Dreadful AVOID (Three (3))

Member Name: lilmiss1982

Product:	Three (3)
Date:	28/08/09 (178 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None really reasonable price plan if they stick to them

Disadvantages: Poor service see the review

I do fear this review of 3 maybe become a rant about how terrible they are but I will try not too. I'm sorry I can't be very specific with costs and price plans as I been with over 4 years and can't remember exactly what I was paying at first. I'm writing this review today to celebrate finally leaving their network and as a warning to others to avoid them.

I joined 3 network when it was new. They were offering far more minutes and text on a contract with a free phone then any other provider. I was sold I got a lovely shiny new phone a 12 months contract and a cash back offer from the car phone warehouse. I kept a note of all the terms and the dates and sent off and got all my cash back no problem. I was happy with the car phone warehouse. I did find the reception on 3 rather poor I often got cut off from calls, my parents laughed at me its no good having all those minutes if you can't make calls but I was getting such a bargain I simply wasn't bothered by the time my contract was coming to end the reception had improved greatly and I was pretty happy with everything. So when 3 called me up offer me a upgraded phone for renewing my contract I accepted, things were fine until...........

A brand new 3 store open in our city we were passing during the first week and outside on a chalk board they had the most amazing offer. I already had a contract with them but my husband didn't and he felt this offer was just two good to miss so he got me to sign up. So I had two 3 contracts

I took out a 12 month contract with the first 6 months at half price with double the amount of minutes and text then after 6 months the contract would be its full price and normal minutes and text rate it sounded too good to be true but I figured the double mins was to get you used to spending more and that's how they would make there money.

What in fact happened was I was placed on the high price plan and got the first 3 months at half price then had to pay full price at the higher rate contract rate. Every time I rang to try and sort it out I got no where. I rang for nearly 9 months about this but no one would admit this was a deal they offered it even got to the point where I began to doubt myself. Finally after a massive de-junk I found my receipt with this was the evidence I needed I had been right along. I headed straight back to the store to ask for my money to be refunded having over paid for 9 months this was a large amount.

The store contacted 3 for me and 3 still denied the offer even though it was a member from one of their stores calling and I had it black and white in front of me. 3 were very unhelpful and the store gave me a person to email about it and admitted to having problems in the past. This made me mad as they knew about it but did little to help. After an email I was told to fax the evidence to them which they conveniently lost the first time I sent it so I sent it again finally after a few weeks of faxes and phone calls they admitted the mistake. But instead of refunding me and giving me my money back by cheque as requested they applied credit to my account instead so I was stuck with them or I'd have lost my money completely. I was fuming if I'd been charged twice for a freezer I wouldn't expect a second freezer as compensation instead of my money. I'm still mad about it now and it happened over 12 months ago they wouldn't budge.

So why have you only just cancelled today, because 3 are cunning and offered an amazing deal if I kept my contract with them. Remember at one point I'd had two contract but of course because of how dreadful they were I cancelled the first one as soon as could so they really wanted to keep me and offered me an amazing deal. My husband the silly sod said he wanted it so I was stuck with them for yet another year as it was less than a tenner a month I could live with it and he was paying but I still resented giving them my custom.

So today I called them up to cancel and get the PUK code, the bloke I dealt with wanted to know why I wanted to cancel after been with them such a long time. I told him dreadful service, he apologised and said as I was a loyal and valued customer he could offer me the latest hand set, I told him I wanted to cancel he put me on hold to then offer me an amazing upgrade for the same 9 pound something I was paying. I know your thinking you fool why didn't you take it and sell the handset that would be worth a few hundred quid far more than the contract, well whilst he was telling how wonderful this new hand set would be he said I would receive a bill for £30 but to ignore it I would still only pay my current rate, alarm bells started ring in my head, this time it would have been an oral agreement, no paperwork for proof was I really perpared to risk been stitched up as before no way.

After I told the guy again I wasn't interested he continued to try and sell me it, I told him firmly "I don't want to waste your time I will not renew the contract so please just give the PUK code". He said hold the line which I did for 20 seconds when I came back on the line he spoke so quickly it was almost impossible to tell what he was saying but I gather text and PUK and a date for the contract to end. It was so rude but I simple couldn't be bothered any more I was just glad to leave and my time with them will be over now.

Sorry if I've ranted too much but I hope my story helps steer you away from this dreadful network. I don't know many people on 3 but everyone I do know has had some kind of trouble with them. I know no network is perfect but 3 certainly seems to be one the worse. Other networks now have amazing offers on that can match 3. If you could give 0 stars then I would.

Summary: Dreadful AVOID