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Three phases out "The One Plan" and Unlimited tethering


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Old 06-11-2014, 18:47
moox
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... except you'll drop from 2000 mins (plus 5000 3-3 mins) to 600 mins.
Oh, I didn't see that. Bit of a pain if you need that many minutes.

Looks very much like they need the cash for this "free" 4G.
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Old 06-11-2014, 18:51
jabbamk1
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Oh, I didn't see that. Bit of a pain if you need that many minutes.

Looks very much like they need the cash for this "free" 4G.
It's different for everyone.

Some people may end up paying £5 more for an equivalent package.
Others may end up paying the same.

You won't end up paying less though. Obviously.
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Old 06-11-2014, 20:06
jabbamk1
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At the very least, Three should allow customers to purchase additional tetherable data.

Unlimited on the handset is good enough as 95% of people just don't need the tethering. Obviously some people do tether and may wish to use more than 2GB/4GB. So the ability to add additional data to the tethering pot would be a good move from Three.

Or Three (and other networks) could do what they do in Taiwan which is offer a plan like Taiwan Star do which includes Minutes/Texts and 5GB data for $1299 NTD. Once the 5GB is exceeded your speeds are slowed to 128Kbps but you can buy additional data such as 1GB for $250 NTD. That seems fair to me, although I think throttling it down that much is extreme. Maybe 512Kbps is more lenient.

Then again Taiwan have engaged in a massive price and network war and now all of them are offering unlimited data for very competitive prices. Bit surprised really as it only took one network to do it but now unlimited data is being advertised everywhere in Taiwan.
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Old 06-11-2014, 20:08
NathDogg
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I've just spoken to three customer service. The lady I spoke to said there was a specific department that was dealing with this but are currently closed.

She was able to offer me the new 30 day (unlimited mins, unlimited texts and unlimited internet/4GB tethering) plan for £21/month. That would be the full price of £28 minus my £7 loyalty discount which I'm allowed to keep. I'm currently paying £18/month for the one plan. I asked her to add a note to my account saying that I was offered it at that price, as I would call cancellations tomorrow and see what they can offer. I'm pretty sure that will be the best offer though.

Even at £21/month I think three would still be the cheapest option for me. Ive been finding threes data speed to be a bit poor recently, so if this helps things I'm happy to pay £3 more.
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Old 06-11-2014, 20:11
Thine Wonk
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At the very least, Three should allow customers to purchase additional tetherable data.

Unlimited on the handset is good enough as 95% of people just don't need the tethering. Obviously some people do tether and may wish to use more than 2GB/4GB. So the ability to add additional data to the tethering pot would be a good move from Three.

Or Three (and other networks) could do what they do in Taiwan which is offer a plan like Taiwan Star do which includes Minutes/Texts and 5GB data for $1299 NTD. Once the 5GB is exceeded your speeds are slowed to 128Kbps but you can buy additional data such as 1GB for $250 NTD. That seems fair to me, although I think throttling it down that much is extreme. Maybe 512Kbps is more lenient.
That's a terrible idea Jabbamk1 as I understand it if the users carry on using their 'home broadband' at 128kbps, they keep hogging active data channels on the network clogging up the network, that's why Trafficsense can't help this case I think.

It may be that restricting speeds actually causes more active connections as things take longer to download and hog radio channels for longer. Maybe somebody that knows the specifics of base station active data channels can confirm, however I think that might be the case.

I agree with allowing them to add more tethering data though £5 for another 5GB would be good, and you could just keep adding more if you needed it, then you're helping to fund investment in the network if you're a heavy user.
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Old 06-11-2014, 20:13
jabbamk1
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That's a terrible idea Jabbamk1
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Old 06-11-2014, 20:18
heidtheba
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One other point...


I bought a hudl a fortnight aho specifically to tether for football. My eyes aren't up to 5" jiayu g4, so bigger screen needed.

Wasn't there talk on here a while back that 3 were classing 5.5 or 6" phones as phablets?
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Old 06-11-2014, 20:20
jabbamk1
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One other point...


I bought a hudl a fortnight aho specifically to tether for football. My eyes aren't up to 5" jiayu g4, so bigger screen needed.

Wasn't there talk on here a while back that 3 were classing 5.5 or 6" phones as phablets?
No. They were classing tablets as tablets.

Basically if you buy a Samsung Galaxy Tab (which uses a SIM to make calls) then the phone SIM won't work because you're putting it in a device which Samsung sells as a tablet.
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Old 06-11-2014, 21:02
Richard_T
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Question: when people get the phone call/text how long do they have left on the one plan?
One month/week/til the start/end of January?

Im aware that there were press reports when the plan first launched testing to see if the tethering was truly unlimited, if we are all to be booted off that would anyone be up for a week/fortnight of non stop data use as a swansong to the one plan / ulimited tethering?
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Old 06-11-2014, 21:15
Mancunian01
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if we are all to be booted off that would anyone be up for a week/fortnight of non stop data use as a swansong to the one plan / ulimited tethering?

Why would you want to do that?
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Old 06-11-2014, 21:17
cooler
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Question: when people get the phone call/text how long do they have left on the one plan?
One month/week/til the start/end of January?
People have until the end of their minimum term.
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Old 06-11-2014, 22:26
carguy143
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Question: when people get the phone call/text how long do they have left on the one plan?
One month/week/til the start/end of January?
I got the text yesterday and spoke to someone today who told me that I would be able to stray on the one plan until 5 january 2015. I've been out of contract a long time now. I guess they're giving everyone 60 days notice and sending out texts in batches to control call volumes. I work for one of the UK's largest ISP and I know this is how they handle any major updates to control call flow in to our dept.

I must also say the guy I spoke to was very nice, no pressure and he was able to answer all my questions. I think the special dept are based in Glasgow judging by his accent.

Rik.
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Old 06-11-2014, 22:40
jabbamk1
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I got the text yesterday and spoke to someone today who told me that I would be able to stray on the one plan until 5 january 2015. I've been out of contract a long time now. I guess they're giving everyone 60 days notice and sending out texts in batches to control call volumes. I work for one of the UK's largest ISP and I know this is how they handle any major updates to control call flow in to our dept.

I must also say the guy I spoke to was very nice, no pressure and he was able to answer all my questions. I think the special dept are based in Glasgow judging by his accent.

Rik.
Three have dedicated a team of ~160 customer service agents to deal with this I believe.
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Old 06-11-2014, 22:51
Thine Wonk
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With that number of staff it'll take a very long time indeed to contact all One Plan customers and move them. If there are 4M One Plan customers for example then that's 25,000 per member of staff. That's about a years work for that number of staff.

I bet they'll only contact the users that average over a certain amount of tethering data, we'll see though you might be right and they might be getting in contact with everyone over the next year, that's a HUGE salary cost though to move the typical users that aren't a problem.
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Old 06-11-2014, 22:53
jabbamk1
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With that number of staff it'll take a very long time indeed to contact all One Plan customers and move them. If there are 4M One Plan customers for example then that's 25,000 per member of staff. That's about a years work for that number of staff.

I bet they'll only contact the users that average over a certain amount of tethering data, we'll see though you might be right and they might be getting in contact with everyone over the next year, that's a HUGE salary cost though to move the typical users that aren't a problem.
There is over 1m. Not 4m.

~250,000 users are on The One Plan SIM Only (12m plan)

Everyone will be contacted and switched over to a new plan eventually. Only once out of contract of course.
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Old 06-11-2014, 23:00
plymouthbloke1974
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I am tempted to jump ship to a T-Mobile sim only with unlimited data and 2000 mins..... Dunno what 3 would offer me though when I get the text. I'd be happy with AYCE mins for £23 (Yes I know people apparently have been offered cheaper but I'm happy if my cost stays the same as it is now). If it's £28 or leave, then I'll probably leave.
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Old 06-11-2014, 23:01
Everything Goes
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With that number of staff it'll take a very long time indeed to contact all One Plan customers and move them. If there are 4M One Plan customers for example then that's 25,000 per member of staff. That's about a years work for that number of staff.

I bet they'll only contact the users that average over a certain amount of tethering data, we'll see though you might be right and they might be getting in contact with everyone over the next year, that's a HUGE salary cost though to move the typical users that aren't a problem.
Think they will target specific users.

Primary Target - Sim Only One Plan customers who are outwith thier contract term and use an excessive amount of bandwidth for tethering.

Secondary Target - All the other Sim Only customers.

Tertiary Target - Customers who have mobile phones will be moved over once their contract expires. The majority will be after a new phone at any rate so pretty easy.
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Old 06-11-2014, 23:02
plymouthbloke1974
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Mate of mine has never tethered on his 30 day One Plan sim and uses 2-3 GB a month and he got the text yesterday.....
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Old 06-11-2014, 23:03
jabbamk1
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I am tempted to jump ship to a T-Mobile sim only with unlimited data and 2000 mins..... Dunno what 3 would offer me though when I get the text. I'd be happy with AYCE mins for £23 (Yes I know people apparently have been offered cheaper but I'm happy if my cost stays the same as it is now). If it's £28 or leave, then I'll probably leave.
Wouldn't the lack of 4G and a 4Mbps speed cap bother you?
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Old 06-11-2014, 23:03
jabbamk1
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Think they will target specific users.

Primary Target - Sim Only One Plan customers who are outwith thier contract term and use an excessive amount of bandwidth for tethering.

Secondary Target - All the other Sim Only customers.

Tertiary Target - Customers who have mobile phones will be moved over once their contract expires. The majority will be after a new phone at any rate so pretty easy.
For the final time.... they are targeting everyone. EVERYONE.

Sure not everyone will get the text at the same time but it'll happen at some point.
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Old 06-11-2014, 23:10
Everything Goes
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For the final time.... they are targeting everyone. EVERYONE.

Sure not everyone will get the text at the same time but it'll happen at some point.
That list included everyone except dongle users who dont count
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Old 06-11-2014, 23:10
plymouthbloke1974
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Wouldn't the lack of 4G and a 4Mbps speed cap bother you?
I'll be honest the 3G on Three here has been so solid and reliable that I've disabled 4G on my iPhone. 4mbit would be enough to stream Sky Go, which is what I use mainly. And the network is just as reliable as it is MBNL

My minute usage at the moment is approx 400 mins however it is creeping up and I'm worried if I accept a 600 min plan on Three that eventually I'd exceed the allowance.
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Old 06-11-2014, 23:11
jabbamk1
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That list included everyone except dongle users who dont count
oh ok then. haha.
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Old 06-11-2014, 23:12
jabbamk1
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I'll be honest the 3G on Three here has been so solid and reliable that I've disabled 4G on my iPhone. 4mbit would be enough to stream Sky Go, which is what I use mainly.

My minute usage at the moment is approx 400 mins however it is creeping up and I'm worried if I accept a 600 min plan on Three that eventually I'd exceed the allowance.
First I'd wait to see what happens with Three.

Just saw you use 28GB data a month in the other thread... well it's either Three or T-Mo then haha. As you don't tether I'd just try and push Three to give you a good deal similar to what you have now. As you're paying £23pm they should be ok with AYCE mins on that.
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Old 06-11-2014, 23:14
plymouthbloke1974
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First I'd wait to see what happens with Three.

How much data do you use anyway? Think you might get away with a capped plan at all?
My allowance resets at midnight tonight and I've used 28.9GB on the handset this month, so no
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