3 PAYG credit disappearing between phones

Bogof_Babe

I got a 3-2-1 SIM as a stand-by, and put it in an old Nokia E71 that was locked to 3, with £10 credit. Didn't use it at all, then after a couple of weeks I thought I'd better make a call in case it gets disconnected or something.

To my shock, the call could not complete as I had no credit left!

I visited my local 3 shop, and they were unable to explain the reason for my £10 credit disappearing, but thought it might be because the old Nokia had been on a contract so not compatible with PAYG. I bought another £10 credit voucher in the shop, which I phoned to activate, and put the SIM into a Sony phone I happened to have. Checked every day this week by ringing 444 from it, and kept being told my credit was £10.

Then yesterday I spotted in Game a brand new, unlocked, A Grade Samsung phone that I really liked the look of, so I bought it and have just transferred the 3 SIM to it. It recognises the SIM, as it sent me texts confirming it had been installed. However my credit is now £0.00 again :eek: .

So I put the SIM back into the Sony phone, which luckily I hadn't traded in because I forgot the charger, and hey presto my credit is back at £10.

What the &%$@ is going on???

grumbler

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

I got a 3-2-1 SIM as a stand-by, and put it in an old Nokia E71 that was locked to 3, with £10 credit.

£10 credit on the SIM?

Didn't use it at all, then after a couple of weeks I thought I'd better make a call in case it gets disconnected or something.

To my shock, the call could not complete as I had no credit left!

I visited my local 3 shop, and they were unable to explain the reason for my £10 credit disappearing, but thought it might be because the old Nokia had been on a contract so not compatible with PAYG.

This is nonsense.

I bought another £10 credit voucher in the shop, which I phoned to activate, and put the SIM into a Sony phone I happened to have. Checked every day this week by ringing 444 from it, and kept being told my credit was £10.

Then yesterday I spotted in Game a brand new, unlocked, A Grade Samsung phone that I really liked the look of, so I bought it and have just transferred the 3 SIM to it. It recognises the SIM, as it sent me texts confirming it had been installed. However my credit is now £0.00 again :eek: .

What Samsung? If it's a smartphone that starts updating everything over mobile data connection, then it can easily swallow 1Gb of data.

So I put the SIM back into the Sony phone, which luckily I hadn't traded in because I forgot the charger, and hey presto my credit is back at £10.

What the &%$@ is going on???

Have you tried using 'My Three' online instead of texts for checking the balance?

Bogof_Babe

Don't know what you mean by this is nonsense, but sorry if I haven't explained it very well. Been faffing around with it all evening and getting a bit fed up.

Yes I bought £10 of credit initially when I first got the SIM. Made something like two calls to my other phones, that I didn't even pick up, just to establish that it was working. (To add in a further complication I initially put it in a Nokia E63, but that died so I then put it in my sister's old E71.)

I agree that some phones eat data just by switching them on, but the E71 was left powered off (to save battery), and anyway if this was the reason it doesn't explain why the £10 is there on the Sony, but not when I put the same SIM into the Samsung (Galaxy Ace 3).

I have been checking my credit both on My 3 account, and by phoning 444. The texts were just to advise me that 3 had been installed on the Samsung when I put the SIM in. I haven't text for balances. Had enough of that palaver with EE!

diamonds

I would report that to Ofcom, this is GSM in UK not CDMA, credit moves with a sim not a mobile.

Bogof_Babe

diamonds wrote: »

I would report that to Ofcom, this is GSM in UK not CDMA, credit moves with a sim not a mobile.

I'm not confident enough that I'm not doing something stupid to take it up with Ofcom, but I will go back to the Three shop, and probably be told once again to phone 333. Suppose I should have done that the first time, but I thought it was just a blip. Losing two lots of £10 could be considered careless!

Losing £10 then finding it again by swapping phones could be considered mysterious .

grumbler

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

Don't know what you mean by this is nonsense, ...

"a contract [phone] so not compatible with PAYG"

Bogof_Babe

Update - left sim in new phone overnight, and today I have £10 credit! There must be a time lag for some reason. Lucky I checked before giving the shop hell!

Swipe

You should create a 3 login on their website and check your balance online if in doubt