[chitarivera]

My 2 year contract is up soon.
I phoned Vodafone to ask what price packages they can offer me if I take out another Vodafone contract [with free phone.]
For unlimited texts, calls and a decent amount of internet access they want me to continue paying what I pay now - which is almost 40 a month for 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 1500mb of data usage.

Or they have offered a SIM only for 19 quid a month if I buy my own new handset or keep this old one.

Carphone Warehouse say they can save me money even if I stay with Vodafone.

I know 40 a month is way too much but I was tied into it for 2 years. Now I am approaching the time where I can get out of it without penalty.

EE, O2 and Orange seem to be offering what I want for less than 40 quid a month.
But I have never been a customer of any of these companies, so here I am asking you all if you can help me choose by discussing your experiences of customer service, after sales etc etc of these three providers.

Are Vodafone the best of a bad bunch?
Or do the others exceed them?

Any insights and info much appreciated.

[de525ma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chitarivera

My 2 year contract is up soon.
I phoned Vodafone to ask what price packages they can offer me if I take out another Vodafone contract [with free phone.]
For unlimited texts, calls and a decent amount of internet access they want me to continue paying what I pay now - which is almost 40 a month for 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 1500mb of data usage.

Or they have offered a SIM only for 19 quid a month if I buy my own new handset or keep this old one.

Carphone Warehouse say they can save me money even if I stay with Vodafone.

I know 40 a month is way too much but I was tied into it for 2 years. Now I am approaching the time where I can get out of it without penalty.

EE, O2 and Orange seem to be offering what I want for less than 40 quid a month.
But I have never been a customer of any of these companies, so here I am asking you all if you can help me choose by discussing your experiences of customer service, after sales etc etc of these three providers.

Are Vodafone the best of a bad bunch?
Or do the others exceed them?

Any insights and info much appreciated.

As usual, the advice here is to get yourself a free Pay as you Go sim for the other networks and check that they provide the services that you need in the areas that you visit.

In general EE and Three are far better for mobile data than O2 or Voda, but this is not a rule that you can apply in all areas. The only way to be sure is to try using a payg sim.

Customer service experience I have had with EE has been mixed, sometimes good, sometimes not. Twitter is usually the best way, oddly.

I would say that EE provided better customer support than Three in my personal experience but this could just be due to the specific telephone operator that I dealt with.

Note that Orange contracts are no longer offered - your choices are EE, Three or O2 (or a MVNO operator like ADSA, Virgin, Lyca, etc).

It would help if you could outline what matters to you most about your network, and what you use your phone for primarily.

[enapace]

That is a really crap deal Vodafone has offered wouldn't be surprised if there isn't better ones on there website.

As the post says above get some Pay As You Go SiMs and test how the coverage is in your area. I find EE to be the best for me but might not be for you. It also depends what you mainly use your phone for.

[Cloudy2]

If you want to stay with vodafone phone them back and ask for a PAC code. Yesterday they offered me 600 minutes, unlimited text and 4gb data for £30.45 and first month free for the z3. I left anyway but it would have been an £17 reduction from the website price.

[chitarivera]

Thanks for the repiles.


EE weren't around when I got my first mobile. So I don't know much about them.

But Carphone Warehouse offered a 29 quid a month package with EE for the same package Vodafone want almost 40 quid a month for - also with a free handset.

So I was wondering what these other companies are like to deal with day to day.

Ive been with Vodafone as a pay as you go customer for years until these smartphone handsets costing 500 quid became the fashion. And I've had mixed levels of customer service from them.
But 40 quid a month is just not on.
Of course my next action will be to ring Vodafone to say I am leaving, and I may well leave them, I just wanted a bit more info from fellow forum members before I make the decision.

[jchamier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chitarivera

EE weren't around when I got my first mobile. So I don't know much about them.

They're Orange (started 1994) and T-Mobile (started 1993 as one2one) merged.

[Alex_1]

The wives with Vodafone iphone 4s,, was contract, moved to sim only once 24 month contract elapsed until she decided on her next move.
Spotted this deal on the Carphone Warehouse site today (web only offer)

Iphone 6 16gb for 29.99 up front & 35.50 a month
this is for Unlimited minutes & texts + 4gb of Data on 4G
also the free 6 month spotify/sky deal

I thought it too good to turn down so got her it. Only thing was had to go for new contract rather than upgrade or it would have been extra £190
Guy said to keep existing number pac code to O2 then pac code straight back to Vodafone....jobs a good one

There are good deals out there to be had.
when i requested the pac code Vodafone were amazed by the deal

I'm on 3 personally love loads of DATA
I know its Vodafone but it suits the wife, their 4g is quite good
The deal was excellent if anyone fancies it

[sethpet]

Before anyone can really help we need to know.

What handset you want
How many mins you need
How many sms you need
How much data you need

[sethpet]

Actually give mobile phones direct a call

£35.50.a month on Vodafone
Unl mins
Unl sms
2gb data
Free z3 compact

And £216 cashback

Just seen this on website.

[Aye Up]

Just ask Vodafone for your PAC number to move networks, then just wait for the calls from their outbound team.......

They are the ones who have the juicy offers, when I asked for mine last year (before moving to three), they came out with some cracking deals on Note 3 at the time. Shop around as you are doing, as soon as Vodafone is made aware that you are considering leaving when producing your PAC, its a matter of hours when they call you back.

You are the one holding the purse strings, only you will know what phone and deal is acceptable. Give them a chance though, they may surprise you.

[stu64]

Vodafone are awful. My HTC One M8 for some reason would not turn on at all yesterday, so took it in today and they said it will take 2/3 weeks to get repaired.

Despite being under warranty they offered no replacement phone and said even if it takes longer than 3 weeks I am still having to pay my full £38 monthly payment, even though I have no phone to use. Great service.

[enapace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stu64

Vodafone are awful. My HTC One M8 for some reason would not turn on at all yesterday, so took it in today and they said it will take 2/3 weeks to get repaired.

Despite being under warranty they offered no replacement phone and said even if it takes longer than 3 weeks I am still having to pay my full £38 monthly payment, even though I have no phone to use. Great service.

Well you don't pay for the phone. The phone is gifted to you and they could say you could just use the SIM in any other phone.

[Cloudy2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aye Up

Just ask Vodafone for your PAC number to move networks, then just wait for the calls from their outbound team.......

They are the ones who have the juicy offers, when I asked for mine last year (before moving to three), they came out with some cracking deals on Note 3 at the time. Shop around as you are doing, as soon as Vodafone is made aware that you are considering leaving when producing your PAC, its a matter of hours when they call you back.

You are the one holding the purse strings, only you will know what phone and deal is acceptable. Give them a chance though, they may surprise you.

Agreed.

I thought my offer yesterday was good but they came back to me today for the Z3, unlimited minutes and texts, 4GB data, 2 months free line rental £27.55, this is a £21 saving on the website price.

Don't take the first offer, "I'm still not sure", "I feel I was getting more from 3" and " No, I think I will stick to my new provider" are some things you can say to the retention team, they seemed very keen to keep me. I think it's a good deal but if others can tell me differently I will call Vodafone back and see if I can get more.

[stu64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by enapace

Well you don't pay for the phone. The phone is gifted to you and they could say you could just use the SIM in any other phone.

Called good customer service. My partner is with O2 and she was given a replacement phone there and then in the shop last year when her phone was sent off to be repaired.

Little things go a long way in keeping customers loyal to a brand

[enapace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stu64

Called good customer service. My partner is with O2 and she was given a replacement phone there and then in the shop last year when her phone was sent off to be repaired.

Little things go a long way in keeping customers loyal to a brand

It is but I meant it's not required for them to do that. They are making a loss giving a replacement phone in fact.

[sethpet]

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/discover-v...ts/5-star-care

"Always working

If you bought your smartphone from us and it needs to be repaired, we’ll lend you another one so you can carry on as normal. Come and see us in store and our advisers will sort out your repair and give you a Vodafone Smart III loaded with your contacts, so you don't miss a thing."

[enapace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethpet

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/discover-v...ts/5-star-care

"Always working

If you bought your smartphone from us and it needs to be repaired, we’ll lend you another one so you can carry on as normal. Come and see us in store and our advisers will sort out your repair and give you a Vodafone Smart III loaded with your contacts, so you don't miss a thing."

I had forgotten about that actually if i remember that only applies if you buy your contract direct from vodafone.

[sethpet]

Yeah it said the phone had to be supplied by vodafone.

But if you get your phone elsewhere you can hardly expect vodafone to replace it

[chitarivera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stu64

Called good customer service. My partner is with O2 and she was given a replacement phone there and then in the shop last year when her phone was sent off to be repaired.

Little things go a long way in keeping customers loyal to a brand

So you would rate the customer service/after sales from O2 to be good?
Better than vodafone?

This is the kind of info I'm after.
I don't want to leave vodafone for the sake of a few quid a month only to find the new provider to give appaling after sales/customer service.

I probably will end up asking vodafone for my code and then, hopefully getting a lower priced deal out of them, because it's maybe "better the devil you know" - but if I hear glowing reports about other companies it may just tempt me to move.

[chitarivera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aye Up

Just ask Vodafone for your PAC number to move networks, then just wait for the calls from their outbound team.......

They are the ones who have the juicy offers, when I asked for mine last year (before moving to three), they came out with some cracking deals on Note 3 at the time. Shop around as you are doing, as soon as Vodafone is made aware that you are considering leaving when producing your PAC, its a matter of hours when they call you back.

You are the one holding the purse strings, only you will know what phone and deal is acceptable. Give them a chance though, they may surprise you.

Thanks for this.
I may end up doing this.

But its always useful to know what the other companies are like to deal with.

I can't get out of my contract just yet, so I'm just looking at options now in readiness for when I can.

[chitarivera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by de525ma

As usual, the advice here is to get yourself a free Pay as you Go sim for the other networks and check that they provide the services that you need in the areas that you visit.

In general EE and Three are far better for mobile data than O2 or Voda, but this is not a rule that you can apply in all areas. The only way to be sure is to try using a payg sim.

Customer service experience I have had with EE has been mixed, sometimes good, sometimes not. Twitter is usually the best way, oddly.

I would say that EE provided better customer support than Three in my personal experience but this could just be due to the specific telephone operator that I dealt with.

Note that Orange contracts are no longer offered - your choices are EE, Three or O2 (or a MVNO operator like ADSA, Virgin, Lyca, etc).

It would help if you could outline what matters to you most about your network, and what you use your phone for primarily.

Thank you.
A positive for EE.

[TRIPS]

Ive had enough of Vodaphone as well. fobbed off by customer service too many times, sign into my online account, password not recognized, go through the procedure of making another password, write it down and next time i try to log in, password not recognized, happened in the past and now happening again, chatting for ages online to customer service. promised all will be resolved and extra credit as a goodwill gesture, no credit, no resolution., customer service promise to resolve issue next day, email giving me a link to create a new password. had enough.let my credit run down and am gone.

[chitarivera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRIPS

Ive had enough of Vodaphone as well. fobbed off by customer service too many times, sign into my online account, password not recognized, go through the procedure of making another password, write it down and next time i try to log in, password not recognized, happened in the past and now happening again, chatting for ages online to customer service. promised all will be resolved and extra credit as a goodwill gesture, no credit, no resolution., customer service promise to resolve issue next day, email giving me a link to create a new password. had enough.let my credit run down and am gone.

I had the same problem with their website.
Password never recognised.
I can't even get on there to access my bill. I hve to wait for my Bank statement to arrive to see what they've taken out.

But when its come to faulty handsets they have always sent me a new one via DPD and taken the faulty one back no questions asked.

So I've had mixed service from them.


But are the others any better? This is the question.


Aren't EE merging with British Telecom? So they might be the ones to go to.
I havent decided yet.

[TRIPS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chitarivera

I had the same problem with their website.
Password never recognised.
I can't even get on there to access my bill. I hve to wait for my Bank statement to arrive to see what they've taken out.

But when its come to faulty handsets they have always sent me a new one via DPD and taken the faulty one back no questions asked.

So I've had mixed service from them.


But are the others any better? This is the question.


Aren't EE merging with British Telecom? So they might be the ones to go to.
I havent decided yet.

I assume you got a lecture about the importance of writing your password down to make sure you remember it correctly, ermm yes, i wrote it down the first time you told me to do this just to make sure.
I only have pay and go as i use my landline far more than mobile. heard Tesco do a good deal, not sure of the ins and outs just now, something about deposit say £10 and you get £30 credit, suppose to be ongoing so will go with them.

[chitarivera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRIPS

I assume you got a lecture about the importance of writing your password down to make sure you remember it correctly, ermm yes, i wrote it down the first time you told me to do this just to make sure.
I only have pay and go as i use my landline far more than mobile. heard Tesco do a good deal, not sure of the ins and outs just now, something about deposit say £10 and you get £30 credit, suppose to be ongoing so will go with them.

Tesco use 02 I believe. Hope that works out for you.

Ha ha after I posted, I went on the Voda website and got straight in!!!!!