EE complaint re 3g

wildheart83

Hi all, I'm looking for some advice or maybe just someone to tell me I'm overreacting about it!

My dad has a contract with EE which was originally T-mobile, where he pays £10 per month for a basic package which AFAIK doesn't include any data allowance whatsoever.
Each time he renews his contract he goes to store and specifies that he has no interest in being able to go online on his phone and wants to make sure that the phone doesn't have it enabled.
I've just found out that the phone has had 3g activated and for some time now my dad's been charged bills of around £50 per month because his phone is connecting to the homepage without him realising but after phoning EE to query this they basically told us tough luck.

My dad's elderly with some health issues which is the only reason he even has a mobile, and I'm annoyed that he specifically asked for a basic phone and was given a touchscreen internet ready phone, running up bills 5x what he normally pays.

Any advice would be greatfully received, I appreciate I'm probably thinking about this in emotive terms more than applying common sense!

grumbler

You should have taken care of this years ago.

You elderly dad dosn't need a new phone every time the minimum term expires. He should have switched to a sim-only contract or to PAYG a long time ago. Basic phones cost next to nothing and can be bought sim-free or on PAYG.

And if he really doesn't need internet he should have called the network and asked them to disable it permanently on their side, not relied on some idiot in a shop that only thinks of selling something as expensive as possible.

Sorry, it's not an advice, but IMO now without any proofs it'll be next to impossible to shift the blame onto some sales person in the shop.

And, BTW, data can be transmitted via 2g, although slowly. It's the mobile data that has to be disabled, not 3g, to avoid mobile data charges.

Chambo_2

"idiot in a shop" unnecessarily offensive Grumbler.

grumbler

Why unnecessary? Do you prefer a clever villain with malicious intent of taking advantage of an elderly customer? I have to agree that this sounds more plausible for a mobile shop sales person, although idiots aren't uncommon either.

wildheart83

No you're right, he doesn't need a new phone - but he wants a new phone each time he renews, he likes the idea of getting a new phone and doesn't want PAYG. IMO regardless of age or ability that's his choice!

And it's only become apparent in the last few months as this is when he changed to this particular phone, so shouldn't have been dealt with years ago.

What I'm querying is when he went to the EE shop and asked for the phone specifically not to be internet ready, and was sold one that was, is there any room for negotiating with them when it's somehow been connected to the internet without him knowing.

grumbler

If he really likes this idea and if it's his choice, he has to do some research himself.
"Not to be internet ready" is pretty much meaningless. Even my spare £5 2g Samsung can send and receive e-mails. Nowadays it's pretty difficult to find a new phone that cannot.

I can be wrong, but I don't see any grounds for complaining. If he likes new phones he has to start reading manuals. I checked randomly the manual of one of the most basic Samsung smartphones (Galaxy Pocket Neo, can be bought for £25 on PAYG) and it says on the very first page:

Please read this manual before using the device to ensure safe and proper use.
...
You may incur additional charges for data services, such as messaging, uploading and downloading, auto-syncing, or using location services. To avoid additional charges, select an appropriate data tariff plan. For details, contact your service provider.

I wonder how much his phone cost him (ignoring extra charges), as this phone combined with an appropriate tariff would have cost no more than £10x24+£25=£265 in total over 24 months.

d123

wildheart83 wrote: »

No you're right, he doesn't need a new phone - but he wants a new phone each time he renews, he likes the idea of getting a new phone and doesn't want PAYG. IMO regardless of age or ability that's his choice!

if he capable of making all those choices it would be reasonable for him to check his monthly bill and bank statement...

wildheart83 wrote: »

And it's only become apparent in the last few months as this is when he changed to this particular phone, so shouldn't have been dealt with years ago.

What I'm querying is when he went to the EE shop and asked for the phone specifically not to be internet ready, and was sold one that was, is there any room for negotiating with them when it's somehow been connected to the internet without him knowing.

Grumbler has answered that quite well, if you can prove exactly what was said, and the shop agreed to it, then take the retailer to court.

If you don't, there is very little you can do, but I also suggest you consider getting your father onto PAYG, there really isn't such a thing as a non internet capable phone anymore.

thetightone

EE are right, if someone can't be bothered to look at their bill, tough.

grumbler

d123 wrote: »

... there really isn't such a thing as a non internet capable phone anymore.

I think Nokia 105 is the one, but it's hardly what the OP's father would want:

d123

grumbler wrote: »

I think Nokia 105 is the one, but it's hardly what the OP's father would want:

Perfect phone for the OP then if he insists on staying on contract .

martin.cat

You can disconnect data connection on phone yourself so may be both of you need to learn how to switch the data off? Alternatively change tariff to include data
Data isn't too expensive when included but out of allowance costs are typically £6 per MB. I typically use 20mb a day for emails social networks etc but can use 200MB
I would check out data options. If you think he might use it or want to
1GB is 1000 MB