topping up

[Clanger]

I have just had a 3 prepay phone bought for Christmas and while I am thrilled with the things the phone does, I think the topping up method is stupid. I have just spent half hour in our local newsagents with her trying to top my phone up. Why can't we have a swipe card and when you have credit why isn't it credit across the board? And when its gone its gone instead of minutes for this and that? And why are 3 allowed to take £5.00 of our money off of us if we don't spend it within a month? Surely a pay and go phone should be topped up when and if needed not on specified time laid down by admin. Its our money when all said and done.

[perkadillo]

when you say "specified time"...what do you mean?

[Vergleichen]

At the end of the day the 3 phones are heavily subsidised and so they need to recoup the money. So, the PAYG deal is quite similar to a contract except that there is no credit check... It's still excellent value if you use the minutes you buy compared to any other payg deal out there. I like the flexibility compared to a contract as I can have a heavy month without committing to it long term.

The other mobile companies don't subsidise to the same extent so you won't get much of a phone for £50 from them. Anything reasonably nice will be around £300.. IE sharp GX-30...

A few years ago the other companies subsidised more and gave payg customers nicer phones, and they had a far worse deal as far as top ups than 3pay offers.

As I recall up to 50p/day off your topup, and per minute charges that were extortionate esp if you phoned another mobile network.

Three is not a suitable network for someone who wants to spend £5/mo on a phone. However the alternative for those people who want a bit of flash on their phone is to spend £150+ on the phone and then get very few minutes for that £5/mo....

[DaveC]

I have just had a 3 prepay phone bought for Christmas and while I am thrilled with the things the phone does, I think the topping up method is stupid. I have just spent half hour in our local newsagents with her trying to top my phone up. Why can't we have a swipe card and when you have credit why isn't it credit across the board? And when its gone its gone instead of minutes for this and that? And why are 3 allowed to take £5.00 of our money off of us if we don't spend it within a month? Surely a pay and go phone should be topped up when and if needed not on specified time laid down by admin. Its our money when all said and done.

You can top up via My3 on your phone and on the Web. My wife has a card registered with 3. She simply goes on the Web and in 2 minutes the credit is there to use.

Somebody should have told you about the 30 day rule. Three don't actually claim its PAYG - just another way of paying.

Don't forget, the £5 can also be used for calls once your 50 minutes runs out.
5p to a 3 phone 10p to a landline when you are in a 3 area 15p when out. 25p x-net.
It is also used for text messaging at 10p each so, in theory you could have 50

[crusher21]

At the end of the day the 3 phones are heavily subsidised and so they need to recoup the money. So, the PAYG deal is quite similar to a contract except that there is no credit check... It's still excellent value if you use the minutes you buy compared to any other payg deal out there. I like the flexibility compared to a contract as I can have a heavy month without committing to it long term.

The other mobile companies don't subsidise to the same extent so you won't get much of a phone for £50 from them. Anything reasonably nice will be around £300.. IE sharp GX-30...

A few years ago the other companies subsidised more and gave payg customers nicer phones, and they had a far worse deal as far as top ups than 3pay offers.

As I recall up to 50p/day off your topup, and per minute charges that were extortionate esp if you phoned another mobile network.

Three is not a suitable network for someone who wants to spend £5/mo on a phone. However the alternative for those people who want a bit of flash on their phone is to spend £150+ on the phone and then get very few minutes for that £5/mo....

when i got my first mobile on pay as you go i had to pay 75p a min when i phoned another mobile network

[A1]

But let us not forget that the price that H3UK buys in a phone bears no resembleance to the retail price we would be expected to pay for it. IIRC, for example, the average Nokia has a factory door price of around £2.50. If buying a container load of these I don't imagine that H3UK are paying much more than a fiver each for the e338.

[simax]

Don't forget, the £5 can also be used for calls once your 50 minutes runs out.
5p to a 3 phone 10p to a landline when you are in a 3 area 15p when out. 25p x-net.
Beg to differ.

X-Net calls are now 12p/min (and have been for a few months now)

Simon

[DaveC]

Beg to differ.

X-Net calls are now 12p/min (and have been for a few months now)

Simon

Sorry, you are right. 25p on Contact 12p on Threepay according to the latest price plan

[Vergleichen]

But let us not forget that the price that H3UK buys in a phone bears no resembleance to the retail price we would be expected to pay for it. IIRC, for example, the average Nokia has a factory door price of around £2.50. If buying a container load of these I don't imagine that H3UK are paying much more than a fiver each for the e338.

In any case, if the prices you quote are correct then the other networks (and sim free dealers) must be truly ripping people off. You don't get much of a phone for £50 or even £100 for that matter.

[Clanger]

I still think the top up method is crap. I feel like they robbed me taking away the credit I had left, it was my money that I put on the phone what right have 3 got to take it. I would sooner pay more for calls and text msg's and when the credit gone its gone, and its up to me to put more credit on not to 3 to dictate that I have to use my credit or lose it.

I for one wont be using this phone anymore its a crap system. :mad:

[simax]

In any case, if the prices you quote are correct then the other networks (and sim free dealers) must be truly ripping people off. You don't get much of a phone for £50 or even £100 for that matter.
There is A LOT of subsidy on a 3 phone. (and I mean A LOT). This is artifically reducing prices to a silly level.

....... this is because they know you'll spend £180 min. a year on topping it up! :p

Simon

[Clanger]

Not me I will go back to O2 at least I know what I am getting for my money, and don't get robbed of credit at the end of the month

[Skyblue]

A lot of shops don't know what a £5 3 add-on voucher is, stupid! My mate's struggled before trying to get one. Tesco "didn't have any" (!) but he managed it from Texaco. A swipe would be good, he ruined his first code within minutes of getting it and I had to try and decipher it, took about 10 entries on 444 until it went through!

[Coltch]

At least there are places where you can top up now, when 3pay was launched I had to make a 14 mile round trip to top up the phone as nowhere had the system in place!!, not even the places selling the phones.

Three do actually state in their advertising that "top-ups have a 30 day validity period".

The minimum spend of £15 is still good value (although I preferred the old £15 top-up), and the £25 for 500 minutes can't be matched on any other network.