Ending contract, fees, how do I argue back? (Three mobile)

hopefulmoneysaved

Hi

I have 3 months left of my contract with Three. I want to end it. The contract is only for calls so nothing for the device.

Breaking the contract incurs a fee and I have an estimate of the amount which is high but I understand why.

I am leaving because I cannot get local reception as Three have stopped the local 3G mast. My phone has 4G data enabled but not 4G voice so I cannot make a call (internet is fine). There is no option on my phone to enable 4G voice (known as VoLTE). The Three website has my phone listed as 4G compatible as it was probable sold by them years ago.

My argument is that the phone you state is 4G compatible does not support 4G voice and your network needs this to make calls. Therefore I cannot use your network. 

The question is - what is my order of events and who do I write to? I have another provider in mind but I have not started the process of opening an account. Do I move first, then get my bill, then complain about it to Three customer service? Who in Three do I write to as I think it will be easier to explain in a message.

hopefulmoneysaved

Or may be argue my case before I move, then when I get charged, I have something in writing to use. 

I am not hopeful but I need to try.

mr_stripey

I'd contact Three in the first instance

Good thing is only three months left. They will probably want to charge you those remaining months. If it is calls only then probably not a huge amount of money? How long have you been on the contract and how long have you had issues with the signal? Did you alert this to Three before?

When I was with Three I moved house to a rubbish signal area, they provided a device to plug into my broadband which provided a signal boost for the phone

flaneurs_lobster

mr_stripey said:

When I was with Three I moved house to a rubbish signal area, they provided a device to plug into my broadband which provided a signal boost for the phone

Three stopped supplying those signal booster devices several years ago. They also only boosted 2 and 3g which might not help much.

hopefulmoneysaved

mr_stripey said:

I'd contact Three in the first instance

Good thing is only three months left. They will probably want to charge you those remaining months. If it is calls only then probably not a huge amount of money? How long have you been on the contract and how long have you had issues with the signal? Did you alert this to Three before?

When I was with Three I moved house to a rubbish signal area, they provided a device to plug into my broadband which provided a signal boost for the phone

It is £54 but half of that is fees for breaking . Contract was 2 years and I knew about the 3G cut off so I would definitely have checked my phone - and the site confirms this. What I did not know is 4G is split into 2 bits so other providers will give you 4G data but 2G voice (if you cannot get 4G voice). Eventually 2G gets switched off but right now, I have patchy call ability.

mr_stripey

flaneurs_lobster said:

mr_stripey said:

When I was with Three I moved house to a rubbish signal area, they provided a device to plug into my broadband which provided a signal boost for the phone

Three stopped supplying those signal booster devices several years ago. They also only boosted 2 and 3g which might not help much.

noted. It is probably longer ago than I thought that I had one, now I think about it!

hopefulmoneysaved

so looking like "I am leaving because you are not able to provide a service since turning off the 3G masts. Your site lists my phone as 4G but that is not correct. Therefore I do not expect to pay for the remaining of my contract"

and see where that goes

Neil49

Before jumping ship, just make sure that the network you intend to switch to will have a good signal strength and work as you would like. 

Ideally find one that offers monthly rolling contracts so that you can move to another provider without incurring a hefty termination charge. 

400ixl

They are able to provide a 4G service, your handset is not capable of using it being the issue.

All providers are switching off 3G, some just slightly quicker than others. So which ever provider you go to you will soon be back in the same position, only with a longer contract.

Replacing your phone with a fully 4G compatible one would be the most logical answer.

PHK

hopefulmoneysaved said:

mr_stripey said:

I'd contact Three in the first instance

Good thing is only three months left. They will probably want to charge you those remaining months. If it is calls only then probably not a huge amount of money? How long have you been on the contract and how long have you had issues with the signal? Did you alert this to Three before?

When I was with Three I moved house to a rubbish signal area, they provided a device to plug into my broadband which provided a signal boost for the phone

It is £54 but half of that is fees for breaking . Contract was 2 years and I knew about the 3G cut off so I would definitely have checked my phone - and the site confirms this. What I did not know is 4G is split into 2 bits so other providers will give you 4G data but 2G voice (if you cannot get 4G voice). Eventually 2G gets switched off but right now, I have patchy call ability.

That’s not quite right. 4G started off as data only. But VoLTE was developed to handle calls over 4G. The majority of 4G devices sold since 2016/2017 are VoLTE compatible and will continue to work after 3G is switched off. 

As your phone is (for some reason) not VoLTE compatible then it can only drop down to 2G for calls. 

Three never had 2G and the other networks are prioritising (in various ways) 2G for emergency calls, internet of things and machine 2 machine. 

So if you did move to another network you wouldn’t necessarily be better off. Your best bet would be O2 as they’ll switch of 3G next year and begin migrating customers away from 2G as well. 

But as I say, the majority of 4G phones around now support VoLTE. What make and model do you have?

hopefulmoneysaved

PHK said:

hopefulmoneysaved said:

mr_stripey said:

I'd contact Three in the first instance

Good thing is only three months left. They will probably want to charge you those remaining months. If it is calls only then probably not a huge amount of money? How long have you been on the contract and how long have you had issues with the signal? Did you alert this to Three before?

When I was with Three I moved house to a rubbish signal area, they provided a device to plug into my broadband which provided a signal boost for the phone

It is £54 but half of that is fees for breaking . Contract was 2 years and I knew about the 3G cut off so I would definitely have checked my phone - and the site confirms this. What I did not know is 4G is split into 2 bits so other providers will give you 4G data but 2G voice (if you cannot get 4G voice). Eventually 2G gets switched off but right now, I have patchy call ability.

That’s not quite right. 4G started off as data only. But VoLTE was developed to handle calls over 4G. The majority of 4G devices sold since 2016/2017 are VoLTE compatible and will continue to work after 3G is switched off. 

As your phone is (for some reason) not VoLTE compatible then it can only drop down to 2G for calls. 

Three never had 2G and the other networks are prioritising (in various ways) 2G for emergency calls, internet of things and machine 2 machine. 

So if you did move to another network you wouldn’t necessarily be better off. Your best bet would be O2 as they’ll switch of 3G next year and begin migrating customers away from 2G as well. 

But as I say, the majority of 4G phones around now support VoLTE. What make and model do you have?

It is an LG G6. This phone does support Volte according to Three website but I have no option on the phone.