3 - Leaves a lot to be desired! (Three (3))

Member Name: roversjenny

Product:	Three (3)
Date:	08/02/09 (55 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None!

Disadvantages: Practically everything

I had been an o2 customer for as long as I could remember until my boyfriend had told me about an amazing new mobile phone contract he got with 3, it offered far better value for money than my o2 contract did so I decided to take the plunge and switch to them despite family members having problems in the past.

The first 18 months of the contract passed with only one problem, they decided to start charging me full price (it was a 50% off tariff) after 12 of the 18 months, after many calls to their customer service team, they corrected the problem, but instead of just adjusting the cost of the line rental, they put a credit on my account so I had 3 months free and 3 months at full price. Not great for budgetting, but in the grand scheme of things no real loss.

I was allowed to upgrade my phone after 15 months, however, they failed to make it clear that I was signing up for a new 18 month contract which started after the orginal 18 months ended, and not at the 15 month point. Maybe I should have clarified this at the time of renewal, but it means I am stuck with my current handset for 21 months.

They also never offered me any discounts or incentives to stay with them on upgrade, which is unlike other mobile phone companies I have used. Had I not been desperate for the upgrade, I may have thought twice about it!

The problems have really started since I got my second handset, I had to return it within the first month because it would randomly not recognise my sim card, and despite a change in handset, this has continued throughout the time I have had the phone (in excess of 12 months now). This is probably the least of my worries with the phone though, I regulary lose reception, get cut off in the middle of calls, spend ages trying to connect when I want to make a call, get a poor 3G reception in many area's when trying to use the internet....

The handset struggles to cope, the battery gets very hot very quickly, loses charge far too quickly and when I discussed this with someone in the store they have said its because of the software that 3 put onto the phones.

I cannot wait until August comes round so that I can ditch the network and start afresh somewhere else where I feel my custom will be valued more, as I am currently paying for a service which is causing me no end of problems!

Summary: Can't wait to get rid!