3 PAYG rate increase

smt37

Having a similar experience to others on this forum. I topped up when rates were still being advertised as 3-2-1 rates for PAYG. Very shortly after they announced a massive price hike (100's of percent increases) to texts, minutes and data at very short notice. This means credit that should have lasted me 3-4 months (and was bought in good faith) will probably last me maybe two months at most. I feel cheated. They should at least leave people with unused credit on the old rates for as long as the credit lasts, then increase it. Or offer to refund any unused credit as long as the customer switches prior to the increase (like electricity and gas companies have to do). I have tried contacting Three and they haven't budged on giving me a refund, so that has now turned into a complaint with Three, which I'm now waiting for them to respond to. In the meantime I have tried e-mailing MSE for assistance (though hopefully they will respond to our comments on this forum as well). I wanted to go down the OFCOM/ombudsman route, but they can only assist me after Three has tried to resolve my complaint with them. This is all very unfair what they are doing. Time is also running out - if you feel strongly about this matter - please contact Three to discuss and maybe they will eventually choose to do the right thing if enough people complain.

merchcon55

SpanishBlue said:

Roger1 said:

IMO this is a massive own goal for Three.  OK, price increases come along, but Three's are huge and of course must lead to the abandoning of the convenient 3-2-1 USP.

I suspect Three will be happy to lose the people (I am one of them) who only use a small amount of credit every year.

They can't make much money out of us as things stand, and will probably gain by some of us switching to a monthly contract with them.

Exactly the reason they are doing this - i tend to use my 3 number more for incoming calls or when you need to give a mobile to register for something. It costs a mobile provider something (no idea how much) to keep a number live. 3 let me put in say £10 a year, which was effectively for me, an annual line rental charge with a small amount of usage thrown in as well. 

The PAYG model in USA for years has been a minimum top up of say $10 a month, with that amount going towards usage - if you did not use it all, you lost it. If you did not top up 2 months in a row, your account was closed.

The Classic O2 SIM could be a solution - however, it does require a £10 top up, and nothing stopping O2 from doing exactly what 3 have done - give 1 month notice and increase rates - with no option to get back any credit.

1p mobile seems a viable solution - as someone mentioned above, £10 every 4 months, is equal to £30 a year - so I'll consider it a £2.50/month line rental charge, with usage thrown in as well.

Phones4Chris

smt37 said:

............... I wanted to go down the OFCOM/ombudsman route, but they can only assist me after Three has tried to resolve my complaint with them. This is all very unfair what they are doing. Time is also running out - if you feel strongly about this matter - please contact Three to discuss and maybe they will eventually choose to do the right thing if enough people complain.

Do complain, by as many routes as possible BUT don't use the webchat as your main route. The last spat I had with them (well over a year ago now), I wasted a whole hour with some burke on webchat that was supposedly someone senior in their complaints handling team and I didn't even get an apology, never mind fixing the problem (a network issue). Days later via other routes I actually got to speak to someone on their networks team who was more than helpful, got the problem addressed, and subsequently put £15 credit on my account.
A previous complaint, now several years ago was about their "addressing" software giving an incorrect partial address. I'd almost forgotten about it when many weeks later they sent a deadlock letter. I'm afraid I have little faith in their complaints procedures!

SpanishBlue said:

Roger1 said:

IMO this is a massive own goal for Three.  OK, price increases come along, but Three's are huge and of course must lead to the abandoning of the convenient 3-2-1 USP.

I suspect Three will be happy to lose the people (I am one of them) who only use a small amount of credit every year.

They can't make much money out of us as things stand, and will probably gain by some of us switching to a monthly contract with them.

Well they are very shorted sighted. Whilst what you say may be true, I'm a similar user, and when I'm away, I have used bundles and/or lots more data which now won't happen to the same extent anymore, especially if where I am I get a good signal on another network. People might find switching to a monthly contract suits their needs if they are moderate users, but using occasional bundles may be a better option for those that are low users with occasional burst of use.

The problem with all of this and possible swapping networks, if you are moving around in rural areas, what networks can you get where you are, if you don't get a signal it's a waste of time!

Phones4Chris

For people looking at swapping networks, I posted a lot of this info on the PAYG1 thread -
ASDA Mobile is moving back to the Vodafone Network so that maybe one to watch. Tesco Lite is the same price as current ASDA Mobile PAYG if you get a good O2 signal, both are 8ppm, 4pp text and 5pp MB.
Even though "3" are putting up the rates 10ppm, 10pp text, 5pp MB, if you hardly text it might be still worth considering (you need a 4G capable phone though because of the band it currently uses, so most choc bar type phones only doing 2G/3G won't work on "3").
Some O2 Classic PAYG SIMs appear to be available through Hotdeals from an eBay.seller.
If you are a slightly higher user, 1p Mobile (on EE's network) may suit you but you need to top-up £10 every 4 months.
Of course most of them do some sort of Bundles or Add-ons if you have bursts of high usage.

BUT before you swap, make sure you can get a decent signal on the network you think you'll move to.

gwapenut

All this never used to bother me, as you could spend the spare credit on Google Play music purchases using O2 or Three. But since Google play have stopped selling music, I've no efficient way of cashing in spare credit.
Note this is far better than Vodafone though who bought talkmobile PAYG and then gave everyone a few months to use their credit before confiscation. That was appalling, only those with £50 or so were able to get Ofcom involved.

getmore4less

Will need to have a day looking at options for our 2 phones,  most of the low use is data/whatsapp   the OH uses more calls text.
When away from wifi and roaming the 321, 50p day data bundle was perfect.
(we can roam for a lot of weeks) 

Need to review the new bundle options and those on the data reward sim  on 3, with ultra low use of calls/text data sim may be the best option until they change the min £2 topup option.

Another angle for us to look at is VM as we use their BB, land and TV adding 2 phones may be an option.

jon81uk

smt37 said:

Having a similar experience to others on this forum. I topped up when rates were still being advertised as 3-2-1 rates for PAYG. Very shortly after they announced a massive price hike (100's of percent increases) to texts, minutes and data at very short notice. This means credit that should have lasted me 3-4 months (and was bought in good faith) will probably last me maybe two months at most. I feel cheated. They should at least leave people with unused credit on the old rates for as long as the credit lasts, then increase it. Or offer to refund any unused credit as long as the customer switches prior to the increase (like electricity and gas companies have to do). I have tried contacting Three and they haven't budged on giving me a refund, so that has now turned into a complaint with Three, which I'm now waiting for them to respond to. In the meantime I have tried e-mailing MSE for assistance (though hopefully they will respond to our comments on this forum as well). I wanted to go down the OFCOM/ombudsman route, but they can only assist me after Three has tried to resolve my complaint with them. This is all very unfair what they are doing. Time is also running out - if you feel strongly about this matter - please contact Three to discuss and maybe they will eventually choose to do the right thing if enough people complain.

But they have given a months notice, so they've stuck to their terms.
"4 Variations to your agreement or prices 4.1 We may vary any of the terms of your agreement, including our Packages, Add-ons or prices, on the following basis: (a) any updated Packages and new terms will be available on our website and on request to Three Customer Services; (b) we will let you know at least one month in advance if we decide to: (i) discontinue your Package; or (ii) make any variations to your agreement which are (in our reasonable opinion) likely to be of material detriment to you. 4.2 You are free to stop using Three Services if we make such variations, but if you carry on using Three Services after any variation or change commences, you will be deemed to have accepted the variation."

HoofeHearted

Statement from O2 website

With Classic Pay As You Go, you pay for what you use, as you go. The minimum top up requirement is £10.

"If you don't top up, or add a Bolt On at least once in any six month period, your mobile will be disconnected and you'll lose any credit on your account. If you want to be reconnected you'll be given a new mobile number."

I have been on this tariff for several years, after moving over from Tesco Mobile.  After 6 months I topped up with £10.

After that I went onto https://community.o2.co.uk and was assured that, despite 02 website still stating the £10 top up is required, "You only need to send a text or make a call every 6 months."

Since then I have not made a top up and my phone is still working.

gwapenut

I can second that. I believe, from memory, that the small print T&Cs disagree with what they state and what you have quoted above, and more reflect your actual experience - that the mobile needs to have a chargeable event every 6 months.

eDicky

HoofeHearted said:

"You only need to send a text or make a call every 6 months."

This is correct (any chargeable event including data use) - disregard what the O2 website states.