Bye Bye Three

mcaul

It started out so good. Down a laneway with no hope of broadband and three shine a light. Whether its the high oil prices or just crap attitude, but the light has gone out.
I'll give anyone a second and even third chance - sometimes four chances but no more Three.

Interesting message in main thread about letter & small clims court. I'm willing to do it and will write off tomorrow. - Thankfully I got UTV BB in the office so don't rely on home BB as much. - Might try 02.



Letter will be sent by registered post - simple & to the point.

Ref a/c no. xxxxxxx

Dear Sirs

Due to the continued problems with your service since early June and the failure of Hutchison 3G Ireland Ltd to aleviate these problems in a timely manner, I am returning my 3G card & sim and request the following.

1. Immediate termination of service

2. Refund of all charges since June 1st (€59.97)

3. Refund of original purchase price of 3G connect card. (€49)


Your service does not meet requirments under the sale of goods act and I am requesting a refund of €108.97 to be issued within the next ten days.

Failure to issue full refund & terminate contract within this period will result in small claims court proceeding to be issued.


Sincerely

xx


In my opinion we have nothing to lose and three will be faced with 40 / 50 small claim court actions if a decent few try this. They CANNOT threaten legal action as they have not provided the service advertised.

Irish Wolf

If it was the USB modem then the purchase price was €129.. I think the pcmcia card was €49..

Is there problems with the pcmcia card as well?

Anyway - best of luck with it..

goz83

They are very sneaky to deal with so be careful. I signed a contract with them when they first came onto the irish market because of the "video talk 400" package they had on offer which gave you the option of 400 minutes of regular talk time or video chat. This could be divided with text messages but i won't go into full package options. I signed the contract in september (actually i ordered it online and didnt sign a thing) and I brought my wife (girlfriend at time) to a 3G shop in the city where she picked a phone and signed a contract. Then January rolls on and I receive a bill which was much higher than my usual €60. I always under use my minute and text allowance so this was a shock.

I rang customer support and it turned out that the (notice the name of the package) "video talk" promotion was only until the end of the year and customers would from there on in be charged for video calls. I made them very aware that I did not know about any such "promotion" and had read all the info on the site before placing my order. I knew I could not have missed this because I am always careful if ordering over the net. They (customer support) stubbornly insisted that the "promotion" was clearly advertised online and still was at that time. I checked in the promotion section. I can't quote exactly but it said "The price of a video call will raise from 30cent per min to 50cent per min from January 1st 2006". I then checked the pricing guide to find that a regular call "outside inclusive minutes" was 30cent per min. I wrote to the customer support manager asking if customers were expected to assume that video calls would not be included in the "video call" package because the price of the video calls were set to change from a promotional rate which was not very well promoted in the first place. His answer was "yes".

Even though I was very angry and disappointed I was only asking to be placed on a lower package as I would not use up the regular minutes I was given due to the video calls being priced outside of inclusive minutes. I offered to pay the difference I saved on the phone by opting for the higher package and I was denied.

I wrote to the office of the director of consumer affairs and forwarded all my email correspondence to them. I also informed "3" that this was my intention and I heard no reply.

Two weeks later i got a call from consumer affairs and was told my problem had been dealt with. The lady said they could not interfere in my individual case but she told me (off the record) that 3 were given a period of 48 hours to restructure their advertising campaign and style or withdraw their items for sale from the irish market until they completed the task and satisfied consumer affairs and advertising standards association.

So 1 lil guy can make a difference. Needless to say I no onger have a "3" contract and took a job selling Meteor mobile contracts for Eircom. Converted hundreds of customers in 6 months (including "3" customers).

Stick to your guns.

Irish Wolf

goz83 wrote:

They are very sneaky to deal with so be careful. I signed a contract with them when they first came onto the irish market because of the "video talk 400" package they had on offer which gave you the option of 400 minutes of regular talk time or video chat. This could be divided with text messages but i won't go into full package options. I signed the contract in september (actually i ordered it online and didnt sign a thing) and I brought my wife (girlfriend at time) to a 3G shop in the city where she picked a phone and signed a contract. Then January rolls on and I receive a bill which was much higher than my usual €60. I always under use my minute and text allowance so this was a shock.

I rang customer support and it turned out that the (notice the name of the package) "video talk" promotion was only until the end of the year and customers would from there on in be charged for video calls. I made them very aware that I did not know about any such "promotion" and had read all the info on the site before placing my order. I knew I could not have missed this because I am always careful if ordering over the net. They (customer support) stubbornly insisted that the "promotion" was clearly advertised online and still was at that time. I checked in the promotion section. I can't quote exactly but it said "The price of a video call will raise from 30cent per min to 50cent per min from January 1st 2006". I then checked the pricing guide to find that a regular call "outside inclusive minutes" was 30cent per min. I wrote to the customer support manager asking if customers were expected to assume that video calls would not be included in the "video call" package because the price of the video calls were set to change from a promotional rate which was not very well promoted in the first place. His answer was "yes".

Even though I was very angry and disappointed I was only asking to be placed on a lower package as I would not use up the regular minutes I was given due to the video calls being priced outside of inclusive minutes. I offered to pay the difference I saved on the phone by opting for the higher package and I was denied.

I wrote to the office of the director of consumer affairs and forwarded all my email correspondence to them. I also informed "3" that this was my intention and I heard no reply.

Two weeks later i got a call from consumer affairs and was told my problem had been dealt with. The lady said they could not interfere in my individual case but she told me (off the record) that 3 were given a period of 48 hours to restructure their advertising campaign and style or withdraw their items for sale from the irish market until they completed the task and satisfied consumer affairs and advertising standards association.

So 1 lil guy can make a difference. Needless to say I no onger have a "3" contract and took a job selling Meteor mobile contracts for Eircom. Converted hundreds of customers in 6 months (including "3" customers).

Stick to your guns.

What difference did you make?

smellslikeshoes

Nice and to the point. Looking forward to hearing how you get on.

intheknow

Irish Wolf wrote:

What difference did you make?

There's always one.................

Dellas

goz83 wrote:

They are very sneaky to deal with so be careful.
Stick to your guns.

I have had the same experience. Stick to your guns, dont be intimidated by legal letters etc.... Pass them all to the ombudsman and write a letter to the debt collectors with copies of your complaints and threaten to counter claim against them. They are a cowboy outfit when it comes to customer service. None of my letters of complaint were answered and promises of calls back by supervisors were not met. They were good at calling me for the money though:rolleyes:

I wish I had never left VF but am back with them now and happy as larry. Also when you write letters put ''Without Predjudice'' on them in the top left hand corner so they cant be used against you if it ever goes to court. Too many people get shafted in this country and its about time people stood up for their rights.

Sponge Bob

mcaul wrote:

Ref a/c no. xxxxxxx

Dear Sirs

Due to the continued problems with your service since early June and the failure of Hutchison 3G Ireland Ltd to aleviate these problems in a timely manner, I am returning my 3G card & sim and request the following.

1. Immediate termination of service

2. Refund of all charges since June 1st (€59.97)

3. Refund of original purchase price of 3G connect card. (€49)


Your service does not meet requirments under the sale of goods act and I am requesting a refund of €108.97 to be issued within the next ten days.

Failure to issue full refund & terminate contract within this period will result in small claims court proceeding to be issued.


Sincerely

xx

If I might , note the bold para above and maybe modify it a tad as follows. Otherwise fine

Your service does not meet the basic requirements of the sale of goods act. It is neither "Fit For The Purpose" OR of "Merchantable Quality" as a Broadband service.

I am requesting a refund of €108.97 , being the sum of all the monies paid by me to you to date to you for this non service and said refund to be issued within the next ten days.

Please send me a prepaid envelope for the modem in order that I may send it back to you or please make your own arrangements to collect this modem and send all relevant instructions along with the refund cheque

Send the letter, registered post to the company secretary, I have given the company secretarys postal address in the big thread above.

mcaul

Update

Actually was able to talk to Rachel Canning of Three - she took the call and had a decent chat. Admitted there were problems. Has said they are working round the clock to get different areas sorted out. + the usual "we did not know how popular it would be" - I remember saying to one of their guy in feb that I would not be surprised if they would get 50,000 customers in a few months. He laughed and said it would be a dream for them - seems its a nightmare!!!

I said, if a joe soap could forecast 50,000 how come three couldn't? - seems they based it on UK research. dooohhh

Anyway, she said the service should see improvements every day and it should be completed at end of next week. She confirmed that there would eb no problem cancelling the contract without penalty due to the service level but asked me to wait for 2 weeks and see the service level then.

Whilst not the answers I wanted, it was decent of her to take the call, admit the problems and confirm that the contract could be cancelled as they have not been providing the service. - Also Xtravision are considering withdrawal of the three modem until service issues are cleared up.

Cos she sounded cute (hope the wife doesn't read this) I'll give her the benefit of doubt and wait til weekend after next - at least I can stop cursing my dell computer!!!:)

Sponge Bob

Having said all that , 3 know perfectly well that all their customers have been able to do nothing since June.

If they anticipate fixing it fully by end August ( yeah ) they should give all their customers 3 free months ...even at the back end of the one year contract meaning next June July and August are free .

Anyone who will not wait should get a refund now for being sold a pup by a pack of numbskulls.

paulm17781

goz83 wrote:

I rang customer support and it turned out that the (notice the name of the package) "video talk" promotion was only until the end of the year and customers would from there on in be charged for video calls. I made them very aware that I did not know about any such "promotion" and had read all the info on the site before placing my order. I knew I could not have missed this because I am always careful if ordering over the net.

It was on the site, I remember reading it there.

AlmightyCushion

Sponge Bob wrote:

Having said all that , 3 know perfectly well that all their customers have been able to do nothing since June.

If they anticipate fixing it fully by end August ( yeah ) they should give all their customers 3 free months ...even at the back end of the one year contract meaning next June July and August are free .

Anyone who will not wait should get a refund now for being sold a pup by a pack of numbskulls.

They should also stop seeling the modems until they get it sorted but I seriously doubt that would happen.

long_b

I just spent half an hour on the phone trying to cancel the contract due to terrible service but I didn't get anywhere.

Xennon

All dissatisfied customers should hit the small claims court, give the company a headache. I'm sure some papers would be interested in your experiences.

As long as you do something, don't just take this service. Too many companies in this country are getting away with ripping people off. If they cant provide the service they shouldn't be selling it in the first place.

I'm sick of hearing about people being tied into contracts for 12months for a service that doesn't work. We're a small country, more people should stand up to this, what I see as bullying, and shouldn't be allowed to continue.
/rant
Dave_W

talkingclock

mcaul wrote:

I am returning my 3G card & sim and request the following.

Did you actually put the hardware in the envelope/box and sent it to them?

I just wonder if they could claim they got the envelope but not with the hardware in it...

I'll try to give it back to the shop where i bought it from and get at least a receipt that i have handed the hardware and SIM card over.

jor el

First step for anyone dumping 3 is to call in, or write a letter, to your bank instructing them to stop the direct debit to 3 (that's if you pay by direct debit). Otherwise 3 can still take the monthly payments from you and there'll be no incentive for them to improve the service quickly until it starts to effect their bottom line.

After canceling the payments, write a letter to 3 and tell them what you've done and that you've no intention of paying them any more money until the fix the problems, or that you're just not paying them any money at all. Then maybe follow sponge bob's suggestions above about asking them to refund for lack of service already paid for and collecting the modem.

Sponge Bob

could you ask

1. what is The official 3 complaints procedure
2. to whom must a formal complaint be addressed about any aspect of their service, email/form/tels no etc
3. what is the link to points 1 and 2 on their website

ta

mcaul

Sponge Bob wrote:

could you ask

1. what is The official 3 complaints procedure
2. to whom must a formal complaint be addressed about any aspect of their service, email/form/tels no etc
3. what is the link to points 1 and 2 on their website

ta

There's no official complints procedure - I am waiting one more week to see if the problem is sorted otherwise it off to 02 (thankfully I can get their service too).
I actually had the modem in an envelope ready for posting til I managed to talk to Rachel canning - communication manager. Letter and envelope on desk waiting for next week.

Head office address is Hutchison 3g, 6-10 Suffolk St, Dublin 2.
Simply write to them cancelling your contract due to non performance on poart of Hutchinson 3G Ireland and also cancel your direct debit.

dub45

AlmightyCushion wrote:

They should also stop seeling the modems until they get it sorted but I seriously doubt that would happen.

I agree totally. Continuing to sell a service which the provider knows cannot be provided should be a prosecutable offence with exemplary penalites.

It would appear that the terms 'business' and 'morals' are simply incompatible.

AlmightyCushion

dub45 wrote:

I agree totally. Continuing to sell a service which the provider knows cannot be provided should be a prosecutable offence with exemplary penalites.

Unfortunately it is never going to happen.

ablelocks

After 3 months I successfully returned my modem today for a full refund and no early termination fee.

Story :

I had written to them on the 18th July - to head office, customer care, and I think crucially to the 3store where I bought it. Luckily, the area manager was in the store that day, I got a call from him immediately and he agreed a refund if I wasn't happy after the upgrade.

I went to the retail store last Friday to ensure that they were aware of the arrangement - the guy wasn't but he checked with the area manager and called me back to say it was cleared.

Went in yesterday, when the retail guy got on to the disconnections department in customer care (I assume in India) they initially refused to go ahead with the disconnection. They tried to fob me off but I spoke to a supervisor and told him a refund had been verbally agreed. He needed an email confirmation from the area manager, so the store guy arranged for that to happen this morning, phoned me and refunded me for the modem only this afternoon.

(I tried to get back the 3 months bills but no dice on that. Not too bothered - I did actually use at least a gig a month. I will be refunded by check for this months rental).

So if you are looking for a refund, try to find out the name of your retail area manager (I assume there are a number of them, and I am not going to name the guy I dealt with here) and ensure that he/she is copied on any correspondance. The Area Manager can authorise a disconnection - all he/she needs to do is send an email to the relevant dept. in customer care.

(And I have to say, both the Area Manager and particularly the guy in the store were excellent in terms of understanding my complaint as a customer and dealing with it when required)

I may purchase this again in the future - if the feedback here should turn positive!