when does a contract start?

brownbabygirl

If I buy a contract phone and it comes but I do not open the box and use it, does the contract still start from when I purchased it? I found a great deal but I dont want to use my PAC until the the PAC is about to expire in 2 weeks time. I just dont want to be paying for 2 lines for 2 weeks.

Collabora

A contract starts as soon as you order the contract whether you open the box or not

grumbler

brownbabygirl wrote: »

If I buy a contract phone and it comes but I do not open the box and use it, does the contract still start from when I purchased it? I found a great deal but I dont want to use my PAC until the the PAC is about to expire in 2 weeks time. I just dont want to be paying for 2 lines for 2 weeks.

No, it's beyond your control when it starts. It's possibly the day they send it or the next day, but doesn't need your 'activation'.

brownbabygirl

wow...................

Collabora

When i ordered my mobile contract from Tesco Mobile it started as soon as i completed the order, but it took 3 working days to arrive, as soon as it arrived i informed Tesco Mobile on live chat s it was 5 days before i got the phone due to weekend and they without question credited my account with 2 weeks rental, even though only waited 5 days for the phone

mobilejunkie

It varies according to when the network or dealer activates the sim. Most of mine start when the phone is despatched, even though the dealers in question say it'll be a few days later.

If the deal is THAT good, why quibble about 2 weeks overlap on paying??

brownbabygirl

mobilejunkie, no i am just shocked they start charging even before it gets in your hands! also in the past i have placed the box somewhere until i was ready to faff with it and get used to it, not knowing the charging had started already lol. it is good to be aware.

grumbler

Why is it shocking?
In fact it's very understandable. If you were allowed to postpone it, what would stop you from never 'starting' the contract and using the phone with some other sim?

Collabora

brownbabygirl wrote: »

also in the past i have placed the box somewhere until i was ready to faff with it and get used to it, not knowing the charging had started already lol.

Because part of the fee is for the phone, so if you place it on a shelf and not use for 2 months, this is not the networks doing, you have had the phone for the 2 months and maybe using wifi

mobilejunkie

brownbabygirl wrote: »

mobilejunkie, no i am just shocked they start charging even before it gets in your hands! also in the past i have placed the box somewhere until i was ready to faff with it and get used to it, not knowing the charging had started already lol. it is good to be aware.

If it didn't work that way you would sometimes have to wait a few days before they connected it and you could use the phone. You should also consider that the first few days only has a pro-rata bundle allowance up to the first bundle date (usually but not always also the statement date) so it would be easier to exceed your allowance if you hadn't already had a live contract for an extra day or few. I don't use mine until they reach that first bundle date anyway, except to call the network to check a few important details (like the statement and bundle date(s)).

There are far more important things to concern yourself about with a new contract; for example, setting sim and phone locks with personal codes so you aren't exposed to massive costs if the phone gets lost or stolen. Too many people pop on here in just that situation because they failed to do so.

brownbabygirl

Collabora wrote: »

Because part of the fee is for the phone, so if you place it on a shelf and not use for 2 months, this is not the networks doing, you have had the phone for the 2 months and maybe using wifi

yes, makes sense!:beer: