Contract Query

yeslek

I purchased a mobile direct from T-mobile, via the website last year and I'm just about due an upgrade only the phone i want is not avalible on the site BUT carphone warehouse are offering it on T-mobile only

my question is, can i upgrade via carphone warehouse even though i didnt purchase from them originally as i'd still be on t-mobile?


any help much appriciated.
thanks

yeslek

*bumpy*

come on guys, surely someone out there knows?

Reestit_Mutton

yeslek wrote: »

I purchased a mobile direct from T-mobile, via the website last year and I'm just about due an upgrade only the phone i want is not avalible on the site BUT carphone warehouse are offering it on T-mobile only

my question is, can i upgrade via carphone warehouse even though i didnt purchase from them originally as i'd still be on t-mobile?


any help much appriciated.
thanks

Upgrading via T-Mobile's or a retailer's website/store is likely to get you the poorest deal. This is simply because no company is in business to offer you anything decent in terms of price unless it's absolutely necessary to keep your business (and they actually want to keep it). i.e. if you go in saying "I WANT a renewal, what can you do for me?" - you'll simply be gifting the network/retailer an opportunity to make maximum profit out of your business.

The way to extract the best value out of an upgrade is to make the network work hard to retain your business. Phone your service provider and ask for your PAC code to take your business elsewhere and bring your number with you. When they ask why you're leaving, provide them with an alternative deal (preferably on a different network) with the handset that you are after and the level of call/text allowance that you need from the many thousands of offers available online, many of which are advertised with lots of cashback. Plenty of contract mobile phone price comparison sites exist these days which can provide you with useful example offers to use in your negotiation.

The network will probably tell you that the deal you are referencing isn't what it seems as the retailer you are quoting has no intention of paying you the cashback - this is simply an over exaggeration designed to scare you into staying with them. Simply bluff them right back by saying that you know exactly how cashback deals operate and, what's more, your partner/wife/husband etc... has already used the retailer in question and successfully claimed all his cashback so you know their cashback terms intimately.

Then give the operator a carrot to play with - tell him/her that if
T-Mobile is willing to give something in terms of a free handset and a significant line rental reduction you would be prepared to stay
if the reduction is big enough (even if it isn't quite as cheap as the cashback offer) as you are prepared to accept a slightly higher cost on the grounds that it is far easier not to have to claim the cash manually. However, make them aware that you are nonetheless prepared to go down the cashback claiming route if the difference in price is significant.

If they say they can't budge then just ask for your PAC anyway and leave it at that - chances are, your determination to continue with your plan to leave may well result in your case being passed up to another department with more power to negotiate if your monthly spend is big enough for them to be bothered - usually the threshold for this to happen is around £30/month but it has been known for £25/month to be sufficient if the network is desperate enough for business.

At the end of the day, if noone gets back to you you still have the option to use the PAC and actually walk or do nothing - if you do nothing, the PAC will eventually expire and your contract will remain unaffected
(i.e. this is a no risk strategy to employ). If you find yourself in this situation then you will at least know that you have tried everything to lower your renewal cost and that there was nothing to be gained. Only at this point would I then consider upgrading via a retailer's/network's website or store.

HtH
Reestit Mutton