Phones 4 U have REALLY messed up and is about to cause some upset

petersiva

Bought a new vodafone contract through P4U and when I got the phone through topcashback (tracked £105) I couldn't activate the Galaxy note 3.Turns out I was sent a faulty sim card.The next day I got another sim from P4U and I also got a separate letter from vodafone with a small bill and a cancellation letter.I AGAIN couldn't get THIS sim activated.I rang VODAFONE up because I was getting absolutely nowhere with P4U as I had numerous online chats and phone calls with them.The lady at vodafone told me to ignore the bill and letter and said that she herself would activate the sim for me whilst I was on the line.She told me then to do the usual thing and switch the phone on and off a few times for the next couple of hours.A whole day had passed and NOTHING.Emailed P4U again and this time I got a phone call from somebody who said that he would arrange a conference call with him,myself and a rep from vodafone.A VERY unapologetic chap from vodafone stated that I had been sent a PAYG sim card and NOT a contract one and the reason I couldn't activate it was because that phone number belonged to another customer .I was getting furious now because he then told me that in order to resolve this problem I would have to return the phone AND the free galaxy tab that came with it.
After the vodafone rep had finished I had a chat with the P4U guy and he told me not to worry as we'll get this sorted.
The next day he rang me with the news that i WOULD have to return the phone and the galaxy tab to P4U to cancel THIS contract and then reapply so I would get these items back.I couldn't believe it.This was the 3rd week BTW.However the biggest problem was that just a few days prior to this my wife and I decided to give the tab 3 to a 7 year old girl who was the daughter of my wifes best friend.They're not very well off so we thought this would be a nice gesture for her birthday and by all accounts she absolutely loved it.I asked P4U (although I was absolutely livid) if I could just send them a shop bought galaxy tab 3 and send them THAT one instead to which I was told NO.They have to scan THAT particular one back into the system in order for it to be sent back or a different one.My wife and I are now clueless an how we're going to retrieve the tablet as we know the little girl already has it.

Has ANYONE had anything like this happen to them before.
I will now lose my cash back too and my credit score isn't going to look that good if I have to reapply for an expensive phone contract.

JJ_Egan

To hard to follow

tripled

Translation:

The OP took out a mobile contract through phones4u a few weeks ago, which came with a handset and "free" tablet. However, there have been issues activating the SIM. Fast forward a couple of weeks and phones4u and Vodafone have been unable to resolve the problem.

The OP has now been advised by phones4u that he needs to return the phone and tablet to cancel the contract. Once that has been done they can then set the OP up on a new contract. However, the OP no longer has the original tablet (he gave it to a friend as a gift) and phones4u won't allow the OP to subbstitute it.

The OP is also concerned that even if the tablet issue is sorted, by cancelling and taking out a new contract he will lose his TopCashBack and it will impact his credit record.

What are the OP's rights/how can he sort this out?

petersiva

tripled wrote: »

Translation:

The OP took out a mobile contract through phones4u a few weeks ago, which came with a handset and "free" tablet. However, there have been issues activating the SIM. Fast forward a couple of weeks and phones4u and Vodafone have been unable to resolve the problem.

The OP has now been advised by phones4u that he needs to return the phone and tablet to cancel the contract. Once that has been done they can then set the OP up on a new contract. However, the OP no longer has the original tablet (he gave it to a friend as a gift) and phones4u won't allow the OP to subbstitute it.

The OP is also concerned that even if the tablet issue is sorted, by cancelling and taking out a new contract he will lose his TopCashBack and it will impact his credit record.

What are the OP's rights/how can he sort this out?

Thanks for that.I probably could have made the explaination shorter

KTF

I would go to your nearest P4U and speak to someone face to face about it rather than calling/emailing people.

Giving someone the tablet before this was sorted out was not very clever but it shouldnt be impossible for P4U to sort this out by getting the right details matched up to your account.

sparky93

KTF wrote: »

Giving someone the tablet before this was sorted out was not very clever

he could have given it befor this issue arose.

he could have sold it on ebay or such, it would be long gone...

Herongull

The phone is yours (from day 1) so you are free to dispose of it as you wish. You do not have to return it.

If they have given you a sim which doesn't work and it is impossible for them to sort it, then you can cancel the contract as they can not supply you with the service.

So friend's daughter keeps free phone and you are free to go elsewhere for a new contract, although personally I would not let a 7 year old have an expensive phone. Even if she doesn't break or lose it, it will make her a target for muggers.

KTF

If you cancel the contract then you have to return the items - phone + 'free' (it isnt, its covered by a higher than normal monthly rental) tablet - otherwise a charge will be made to cover the cost of the items.

If it was that easy to cancel with no recourse then everyone would sign up for the latest phone then cancel because it 'doesnt work' and keep the phone for free.

After the minimum term of the contract has completed (or you cancel it early and pay off the remainder), then the phone is yours to do with as you wish.

Herongull

The situation is completely different if the mobile company is permanently unable to supply you with the service you are paying for.

It is always in the T&Cs, plus it is also the law of contract.

You have entered into a contract for the supply of the mobile service but they are permanently unable to supply you with a sim that works, so you can terminate the contract at no cost.

Simples!

petersiva

Thanks for all the replies.
I don't have a problem returning everything its just the complete embarrassment of having to ask for the tablet back.Its a good job I didn't sell it on ebay or somewhere else as I don't think I'd have a prayer of getting it back.
I would have thought SOMETHING could have been done to rectify this without having to go through all this but I imagine there isn't.
I'm hoping somebody else has gone through the same thing and can tell me what happened to them

gjchester

We don't actually know what the problem is, the network is trying to resolve the issue but the OP is not helping. The mobile company cannot suppy the service at the moment but they need to be given a chance to resolve the issue.


Someones screwed up and it may be as simple as the OP returning to store and getting a correct sim and new number, but until the OP goes in store and asks it's all speculation from us.


I understand its complicated by giving the tablet away but the OP did that after these problems all started, with hindsight that was a mistake, but going into the shop and explaining this all may be the best way to start making progress.