3 mobile broadband

twins4384

I would immediately write to -

3 Customer services
Hutchison 3G UK Ltd
PO Box 333
Glasgow
G2 9AG

gving them full details. There is no reason that you should accept this terrible service. Must admit that we have had no problem with 3 using their mobile service over the last year or so. Hope you get this settled soon.

currie

I got a 3modem back in october 07 and it worked fine for the 1st month, but since mid november i have had an intermittent signal, computer doesnt recognise the modem and i have to disconnect and reconnect on average every 3 minutes, if it connects at all. The modem went for repair dec 07 and came back that it was working fine, the technician said could be to do with the location i am using it! Over christmas I used it at my parents home and it was flying, so it is the location where i live that is the problem! Belfast (ravenhill) apparently I am right on the border of the 3G network! Their customer services line in India is hopeless and after numerous calls to their 0870 number I have got nowhere! they will not refund me, even though I am not receiving a broadband service! I am contacting trading standards, watchdog and which! Be wary they only have a 3 day refund policy or 14 days if you buy online.....I am now stuck in an 18month contract paying £15 a month and I cant use it! Waste of time and money!!!!!!!

pauledg

Thanks, Twins4384 for your comment, though I
feel that Customer Services themselves are a
major problem as they seem determined not to
"let me off the hook". They do not accept the
recommendations of Technical Services, nor do
they accept the possibility that their modem is
to blame. Their sole purpose in life is to
ensure customers continue with their contract,
come what may!

I am interested, too, in Currie's experiences
that mirror mine in many respects. However if
Currie's modem keeps disconnecting, unless the
local aerial is not even transmitting a 3G
signal, there has to be reason other than poor
transmission of the signal for his problems.
My local aerial, checked out on a friend's
computer, is pumping out a 3G signal, not a
Turbo one, even though the distribution map
clearly shows the area covered by that
transmitter is alreay Turbo enabled. How can 3
get away with taking money for a service that
is not being provided? For the technically
minded, rather than 2.8Gb of turbo signal the
aerial puts out 300-odd kb which drops to just
over 100kb/s at the edge of the reception area,
barely better than dial-up.

I'm also curious about the 3 day/14 day refund
policy. As far as 3 is concerned, although I
purchased online, they will not shift from the
3 day refund policy, denying any other legal
requirement to provide goods of merchantable
quality or fit for purpose. In my case,
following on the phone guidance from Technical
Support, I made every effort to get the modem
installed including getting it to work on
someone else's computer, copying the software
onto CD and installing this onto my machine
from the CD. Even so the modem regularly
crashed when plugged in and while I achieved
momentary connection the system remained
unusable and even crashed the machine and
damaged files when the computer was shut down
(shut-down required the modem to be unplugged).
I thought USB devices were supposed to be plug
and play?

First thing on the 4th day, before phoning to
demand return of the modem and cancellation of
the contract, I tried once more to get a
connection before picking up the phone. This
apparently was enough for them to say I had
"used" the service for 4 days. They cannot
(will not) accept that the entire period was
spent trying fruitlessly to get the darned
thing working.

If I had the money and the energy I'd be
delighted to take them to court. As it is, I
susepct the only rapid solution is to try the
device on various computers and go and buy a
spare one just to get broadband. What an
unnecessary and total waste of money, which I,
as a pensioner, can ill afford. I already have
a year old top of the range Acer Ferrari that
works perfectly with all other usb devices that
I regularly use, why should I be forced to buy
another or throw away £360-worth of contract!

Maybe 3 would like to justlfy their actions here
rather than in court?

Pauledg

currie

With response to the last post, I have full 5 bar signal on my machine for 3G yet am not receiving it, I have tried the modem on the same laptop 35miles outside Belfast, the countryside really and it only had 1 bar signal but worked perfectly for a good three hours solid, therefore I know, it is my location that is the problem. I also purchased a new spec Acer laptop for Christmas and thought the higher ram might improve things! No joy, am contacting them by post now and heading back to the store next week, if need be I will take them to court, I have wasted too much time and effort already and am only 3months into an 18months contract, I refuse to pay for a service so appalling!

bristolian

Further to my last post....

-- if I start the modem software and it says 'data modem invalid' that means it wants
to start the software itself. Shut down the modem software, unplug modem, wait for beep, plug it in, then wait about 2 minutes and it should start the software itself and work (data modem will now be valid)...
-- forget about switching to another user in windows xp and trying to use the modem there when the first user was using it....
-- although I've had download speeds of up to 1.8mbs, about 100kbps is typical
-- to get the modem in the first place I had to pass the credit check. experian screwed this up and it took 3 weeks to sort out. To do this I signed up for their 6.99/month credit service, which is free for the first month, and cancelled as soon as I got things straightened out -- well before the 1st month was up. But, surprise, surprise, they've charged me 6.99 for the 2nd month anyway... I had to give them my credit card details to sign up for this scheme so they were able to take the money despite my cancelling with them. Now I'm going to try to get it back. For all I know they'll just keep taking it every month...

FannyHill

"If I had the money and the energy I'd be
delighted to take them to court".


If you feel they are not providing the service advertised issue a County Court Summons. That isn't expensive to send and they pay for it when they give you your refund.

FannyHill

When I got a credit check quite a few years back from Experian I sent them a cheque for £2 and they sent me my credit report.

currie

I have just been in contact with trading standards and consumerline, who have advised me that Three are in breach of contract. In belfast they advertise 99% coverage and broadband speeds up to 2.8mb in 85% of the UK.
However I bearly receive a signal let alone reach such speeds! I am on the border of the 3G network apparently and a new mast is not due until april 2008 which will improve my signal, but my contract will be due to end at the end of march 08 conveniently!
Trading standards and consumerline have therefore advised me to take Three to the small claims court and represent myself, .....I did not know that the small claims court is only £30 for me up to a claim of £300, I shall wait for Threes response to my email, it has been 3days......crap customer service!!!

FannyHill

3 will refund your money before it gets to court.They will refund once they get the summons.They might even refund if you just tell them that the summons is being issued within the next week.
There is an Irish forum that has a a thread running on the 3 mobile broadband Irish service.The thread has been running for over six months and has well over 3,000 posts on it many from people like yourself.

hillendale

I am wanting to access the net via my laptop and have just given notice on my BT landline and BT broadband connection package the main reason is i never use the home landline only for internet access . I now am looking for a pay as you go way to access the net & having looked on ebay and in the shops i notice its possible to do this with either a datacard ( my laptop has a slot for this ) or a 3g usb modem .
The datacards seem cheaper but i guess its because they are slower most of them have download speeds of 3.6mbps while the 3g usb modems have 7.2 mbps . My concern with the 3g usb modems is that because i live out in the sticks i would'nt be in the 3g signal area so would only receive the 3.6mbps speeds am i correct ? Also which ever i purchase it needs to be unlocked so i can use it aboard at a later date.Once i've choosen the type of modem then its the payg deals that are available the ones i seen are the t-mobile walk n web , 3 mobile £10 pm for 1gb & the o2 for £7.50 pm if anyone can advise on which is the best / cost affective

All help advice welcome