Switching to Tesco Mobile...not as easy as I thought

mel.b

Thought I might recount my experience of trying to switch over to Tesco Mobile this week. I've finished my contract with my existing provider and the majority of my calls are made to overseas which made switching to Tesco Mobile a no brainer on one of their sim only plans.

Wednesday I ring up the call centre, thinking it would be easier to do than online where (I think?) I needed to apply and then send a seperate application to switch my number over. Thought at least on the phone it would all be done at once. So the person takes all my details and then I'm told that the computer systems are down and can I call back later?

Friday morning I call again and am told that I need to go and buy a Tesco sim card and have that handy to switch over - call back when you get the sim.

So i head down to my local tesco and after about 10min the person behind the desk finally finds the sim cards. Sim card in hand off I go to call again.

Friday afternoon - call again, operator takes all my details, card details for payment etc then tells me I will be sent the sim card and activation code. So I ask about the sim card I had been advised to purchase that morning - nope, sorry you don't need that, you will be sent one, but at least you've got a spare now.

Later I check my emails and see there is one from Tesco advising me that my order has been rejected and my money will be refunded in 3 - 5days.

So, on the phone I get again to Tesco mobile. The operator looks it up and it appears there was an error with the way my address was inputted. So the operator goes through my details again, takes my payment detail, processes it and then the order is rejected AGAIN:mad: Again, same problem, something to do with the way my address is being inputted. Now I would have thought my address is a fairly typical one for Ireland - certainly it's typical of the ones I have come across. Have to wait 3 - 5 days now for the second payment to be refunded to me.

So, we go through the process again, having to confirm all details again and this time I have to leave out one line of my address and finally success, the order is approved.

So I'm now waiting for two refunds from Tesco mobile for the orders that were rejected - just glad I was only signing up for the E16 plan and not one that was E70 a month or something!

Tesco mobile certainly dont make it easy to switch over, having to wait for sim cards in the mail, activation codes etc. Also not sure why i was advised to go and buy a sim card when having it made no difference to the process. Was really an exercise in frustration by the end and I hope things improve from here up.

aujopimur

I tried to purchase a phone in Tesco Witon Cork today as I had broken my old one, I walked away from customer sevices having dealt with a clueless and unhelpful assistant in a badly stocked outlet.

breathn

Yeikes,
Sounds like Tesco Mobile need to quickly take stock of procedures in both the call centre and in stores.

Our experience was much better when we ported last summer. The people on the phone were very helpful and even though the port failed twice, the 3rd girl we spoke to was clued in and told me to wait on the line as she did the port. It was only 10 minutes of waiting as she retried a couple of things and found the reasons for rejection and tried different things herself rather than doing callback nonsence.

I really am kinda annoyed by that because great phone customer support was one of the reasons I recommended TM to so many people. It's your only differentiator at the moment so some up to date staff training really is in order.

Sponge Bob

They are probably working off Geodirectory which is utterly crap in rural areas. Bring in bills next time.

steviej25

I have had a look at the international rates, Are these genuine? What is there coverage like because my mam is interested in it because we have a lot of family in england and oz now. Thanks.

mel.b

Yep, rates are genuine and awesome value. I had been using a cheap mobile and PAYG for my international calls and €10 lasted forever. Since my contract expired i have fully switched over to bill pay with tesco mobile and it is great.

grasshopper31

My Mam phones New Zeland - 1cent a minute, no problems or issues (but its to land lines only ) Beats e*rc*m where she was paying nearly 50odd cent a minute

jluv

Been with them 2 years and no issues so I'm hoping you got all your bad luck out of the way now and can enjoy great prices..There is a Tesco Mobile thread on boards and a rep from Tesco Mobile named Paul checks in all the time.Really helpful and has sorted out issues for people:)

accord2001

just read the post from Mel B and i had same problem with Tesco mobile, order being cancelled twice, rang Customer service, not much of a help and unable to tell me exactly why order being rejected. then rang sales team one is telling me it possibly due to out of stock and a different agent telling me he doesn't know. all he is saying because of previously rejected order, any future order will be rejected again.

iam giving up since no one can help me from Tescomobile

n.b. was trying to switch to their bill phone.