Cost of ALERTS on Unlimited Content vs Video Value

[mrtivo]

I've been with 3 for 6 months. Since the first month, I've had the Unlimited Content add-on with my account. Last month I had over 370+ events logged on my account, covering music, news, entertainment, alerts and location services. This didn't cost me a penny more than the £10 for the add-on.

Last months bill (October) stated I had moved to Video Value, but there was no change on My3 regarding video calls and MMS, i.e. it told me I only had voice units available. To be honest this isn't a problem, as my other half has a 7600 and I know what she looks like!

Today I looked at My3 and I now have voice, MMS and video units to use. I took a closer look at the Video Value T&Cs this month, and it seems as though Alerts are NOT covered by the add-on. Having called 333, they told me Alerts have NEVER been covered by the UC add-on. I am confused and concerned that VV has been introduced without any notice from 3 and that Alerts are now extra.

I have a copy of the T&Cs for UC and I am sure the only things excluded were ring tones, wall papers, top shelf and SMS. I am sure Alerts were covered as they came under the sports/news icon in the services area.

Has anyone with UC/VV been charged for alerts ? I've turned mine off, at the moment, as I receive at least one every day.

[new2three]

I'm on video value, and called CS to find out how much alerts would cost because I too thought they were free with video value add on.

To my suprise I was told it would cost 5p per alert based on my price plan (Talk and Text 600). On average you get 2 alerts per day (but that could depend on a number of factors, I signed up for the news alerts).

Will have to wait for next month to see if I have been charged for alerts, like you I have now turned them off.

[mrtivo]

Phoned 333 last night. It appears as though VV = UC. All the common alerts, news, football, f1, golf, uefa champions league, etc are all inclusive in VV. Fortunately I had printed off the T&Cs for UC when I took it out, and it does not ention charges for alerts, and explicitly includes news alerts as free.

I had a note put on my account to say that if I was charged for alerts, the fee would be waived. I got the names and numbers of the people I was dealing with, just in case.

The only downside was that the agent thought that the 20 MMS and 20 mins of video calls on my account this month was a special, and not part of the VV package. :eek: I will be paying particular attention to my next bill.

[themaddoctor]

I am on ThreePay and I have had unlimited content/video value add since I have had my handset and I have never paid for a alert from Three, however if you read the T&C's of the current ThreePay offer for new subscribers (20 mins video calls, 20 video messages & unlimited content for 30 days), it states that alerts are not included in the free content and this looks like the same bundle what pay montly customers get as video value for £ 5 a month (1/2 Price).

[mrtivo]

I am on ThreePay and I have had unlimited content/video value add since I have had my handset and I have never paid for a alert from Three, however if you read the T&C's of the current ThreePay offer for new subscribers (20 mins video calls, 20 video messages & unlimited content for 30 days), it states that alerts are not included in the free content and this looks like the same bundle what pay montly customers get as video value for £ 5 a month (1/2 Price).

I got my bill today, and from the 23rd Nov, I have been charged for News Alerts. All the other alerts, sport, football, music, etc are all covered under the video value add on. I have complained and 3 have credited my account for these 11 alerts, plus any news alerts received between the 4th and 13th Dec.

My two concerns are:

1) News alerts were explicitly included in the T&Cs of Unlimited Content and the advertising blurb. This alert appears to have been withdrawn without warning. Taking this to a logical extreme, 3 could remove all content from the service, effectively charging an extra £10 (or £5 for T&T) for upto a 6 month period, and there is nothing the end user can do about it.

2) 3 do not have any method of warning you that they have changed their policy on content and/or charging. You have to go to the price guide to find them. I was told, by 333, that content over £2.00 is chargable, which I've never paid. Looking at the Nov price guide, footnote 8, makes no mention of any price limit. Furthermore, it explictly says that as long as you don't choose, tunes&pics, top shelf and buy games, nothing is chargable.

I urge you to check your bills, and complain if you are being charged. There are way too many conflicting statements in the T&Cs of this service. Luckily, my 6 months has just ended, so I am now on the month by month termination clause.