3 mobile - 170 disconnection charge

foggy_lad

can i just ask the op to say what exactly is the situation with their three contract? i mean when did they sign up and have they accepted any upgrades in the two years they say they have their current phone/modem? contracts are usually 12months unless you bought a reduced price of free modem and once this period is up you are free to leave without paying any fees or charges. you will have to give 30days notice of course as is the case with most contracts!

is this a case of you going way over your data limit knowing that you were going to leave three and now they are charging you for this?

JuliusCaesar

jor el wrote: »

http://www.three.ie/company/pmterms-conditions.htm
General section, part 5
5. Cancellation fee: Pay monthly customers only – there is no cancellation fee if you wish to cancel after your Minimum Term has finished. All reference to Ireland means Republic of Ireland

Either they made a mistake, in which case quote this to them, or you accepted another contract somewhere along the way. This could have been a simple phone call where they offered a new price, or extended data allowance, or they gave you a new modem.

Thanks for that jor el. I was actually talking to the helpline people from outside the 3 shop in Henry St (Dublin) as the shop people couldn't help. And as I had no broadband, I couldn't look up their T&C! I shall however write to them, as I just let the contract roll on after the initial three months special offer or whatever it was. (OK cos I use the b/band all the time it never occurred to me to go to an internet cafe.)

And no, I'd never gone over the limit as I only use internet for emailling and boards...........

thanks all.

MOH

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

It's NOT a phone! It's mobile broadband - the thing you plug into your laptop and can get b/band wherever you are.

My psychic talents obviously aren't working - you said 3 mobile, nothing about braodband.

JuliusCaesar

yeah sorry, didn't even realise they did phones...

Anyway, I spoke to the guy from their callcentre today. He said, look at the bottom of their homepage, click on Terms and Conditions, then open up the pdf file, and look at paragraph 11.2 on page 28:

Y o u must immediately pay all charges you owe up to the date the agreement ends. If we end the agreement due to your conduct or if you end your agreement within the Minimum term the charges will include a Cancellation fee.

It turns out that you sign up to a rolling annual contract. They ring you at the end of the year, ask if you want an upgrade, and if you say no (as I did) then they give you 2 months free - but you must not get an upgrade in the next 12 months (!!!) nor finish before the next 12 months is up. Now while I remember being asked if I wanted an upgrade & them giving me a couple of free months, I don't remember being told I was signed up for another year. And who the hell reads all the small print (page 28!)?

Who do I complain to? Looked at Comreg and they don't seem to be it. Ombudsman?

jor el

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

Who do I complain to? Looked at Comreg and they don't seem to be it. Ombudsman?

It would be Comreg, and you will most likely be wasting your time.

Ring Three again, ask them for a copy of your signed contract, or a copy of the recording where you verbally agreed to the new contract. If they can produce neither of these things, then they can't prove a contract exists.

drunkmonkey

What in gods name was so hard about sending the modem back for repair?

,now were into comreg, contracts, pulling phone records..

talking about making a mountain out of a molehill..

Gummy Panda

Do they even repair the modems?

I thought they are just sent back for inspection then exchanged with a refurb.

JuliusCaesar

drunkmonkey wrote: »

What in gods name was so hard about sending the modem back for repair?

,now were into comreg, contracts, pulling phone records..

talking about making a mountain out of a molehill..

It would take two weeks, two weeks when I'd be without a modem, and I need it for my business. Self-employed. They don't let you have a substitute while they are looking at the one you send in.

Stillnotworking

I have one of the while 3 modems if you want it PM me. I left them after the year so I am sure you can swap in your own sim.

JuliusCaesar

jor el wrote: »

http://www.three.ie/company/pmterms-conditions.htm
General section, part 5
5. Cancellation fee: Pay monthly customers only – there is no cancellation fee if you wish to cancel after your Minimum Term has finished. All reference to Ireland means Republic of Ireland

Either they made a mistake, in which case quote this to them, or you accepted another contract somewhere along the way. ......

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

Anyway, I spoke to the guy from their callcentre today. He said, look at the bottom of their homepage, click on Terms and Conditions, then open up the pdf file, and look at paragraph 11.2 on page 28:

Y o u must immediately pay all charges you owe up to the date the agreement ends. If we end the agreement due to your conduct or if you end your agreement within the Minimum term the charges will include a Cancellation fee.

It turns out that you sign up to a rolling annual contract. They ring you at the end of the year, ask if you want an upgrade, and if you say no (as I did) then they give you 2 months free - but you must not get an upgrade in the next 12 months (!!!) nor finish before the next 12 months is up. Now while I remember being asked if I wanted an upgrade & them giving me a couple of free months, I don't remember being told I was signed up for another year. And who the hell reads all the small print (page 28!)?

so the lesson of the day is, don't go by what it says on the website, read the SMALL PRINT, all 40 pages.

Anyway, I got 'sorted' in the end; massive row with guy in callcentre, and he says he'll send me a new modem within two days IF I sign up for another 12 months. >sigh< So I did. Unhappily. But I was only a day without a modem.

End of saga, except I am complaining to anyone I can think of.

matt70iu

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

this seems like blackmail to me, to stay with the same company even if you aren't happy with the service.

Is this really allowed?

Seems like you were still in contract with them. Assuming this was the case, when you cancel, you are billed by the following formula: (lowest tariff x time remaining on contract) I'm afraid they are well within their rights to do this, hope you get it sorted

granadaghia

yep have to say they are the most ignorant ,rude shower you could ever come across , how did our esteemed green party minister appoint these shower in India or Pakistan to supply and run this countrys National braodband scheme?
oh goodness gracious me i think i will run and hide in the black wally.please do not be calling me kind sir .

dudara

granadaghia, you will be taking an enforced break from Consumer Issues. Racism is not tolerated on Boards and is clearly in contravention of the Boards User Agreement.

dudara