc. It feel like a little money box that's being kicked around by corporations to see if any loose pennies fall out!

Earthworm

Is there anyway you can access these bills (itemised) on the Three website? Alternatively do you have a Three app on your phone which would display your current unbilled spend and the first 3 digits of the telephone numbers that are chargeable?

It is possible forum users could identify what is going on here (lots of them are on Three themselves) it just requires info.

It is unfortunate but even if this is a mistake it doesn't warrant release from contract instead just the mistake rectified.

Deblou7

I have tried to access the itemised breakdown for these said charges on the internet to no avail, it just keep telling me that the service is currently unavailable. I downloaded the mobile app which gives me the bill summary but directs me to the website for a breakdown so I am just not getting anywhere. I've requested the breakdown via e-mail today and they have given me a reference number. I asked the customer service representatives full name so that I can keep a record and he was extremely reluctant to share this with me. After pushing him for a name he would only give me his Christian name, therefore I asked him for his employee ID, which he gave me (wouldn't surprise me if both the name and number were fabricated!). So I have done everything I can to get to the bottom of this but paying for something that I am not convinced that I owe and getting absolutely no help whatsoever from their terrible customer services department is leaving me very frustrated. The next step for me is to write to them and threaten them with the OFT, I've tried threatening to not pay and that's not working.

If 3 are doing nothing to rectify this situation despite my numerous phone calls to them then surely they are in breach of contract. And as I have said before, I have requested a copy of the contract that I signed but nothing. I need that contract so that I can ascertain whether they are breaching it! Oh the joys.

And that's for your comments, they are appreciated

Wickedkitten

If you took out a 24 month contract over three years ago, then surely you should be able to just cancel it and switch to PAYG.

d123

Deblou7 wrote: »

No, I have not called any 0800 numbers as I know that they are not free. I learnt that lesson at the beginning of the contract.

You seem fixated on 0800. There are a lot more than 0800 excluded. 0844, 0845, 0870, 0871, 09 and some 07 numbers are also excluded, as are international calls.

If you are unable to access an online breakdown why not ask Three to send a paper copy of a bill?

Buzby

0800 calls are included in your bundle, and whilst not free, come out of your included minutes bundle. There are also a range of 01 and 07 numbers that are charged as non-bundle calls.

3UK provide a full list of these and it is on their website.

d123

Buzby wrote: »

0800 calls are included in your bundle, and whilst not free, come out of your included minutes bundle. There are also a range of 01 and 07 numbers that are charged as non-bundle calls.

Are you sure, the website shows 0800 as outside of allowance and charged at 15.3p per minute.

Some numbers aren't included in your monthly allowance and you'll be charged for calling them:

0500, 0800, 0808
These numbers are free to call from a landline, but not from a mobile phone. If you call a freephone number from your Three phone, you'll hear a message warning you that you'll be charged.
Up to 15.3p per minute

0845, 0870
These non-geographic numbers are usually for helpdesks. They don't have an area code.
20.4p per minute on The OnePlan, 35p per minute on all other plans.

0844,0843,0871,0872
These non-geographic numbers are usually for helpdesks. They don't have an area code.
Up to 20.4p per call +20.4p per minute on The One Plan. Up to 35p per call + 35p per minute on all other plans.

07
Non-standard 07 numbers (except those beginning 070, which are personal numbers) aren't owned by any of the main network operators
Charged at your standard rate, not included in allowance

070
Personal numbers are used for services like personal alarms and private lines. The cost of calling these numbers depends on how much the service provider charges.
See Price Guide

01624, 01524, 01481
Calls and texts from the UK to the Channel Islands (i.e. Jersey and Guernsey) and the Isle of Man are charged at international rates.

http://support.three.co.uk/

Jon_01

Not sure how 3 bill, but could it be calls less than 1 minute being charged as 1 minute?
ie, if you make 3 15 second calls, it's not 45 seconds, it's 3 minutes?

simax

Anyone you call based in Isle of Man or Jersey/Guernsey?

They look like standard UK numbers but are not included in your minutes.