3 mobile terminating old contracts 29 June at 2:55PM edited 29 June at 2:56PM in Mobiles 12 replies 379 views

epm-84

I just got an email to say 3 are no longer offering the contract I have (which is now on a rolling basis after the minimum term being completed) and I will be moved to a more expensive monthly plan from early August unless I choose a new 12/24 month contract or cancel my existing contract prior to the date they've specified.

Tescodealqueen

I had one a few weeks ago. initially thought it was spam. Reluctantly changed to new contract but got more data for less than i was currently paying so will take that even though I was happy with what I had. Don t just let it roll on to the one specified,there should be a link in the email to some offers if it is like mine was

Frozen_up_north

It's nothing new, in the past you could keep an old contract rolling for months/years at the same price. Three have become crafty and include RPI annual increases in their new contracts, so you pay more and more until you see a "better deal", or just accept the increases.

Exemplar

Frozen_up_north said:

It's nothing new, in the past you could keep an old contract rolling for months/years at the same price. Three have become crafty and include RPI annual increases in their new contracts, so you pay more and more until you see a "better deal", or just accept the increases.

This. 3 are a business.

epm-84

Frozen_up_north said:

It's nothing new, in the past you could keep an old contract rolling for months/years at the same price. Three have become crafty and include RPI annual increases in their new contracts, so you pay more and more until you see a "better deal", or just accept the increases.

3 sent emails to everyone on old contracts last year to say they had to now accept a new term of annual increases at RPI or leave.  They screwed up those emails as well which meant people on contracts which didn't include RPI increases got text messages saying their plan would increase at the rate of RPI in accordance with their contracts when the contract contained no such term and they hadn't issued any notice of the change of contract.

For me it means around a 25p increase a month if I commit to a 12 month contract or a £1.75 a month decrease if I commit to a 24 month contract.  I think 3 are trying to lock people back in, opposed to increase the monthly charge. (Obviously there's also the option of moving to a different plan with more or less data.)

sparkesy

Me, my wife and eldest son are all out of contract and I've had emails about all numbers in the past few days. 
As has been said in most cases its a small increase on what I pay mow for 12 month or a reduction of almost £2 if I accept a 24 month. 
We've all been with three for years and use go roam annually in the US so I'm unsure what to do at the moment. 

eDicky

sparkesy said:

We've all been with three for years and use go roam annually in the US so I'm unsure what to do at the moment. 

Staying with Three will be a benefit for using their Go Roam, so you could try to get a better deal with them...

Look for the cheapest SIM-only deals with other networks that fulfill your requirements, note them but don't sign up, then call Three and ask for your PAC(s) to leave them.

Quote the deals you have seen if asked what you are moving to, and you are likely to be offered matching discounted tariffs in order to retain your custom. Might not work but worth a try, take the PAC anyway in case they call you back about it, no need to use the PAC if you decide to stay regardless.

epm-84

eDicky said:

sparkesy said:

We've all been with three for years and use go roam annually in the US so I'm unsure what to do at the moment. 

Staying with Three will be a benefit for using their Go Roam, so you could try to get a better deal with them...

Look for the cheapest SIM-only deals with other networks that fulfill your requirements, note them but don't sign up, then call Three and ask for your PAC(s) to leave them.

Quote the deals you have seen if asked what you are moving to, and you are likely to be offered matching discounted tariffs in order to retain your custom. Might not work but worth a try, take the PAC anyway in case they call you back about it, no need to use the PAC if you decide to stay regardless.

There's supposed to be regulations in place so that customers are given PACs without first being offered a load of alternative deals from the current provider.

I suppose one advantage of the 24 month contract is you have Go Roam for at least 24 months even if they start removing it from new contracts but then the obvious disadvantage is you can't switch to a special offer deal with another provider if one comes up.

Bogof_OAP

Is the 14 days cooling off period valid if you signed up online to one of the offered replacement contracts after receiving the above mentioned termination notice?  I checked all the options and selected the £9 a month for 8GB 24 month plan, but I now see on this website (the newsletter section, not the forums) that Three are currently doing a 12 month 8GB SIM for £8, but obviously that would be a new account not an "upgrade" to my existing one.  I'm not bothered about keeping the number (it's not my main phone) so was wondering whether to ring them and say I have changed my mind.  I apparently have until Weds if the 14 day cooling off period does apply.

Bogof_OAP

Further to above post, phoned today and got the new contract cancelled as still within the 14 days cooling off period.  Quite difficult to understand the chap in the call centre (sounded like probably in India) as line very muffled, but I think I got it sorted eventually.  He asked me if I would like to take out the £8 12-month one instead when I said I had seen it - so if any readers have had the same experience as me and are still within their renewal period it's worth mentioning it and saying you wish to close your account, as you might get offered the better deal.

epm-84

@Bogof_OAP Did you get a SMS confirmation after agreeing the lower price?  I just agreed to a lower price (what 3 were advertising to new customers on USwitch) but the monthly charge quoted on the confirmation SMS relates to my existing contract.  I was wondering if you or anyone else had the same thing?

Also they do use staff in India for customer support (they have been for a number of years.)  India is very badly affected by COVID-19 at present, so I'm surprised 3 thought now was a good time to get rid of the old contracts!