3 Retention Deals

dellaclearing

ginvzt wrote: »

Well, just asked for my PAC from 3. It took 'only' 20 minutes of talking. After I said I am leaving due to network issues, they offered me to reduce my plan to Mix&Match 300 (I am on 600 now, paying £25, they said I pay £20?) and give me the best phone - Sony Ericsson C510 (I want an SE). That is the best deal ever and I will never get any better as as soon as I ask for PAC I loose any loyalty discount!!!! That is the same offer they have on the website to anyone. If I call back again, I will never get such a good offer again. Right.

Told them to listen to what I am actually saying and give the code instead of wasting time. I kept repeating that I have poor network coverage and he kept telling me that if I take out another contract with new phone all will be well. Well, my OH has a newer phone from them and and has exactly the same problems. Which they ignored. Actually, they told me I have a perfect coverage at home (believe, I am not).

They gave me the exact same rubbish! In my previous flat I had no signal at all apart from one tiny spot on top of the TV in the living room where I could get maybe a bar or two of signal, but if the phone was moved an inch to the left or right the signal would completely dissappear! I told 3 who just kept saying that I was in an excellent coverage zone and that a new handset (and contract!) would fix the problem. I used to think it was the walls in my flat or something, but there was no signal in the street outside or for quite a distance around me. I've moved now and luckily get a perfect 3 reception which was why I was willing to stay with the network. They also gave me the same crap about never getting a better deal if I asked for my pac code.

If nobody has any ideas about what to do if you're mid-way through a contract and have to move abroad I think I'm gonna have to call 3 back tomorrow with my tail between my legs and ask to just let my current contract run on until September. I'm pretty gutted as I was looking forward to getting a new phone, but won't be able to get one without signing a new contract and feel a bit stupid going back to my old deal after 4 weeks of playing hardball!
Anyone?

pocketings

Since last couple of days I have been getting calls from 3 offering 25% off line rental for family or friends. I am a bit annoyed since my wife's contracted had recently ended and when I was requesting her PAC code the best thing they could offer was an N95 8GB for £18pm but reduced the number of minutes. Now they are offering this deal to people who aren't even their customers. Does not make sense.

i asked about nokia e71. the guy said I could have it for £30 for handset plus £20.25 line rental pm, with internet max included and 2000 minutes for myself for recommending the offer to friend/family. Do any of you think it's a good deal?

The other thing is that my wife has a PAC code from her current contract with 3, can this be used by 3 themselves to transfer onto this deal? Is it the case that PAC codes are only used to transfer numbers from network to network and not internally within a single network.

Comments appreciated.
Thanks!

ginvzt

dellaclearing wrote: »

If nobody has any ideas about what to do if you're mid-way through a contract and have to move abroad I think I'm gonna have to call 3 back tomorrow with my tail between my legs and ask to just let my current contract run on until September. I'm pretty gutted as I was looking forward to getting a new phone, but won't be able to get one without signing a new contract and feel a bit stupid going back to my old deal after 4 weeks of playing hardball!
Anyone?

Ask for 6 months contract?...

dellaclearing

ginvzt wrote: »

Ask for 6 months contract?...

Yeah, I may ring them later and see if they can offer me a further 6 months contract, can't see them offering me a new handset for that period of time though! Anyone had any luck getting just six month contract from 3 or any other network?

JediMaster

pocketings wrote: »

i asked about nokia e71. the guy said I could have it for £30 for handset plus £20.25 line rental pm, with internet max included and 2000 minutes for myself for recommending the offer to friend/family. Do any of you think it's a good deal?

Well the E71 is £22 for Mix & Match 300 & Internet is £5 extra. So thats £27 for 300min & Internet. Your offer is 2,000 Min??? I can only see Min & Match 1,100 on E71 @ £70 in the Three booklet for March 2009

pocketings wrote: »

The other thing is that my wife has a PAC code from her current contract with 3, can this be used by 3 themselves to transfer onto this deal? Is it the case that PAC codes are only used to transfer numbers from network to network and not internally within a single network.!

PAC is for Moving from Three to Another (like Orange, O2 or T-Mobile). To renew with Three its a Upgrade.

pocketings

Spoke to them again this morning, 25% off line rental for friends and family. If I recommend someone I will get 2000 free landline minutes.

Asked about other handsets available, mentioned Nokia N96 - this would cost an additional £38 for handset.

Apparently I can get a new contract out with this deal and use a PAC code issued by 3 from a different contract to port the number. Is that possible or are they just trying to get me to sign another deal???

dellaclearing

ginvzt wrote: »

Ask for 6 months contract?...

So I just rung them to see what they could offer in the way of a 6 month contract, the woman I spoke with assured me that they do not deal in 6 month contracts. I asked about a 12 month contract that I could downgrade and then pay off the remainder if I leave the country, she offered me:

Refurb Nokia N95 8GB
500 minutes
Unlimited texts
£24.47.

I said that they were only bettering the 12 month friends & family deal from Orange by only £2 and offering an older refurb handset, her manager allowed her to credit my account with £10 meaning I'd pay £23.67 overall. She was quite cheeky actually, telling me I may as well stay with 3 seeing as I phone them so often!

I told her I'd rather take the Orange deal for £2-3 more per month and have a much newer, non refurb handset. So the plan now is to take Orange's 12 month Dolphin 40, £37.20 before F&F discount, down to £26.04 after, and downgrade my tarriff after 6 months to minimise paying off the remainder of the contract if I end up leaving the country.

My 3 PAC code expires on the 21st of March (tomorrow), does anyone know if I can port my number out to Orange any time tomorrow or will it expire as soon as the clock turns midnight tonight? Definitely don't want to give 3 another 30 days of service.

Overall I'm pretty dissapointed with 3, thought they'd make more effort to hang on to customers right now, I've seen some people get some excellent deals throughout this thread but it seems no more.

Money_saving_Martyn

First post is rather long but 3 seem to be getting a bad reputation round here....

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=718371

be careful.

thigger

dellaclearing wrote: »

So I just rung them to see what they could offer in the way of a 6 month contract, the woman I spoke with assured me that they do not deal in 6 month contracts.

She's wrong - (lying or misinformed) - they offer 6 month contracts on mix 300 and mix 500 though they give a fairly limited selection of phones. ( http://threestore.three.co.uk/priceplans.aspx )

My 3 PAC code expires on the 21st of March (tomorrow), does anyone know if I can port my number out to Orange any time tomorrow or will it expire as soon as the clock turns midnight tonight? Definitely don't want to give 3 another 30 days of service.

I think the timing is when your new provider contacts them to transfer the number over, which could be a day or two down the line - so you're probably already too late sadly.

Overall I'm pretty dissapointed with 3, thought they'd make more effort to hang on to customers right now, I've seen some people get some excellent deals throughout this thread but it seems no more.

I'm in the same boat myself, PAC code in hand and trying to decide whether or not to stay with 3. There are some excellent deals on t-mobile at the moment (though most of them are for rather more minutes than I'd use). Perhaps they'll give me a call; I have been impressed with how easy it has been to keep track of minutes/texts using My3, and the ease of using the phone as a modem but they're certainly not the only option available...

JediMaster

pocketings wrote: »

Apparently I can get a new contract out with this deal and use a PAC code issued by 3 from a different contract to port the number. Is that possible or are they just trying to get me to sign another deal???

£38 one off fee for a N96 on what Tariff?? I may be interested in that :TMy 18 months is up on May 19th



Off http://www.mobile-phones.co.uk/information/switching-and-porting.htm
Do I need a PAC code if I am buying a new phone on the same network?

No, but you can still keep your old number. If you are moving to another phone and tariff within your network (i.e. you are not changing your network provider) then you will not need to get your PAC code, as they will be able to switch your existing number to your new phone – simply call up your network provider, and they will be able to move your old number over to your new phone.
Moving your old number across to a new phone internally usually takes around 24 hours to complete, and requires you to switch your phone off and on again, but sometimes it can take longer. Again, you will be supplied with a temporary number to use in the interim.