3 Retention Deals

robt_2

marksaver wrote: »

Sadly true, went down from 110 days to 38 days at the middle of last month. As early upgrades don't form part of your contract you've got no recourse.

Shame they haven't updated the website to state this.

I don't really see what the difference was - for an early upgrade didn't the new 18 month period start after the old contract ended in effect giving you a 21 month contract? The only thing that changed was you got a new handset and changed price plan (if you wanted to)?

marksaver

robt wrote: »

Shame they haven't updated the website to state this.

I don't really see what the difference was - for an early upgrade didn't the new 18 month period start after the old contract ended in effect giving you a 21 month contract? The only thing that changed was you got a new handset and changed price plan (if you wanted to)?

That's exactly right, which is why the change was made. The idea being that it'll lower customer confusion and errors in processing upgrades if they're all done in the last month or so of the tariff.

chrisj2006

I've just upgraded today - HTC Hero, 750 minutes, unlimited texts for £23.45 18 month contract. I've just added internet max on so £28 all in. I'm impressed with that.

Phase

chrisj2006 wrote: »

I've just upgraded today - HTC Hero, 750 minutes, unlimited texts for £23.45 18 month contract. I've just added internet max on so £28 all in. I'm impressed with that.

That is pretty impressive. They've got the same deal with the Samsung Jet on the internet.

Dando83

I wouldn't say I'm livid, as that implies I'm letting a mobile phone get the better of me.

However, to warn all you savvy consumers out there, I thought I'd share my experience in trying to negotiate a new contract and phone with 3.

No less than three times I called for a PAC, only to be put through to retention services. Despite the fact that 3 currently has probably the weakest repertoire of phones, the HTC Hero did tickle my fancy.

I thought with the recent introduction of a 24 month £25 a month plan (all the minutes, texts and internet one needs), there'd be room to negotiate for an 18 month contract if I offered a fair amount of upfront cash for the phone. After "feigning" checking with the manager and feeding me a whole load of technobabble that I knew to be untrue, none of the offers they came up with were any better than offered online. Indeed, one or two deals were worse, and I pointed it out.

Needless to say I got the PAC and went with Virgin who released the Nokia E72...about three months before 3 intended to have it.

Now, about two weeks later I note that 3 have launched an 18 month £23.45 plan. Adding another £5 for unlimited internet means an end of contract price that is less than I was prepared to offer the company only two weeks ago.

I shake my head in disbelief that the agents on the phone are so restricted that they lost a customer over what now appears to be nothing.

Yeah, there are a lot more consumer conveniences nowadays, but 50 years ago, a business would have ripped its own arm off to earn or retain a customer.

Umfreakinbelievable.:eek:

Dando83

chrisj2006 wrote: »

I've just upgraded today - HTC Hero, 750 minutes, unlimited texts for £23.45 18 month contract. I've just added internet max on so £28 all in. I'm impressed with that.

Exactly makes the point of my story. If you were an existing customer you were offered nothing more than a new customer would have got.

Dando83

robt wrote: »

Shame they haven't updated the website to state this.

I don't really see what the difference was - for an early upgrade didn't the new 18 month period start after the old contract ended in effect giving you a 21 month contract? The only thing that changed was you got a new handset and changed price plan (if you wanted to)?

Another classy move from 3. If you upgrade early, they simply tack the "early months" onto the end. So upgrading 3 months early simply earns you a new 21 or 27 month contract. Bleh.

Dando83

I suppose rather than moaning, I should have shared the deal I did get.

Virgin offering 18 month £25 a month for the E72 with 500 mins and unlimited texts and internet. Existing Virgin Media customers get a two month auto-rebate. So I'm paying only 16 months for an 18 month contract. £400 all in for a new phone to market and practically unlimited tariff turned me into a Virgin (customer that is). Incidentally, I've enver stayed with the same provider for more than a contract term, BUT is now my third time back to Virgin.

Oh, and the 3 retention guy was trying to sell me some rubbish about how much better it is that 3 owns their own network. Last time I checked, my Virgin (is it T-mobile that loans them signal?) reception is loads better in my neighbourhood.

robt_2

Dando83 wrote: »

Another classy move from 3. If you upgrade early, they simply tack the "early months" onto the end. So upgrading 3 months early simply earns you a new 21 or 27 month contract. Bleh.

Pretty industry standard.

robt_2

Dando83 wrote: »

I wouldn't say I'm livid, as that implies I'm letting a mobile phone get the better of me.

However, to warn all you savvy consumers out there, I thought I'd share my experience in trying to negotiate a new contract and phone with 3.

No less than three times I called for a PAC, only to be put through to retention services. Despite the fact that 3 currently has probably the weakest repertoire of phones, the HTC Hero did tickle my fancy.

I thought with the recent introduction of a 24 month £25 a month plan (all the minutes, texts and internet one needs), there'd be room to negotiate for an 18 month contract if I offered a fair amount of upfront cash for the phone. After "feigning" checking with the manager and feeding me a whole load of technobabble that I knew to be untrue, none of the offers they came up with were any better than offered online. Indeed, one or two deals were worse, and I pointed it out.

Needless to say I got the PAC and went with Virgin who released the Nokia E72...about three months before 3 intended to have it.

Now, about two weeks later I note that 3 have launched an 18 month £23.45 plan. Adding another £5 for unlimited internet means an end of contract price that is less than I was prepared to offer the company only two weeks ago.

I shake my head in disbelief that the agents on the phone are so restricted that they lost a customer over what now appears to be nothing.

Yeah, there are a lot more consumer conveniences nowadays, but 50 years ago, a business would have ripped its own arm off to earn or retain a customer.

Umfreakinbelievable.:eek:

You obviously were not a customer worth keeping (profit wise). If you were, then they would have offered you a better deal. That is how it works with all networks.