Coming to end of min term with 3….What happens

dazzaofdagenham

Ok…so I’m about 2 months away from the min 24 month term in my 3 contract with phone…unlimited all with a Pixel 5

now no doubt my monthly charge includes a piece for paying off the phone….it’s not a separate charge for airtime / phone device.

2 things


Will 3 reduce my monthly bill has no doubt I’ve paid for the phone ?

Can I keep my existing tariff….I’ve certainly had great use of the EU roaming so far….and have 3 more trips planned to Europe this year.

thanks 

oscarward

I had a unlimited data card with three which the contract expired in January. I could just continue paying the same and the contract would just keep going. I rang and asked what happens and I could cancel but they tried very hard to keep me so asked what I needed ( a novelty) and offered a deal where I could halve my costs and still keep a significant, but limited, data capacity. As the card was used in a mifi  for a caravan for the holiday then I accepted.
Bottom line talk to the call centre and haggle.

dazzaofdagenham

So if I do nothing….the price I’m paying stays the same ?

I.e.   no reduction as after 2 years I’ve paid for the handset ?

Browntoa

Not unless the contract stipulated separate payments for the handset ( O2 did this ) 

bagand96

Do nothing your contract continues at the same price. You keep the same plan and benefits (roaming etc). You'd be overpaying though (as you say the contract is currently priced to include the handset cost.) 

You could get in touch with Three to bring your cost down and get a SIM only plan probably very competitive. However it would be a new plan and you'd lose roaming as Three don't include it on new plans.

Plenty of other SIM only plans still include roaming with other providers though. 

dave_dph

Before recontracting to 3, check out what Smarty has to offer on their sim only (no contract) deals. They are owned by, and run on the 3 network. I switched recently and have no complaints.

Neil49

After my contract came to the end of the minimum term I had planned on letting it run in order to retain roaming. After a couple of months I was told that they were terminating the contract and any new one would exclude roaming. 

This will probably happen to you so I suggest that you start looking for a new provider. 

If you prefer the Three network then ID mobile have some great monthly rolling contracts which include EU roaming and are cheaper than Three.

I switched to O2 who also include EU roaming but there are plenty of others who also do.

Rich2808

After a few months they will likely move you to new terms and a higher monthly charge if you do nothing - they did that to me. With that change you end up being subject to the new £2 charge for EU roaming per day from late May - which you don't on contracts entered into before last October.

dazzaofdagenham

So just a update to this.

asked 3 what would happen to my price as I near the end of my min term…I think 12th may is end of term.

they didnt really answer my question but went straight into a sales call about upgrade to pixel 6 etc etc

happy with my pixel 5 and wanted new sim only deal.

After much discussion…managed to get unlimited calls.texts and 12 Gb of data for £10 per month and that’s not including any roaming allowance.

im happy with this…suppose people would say I could have got it cheaper elsewhere etc….but so fat I’m content