Mobile Affiliates (CoolNewMobile+PhoneBoxDirect+Phones2YourDoor) in Administration

elljay20

amz84uk wrote: »

Bad news for you that CNM have gone bust. You should contact your network provider (i.e. Orange) and ask them to downgrade the tariff, or politely ask them that you want to get out of the contract because you can't afford it.... this is de-ja-vu over MobileConnections / DialAMobile Ltd which went bust a few months ago here in Birmingham.

It was on BBC Watchdog aswell, and heavily in the local media. Just explain to the network that you took the contract out in good faith based on the retailer (CNM) reimbursing you the line rental over the duration of the contract, and you now cannot afford to be held liable in a contract.

Legally, you can't do anything, as you took out a mobile contract with the network airtime provider (i.e. o2 / Orange), via a retailer. The network provider has a contract directly with you. The cashback contract was with the retailer (CNM), and seeing as they've gone bust, there's no contract left with them... but you're still tied down with the airtime providers contract (if that makes sense)..... so don't hold your breath expecting the network to downgrade. It's at their discretion.

orange may let you downgrade to £25 but that's it. all these people up in arms about how networks should sort it out and let people off their contracts annoy me. the networks don't offer these deals, the retailers do, and they aren't sustainable. tbh, i'm glad they're all going bust. these cashback deals are ridiculous. not glad you all got ripped off though.

Neillgb

Just emailed 3 asking for downgrade/cancellation. Let you know folks.

elljay20

Neillgb wrote: »

Just emailed 3 asking for downgrade/cancellation. Let you know folks.

how long have you had you're contract? tbh i wouldn't hold out much hope:o

mcmanlyn

I've tried calling Voda about mine, but they stuck to the 'you can downgrade your tariff when you've completed 9 months' line & threw in the 'it's your fault, you took the deal out' boo to them!!!

I'm just glad I took a tariff i could afford - feel awful for the silly ones who went for a higher/more expensive tariff with full cashback, and now REALLY can't afford it!!!

Neillgb

elljay20 wrote: »

how long have you had you're contract? tbh i wouldn't hold out much hope:o

Ends in Feb so not too bad. Perhaps they will offer me a good retention deal:rotfl:

yabbas

SO GUTTING

I knew the slimey !!!!!!!s were going down the minute they started delaying payment and the whole HUSH HUSH you get from Trading Standards - it's happened before and it'll happen again.

I'm frankly annoyed at TS for working the way they do - I have no doubt their inactions have hushed down the inevitable.

I have a total of 5 lines with them. They've paid back 7 cashback claims. With the £35 rebate you could say I got the equivelant of another 2 claims- so all in all they've paid for around 2 lines.


Which still means I have 3 lines left to the tune of £1260.


We did pay for these on credit card - can the card companies foot the bill???

Meh - so annoyed.

yabbas

Dextra and the mobile companies involved should foot the bleeding bills.

Can anyone build up a company based on lies and seemingly "go under" after making millions??? I bet the "Mobile Afilliate" directors won't be going cold this winter. They're laughing in their BMWs and Mercs all the way back to their multi-million pound mansions.


What does liquidation mean exactly for those involved and in on the scam? The sales people who constantly vetted for more time. The directors who refused to pay up. Yadda yadda?


Final thought - I guess with the sales of the phones I could make up enough to pay half of one line. Overall loss down to £1000 *shrugs* if they provide free upgrades at the end of the year then take them up on the offer - then immediately cancel the lines...sell the phones off - say another £200. Overall loss of maybe £800 *shrugs*

mobilejunkie

Get real. More fool you! I have two contracts with them and blame no-one but myself. I knew the risks and went for it and don't regret it that much either. I put off a third contract until I got below an acceptable level of exposure - which I had just done after getting three cashbacks (two on time). No doubt you and many others will run around like headless chickens blaming and accusing everyone you can think of with everything you can think of - except yourself, of course! You were forced to gobble up all those too-good-to-be-true never-mind-the-risk contracts. I actually feel a degree of sympathy for the owners; my impression was they tried very hard to stay in business or would have vanished a long time back. No doubt they made mistakes and got things wrong and resorted to dishonest tactics to try to stay afloat and ensure the same problem didn't recur - but I'm sure that too will fall on deaf ears. Besides, like you, I have no inside knowledge of the company but am not so quick to blame. You DIDN'T buy anything on your credit card. Trading Standards DID get involved a while back - but that's not always a good thing in any case. Tough. That's the game. If you don't like the rules, don't play! First hand I appear to have lost so I'm not complaining, however disappointing it may be.

You may continue your ranting now!

hncsys

I spoke to a very nice guy at Dextra Solutions (who are the distributer for PBD/CMN etc) who read to me a statement they had been provided. It said that 2 People had been appointed as administrators to look at the viability of the company and its contractual commitment to its creditors (inc those owed cashback) It went on to say that for the next 72 hours no more information would be available until these matters had been looked at. A message would then be posted on the site (we assume PBD) informing customers as to the situation

Hope this helps a bit

Paul

bindiboo

as posted on pbd website





PHONEBOXDIRECT

Mobile Media Systems Limited – t/a Phoneboxdirect and Mobile Affiliates Limited t/a Coolnewmobile and Phones2yourdoor.

These companies were placed into administration on Wednesday 14 November, the joint administrators being Philip Lyon and Steve Wood of Mazars LLP.
Phone Box had been actively marketing via the internet mobile telephones which offered cash-back incentives to customers, providing certain conditions were met by those customers.
Unfortunately the number of customers that were able to comply with the terms and conditions and hence became eligible for the cash-back payments exceeded the company’s expectations. The company is therefore no longer in a position to meet its ongoing liabilities to those customers.
It had been hoped that negotiations with the supplier of the telephones and the networks involved would have enabled a “rescue package” to be implemented to assist those customers affected.
Unfortunately it has not been possible to achieve that objective within the timescale available to the company.
The company has insufficient money available to enable payments to be made to employees and therefore it will no longer be able to answer any individual telephone enquiries. In addition, it follows of course, that email communications will remain unanswered.
We are in the process of obtaining the company’s records of the email addresses of all customers. Any future communication will be by email or posting to the company’s website (www.phoneboxdirect.com) or (www.coolnewmobile.co.uk).
We anticipate that customers main queries will be regarding cash-back claims. Our initial investigations show that these liabilities may be between £4-10 million. There is no possibility that the company will be able to make any meaningful payment to any creditor, whether consumer or supplier.
The second query from customers is in connection with their ongoing contracts with the network suppliers. We are unable to advise individually on this point and would suggest you to contact your network supplier direct or you may wish to take legal advice or contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau or Trading Standards Office.

Useful Contact Information

Vodafone

Customer Services: 07836 191 191

From your Vodafone mobile: 191 (free call)

Opening times: 24 hours

Website: www.vodafone.co.uk

O2

Customer services: 08705 860 860

From your O2 mobile: 100 (free call)

Opening times: Mon-Sun: 08.00-21.00

Website: www.o2.co.uk

T-Mobile
Customer services: 0845 4125 000
From your T-Mobile mobile: 150 (free call)
Opening times: Mon-Sat: 08.00-22.00 Sun:08.00-20.00
Website: www.t-mobile.co.uk
3 "Three"
Customer services: 08707 330 333
From your 3 mobile: 333 (free call)
Opening times: 24 hours
Website: www.three.co.uk
Orange
Customer services: 07973 100 150
From your Orange mobile: 150 (free call)
Opening times: 24hours
Website: www.orange.co.uk