Mobile networks!!
Discussion
Just managed to upgrade my mobile, currently have a 6610 on T mobile and wanted a 6230. Upgrade price £89.99 but after talking to T mobile got it down to £49.99 but with increased tariff (£3 per month!!). However, I could start a new contract on that tariff and get the phone for free but with new number. I explained this to T mobile and they still wouldn't budge, £49.99 with same number or free with different number 
.
Needless to say, Vodaphone have the same minutes at the same price and a free phone and I can keep my number. Vodaphone now have my business and not T mobile. Surely it is not that difficult for the network to let me keep my number if I want to upgrade to a diffrent tariff??
. Needless to say, Vodaphone have the same minutes at the same price and a free phone and I can keep my number. Vodaphone now have my business and not T mobile. Surely it is not that difficult for the network to let me keep my number if I want to upgrade to a diffrent tariff??
Had a similar problem with BT. Phoned up for my PAC number and got put through to someone who's job is to keep customers (try offering a decent service?). Anyway, I ranted about the expense of upgrading and how i'd got shit servive in an O2 shop. I got the handset i wanted for half price and 3 months line rental for free! Give them some stick and if they won't budge go somewhere else!
MilnerR said:
Had a similar problem with BT. Phoned up for my PAC number and got put through to someone who's job is to keep customers (try offering a decent service?). Anyway, I ranted about the expense of upgrading and how i'd got shit servive in an O2 shop. I got the handset i wanted for half price and 3 months line rental for free! Give them some stick and if they won't budge go somewhere else!
I got offerd 12 months Double minutes and txts however after 3 months they are went back to the standard deal. They've denied all knowledge of offering me a 12 month deal. Needless to say they won't be getting my money for an upgrade next August.
zetec said:
Just managed to upgrade my mobile, currently have a 6610 on T mobile and wanted a 6230. Upgrade price £89.99 but after talking to T mobile got it down to £49.99 but with increased tariff (£3 per month!!). However, I could start a new contract on that tariff and get the phone for free but with new number. I explained this to T mobile and they still wouldn't budge, £49.99 with same number or free with different number
Needless to say, Vodaphone have the same minutes at the same price and a free phone and I can keep my number. Vodaphone now have my business and not T mobile. Surely it is not that difficult for the network to let me keep my number if I want to upgrade to a diffrent tariff??
Had exactlt the same situation 4 weeks ago, with the same phone but with O2.
I had an o2 mobile already and they wanted nearly £100 to up grade but the chap in phones 4 u. said i could cancel my contract and start another with o2 with a cheaper monthly tariff, free phone, free insurance for 2 months, lots of free accesories anmd best of all i sold my old samsung E700 for £100.
Quids in!!!!!!!!!!!!
A lot depends on your billing history. If you spend less than £20 a month the networks wont struggle to keep you. Remember something like a 6610 costs the best part of £100 to make, given the costs of sales, distribution, support, research, marketing etc a sensible retail price is £300.
If your monthly bill is £30 then the network sees £360 over the year and can (just) justify the cost of giving you a phone.
Simon
If your monthly bill is £30 then the network sees £360 over the year and can (just) justify the cost of giving you a phone.
Simon
I'm having so much hassle with orange. They're just not playing ball. I've had an orange phone since 1994 and they don't seem to care anymore. I upgraded in July and was promised that my plan of 200 anytime minutes, 500 sms and free internet would be applicable for the next 12 months however the other day i got told that they'd ran out as it was only an 18 month promotion. I have argued that i was told it would continue for a further 12 months but they're saying its not the case. The retentions team are crap, and wouldnt offer me anything. Like actually nothing! Now i have no option but to buy myself out of my contract, because £30 for 200 minutes is rubbish. Now they've told me i can't have a pac code without paying £75 for it, even if i buy myself out!
Any advice appreciated.
Any advice appreciated.
General marketing thinking says its far easier to keep existing customers than to gain new ones, hence in many areas of business all the good offers go to tempt new customers away from the competition. the existing customers therefore pick up the tab for the cheaper deals offered to poach new customers.
As a customer who might have liked to stay with a given co, its bloody annoying to have to pay £75 to upgrade to a phone thats being given away free to new ones..
Only solution if it doesn't work to play them off against one another to get a good deal to stay where you are is to get your PAC number and walk. Having had the same mobile no for about 6 years and rarely stayed with the same co more than 12 months I've managed reasonable deals this way. Only problem is now I come to change again, I can't remember which co pissed me off the least.. Any good mobile companies these days?
As a customer who might have liked to stay with a given co, its bloody annoying to have to pay £75 to upgrade to a phone thats being given away free to new ones..
Only solution if it doesn't work to play them off against one another to get a good deal to stay where you are is to get your PAC number and walk. Having had the same mobile no for about 6 years and rarely stayed with the same co more than 12 months I've managed reasonable deals this way. Only problem is now I come to change again, I can't remember which co pissed me off the least.. Any good mobile companies these days?
The amount you spend a month does make a difference. 5-6 years ago I was spending £100-£150 a month with Orange (work calls) and everytime I upgraded, I ended up getting the phones well below what they cost even to new customers. In fact, customer services couldn't seem to be helpfull enough when I called. I guess they've been outsourced to Mumbai by now though
Oh, and to whoever it was trying to remember which network had upset him lease, I'd avoid "3" if I were you
Oh, and to whoever it was trying to remember which network had upset him lease, I'd avoid "3" if I were you
I've just changed to O2 from Orange after being with them for two and a half years. I was spending £30-35/month. Their customer service went downhill as far as i am concerned. I had problems with making a claim on my Orange Care which they had not renewed. The issue occurred due to a known software version problem on the phone which degraded the circuitry over time. Then they gave me a 6 month extension to a 60 free texts/month by sending me a text a month beforehand. Next months bill came and the 60 texts weren't there. After ringing up they denied all knowledge that they extended the offer. 
They wanted to charge me £90 to upgrade to a K700i, when i knew I could switch to O2, get the phone for free and get double minutes and texts for 6 months for the same contract (I was on Orange Eq O2 plan). Even the retentions department couldn't/wouldn't offer the phone for free. So I left for O2 and now I have a S700i (not available on Orange) instead 
It seems totally non-sensical to let customers go like that, but they evidently do on a regular basis.
None of the networks should ever charge you for your PAC!!! So don't take any crap from them
Richard
They wanted to charge me £90 to upgrade to a K700i, when i knew I could switch to O2, get the phone for free and get double minutes and texts for 6 months for the same contract (I was on Orange Eq O2 plan). Even the retentions department couldn't/wouldn't offer the phone for free. So I left for O2 and now I have a S700i (not available on Orange) instead It seems totally non-sensical to let customers go like that, but they evidently do on a regular basis.
None of the networks should ever charge you for your PAC!!! So don't take any crap from them
Richard
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