davieG Posted 1 July 2019 Posted 1 July 2019 Mobile phone customers can now switch providers with a single free text under new rules which have come into effect. At the moment, customers have to phone their mobile provider when they want to switch to a new firm. They are then given a porting authorisation code (PAC) to give to a new provider if they want to keep the same phone number. But watchdog Ofcom says the need to speak to a provider can be one of the main factors stopping people switching. As part of this process, customers can often find themselves dealing with unwanted attempts by the companies to persuade them to stay. How to switch by text Customers who want to switch and keep their existing phone number text "PAC" to 65075 to begin the process Their existing provider will respond by text within a minute They will then be sent their switching code (PAC), which will be valid for 30 days The provider's reply must also include important information about any early termination charges or pay-as-you-go credit balances The customer then gives the code to their new provider, and this company must arrange for the switch to complete within one working day While most people want to keep their mobile number when they switch, about one in six do not. These customers can text "STAC" to 75075 to request a "service termination authorisation code". Ofcom says the new text-to-switch process will make it quicker and easier for people to leave their mobile company. It will also give them control over how much contact they have with the firm. After sending a single free text, customers should be switched within one working day - however, there may be early termination fees if you leave before the notice period of your existing contract. Phone users to get out-of-contract alerts Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom's consumer group director, told the BBC that the changes were designed to deal with the issues that put people off switching mobile phone providers. These included the need to pay for both the old and the new service at the same time during an overlap period. "It really has never been simpler to switch," she said. If mobile phone providers did not abide by the new rules, they would be subject to investigations and even fines, Ms Fussell added. In November last year, Ofcom fined Virgin and EE £13.3m for leaving customers who quit broadband and phone contracts early "out of pocket". "We won't hesitate to do the same again if we need to," said Ms Fussell. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48816459
Innovindil Posted 1 July 2019 Posted 1 July 2019 Long overdue. The amount of run around trying to ring up and sort it is ridiculous.
stripeyfox Posted 1 July 2019 Posted 1 July 2019 this is good. I have a good deal with Three but the signal is crap at home (not that anyone ever phones me anyway!). Have tried to contact them but dealing with their call centre is usually an ordeal so may look at some other options now! Need a sim only deal with a decent wedge of data - currently get 20GB for £14 Any recommendations?
Buce Posted 1 July 2019 Posted 1 July 2019 10 minutes ago, stripeyfox said: this is good. I have a good deal with Three but the signal is crap at home (not that anyone ever phones me anyway!). Have tried to contact them but dealing with their call centre is usually an ordeal so may look at some other options now! Need a sim only deal with a decent wedge of data - currently get 20GB for £14 Any recommendations? https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/compare/sim_only_deals/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7ePitbKT4wIViZ3VCh10Mw2vEAAYAiAAEgL9tPD_BwE
TheUltimateWinner Posted 1 July 2019 Posted 1 July 2019 I'll probably still phone up and see if they can offer me a better deal before I leave... success seems to vary between operators. Threes retentions team are the best I found.
stripeyfox Posted 1 July 2019 Posted 1 July 2019 2 minutes ago, TheUltimateWinner said: I'll probably still phone up and see if they can offer me a better deal before I leave... success seems to vary between operators. Threes retentions team are the best I found. yeah they're pretty good and I've been with them for ages, but since I moved house the signal is crap. They gave me a box thing to boost it but I'm not convinced it works very well as I quite often get straight to voicemail calls at home!
Kopic Posted 1 July 2019 Posted 1 July 2019 7 minutes ago, TheUltimateWinner said: I'll probably still phone up and see if they can offer me a better deal before I leave... success seems to vary between operators. Threes retentions team are the best I found. Yeah I did that with EE when I was upgrading. From an s6 to an s8 the upgrade month rate was 50 quid, found an offer on o2 that was 25, phoned EE for a pac code and they matched the o2 offer.
jammie82uk Posted 1 July 2019 Posted 1 July 2019 11 minutes ago, TheUltimateWinner said: I'll probably still phone up and see if they can offer me a better deal before I leave... success seems to vary between operators. Threes retentions team are the best I found. o2 retentions is awful I changed a couple of weeks ago from them, I did a online chat with them told them what I had seen with other companies and they then offered me 2 “deals” that was more expensive for less tariff amounts then wanted to know which of the 2 deals offered by o2 was I going to accept I had to ask for a pac code 4 times before it was given because every time I asked they offered me the same “deals” again and said I would lose priority and that o2 is a premium brand and don’t price match others
stripeyfox Posted 1 July 2019 Posted 1 July 2019 1 hour ago, Buce said: https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/compare/sim_only_deals/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7ePitbKT4wIViZ3VCh10Mw2vEAAYAiAAEgL9tPD_BwE Sky Mobile £10 month for 8GB data seems ok, especially as it includes unlimited Sky TV streaming (for Sky TV customers). Cricket World Cup has really nailed my data this month - at work we can't connect personal devices to the wifi!
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