Dont use network three for mobile service

[The Panda]

About 10 months ago I thought I would treat my self to a decent mobile phone. One that I could use out and about and from home.
I joined 3.
Totally useless. I have managed to make about 6 calls in 10 months and no texts.
Service unavailable is always on view.
Even ringing to complain gets stupid answers like have you tried going outside the house to use the phone.
They have tied me up to a 2 year contract to a decent phone but with a totally useless service and give me the run around every time I try to sort something out.
This is a £40 a month contract that is a complete rip off.
I bought a cheap £15 phone with a £10 top up from Tesco to make do and that service is far superior.
My advice to everyone now is Do not use 3or Threes mobile phone service as it is useless and their service is even worse.

 

[Paul_Rosser]

Three's customer service is very poor, but I've always found their network (data especially) to be very good.

 

[The Panda]

Three's customer service is very poor, but I've always found their network (data especially) to be very good.

Must be just my area. Nearly the whole of Cheshire.

 

[Paul_Rosser]

Could be, I use mine mainly in London.

When out of town there are some places I get a poor signal, but that was also the case when I was with Vodafone.

 

[Optegris]

I've always had excellent service both network and customer wise. Never not had a signal anywhere in Scotland or further south.

Could it have been a faulty phone?

 

[alwaysinamess]

Surely you would check before you buy the coverage and if it was poor, you have 14 days to get out of it, and if you move you can get out too, I had a lot of grief with Vodafone and when I threatened to take action they did release me from my contract, silly me went back with them when I moved again though !

 

[I Love Spreadsheets]

Not had a problem with their coverage or their customer service.

Far better than the likes of O2

 

[The Panda]

I did ask them what was their coverage like in my area and they assured me it was excellent. I also checked on their web site coverage tool and it also said it was OK.
I took them at their word.
It is dreadful but worst of all is their service. The people you talk to give no solution other than try going outside or upstairs to a high window. That is great for running a business when you need a diary in front of you and you are standing outside in the road. If I ran my business like that I would soon go bust. Never ever again will I use Three network and will tell all who will listen.
My wife uses T Mobile and has no connection problems whatsoever.
No one can ever get through to me. I can not make calls. The odd voice mail goes through when and if I get a signal area.
The worst of it is I am stuck with this for another 16 months at £40 a month for no service.

 

[ITsoldUK]

I did ask them what was their coverage like in my area and they assured me it was excellent. I also checked on their web site coverage tool and it also said it was OK.
I took them at their word.
It is dreadful but worst of all is their service. The people you talk to give no solution other than try going outside or upstairs to a high window. That is great for running a business when you need a diary in front of you and you are standing outside in the road. If I ran my business like that I would soon go bust. Never ever again will I use Three network and will tell all who will listen.
My wife uses T Mobile and has no connection problems whatsoever.
No one can ever get through to me. I can not make calls. The odd voice mail goes through when and if I get a signal area.
The worst of it is I am stuck with this for another 16 months at £40 a month for no service.

Sorry to play devil's advocate but as Phil states, have you taken your phone into a 3 store for them to check...this sounds like a HW issue to me from what is being said....

 

[alwaysinamess]

Its a difficult one as you should have sorted it with the 14 days, £40 a month is a lot of money though, was it a high value phone you got ?

Cant you sell the phone and ask to be released and pay the money off

Take a look here, http://www.money.co.uk/article/1007...ile-phone-contract-if-you-cant-get-signal.htm

I would not say its gospel - as I forced vodafones hand and they released me with ease when I put it in writing.

 

[alwaysinamess]

Yes it could be hardware too and also some phones force you on to 3g when there is no reception, Im not a expert but I had a Sony phone once that forced itself onto the wrong type, had to change to GPRS to GSM and then I had a much better signal.

Im sure someone can advise you better than I have put it.

 

[ITsoldUK]

Its a difficult one as you should have sorted it with the 14 days, £40 a month is a lot of money though, was it a high value phone you got ?

Cant you sell the phone and ask to be released and pay the money off

Take a look here, http://www.money.co.uk/article/1007...ile-phone-contract-if-you-cant-get-signal.htm

I would not say its gospel - as I forced vodafones hand and they released me with ease when I put it in writing.

Nah, IF it is the phone they will replace it.

IF it is the service provider in his area then he can challenge the contract as not being fit for purpose....may not win, but defo challenge it IF it can be proved to be lack of service in HIS area.

I would and I certainly would not pay up the contract in full!

 

[ITsoldUK]

Yes it could be hardware too and also some phones force you on to 3g when there is no reception, Im not a expert but I had a Sony phone once that forced itself onto the wrong type, had to change to GPRS to GSM and then I had a much better signal.

Im sure someone can advise you better than I have put it.

Bang on...you would be amazed at how many times I have 'helped' someone who's PC/Phone/Lappy etc was not working properly....

...just to discover it was not set up correctly in the first place.

Not saying this applies here but work a check...can you supply a model type OP? Have you logged into your 3 account and checked coverage and initial settings etc ?

 

[The Panda]

Bang on...you would be amazed at how many times I have 'helped' someone who's PC/Phone/Lappy etc was not working properly....

...just to discover it was not set up correctly in the first place.

Not saying this applies here but work a check...can you supply a model type OP? Have you logged into your 3 account and checked coverage and initial settings etc ?

Yes I checked all of this. We dont have 3 shop near us as far as I am aware. All I can do is ring them and all I get is a foreign person who has no idea what to do and the silly answers like stand outside, find a high hill and so on. I get a signal some times but not often and not when I need it. The phone was a IPhone 4.

 

[ITsoldUK]

The phone was a IPhone 4.

Say no more....no signal with an iPhone eh!

Get it replaced I would say then.

 

[internetspaceships]

I might be missing something here, but can't he put his sim in any other unlocked phone and see if it works better? That way he'll know if it's the phone.

 

[owas]

I completely sympathise with you, I hate network three so much. They assured me I would have network coverage in my area, and sure enough I don't. So the next day after having the phone I took it back to the store, but they said as I had activated the phone I could not cancel the contract.
This is just one of many problems I have had with them. Since they decided not to sort any of my issues, and I am stuck in a contract with them, I have decide to make it as hard as possible for them. I have a facebook page threemobilesucks and I keep pestering them on facebook page, and posted the below image.
I don't mean to be a horrid cusotmer, but at the end of the day, I am a paying cusotmer, we have contract together, on that bases that if I pay they provide a service. They have failed to deliver this, they have failed to compensate me, or apologise.

 

[The Panda]

I completely sympathise with you, I hate network three so much. They assured me I would have network coverage in my area, and sure enough I don't. So the next day after having the phone I took it back to the store, but they said as I had activated the phone I could not cancel the contract.
This is just one of many problems I have had with them. Since they decided not to sort any of my issues, and I am stuck in a contract with them, I have decide to make it as hard as possible for them. I have a facebook page threemobilesucks and I keep pestering them on facebook page, and posted the below image.
I don't mean to be a horrid cusotmer, but at the end of the day, I am a paying cusotmer, we have contract together, on that bases that if I pay they provide a service. They have failed to deliver this, they have failed to compensate me, or apologise.

Exactly, That is what I see on the screen all the time. Network lost. I would not mind if they put their hands up and said sorry we don't give you the needed coverage we will refund but as you say, once you activate the phone you are tied in to a useless contract. Never ever again will I even consider using this network. Just how can a company offer a service but not supply it and get away with it. The only thing the phone is any good for is a camera. £40 a month for a camera!!!

 

[garyk]

Three's customer service is very poor, but I've always found their network (data especially) to be very good.

Agreed found the same, although I had issues which they blamed on a 'broken mast' which never got fixed. Managed to get out of the contract, more down to their stupidity than anything else, never again.

 

[The Panda]

The thing is this site is Google cached very quickly and postings like this can effect any company. This is a huge site with many thousands of small to medium business people on here. You would think they would not want publicity like this but that's how much they care. My advice to others is think very carefully before using Network Three then after thinking about it don't use it. You are better off using two tin cans and a piece of string.

 

[internetspaceships]

And why did most people buy from 3?

Because it was cheap......

 

[The Panda]

£40 a month is far from Cheap. I am pretty much a mobile phone virgin. I hate them. It always ring when I am with a customer or driving. OK I know about hands free but that's besides the point. I just looked at different sites, cost was not the issue. Network 3 seemed as good as any other to me at that time. Hindsight is a brilliant thing to possess. Pity we don't get it till after the event.

 

[internetspaceships]

I did say "most" you're quite right £40 isn't cheap at all.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

Going to point something out a bit obvious here...

You've stated that you're a "mobile phone virgin"... I'd personally look at the phone that is actually at fault or ones self rather than blaming the network provider.

Despite 3's customer service being extremely dire, (like majority of the phone suppliers out there) I've never had an issue with the product, so much so I was in Tomintoul over the weekend (highlands) and my reception wasn't too bad considering.

 

[internetspaceships]

Ive already suggested trying the SIM in another unlocked phone...

 

[Vontessa]

My Iphone4 kept saying no network coverage and that was with a different service provider. I sent it back - they confirmed phone was faulty. New phone - same provider - no problems. Like others have said I think you should be talking to 3 about replacement phone.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

I expect there wouldn't be an issue with another phone there Jon.

I've used 3 for over 5 years now and I've had a reasonable reception everywhere I've gone... apart from in Hospital's but I've been told that's a unique feature created by 3? (Could be wrong )

I was in fact at The Penny Black in Chester a couple of months back and reception was perfect there too.

 

[The Panda]

Going to point something out a bit obvious here...

You've stated that you're a "mobile phone virgin"... I'd personally look at the phone that is actually at fault or ones self rather than blaming the network provider.

Despite 3's customer service being extremely dire, (like majority of the phone suppliers out there) I've never had an issue with the product, so much so I was in Tomintoul over the weekend (highlands) and my reception wasn't too bad considering.

Not so much on the phones themselves. Up till when I went with Three I had always had PAYG, never contract. So contract companies were something new to me. I just assumed they would all give a reasonable service no matter who you went with. I now know better. Not such a virgin now.

 

[Adam Loveday]

@ OP. Definitely worth checking your phone. I have used 3 before (3 years) and never had any connection/coverage issues although admittedly I wasn't a heavy user. My iPhone does sometimes dip out on my current network for no reason when the reception should be AOK (not sure if my cover is part of the issue sometimes).

IIRC, I'm pretty sure H3G have a deal to piggy back on one of the other MSP's networks (can't remember who) so I would have thought coverage would be AOK, especially in a major centre like Chester.

Hope you get it resolved AOK.

Rgds
Adam

 

[The Panda]

My Iphone4 kept saying no network coverage and that was with a different service provider. I sent it back - they confirmed phone was faulty. New phone - same provider - no problems. Like others have said I think you should be talking to 3 about replacement phone.

Tried talking to them. I get a load on nonsense. Tried emailing them, no reply, tried canceling d/d to get their attention they just reinstate it. They are impossible to deal with and don't want to know once they have your signature. Its impossible to talk to someone who is not working from a script. I hate scripts.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

They re-instate it?

I think you may find that that act is illegal? I could be wrong, but surely if a D/D has been cancelled on your behalf that the collector can not re-instate a D/D without your permission being given to the bank.

 

[The Panda]

Well they did. Not only the phone one but the insurance one too.
Will look into that.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

Surely once you've given your bank details they are meant to delete all knowledge of this information, under the Data protection act.

 

[The Panda]

Would you believe it. I never hear from them but whilst posting I get this email.
We love the internet and everything you can do on it. So we think you should be able to get the best out of it while you’re away too. It might be finding a fantastic restaurant. Or you might just want to gloat to your mates back home by uploading snaps of your gorgeous tan lines.

Oh yes of course I will trust them with my internet access as well. No chance.

 

[Vontessa]

Tried talking to them. I get a load on nonsense. Tried emailing them, no reply, tried canceling d/d to get their attention they just reinstate it. They are impossible to deal with and don't want to know once they have your signature. Its impossible to talk to someone who is not working from a script. I hate scripts.

Sorry OP - I cant comment on 3 as have not used them and yes I can appreciate that it is frustrating if they are not helpful. However, in all your posts you mention that they give advice about getting a better signal and im suggesting that if you have not tried it already to contact 3 and tell them the phone is broken and request a new one as it possibly is not a signal issue and is actually an Iphone4 issue which if you search on you will find is a common problem.

 

[The Panda]

Sorry OP - I cant comment on 3 as have not used them and yes I can appreciate that it is frustrating if they are not helpful. However, in all your posts you mention that they give advice about getting a better signal and im suggesting that if you have not tried it already to contact 3 and tell them the phone is broken and request a new one as it possibly is not a signal issue and is actually an Iphone4 issue which if you search on you will find is a common problem.

Yes this has been pointed out to me on this thread. Never by Three though. You have to assume when you get a new phone it will work and when it sometimes does and more often does not it appears to be a service provider fault. I will try the sim in a different phone later today and if that works fine then it is the phone and will be onto them, if I can get someone who speaks even a little English and is not reading from a script

 

[Levi1989]

I was very close to going with three but glad I avoided.

My girlfriend is on Tesco and they have been brilliant, as they use the O2 masks I believe they are just a cheap version of 02 so I would highly recommend them, great prices too.

And no I dont work for Tesco (I really dont)

 

[Levi1989]

I was very close to going with three but glad I avoided.

My girlfriend is on Tesco and they have been brilliant, as they use the O2 masks I believe they are just a cheap version of 02 so I would highly recommend them, great prices too.

And no I dont work for Tesco. (I really dont)

 

[The Panda]

I was very close to going with three but glad I avoided.

My girlfriend is on Tesco and they have been brilliant, as they use the O2 masks I believe they are just a cheap version of 02 so I would highly recommend them, great prices too.

And no I dont work for Tesco. (I really dont)

My cheap £15 phone with PAYG is a Tesco one. No problems with it whatsoever. Whats more the £10 top up will last me best part of a year because I don't make many outgoing calls.

 

[internetspaceships]

Is your £15 phone locked to one network or can you try putting your other SIM into it?