Contract End...When to request PAC?

feedtheram

feedtheram

feedtheram

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So my o2 contract ends on the 26th Feb and i am intending on switching to Voda.

My query is around timing of the switch. o2 have said that by using the PAC my contract with them will end...that's not an issue but they also said i was on a 30 day notice period so i don't want to use my PAC on the 24th and then have to pay o2 for a further 30 days which i don't use.

Basically i want to know the best time to take out the new contract and use the PAC to minimise contract crossover.

I pay in advance with o2 so Feb bill is already paid (aside from additional calls to what is included which will be minimal).

I have spoken to o2 however two different advisors gave me conflicting information.
 
Myshras guide to perfect contract termination:

Assumes you have to give 30 days notice (network dependent). Some networks will refund the difference for the time outstanding if you just use your PAC instantly, phone up and ask. If they don't and you don't want to lose money, follow the list. Following the list results in smooth contract payment switch over, no loss of number.

  • 30 days/1 calendar month before you plan to leave (eg contract end -30) phone up and say you're outta here, switch my phone to PAYG at the end of the contract, give me my PAC.
  • Negotiate here / find better deal.
  • On contract end date + 1 sign up to new provider with PAC, give them the PAC at the time of signup for speed.
  • Next day after signup, Phone up old company and tell them you moved, ask them if you have outstanding items to be billed for, agree everything so you don't have any nasty shocks
  • Delete DD from old company within 30 days for peace of mind

EDIT:

The reason why you flick to PAYG is to move the number from a dangerzone area (perpetual contract renewal and thus the result being your number is "locked" to the network for another x days) to a free zone, PAYG. PACs in PAYG can take place whenever which is really really useful and the feature we are exploiting by waiting to contract date+1.
 
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I had fun with T-Mobile on this.....called for PAC and it was provided with 30-day expiry, now I phoned calendar month prior to expiry and Tmobile then put an Early Cancellation charge on my bill (even though I had not used the PAC!).
After lengthy multi-transferred call, the charge was removed - after all, I had not cancelled ! - I cancelled the PAC and then waited until day of contract expiry.
On this day, I moved to the cheapest SIM-only package (£10.21 I believe) and requested new PAC. Started new SIM-only with new provider same day and waited for SIM to arrive (needed to be posted/online for £80+ Topcashback :) ) and then, once SIM arrived, set number port in motion with PAC code.....2 days later, number is ported and Tmobile contract no longer.....worst case scenario is £10.21 bill (didn't think to go PAYG, d'oh !!!) from them....will check, let DD go out, and then cancel DD with bank.
 
Great thanks for the advice chaps. These things are always such fun!

Odd that it's so easy to upgrade / increase your tarriff online but whenever it comes to cancelling you have to jump through hoops in order to avoid additional charges.
 
Kevpuk's case there is a shining example of why switching to payg makes it a lot easier to deal with :) The reason it's sorta difficult is a bit more technical than they want you to stay (which obviously, they do) but it's also to stop the absolute sods who did blindsiding new contracts about a decade ago. People would phone you up, say "change to this plan it's easy and cheaper lolol" and before you knew it you were signed up to some new network, paying off the old one etc... with no real official due diligence.

The PAC method basically made it so that this underhand stuff couldn't happen as easily and was a compromise with OFCOM regarding number porting which was also a contested problem with the industry. Technically speaking, PAC is a bit old hat now and the networks should be faster at it but part of me likes the safety of it, it's really hard to break the PAC system from any point of view.
 
Just a quick question on this. My contract with T-Mobile ends on 10th March. I wanted to switch to a 30 day price plan for around £10 a month, but they didn't have anything suitable so I thought I'd give Giff Gaff a go. I called earlier today and asked for and was immediately given my PAC - does this automatically mean that if I use the PAC on 10th March they will terminate the contract, or do I need to confirm with them now that I wish the contract to end on that date? After reading the above posts I'm considering calling back up and asking them if they can change me to PAYG from that date.
 
Phone them up and ask them but it sounds like you have asked for termination (eg, number dying as well). Phone em back up and ask, they will do their best to probably try and keep you too anyway and you'll get to find out what they think is going to happen too.
 
Strange I've never had a good deal when contract is up, maybe they just don't like me. 8 years with T mobile then 2 years with Virgin, think its a little bit with all contract stuff just keep shopping around ie car insurance house insurance etc,always get introductory deals.
 
Myshra said:
Myshras guide to perfect contract termination:

Assumes you have to give 30 days notice (network dependent). Some networks will refund the difference for the time outstanding if you just use your PAC instantly, phone up and ask. If they don't and you don't want to lose money, follow the list. Following the list results in smooth contract payment switch over, no loss of number.

  • 30 days/1 calendar month before you plan to leave (eg contract end -30) phone up and say you're outta here, switch my phone to PAYG at the end of the contract, give me my PAC.
  • Negotiate here / find better deal.
  • On contract end date + 1 sign up to new provider with PAC, give them the PAC at the time of signup for speed.
  • Next day after signup, Phone up old company and tell them you moved, ask them if you have outstanding items to be billed for, agree everything so you don't have any nasty shocks
  • Delete DD from old company within 30 days for peace of mind

EDIT:

The reason why you flick to PAYG is to move the number from a dangerzone area (perpetual contract renewal and thus the result being your number is "locked" to the network for another x days) to a free zone, PAYG. PACs in PAYG can take place whenever which is really really useful and the feature we are exploiting by waiting to contract date+1.
Click to expand...

The PAC code will expire after 30 days so requesting it on the same day as giving 30 days notice means it'll expire before we get a chance to use it?

When is the best time to ask for the PAC if not on the same day?
 
I requested it about 20 days before the end and used it the day before to switch over. Seemed to work fine although the o2 guys i spoke to didn't really give me a straight answer on if requesting the PAC is giving notice.
 
PAC codes aren't always generated on the same day because networks have issues/are lazy but technically yes - they can expire, you're right so I'd go with what feed did and possibly separate the termination from the PAC request, this would give you a better foolproof way of making a clean break.

I believe using a PAC is the termination boarder rather than the requesting, that's what it at least used to be here but we may have become more evil about it.
 
sorry to bump up this old thread

want to leave T-mobile contract which ends on 03/04/2014

may just move over to ovivo for the time being

so i call them today, tell them want to cancel and request a PAC,

order a ovivio sim in the meantime, then on 06/04/2014 tell ovivio to port my number over with the pac which will end my contract with tmobile?

the PAC bit is the confusing bit, can i use that straight away or wait till the day the contract ends?

Thanks!
 
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