Changed network provider, second thoughts

[Deleted member 651465]

So a few days ago I made the decision to switch from 3 to EE purely for 4G, on a 12 month sim-only contact.

I will earn £35 cashback and have £35 in my TopCashBack account, so the extra cost of the contract is pretty much covered.

Anyway, having used EE for a day or so I'm not sure I've made the right choice.

1. With 3 I have a signal box, so I have 100% signal in the home
2. With 3 I have 1-2 bars of 3G signal at home (without the signal box), on EE I get 1 bar or No Signal
3. With 3 I got 3G at the office, but with EE (despite being in a 4G area) my phone almost always defaults to 3G unless standing by a window. (When by the window I get 1-2 bars of 4G).
4. I was offered some good discounts on my 3 tariff before I left, which would reduce the overall contract cost, plus they aren't charging existing customers for 4G when it rolls out

I'm well within the 14 day cancellation period, but so far I'm not seeing any reason to stay with EE

I have to point out I used the coverage checker before buying and it stated that I would get solid 3G at home and 3-4 bars of 4G at work. Have I been trolled?

 

[Deleted member 651465]

I have to point out I used the coverage checker before buying and it stated that I would get solid 3G at home and 3-4 bars of 4G at work. Have I been trolled?

Maybe you should have checked the EE coverage before signing on the dotted line?

Maybe I should have gotten a sim from EE to check their service, but I've never had much luck getting a free sim off the net.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Question: Am I technically an EE customer or 3 customer?

I'm still waiting for my number to port networks, but once it's ported, will I lose the ability to call 3 and grovel without signing a new contract?

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Yes, bought the sim online. I rang EE quickly this morning.

There's 14 day cooling off so I know I can cancel.. that's not the issue. My issue is, once my PAC has completed then I become an EE customer, so in effect, if I call up 3 to "return", they will make me sign a new contract presumably.

I can't call 3 as I'm in work but I'd hope they could use common sense.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Surely it's EE that is using the PAC, so it's EE you need to cancel the PAC transaction with?

Hoping won't get you anywhere... I would try to contact 3 as well and just see what they say, but my first port of call would be EE.

They are saying that they cannot stop the PAC transaction now as it's been "locked". They did make a note of the call on my account, so at least they can acknowledge I've rung to cancel. I will call 3 when I get home and also ask them to log my cancellation.

In effect I have to wait until the transaction is complete and re-migrate back to 3

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Neither EE nor 3 can do anything.

In effect I have to wait until the PAC transaction completes and request a new PAC from EE. I then have to sign up with 3 as a new customer

£63 cashback to sign up on the one plan (£15 PCM) on 3 though, so not so bad.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Just did a quick speediest and signal comparison, at home.

Both networks had the same number of "signal bars" outside, in the living room and in the bedroom. Scientific stuff

These speedtests were taken outside where I had 3 bars of signal strength. As pointed out earlier, I can get 4G at work but only when I'm outside, or near the window in my office, so although I get slightly better 3G strength at work it's really not worth the extra £11 a month.

3

EE

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Ordered the 12 month "one plan" from 3 with £65 cashback.

I think I will wait 12 months to see who comes out on top for 4G. At the moment it's not available where I live and it's shady at work so I couldn't justify the extra £11 a month.

Shame really as I'm going to be messing around sorting PAC codes out for the next 5 days by the time my new 3 sim comes in the post. Should have accepted the cancellation offers and just switched tariffs

Why do you say EE will have poor building penetration? As far as I'm aware only Vodafone own a substantial chunk of 800MHz spectrum, so all the carriers will have the same chance with their 800MHz chunks

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Just got off the phone to EE.

I requested a PAC code and account cancellation, but they're saying I will need to send my EE sim back to them before I get the PAC code, which could be "the next few days"

I couldn't give a **** about sending the sim back, but why hold my PAC code ransom for this? Once I port the number the sim is useless anyway?

Called them again, and I don't have to send the sim back but must wait "up to 48hrs" for a PAC code as they have to "reset my obligation" aka cancel the contract.

Talk about poor communication. I don't think I'll even consider them for the future after this, unless they come out with a market leading offer or coverage rollout.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

I'm on annual leave and babysitting my 3 year old, otherwise I'd have gone in-store and done exactly that!

In honesty the new number I've been given by 3 has a lot of repeating digits, so I may change my number but that's not the point