GregE240
21-11-2007, 01:41 PM
Well, it looked good at the beginning:
Half price line rental! Free phone calls! A phone with video capability! A new, fresh mobile operator!
Stupidly I signed for 18 months.
June 2006. First problem? I couldn't pair my TomTom with my phone. Well, I could, but no traffic data. Looked on the forums here...ah, that'll be 3's walled network. We can punch a hole in it for you sir, explained Mumbai, but it will cost you £15 per month. But, you'll get a generous data allowance as well. More on that generosity later.
So my extra £15 pretty much knocked out my half month line rental. Ah well.
August 2006. Next...the phone. I noticed from day one that the battery life (6280) was pretty poor, in spite of switching off or disabling everything I could. So again I consulted t'internet. New battery, or new firmware. So I phoned Mumbai again....we recommend you buy a new battery, sir. Eh? The phone is about 3 months old? Well, you can send it for repair but we cannot guarantee your personal phone will be returned to you. And we will not provide a temporary phone, sir. <sigh>....OK, I'll just buy a new battery then, shall I? Interestingly, I went into Phones 4 U at this time to enquite about a new battery. As soon as I mentioned 3, I was pretty much on my own.
Still, new battery sorted. Phone now worked for about 2-3 days before needing a charge.
December 2006. The "generous" data plan. Worked away from home for a month. Needed access to email and internet to stop me going stir crazy in my hotel room. Discovered Nokia 6280 made a great modem off my laptop, and connected at 1.8Mbps! Great! Oh...hang on...I've used it for 2 nights and used all of my 56MB allowance? Riiight. So I need a decent carrier with a data plan...that'll be T-Mobile, then. One 3G Web n' Walk card later (with 2GB allowance) and sanity returns.
Late December 2006. Phoned Mumbai and inquired about paying up my contract and leaving. Almost fell over when told it would cost the thick end of £400 to bail. Asked politely if I could downgrade my contract as I wasn't using the free minutes and text. Astonishingly was asked if I wanted to UPGRADE for free? Er, no, I'd like to downgrade. Ah, that is subject to an administrative charge of £25, sir. Great. Just downgrade me, please.
February 2007. Bought an HTC TyTn (Windows Smartphone - unlocked). Found my SIM card would not register. Phoned Mumbai, who advised that according to the Ts & Cs of my contract, 3 would only guarantee it to work in the phone they provided me with. I had to escalate this within 3 and after several days, it miraculously started working again.
October 2007. Engulfed with calls from the same company who initially signed me off Vodafone on to 3. Each time dealt with them the same way...let them say their piece about an exciting new contract with a larger data allowance (1GB as opposed to 56MB), a new phone of my choice, and a £15 / month contract. At the end in the silence politely informed them I would not be renewing with 3, wished them well and then hung up.
Early November 2007. As soon as I could, phoned Mumbai and asked for my PAC code. Paid £15 to unlock my 6280, which I will sell on Ebay at some point. 3 pleaded with me to stay, offering deals on line rental, phone, further offers if I signed up friends, but I politely declined.
My number switched to T-Mobile earlier today, who have done me a blinding deal on a contract, and thrown in a Nokia 6300 for when I travel.
Just thought I would post my experiences. I doubt I'm the only one.
Best,
Greg
Half price line rental! Free phone calls! A phone with video capability! A new, fresh mobile operator!
Stupidly I signed for 18 months.
June 2006. First problem? I couldn't pair my TomTom with my phone. Well, I could, but no traffic data. Looked on the forums here...ah, that'll be 3's walled network. We can punch a hole in it for you sir, explained Mumbai, but it will cost you £15 per month. But, you'll get a generous data allowance as well. More on that generosity later.
So my extra £15 pretty much knocked out my half month line rental. Ah well.
August 2006. Next...the phone. I noticed from day one that the battery life (6280) was pretty poor, in spite of switching off or disabling everything I could. So again I consulted t'internet. New battery, or new firmware. So I phoned Mumbai again....we recommend you buy a new battery, sir. Eh? The phone is about 3 months old? Well, you can send it for repair but we cannot guarantee your personal phone will be returned to you. And we will not provide a temporary phone, sir. <sigh>....OK, I'll just buy a new battery then, shall I? Interestingly, I went into Phones 4 U at this time to enquite about a new battery. As soon as I mentioned 3, I was pretty much on my own.
Still, new battery sorted. Phone now worked for about 2-3 days before needing a charge.
December 2006. The "generous" data plan. Worked away from home for a month. Needed access to email and internet to stop me going stir crazy in my hotel room. Discovered Nokia 6280 made a great modem off my laptop, and connected at 1.8Mbps! Great! Oh...hang on...I've used it for 2 nights and used all of my 56MB allowance? Riiight. So I need a decent carrier with a data plan...that'll be T-Mobile, then. One 3G Web n' Walk card later (with 2GB allowance) and sanity returns.
Late December 2006. Phoned Mumbai and inquired about paying up my contract and leaving. Almost fell over when told it would cost the thick end of £400 to bail. Asked politely if I could downgrade my contract as I wasn't using the free minutes and text. Astonishingly was asked if I wanted to UPGRADE for free? Er, no, I'd like to downgrade. Ah, that is subject to an administrative charge of £25, sir. Great. Just downgrade me, please.
February 2007. Bought an HTC TyTn (Windows Smartphone - unlocked). Found my SIM card would not register. Phoned Mumbai, who advised that according to the Ts & Cs of my contract, 3 would only guarantee it to work in the phone they provided me with. I had to escalate this within 3 and after several days, it miraculously started working again.
October 2007. Engulfed with calls from the same company who initially signed me off Vodafone on to 3. Each time dealt with them the same way...let them say their piece about an exciting new contract with a larger data allowance (1GB as opposed to 56MB), a new phone of my choice, and a £15 / month contract. At the end in the silence politely informed them I would not be renewing with 3, wished them well and then hung up.
Early November 2007. As soon as I could, phoned Mumbai and asked for my PAC code. Paid £15 to unlock my 6280, which I will sell on Ebay at some point. 3 pleaded with me to stay, offering deals on line rental, phone, further offers if I signed up friends, but I politely declined.
My number switched to T-Mobile earlier today, who have done me a blinding deal on a contract, and thrown in a Nokia 6300 for when I travel.
Just thought I would post my experiences. I doubt I'm the only one.
Best,
Greg