Today is an exciting day – at some point in the next 24 hours, my mobile number is going to port over to O2 and my shiny new iPhone will be ready for use. I don’t know what I’m happiest about – a new gadget to play with, or finally being rid of the burden that was my contract with 3.
It’s a relationship that has been full of problems since the beginning. I shouldn’t even have signed with them in the first place – I still had a few months to go on my Orange contract a few years ago when I was called, at work and out of the blue, by one of those third-party predators who wouldn’t take no for an answer. I was on some ridiculous deal, giving me double the minutes and texts for half the price for six months, after which I could claim half-price line rental for the next six if I sent back a voucher. Of course, before I was even able to stop carrying two phones around with me, that third-party company had gone out of business and I had no recourse through 3.
Thankfully, they were at least able to do something about my broken phone. And then its broken replacement.
Obviously, by the time I came to renew my contract, I was pretty pissed and determined I wouldn’t be staying with 3. In the end, their cheap mobile internet (one of the main uses I get from my phone, and something which – at the time – wasn’t particularly widely used) and some ridiculous deal, plus a £5 loyalty discount, swayed me.
And there was one thing that 3 got right. I travel a lot, as you know, and find international roaming charges a pain (so do the European Court, I hear, who are in the process of cracking down on this shameful way of extorting money from mobile customers). I discovered the “3 Like Home” service by accident, when I was in Austria – it meant that you could use international 3 networks in applicable countries and use your inclusive minutes, texts etc. With Australia also on the applicable countries list, and my trip over there coming up a month outside my contract, I made a rookie mistake (forgetting that an uncancelled contract just rolls over on a month to month basis) and signed on for another eighteen months.
Everything went downhill from there. I guess after the mobile internet explosion, the network just couldn’t cope with demand anymore. The service became slow and unreliable. Suddenly I couldn’t get a reception at home or at my mum’s – places I’d been using my phone fine for years – but when I phoned to complain I was told it’s “the weather” or “the thickness of the walls”. Letters went unanswered. Oh, and let’s not forget that they’re homophobic scumbags (that letter went unanswered too).
On Monday morning, I got a text. The 3 Like Home service was finishing, to be replaced with “great roaming rates across the board” and other marketing speak. “We have to point out that this change means you can cancel your contract without charge,” they said, “but we’re sure once you look at our great offers you won’t want to do that.”
It took me seconds. Actually, it took me 45 minutes on hold after somebody tried to pay me off with a one-time courtesy payment, and somebody else denied all knowledge, but I’m free 
And I have a couple of Sony Ericssons to sell on eBay, if anybody’s interested.
So, hang about… we can cancel our contracts over the 3 Like Home thing?
Whoa. I’m so with you.
Also… go to the Money Saving Expert site (can’t link from my phone, soz) and you’ll find a little gadget that tells you who’ll give you the best deals on your old phones.
You’ll find, very soon, that the world of iPhone is paved with gold. GOLD I TELLS YE!!!
Twittelator ftw!!
I struggle to even type through my jealousy …
Sarah: My contract doesn’t run out til April 2010 and I had no problems, well, once I stood my ground…! I cam’t get over the fact that there’s a Compare the
MeerkatPhone Recycler.com…Neil: I have Tweetie, is Twittelator better?
Welcome to the iPhone family (and get used to charging your phone!).
You do realise there’s a new model on the way, very, very soon, right?
I think it’s definitely down to personal preference but I really love twittelator – though the premium version, not the lite one.
Paul: Yep, and to the Apple Store’s credit they really wanted me to wait! I’m happy with it though. And have to charge my phone on a daily basis anyway
I don’t understand any of you! I’ve only just reconciled myself to having to have an Ipod…
I think I’m gonna wait until the new model comes out.
Not looking forward to crawling back to O2 with my tail between my legs though…
I’ve found O2′s customer support to be far better than Orange, and my brief dalliance with 3. They have screwed up a few times, but have got things right in the end and made up for it too.
Getting through to a call centre in Glasgow is always welcome – particularly because I know someone who works there who can get me 30% off.
(Incidentally, Lis, if you too know someone who works in Skypark, you could try asking nicely if they have any spare friends & family discounts – I think that with iPhone contracts, they can set it up after you’ve opened the account, which isn’t the case for other kinds of contract.)
Thanks Martin, good to know. I think somebody’s sorting me out a discount, fingers crossed!