First experience with 3 is not too good- High Bill

amiurve

Hi,

I just opted to use Three broadband service last month,leaving its competitor for its good plan (20 euro- 60 GB) and appropriate service. However, my very first bill shook me up. I am billed for Euro 79.

I was kept on checking my allowance so that I do not exceed it. One day all of a sudden my internet stopped working.I called customer care and realized that I have used allowance of worth 50 euro on top of my regular allowance and therefor service is stopped. This 50 euro is what i paid as a deposit. I was told that I used 1.3gb extra. I needed to use service so i top-up for 7.5 euro extra. In total I will be paying c.80 euro for one month.

Although checking daily my allowance, unknowingly i exceeded my allowance. On this I was charged so heavily for using just a . It made me think again why did I ever switch broad band.

Not at all a good start with Three.

Regards
Amit

VincePP

If you use it for netflix, change your netflix settings to 700kb download.

An hour of netflix will then use 700mb. Hd uses about 2gb/hr

unkel

60GB is per month is a tiny allowance. I use that in a day sometimes and I don't even have netflix...

You can't really blame 3 when you're just using up much more bandwith than you have a subscription for...

amiurve

@VincePP thanks for your message. I dont have Netflix account.

@unkel, maybe for you 60GB is tiny allowance and doesnt mean everyone uses the way you use it. anyways thanks for your reply

unkel

amiurve wrote: »

doesnt mean everyone uses the way you use it

Of course! But you were paying close attention to your usage (and you were probably being careful?) but you still went over your allowance (costing you a penalty)

Maybe it's a better idea to pay a bit more per month for a bigger allowance?

njs030

Could you look at your previous supplier and see what your average usage is and change your plan to reflect that?
You can't blame a company for you using more than you paid for, maybe it's just not the right plan for you.

amiurve

Obviously after checking my usage I shifted to Three as I was getting better plan for my usage. Here the question is not about my average usage but the amount charged for extra usage. Its not about I have any issues with Three, if it was the case I would have not joined.

I never exceeded my allowance with previous employer, anyways thats not the topic to discuss in this forum.

unkel

amiurve wrote: »

Here the question is not about my average usage but the amount charged for extra usage. Its not about I have any issues with Three, if it was the case I would have not joined.

Presumably you knew about the penalty charge for extra usage before you joined?

If not, you should have known before you entered the contract with 3. You made a mistake, blame yourself, not 3

If you did know, why are you complaining about it?


Sorry if I sound harsh, but I have difficulty understanding the reason for you taking the trouble to sign up for boards.ie just to post this...

njs030

amiurve wrote: »

Obviously after checking my usage I shifted to Three as I was getting better plan for my usage. Here the question is not about my average usage but the amount charged for extra usage. Its not about I have any issues with Three, if it was the case I would have not joined.

I never exceeded my allowance with previous employer, anyways thats not the topic to discuss in this forum.

People are trying to help you, there's need to be rude.

It's completely your fault that you didnt check the out of allowance charges. It's not a consumer issue, 3 did nothing wrong.

theteal

If it's your first month, you wouldn't have had a full months allowance OP. This should have been explained to you at sign up. You tend to get a pro rata amount of data for the portion of the month you're in until you sync with the providers billing cycle and then receive your first full months allowance. Could this be likely how you've exceeded the allowance unknowingly? If so, that should be the focal point of your next discussion with the provider.

JimsAlterEgo

theteal wrote: »

If it's your first month, you wouldn't have had a full months allowance OP. This should have been explained to you at sign up. You tend to get a pro rata amount of data for the portion of the month you're in until you sync with the providers billing cycle and then receive your first full months allowance. Could this be likely how you've exceeded the allowance unknowingly? If so, that should be the focal point of your next discussion with the provider.

if that's the case you may be able to contest, unless told otherwise I would expect I would have a months usage from the day I signed up.

Cabaal

Not seeing the issue here, if the OP did research on what the data allowance is then they should have also checked what the over use charges are also. Not seeing an issue with Three here.

JimsAlterEgo

Cabaal wrote: »

Not seeing the issue here, if the OP did research on what the data allowance is then they should have also checked what the over use charges are also. Not seeing an issue with Three here.

agreed, unless they were not clear on when allowances run for (calendar month only)

Discodog

You would be better posting this in the Three forum

http://www.boards.ie/ttforum/1367

You will see that lots of people have been caught out. Three could introduce a warning system but it's too much of a money spinner. They may reduce the cost but they won't remove it.

dudara

@Discodog - please don't tell the OP to start a new thread in the Talk to 3 forum, as we can end up with duplicate threads. Instead, in future, please suggest that they ask for it to be moved.

OP - do you want me to move this to the Talk to 3 forum?

Gettingtogrips

notjustsweet wrote: »

People are trying to help you, there's need to be rude.

It's completely your fault that you didnt check the out of allowance charges. It's not a consumer issue, 3 did nothing wrong.

My God, some people see rudeness in the simplest comments - such sensitive souls out there. I too got caught by 3 - I did exactly the same as amiurve - changed because of the bigger allowance which like him/her was more than sufficient for my needs. Like you, they caught me for exceeding my allowance when I did nothing more than I had previously done when using Vodafone where I only had a 7.5GB allowance - which I never exceeded. But I thought I'd be able to get so much more from my internet service but its no better than Vodafone's was. Now, I am sadly locked into an 18 month contract with 3. Some people's comments on here have been most unhelpful - ie. expecting people to be constantly checking their allowance. What is the point of having such a service if one has to be so nervous about it all the time? I am locked into paying 3 24.99 every month for this service and it is no better than the 20 euros a month I used to pay for 7.5G with Vodafone. I get nothing extra from 3 in terms of downloading ability so they obviously have some way of charging more for downloads than other internet provider do. I never use Netflix, I am terrified when I download a short You Tube clip - is that really how it should be? No, it's not.

Zhane

Gettingtogrips wrote: »

My God, some people see rudeness in the simplest comments - such sensitive souls out there. I too got caught by 3 - I did exactly the same as amiurve - changed because of the bigger allowance which like him/her was more than sufficient for my needs. Like you, they caught me for exceeding my allowance when I did nothing more than I had previously done when using Vodafone where I only had a 7.5GB allowance - which I never exceeded. But I thought I'd be able to get so much more from my internet service but its no better than Vodafone's was. Now, I am sadly locked into an 18 month contract with 3. Some people's comments on here have been most unhelpful - ie. expecting people to be constantly checking their allowance. What is the point of having such a service if one has to be so nervous about it all the time? I am locked into paying 3 24.99 every month for this service and it is no better than the 20 euros a month I used to pay for 7.5G with Vodafone. I get nothing extra from 3 in terms of downloading ability so they obviously have some way of charging more for downloads than other internet provider do. I never use Netflix, I am terrified when I download a short You Tube clip - is that really how it should be? No, it's not.

That makes absolutely no sense. Each app/webpage/video will consume the same amount of data usage on all networks.

Joseph

Gettingtogrips wrote: »

My God, some people see rudeness in the simplest comments - such sensitive souls out there. I too got caught by 3 - I did exactly the same as amiurve - changed because of the bigger allowance which like him/her was more than sufficient for my needs. Like you, they caught me for exceeding my allowance when I did nothing more than I had previously done when using Vodafone where I only had a 7.5GB allowance - which I never exceeded. But I thought I'd be able to get so much more from my internet service but its no better than Vodafone's was. Now, I am sadly locked into an 18 month contract with 3. Some people's comments on here have been most unhelpful - ie. expecting people to be constantly checking their allowance. What is the point of having such a service if one has to be so nervous about it all the time? I am locked into paying 3 24.99 every month for this service and it is no better than the 20 euros a month I used to pay for 7.5G with Vodafone. I get nothing extra from 3 in terms of downloading ability so they obviously have some way of charging more for downloads than other internet provider do. I never use Netflix, I am terrified when I download a short You Tube clip - is that really how it should be? No, it's not.

Your smartphone more than likely has a data usage meter / warning system built into it. Check under mobile data settings.

Data is data is data

Gettingtogrips

Joseph wrote: »

Your smartphone more than likely has a data usage meter / warning system built into it. Check under mobile data settings.

Data is data is data

I am not tech savvy so Joseph, your suggestion is absolutely not a runner. I use my 3 'dongle' to provide me with Internet on my iPad and laptop and only very rarely on my phone. The suggestion that I set up a data user metre on my phone - well, all I can say is that it sounds just far too much hassle and implies that I'd have to prop my phone up against my laptop or iPad as I use them while keeping a wary eye on the metre!! While people say it can't be that what is 1GB of data to Vodafone is the same as 1GB of data to 3, all I can say is that 3 proved to me that that is not the case as they claimed I exceeded my allowance within days of setting up with them. Why do so many people have the same complaint about 3? I don't know how they do it obviously, but that they do charge people for exceeding their data allowance and that those people are outraged and confused about how they exceeded their allowance is without doubt. 3 offered me no proof in that they refused to break down my usage into sites entered and how long I was on there and what I did that ran up and exceeded my allowance. How then, can I trust them? I don't trust or believe them on anything now.

Zhane

Gettingtogrips wrote: »

I am not tech savvy so Joseph, your suggestion is absolutely not a runner. I use my 3 'dongle' to provide me with Internet on my iPad and laptop and only very rarely on my phone. The suggestion that I set up a data user metre on my phone - well, all I can say is that it sounds just far too much hassle and implies that I'd have to prop my phone up against my laptop or iPad as I use them while keeping a wary eye on the metre!! While people say it can't be that what is 1GB of data to Vodafone is the same as 1GB of data to 3, all I can say is that 3 proved to me that that is not the case as they claimed I exceeded my allowance within days of setting up with them. Why do so many people have the same complaint about 3? I don't know how they do it obviously, but that they do charge people for exceeding their data allowance and that those people are outraged and confused about how they exceeded their allowance is without doubt. 3 offered me no proof in that they refused to break down my usage into sites entered and how long I was on there and what I did that ran up and exceeded my allowance. How then, can I trust them? I don't trust or believe them on anything now.

Firstly, there is a thing called personal responsibility. You can check your usage on the 3 website. You're giving an allowance, the onus is on you to keep to it.
Secondly, if a movie is 300MB it will be 300MB wether its on Eir, Meteor, Vodafone, Lyca, 3, ID. The only real possible explanation why you went over the allowance quicker if it was your first month , you might have been prorated for your allowance so you might not have had your full allowance.

MOH

Gettingtogrips wrote: »

I am not tech savvy so Joseph, your suggestion is absolutely not a runner. I use my 3 'dongle' to provide me with Internet on my iPad and laptop and only very rarely on my phone. The suggestion that I set up a data user metre on my phone - well, all I can say is that it sounds just far too much hassle and implies that I'd have to prop my phone up against my laptop or iPad as I use them while keeping a wary eye on the metre!! While people say it can't be that what is 1GB of data to Vodafone is the same as 1GB of data to 3, all I can say is that 3 proved to me that that is not the case as they claimed I exceeded my allowance within days of setting up with them. Why do so many people have the same complaint about 3? I don't know how they do it obviously, but that they do charge people for exceeding their data allowance and that those people are outraged and confused about how they exceeded their allowance is without doubt. 3 offered me no proof in that they refused to break down my usage into sites entered and how long I was on there and what I did that ran up and exceeded my allowance. How then, can I trust them? I don't trust or believe them on anything now.

Is the laptop Windows or a Mac? If it's Windows I wouldn't be surprised if it was partly due to automatic Windows updates eating through your data allowance, particularly if you're on Windows 7/8 and it's been downloading Win10 in the background.
It's the kind of thing you don't really think about but can use up a fair bit of your data allowance.

dashcamdanny

Is your network secure?

L1011

MOH wrote: »

Is the laptop Windows or a Mac? If it's Windows I wouldn't be surprised if it was partly due to automatic Windows updates eating through your data allowance, particularly if you're on Windows 7/8 and it's been downloading Win10 in the background.
It's the kind of thing you don't really think about but can use up a fair bit of your data allowance.

Recent OS X downloads updates automatically in the background also (although it doesn't download a 2GB pig of an OS on you without asking)

Newer versions of both OSs have the option to mark a connection as metered though, I believe.