Mobile Broadband Woes
Discussion
The missus and I recently (2 weeks ago) purchased a mobile broadband package (5gb limit) from 3. Since buying the package we have moved house to a new area. Our original area was ST10 where the device was checked as having basic minimum coverage in the shop. WE bought it anyway as we knew we were moving and the new area (ST14) has the maximum coverage.
Since moving in, the service has been terrible. The majority of the time, the service will either find no network or will not connect to the network is supposedly sees. When it does connect, its stupidly slow, slower than dialup. Out of a ten bar rating of the connection speed, the most we have seen in our house is 3. Most of the time it is either 0 or 1. This is with our new house being in the maximum receiving area!
Today we got fed up and decided to call the customer services line to have a rant. The missus called and spoke to the first, cant-speak-english-asian-call-centre-person, who told us that if we wished to cancel, without them finding a problem with the service, we would have to pay the remaining line rental on our contract (18 months at £15 a month...).
He then put us onto cant-speak-english-asian-technical-support-person who had to run some tests. He made the missus do all sorts of things on the computer and then decided that it was working fine as we could connect.
Fair enough, we can connect, sometimes, but when it does, most websites wont load and its rediculously slow! She tried to explain this to the lovely people at the call centre but they just didnt seem to understand that just because our dongle thingy can connect to the network, doesnt mean that it actually connects with a decent enough speed to use the internet!
They wouldnt have any of it and we have been told we will have to pay the remaining line rental if we want to cancel.
Now, as we see it, we have been sold (by the carphonewarehouse), a service which we were told would provide broadband speed internet connection in our area. We are not receiving this service and so are unhappy. Short of them installing a new antena on the roof of our house, we dont think they will be able to rectify this.
Are we in the right in that they have provided a product which is not fit for the purpose they have sold it as? Being that we were sold a "broadband speed" internet connection which, at best, provides a sub-dialup speed connection.
Also, whats the best thing to do now? We do not want a refund on what we have already paid (as admittedly, we have put up with the labouriously slow speeds and actually used the service, when its worked...) but we want the contract cancelled.
Would it be best to go back to the carphonewarehouse and demand they cancel the contract or are we just going to have to go round in circles with the lovely people at customer services?
Thanks!
ANy advice appreciated!
Since moving in, the service has been terrible. The majority of the time, the service will either find no network or will not connect to the network is supposedly sees. When it does connect, its stupidly slow, slower than dialup. Out of a ten bar rating of the connection speed, the most we have seen in our house is 3. Most of the time it is either 0 or 1. This is with our new house being in the maximum receiving area!
Today we got fed up and decided to call the customer services line to have a rant. The missus called and spoke to the first, cant-speak-english-asian-call-centre-person, who told us that if we wished to cancel, without them finding a problem with the service, we would have to pay the remaining line rental on our contract (18 months at £15 a month...).
He then put us onto cant-speak-english-asian-technical-support-person who had to run some tests. He made the missus do all sorts of things on the computer and then decided that it was working fine as we could connect.
Fair enough, we can connect, sometimes, but when it does, most websites wont load and its rediculously slow! She tried to explain this to the lovely people at the call centre but they just didnt seem to understand that just because our dongle thingy can connect to the network, doesnt mean that it actually connects with a decent enough speed to use the internet!
They wouldnt have any of it and we have been told we will have to pay the remaining line rental if we want to cancel.
Now, as we see it, we have been sold (by the carphonewarehouse), a service which we were told would provide broadband speed internet connection in our area. We are not receiving this service and so are unhappy. Short of them installing a new antena on the roof of our house, we dont think they will be able to rectify this.
Are we in the right in that they have provided a product which is not fit for the purpose they have sold it as? Being that we were sold a "broadband speed" internet connection which, at best, provides a sub-dialup speed connection.
Also, whats the best thing to do now? We do not want a refund on what we have already paid (as admittedly, we have put up with the labouriously slow speeds and actually used the service, when its worked...) but we want the contract cancelled.
Would it be best to go back to the carphonewarehouse and demand they cancel the contract or are we just going to have to go round in circles with the lovely people at customer services?
Thanks!
ANy advice appreciated!
Edited by Deluded on Friday 2nd January 10:11
We purchased it as an alternative to a fixed line for our new house as we are renting and did not want to pay for a line to be reconnected (over £100) on a house we may not be in for a very long time.
After being sold it in carphonewarehouse and being told that the reception would be fine in the new house, we went for it.
Absolute load of s
t.
After being sold it in carphonewarehouse and being told that the reception would be fine in the new house, we went for it.
Absolute load of s
t.Did you speak to this guy?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NshJYClvqyQ
or this one?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_ekIIvfyfD8
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NshJYClvqyQ
or this one?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_ekIIvfyfD8
I've had mobile bb for as long as it's existed - provided by my employer. It's never been great - I just use it if I'm out and about and need to do something urgently. I'd never consider having it as my main system at home. In fact if I was picking up the tab I wouldn't have it at all... sorry.
Call them up and don't accept any response except the one you want. Keep pushing, escalating, yelling, writing, whatever. Eventually, you will get to the one person who can help. Why would you pay for a service you are not receiving? It's not just reception, but a certain level of reception, that you have been promised. The service being immature or spotty is not your problem.
just me said:
Call them up and don't accept any response except the one you want. Keep pushing, escalating, yelling, writing, whatever. Eventually, you will get to the one person who can help. Why would you pay for a service you are not receiving? It's not just reception, but a certain level of reception, that you have been promised. The service being immature or spotty is not your problem.
What he said, with a proviso, sure keep pushing and escalating, but don't yell and shout.When I had a problem with my 3 contract I kept getting pushed from pillar to post, but go through all the hoops each person wants you to do and when it doesn't satisfy you, ask to speak to their manager. Keep doing that and you'll get somewhere eventually...
Captain Ahab said:
Did you speak to this guy?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NshJYClvqyQ
To be fair, whilst i'm struggling to understand the Indian call-centre robot, i'm not doing alot better with the geordie chap who is trying to cancel his contract. Back on topic, not had any problems with Vodaphone and BT is good most of the time (though YouTube and iPlayer seems to 'stick' alot during the daytime - like now).http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NshJYClvqyQ
Edited by fido on Friday 2nd January 13:15
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