Is there any evidence that Three has a major problem with users tethering and replacing their home broadband connection?
Yes, I expect tethering to end on NEW SIM-only plans, but for nothing to change for existing users. I can't see why Three will feel the need.
If Three really had massive congestion problems, it would be axing AYCE data completely, not just stopping tethering.
Yes, there is evidence that tethering has become a problem for Three.
It's not a massive issue though hence why existing customers aren't being affected/AYCE data isn't being axed.
The problem in the past was that there was no way to detect tethering usage and so people were able to tether on plans that didn't officially allow it. Now that the tools are there to detect tethering usage, Three and other networks worldwide have the ability to see how much data is being used on tethering and thus control the amount given to the user. Before it was either as much tethering as you want or no tethering at all, now it's everyone can tether with certain limits on certain plans which is how it should be to be honest as one thing that annoyed me in the past was how Three would give you an allowance like 1GB but block tethering completely. Now tethering is available on all plans as standard which is good.
From recent experience I was given a simple option by my energy provider. We have to move you to a new tariff but if you don't like it you can pay what you owe and move elsewhere. That was the approach to a long term direct debit customer and it's really that simple when corporate priorities prevail. To put the sums into perspective what was at stake was about 8 times what a mobile SIM only customer pays 3 every month for a One Plan deal!
I'll ask you again.
Can you give an example of any mobile network provider ever doing what you've just described your energy provider did to you?
Confirmed. All new 3 SIM Only deals have a 2GB tethering allowance which is shown in a summary when the SIM Card size required is selected on-line.
So it looks like this has been a 'soft launch' with no specific press release information and it has been introduced before the 1st of July bringing SIM Only into line with inclusive handset One Plan contracts.
Time will tell how the revised allowance affects 'rolling' customers when they renew at the end of their current contract period. I am confident there will be some feedback pretty soon from those renewing and that will interest everyone with this type of service.
Confirmed. All new 3 SIM Only deals have a 2GB tethering allowance which is shown in a summary when the SIM Card size required is selected on-line.
So it looks like this has been a 'soft launch' with no specific press release information and it has been introduced before the 1st of July bringing SIM Only into line with inclusive handset One Plan contracts.
Time will tell how the revised allowance affects 'rolling' customers when they renew at the end of their current contract period. I am confident there will be some feedback pretty soon from those renewing and that will interest everyone with this type of service.
I'll ask you again.
Can you give an example of any mobile network provider ever doing what you've just described your energy provider did to you?
Confirmed. All new 3 SIM Only deals have a 2GB tethering allowance which is shown in a summary when the SIM Card size required is selected on-line.
So it looks like this has been a 'soft launch' with no specific press release information and it has been introduced before the 1st of July bringing SIM Only into line with inclusive handset One Plan contracts.
Time will tell how the revised allowance affects 'rolling' customers when they renew at the end of their current contract period. I am confident there will be some feedback pretty soon from those renewing and that will interest everyone with this type of service.
As was confirmed yesterday, and posted by other members that you replied do. I suspect you're just using repetition as a way to keep bumping the thread over and over. A rolling contract has no end date as we informed you yesterday, you don't have to renew it. You are clearly, well I can't say the word, but you know.
There is no substitute for confirming information for oneself. This is a very significant change to the previous proposition and there has been little publicity to alert consumers some of whom may have missed the subtle difference included on the order summary webpage.
DS members now have a clear explanation of the changes that affect new customers considering this popular SIM Only option. As this has been a very 'quiet' change it is worth watching what the company chooses to offer when renewal of existing rolling contracts are due.
There is no substitute for confirming information for oneself. This is a very significant change to the previous proposition and there has been little publicity to alert consumers some of whom may have missed the subtle difference included on the order summary webpage.
DS members now have a clear explanation of the changes that affect new customers considering this popular SIM Only option. As this has been a very 'quiet' change it is worth watching what the company chooses to offer when renewal of existing rolling contracts are due.
I won't be renewing anything though, so I'll be unaffected.
For clarity, every contract I've ever had (been SIM Only for about 7 years now) has always continued on exactly the same tariff, even when the initial 12 month period has expired.
I fully expect my 3 SIM Only One Plan (with unlimited data & tethering) at £15 per month to carry on with exactly the same features that I have now, when the contract expires in May 2015.
With that in mind, at this stage I can't see me moving from 3.
Nobody renews a contract after the minimum term ends. Wouldn't it be fun for those on 30 day deals - when the rates changed every month!
People held on to their one2one PersonalCall tariffs for goodness knows how long. Maybe some people are still on it! (I'm not serious btw)
I'm still unsure how effective Three is at detecting tethering and suspect people might be able to use more than the 2GB limit. Especially if there's to be a separate APN. As mentioned, it's still possible to tether on plans that don't even allow it at all.
People held on to their one2one PersonalCall tariffs for goodness knows how long. Maybe some people are still on it! (I'm not serious btw)
If that's the 'tariff' that included all phone calls, but you had to purchase the phone outright (something like £400 mid 1990s, which was A LOT of money back then!), then a friend of mine held on to his for many many years.
HE lived on a boat so had no landline, but his O2O phone came in very handy (I think it may even have included international calls).
He would regularly receive calls from T-Mobile trying to entice him off, but the tariffs simply didn't include (at the time) the amount of minutes he had with the old SIM.
He finally gave it up a few years back, when smartphones and tariffs exploded and came with more minutes than you could shake a stick at!
I'm still unsure how effective Three is at detecting tethering and suspect people might be able to use more than the 2GB limit. Especially if there's to be a separate APN. As mentioned, it's still possible to tether on plans that don't even allow it at all.
I think they just use header detection at the moment - maybe that will change though.
I think all customers want to know what they are officially entitled to use when they purchase a service and not what they might be able to do with a 'workaround' for an unknown period. Lucky bags don't always contain worthwhile things!
The changes made have brought SIM Only into line with handset contracts and that is no bad thing really as the change removes an anomaly that may have acted against 3's interests in upgrading customers with new products which themselves provide some much needed earning potential in these days of contracting termination rates and roaming charges.
It's still there for existing One Plan customers like myself, though.
Oh, I also just had a live chat with a Three agent asking for a renewal deal. I am currently on 30 a day sim only contract and asked about a 12 month contract. The best the advisor could come up with was £20 a month, which is £2 a month MORE than what I am paying on a monthly basis.
I should perhaps make sure I clarify things every time I write about changes. As in I didn't know the 5,000 3 to 3 minutes went on the new handset tariffs.
Just in case you know who starts to think he's got another scoop and goes to create another thread.
Comments
Yes, there is evidence that tethering has become a problem for Three.
It's not a massive issue though hence why existing customers aren't being affected/AYCE data isn't being axed.
The problem in the past was that there was no way to detect tethering usage and so people were able to tether on plans that didn't officially allow it. Now that the tools are there to detect tethering usage, Three and other networks worldwide have the ability to see how much data is being used on tethering and thus control the amount given to the user. Before it was either as much tethering as you want or no tethering at all, now it's everyone can tether with certain limits on certain plans which is how it should be to be honest as one thing that annoyed me in the past was how Three would give you an allowance like 1GB but block tethering completely. Now tethering is available on all plans as standard which is good.
I'll ask you again.
Can you give an example of any mobile network provider ever doing what you've just described your energy provider did to you?
Thanks.
So it looks like this has been a 'soft launch' with no specific press release information and it has been introduced before the 1st of July bringing SIM Only into line with inclusive handset One Plan contracts.
Time will tell how the revised allowance affects 'rolling' customers when they renew at the end of their current contract period. I am confident there will be some feedback pretty soon from those renewing and that will interest everyone with this type of service.
I'll ask you again.
Can you give an example of any mobile network provider ever doing what you've just described your energy provider did to you?
Thanks.
As was confirmed yesterday, and posted by other members that you replied do. I suspect you're just using repetition as a way to keep bumping the thread over and over. A rolling contract has no end date as we informed you yesterday, you don't have to renew it. You are clearly, well I can't say the word, but you know.
DS members now have a clear explanation of the changes that affect new customers considering this popular SIM Only option. As this has been a very 'quiet' change it is worth watching what the company chooses to offer when renewal of existing rolling contracts are due.
I'm clearly on wavejock's ignore list (or he's choosing to avoid asking this!), so can someone else please ask him/her this question?
Ta.
I fully expect my 3 SIM Only One Plan (with unlimited data & tethering) at £15 per month to carry on with exactly the same features that I have now, when the contract expires in May 2015.
With that in mind, at this stage I can't see me moving from 3.
People held on to their one2one PersonalCall tariffs for goodness knows how long. Maybe some people are still on it! (I'm not serious btw)
I'm still unsure how effective Three is at detecting tethering and suspect people might be able to use more than the 2GB limit. Especially if there's to be a separate APN. As mentioned, it's still possible to tether on plans that don't even allow it at all.
If that's the 'tariff' that included all phone calls, but you had to purchase the phone outright (something like £400 mid 1990s, which was A LOT of money back then!), then a friend of mine held on to his for many many years.
HE lived on a boat so had no landline, but his O2O phone came in very handy (I think it may even have included international calls).
He would regularly receive calls from T-Mobile trying to entice him off, but the tariffs simply didn't include (at the time) the amount of minutes he had with the old SIM.
He finally gave it up a few years back, when smartphones and tariffs exploded and came with more minutes than you could shake a stick at!
(I am deadly serious BTW!)
I think they just use header detection at the moment - maybe that will change though.
The changes made have brought SIM Only into line with handset contracts and that is no bad thing really as the change removes an anomaly that may have acted against 3's interests in upgrading customers with new products which themselves provide some much needed earning potential in these days of contracting termination rates and roaming charges.
You might want to check back a bit later today ;-)
Haha-you little tease you!
Had it confirmed by high up at Three direct just now that the 2GB tethering on the One Plan IS a typo and will be removed later today.
One Plan SIMO DOES have AYCE data with tethering still.
This is not to say it wont change in the future, just has not right now
Good info, thanks for sharing, much appreciated.
Yes, I think that went when the Free 0800 calls change came in.
Ah, no I hadn't. That's a bit cheeky!
It's still there for existing One Plan customers like myself, though.
Oh, I also just had a live chat with a Three agent asking for a renewal deal. I am currently on 30 a day sim only contract and asked about a 12 month contract. The best the advisor could come up with was £20 a month, which is £2 a month MORE than what I am paying on a monthly basis.
I should perhaps make sure I clarify things every time I write about changes. As in I didn't know the 5,000 3 to 3 minutes went on the new handset tariffs.
Just in case you know who starts to think he's got another scoop and goes to create another thread.
But yeh, 2GB on sim only was an error.
Still unlimited tethering until the new sim only plans kick in.
Thought it was weird timing + the fact the t&c didn't change.
Sorry, I should have made it clear I was referring to the new one plan.
Good to know.
Now, where's wavejock!?