Switching to a new provider without penalties

jennifernil

I hope someone can guide me here!     My OH has a 2 year contract with 3, it ends on 2nd February.   He has no idea what he is doing when it comes to this sort of thing, and too busy with other stuff, so looks like I will have to help him sort it out.

Does he need to give notice to 3?

If so, how long?   I have seen 30 days mentioned.

His contract ends in less than 30 days, so what should he do?

Can they charge him for an extra month after 2nd February if he gives notice today and then switches to elsewhere on 2nd February........or should that be 3rd February?

He wants to port his number and move to a rolling monthly contract with Lebara and get the 12gb data deal shown on MSE.

This deal ends 30/01, can he order the sim pack later this month, activate the sim before 30/01 then port his number on say 03/02? 

Mark_d

Your OH does not give notice to 3 because he wants to port his number.  He should sign up with Lebara at the end of January.  On or after 2 Feb, he should request PAC from 3 and then use this to port the number to Lebara.

OH will be paying for both contracts from when the Lebara contract starts until the number port completes - so maybe about a week.

jennifernil

Thanks, that is roughly what I suggested to him.  

If he requests the port to happen on  2nd February, is that too soon?       ( I have recently had a problem with moving a business electricity contract when the new provider requested the switch for the same day as the contract ended and the current supplier blocked it, so I am wary about contract end dates).

Or should he request it for the 3rd, which unfortunately is a Saturday?

If it then gets delayed can 3 insist  he pays for the whole of February, or just a day or 2, since he is now already inside the 30 days they mentioned ?   I am very confused on what the rules are!    Never done a switch before as he has been with 3 for several years.

3 seem to  take the DD from my account on the 10th of the month, so I am expecting to pay this month for up to 2nd February.

eDicky

Number porting doesn't proceed during weekends. Three will probably take a full month's payment for any days of service beyond Feb 2, but must refund for the unused period after service is terminated by the number port. Don't cancel the DD.

jennifernil

I thought the weekend might be a problem!

Would 3 want a "termination fee" if he requested the port for the 2nd, or even a day or two earlier?

Happy to pay them for a few days after the end of the contract if necessary.

PHK

Don't make this complicated. 

Simply arrange the port for Monday 5Th. You'll have a few days overlap but as long as you don't cancel the direct debit you'll have no penalty fee and and any overpayment refunded. 

jennifernil

That sounds like the best plan, thanks all

savergrant

Hi, if your port goes through after you have started a new billing period (month or 30 days) your old network will bill you for the month but then refund for the period after the port goes through. If you pac before the end of the minimum term they will charge for the rest of that period.  You have 30 days to use a pac, however the info they send with your pac assumes you use it immediately. So don't be afraid to text pac to 65075 a few days before and then give it to the new network a day before your minimum term ends.

PHK

savergrant said:

Hi, if your port goes through after you have started a new billing period (month or 30 days) your old network will bill you for the month but then refund for the period after the port goes through. If you pac before the end of the minimum term they will charge for the rest of that period.  You have 30 days to use a pac, however the info they send with your pac assumes you use it immediately. So don't be afraid to text pac to 65075 a few days before and then give it to the new network a day before your minimum term ends.

Im sorry but thats out of date and poor advice.

The first point is only true if you port after the bill has been calculated but before the payment is taken.  

The minimum term ends on a Saturday and no-one in their right mind would port on a Friday. 

savergrant

Sorry, do 3 not do upfront charges any more? My point is that if you leave part way through a month your old network will initially charge you for a month, then reimburse you once your number has transferred, unless you are within your minimum term when they will charge you until the end of contract. Unfortunately no network can know exactly when your number is going to be transferred until it happens, so they cannot say 'we will only charge you for seven days as you are moving next wednesday'. Nor do I know of any network which delays calculating how much to xharge you just in case your number is transferred before the end of the month. Perhaps they now do.