Mobile devices Toolkit

Story: 3G: It Still Does Nothing

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Greetings Zdsters!

Please keep my email out of circulation but feel free to use my name.

I just wanted to make you aware of something.

I joined the three network a year ago because, well, it seemed like a good deal, and for the most part, it was, until December rolled past. Since Jan this year I have had worse coverage month on month and repeated claims that there was something wrong with the network just caused them to send replacement handsets and SIM cards, which, of course, fixed nothing.

Repeated calls to support just caused some poor underpaid operative in Sri Lanka to roll through their litany of checking my local network (THEM: "your coverage there is excellent" ME: I know, I can see four bars but most of my calls get dropped" THEM: "there should be no reason for that" ME: I know" THEM: "hmm...") and not realising I have BOTH a home and work place (!!) (THEM: "your coverage there in NW2 is very good" ME: I'm at work in EC1" THEM: "is not your address 123 street name?" ME: "Er, yes, but it is a Mobile phone!!! I am working just like you!")

So I had enough and, now that my contract is ending in a month ~I am shopping for another deal. Even my old Motorola Brick-U-Like phone circa 1991 gave better service, and for the most part, dropped calls were de rigeur then. Frannkly, I shouldn't have to climb a ladder in the back garden to call the local cab office. My wife rings from the cellar, why can't I ring from the back office of the house?

An hour after my 30 day's notice to cancel my account (which took over 20 minutes, talking to three people who asked me seven times to try one of their special offers!), I call a mate only to find my phone is claiming an "Inactive SIM" and I cannot make calls. I just want to pick up my phone and make calls that I pay for and not have calls drop for no reason in an Strong signal area. And no "special offer" can beat simple unobtrusive service.

Another 45 minutes calling various numbers, and on hold for 20 minute stretches I discover that "several others" are experiencing this problem and three cannot help me, do not know when it will be fixed, can't say how I will be notified when it does change nor what I should do to help. The website mentions nothing and customer services is as out of the loop as I am. There will be no compensation and, umm, that's it.

The only thing they did not say was "bugger off" but they didn't need to, their inaction, incompetence and subterfuge said it for them.

Alone, adrift and forgotten if you ask me....

So if anyone else is experiencing this from three, or if anyone else knows what is going on and how we can get some money back off the useless plods, let me know and to anyone considering a three contract, I suggest you look for any of the review sites that overwhelmingly warn people away from 3G in great numbers.

3G? 3/10 G!

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