Disconnection charge - 3 mobile

[Gordanus]

My 3 mobile broadband expired. 3 different computers came up with "the device you have selected does not exist". So off to the 3 shop to see if I can get a replacement. NO. I was told to plug it in and ring the callcentre who would try to analyse the problem. I said that they couldn't analyse it cos the computer wouldn't analyse it. ANyway, they gave me the number to call, which idid from the street outside the shop. They could take it away for repair they said, fix it, and send it back. No I said, i need it for work etc etc. Anyway, I said I'd go to Vodafone and get one straightaway. If I disconnect from 3, they told me, there's a disconnection charge of........wait for it.........E170.00!!!! And there is no way around it, and they said they are perfectly within their rights to charge this.

I think this is outrageous.

This is blackmail to keep me from changing. In the end I settled for a replacement and a free months' b'band, but I am not at all happy with them. I mean, I'm happy enough with what we agreed on, but I do feel I was blackmailled into staying with them. Surely this cannot be right?

 

[Guest128]

My 3 mobile broadband expired. Anyway, I said I'd go to Vodafone and get one straightaway. If I disconnect from 3, they told me, there's a disconnection charge of........wait for it.........E170.00!!!! And there is no way around it, and they said they are perfectly within their rights to charge this.
Surely this cannot be right?

If you were out of contract there should be no disconncetion charge AFAIK, once your contract is up then you should be on a month to month basis...

*edit, check this thread in case they try to take the 170 quid off you via DD: http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=126172

 

[Papercut]

My 3 mobile broadband expired. 3 different computers came up with "the device you have selected does not exist".

This is blackmail to keep me from changing. In the end I settled for a replacement and a free months' b'band, but I am not at all happy with them. I mean, I'm happy enough with what we agreed on, but I do feel I was blackmailled into staying with them. Surely this cannot be right?

Is it your mobile broadband contract that has expired, or is it the case that your USB dongle was faulty?

 

[Gordanus]

Yeah sorry, it was the dongle that gave up the ghost....had it about 2 years plus so the initial contract (some special offer) had well expired - and then the dongle (lovely word!) died last week.

 

[Papercut]

Yeah sorry, it was the dongle that gave up the ghost....had it about 2 years plus so the initial contract (some special offer) had well expired - and then the dongle (lovely word!) died last week.

Yea it is quite a suggestive word alright

It's been my experience with both 3 customer care & technical support that you could ring four different times & speak to four different people about the same problem, & get four different answers. They do seem hell bent on having people on contracts.

It could well be the case that whoever you spoke to just didn't check your account status properly & gave you incorrect information about cancellation. Of course this isn't good enough by any means, but I'd ask for proof that you renewed your contract, as if you haven't renewed it you are only required to give a months notice to cancel.

At least you did get a replacement & a free months broadband I suppose, though why they didn't come up with this solution to begin with God only knows. Did they finally admit they were wrong or how did things change to you getting this & does this mean that you are now locked into another contract?

 

[Gordanus]

No, the guy I spoke to today said that you get into a rolling annual contract.....That I didn't know! Also, he said, if I go to the bottom of the three.ie page, click on Terms and Conditions, click on the pdf, I will find in paragraph 11.2 on page 28 of the document:

Quote: 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. (End quote)

I didn't know that I was locked into annually renewing contracts, and nobody told me so. I thought that at the end of the initial special offer period, whereby I took the special offer and signed up for a year, the contract could be terminated at any time.

However, if I want to cancel in November and my contract is due to run till next August, then I have to pay 9 months (19.99 X 9 = 171.00)
Anyway, having now accepted the one-month-free + upgrade I'm now locked in for another year. I don't mind too much* but I do feel, as I said, that I was blackmailed into this. ("If you don't pay it, we'll put it into the hands of debt collectors")
*now that I know exactly what I'm signing up for!

Hands up, how many people get to page 28 of the small print? And they definately didn't explain this when I signed up....

So who can I complain to? Ombudsman?

 

[Gordanus]

At least you did get a replacement & a free months broadband I suppose, though why they didn't come up with this solution to begin with God only knows. Did they finally admit they were wrong or how did things change to you getting this & does this mean that you are now locked into another contract?

I think they hope that if you don't argue, you won't get it....And the Indian guy I spoke to today sounded quite sympathetic - I don't think the call centre guys think the whole thing is fair either - so I asked him to send my complaint up the line. No apologies of course!

 

[irishmoss]

I had 3 mobile broadband for 18 months and requested to be disconnected in July this year. They were the worst company I have ever dealt with in my life and it took about 2 months to finally break free of them.
There is lots of posts about them on boards.ie and here too but I didn't pay 170 euros or was I asked for it.
I think this is a new stunt of theirs to keep you.
Ring the consumers association, your contract initially was for one year ( mine was) but I could get out after that time when ever I wanted.