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From: Lobster on 4 Dec 2009 12:59
The T-mobile contract of one of my family is now one month away from the
end, so - as we have done numerous times before, we rang them up to ask
for a PAC with the intention of giving this to a new airtime provider in
about 3.5 weeks' time, ie at the end of the contract and when we've
sourced the next good 12-month deal. (When the PAC is provided to the
new provider, that act closes the T-mobile account and the number goes
to the new account, right?)

So, I had a very strange conversation with the T-mobile-droid in
retentions; so much so that I assumed he had no clue what he was doing,
told him to forget it; and I then rang them back in the hope of speaking
to someone more clued up. However, the story i got was just the same...

In a nutshell, he said I could either give 30 day's notice, OR ask for a
PAC but NOT both. Furthermore, if I did give notice, I would then no
longer be able to obtain a PAC in future; the account would close in 30
days and the number would lapse!

Moving on... I was then told that if I asked for a PAC now, then that
action would close the account more or less straight away (but I would
still be liable for the rest of the contract). BOTH droids specifically
said this - that it's the requesting of the code which closes the
account, not the handing over to the new provider.

They also advised that the best thing to do was wait until 3-4 days
before the 12-month anniversary of the (12-month) contract, and THEN ask
for the PAC - the contract will then finish at the 12-month anniversary
(ie not 30 days after I ask for the PAC!!)

This is completely different to what I've experienced previously, over
many years and many contracts. But I've been given the same story by
two different operators.

Any comments?!
From: Jono on 4 Dec 2009 13:33
Lobster used his keyboard to write :
> The T-mobile contract of one of my family is now one month away from the end,
> so - as we have done numerous times before, we rang them up to ask for a PAC
> with the intention of giving this to a new airtime provider in about 3.5
> weeks' time, ie at the end of the contract and when we've sourced the next
> good 12-month deal. (When the PAC is provided to the new provider, that act
> closes the T-mobile account and the number goes to the new account, right?)
>
> So, I had a very strange conversation with the T-mobile-droid in retentions;
> so much so that I assumed he had no clue what he was doing, told him to
> forget it; and I then rang them back in the hope of speaking to someone more
> clued up. However, the story i got was just the same...
>
> In a nutshell, he said I could either give 30 day's notice, OR ask for a PAC
> but NOT both. Furthermore, if I did give notice, I would then no longer be
> able to obtain a PAC in future; the account would close in 30 days and the
> number would lapse!
>
> Moving on... I was then told that if I asked for a PAC now, then that action
> would close the account more or less straight away (but I would still be
> liable for the rest of the contract). BOTH droids specifically said this -
> that it's the requesting of the code which closes the account, not the
> handing over to the new provider.
>
> They also advised that the best thing to do was wait until 3-4 days before
> the 12-month anniversary of the (12-month) contract, and THEN ask for the PAC
> - the contract will then finish at the 12-month anniversary (ie not 30 days
> after I ask for the PAC!!)
>
> This is completely different to what I've experienced previously, over many
> years and many contracts. But I've been given the same story by two
> different operators.
>
> Any comments?!

Had a similar experience today. Contract date 19/12/09. They refused
the PAC insisting that they would need �19 to provide it now, or
nothing on the 19th.


From: Lobster on 4 Dec 2009 14:01
Jono wrote:
> Lobster used his keyboard to write :
>> The T-mobile contract of one of my family is now one month away from
>> the end, so - as we have done numerous times before, we rang them up
>> to ask for a PAC with the intention of giving this to a new airtime
>> provider in about 3.5 weeks' time, ie at the end of the contract and
>> when we've sourced the next good 12-month deal. (When the PAC is
>> provided to the new provider, that act closes the T-mobile account and
>> the number goes to the new account, right?)
>>
>> So, I had a very strange conversation with the T-mobile-droid in
>> retentions; so much so that I assumed he had no clue what he was
>> doing, told him to forget it; and I then rang them back in the hope of
>> speaking to someone more clued up. However, the story i got was just
>> the same...
>>
>> In a nutshell, he said I could either give 30 day's notice, OR ask for
>> a PAC but NOT both. Furthermore, if I did give notice, I would then
>> no longer be able to obtain a PAC in future; the account would close
>> in 30 days and the number would lapse!
>>
>> Moving on... I was then told that if I asked for a PAC now, then that
>> action would close the account more or less straight away (but I would
>> still be liable for the rest of the contract). BOTH droids
>> specifically said this - that it's the requesting of the code which
>> closes the account, not the handing over to the new provider.
>>
>> They also advised that the best thing to do was wait until 3-4 days
>> before the 12-month anniversary of the (12-month) contract, and THEN
>> ask for the PAC - the contract will then finish at the 12-month
>> anniversary (ie not 30 days after I ask for the PAC!!)
>>
>> This is completely different to what I've experienced previously, over
>> many years and many contracts. But I've been given the same story by
>> two different operators.
>>
>> Any comments?!
>
> Had a similar experience today. Contract date 19/12/09. They refused the
> PAC insisting that they would need �19 to provide it now, or nothing on
> the 19th.

Yeah, the first guy came up with something like that - wanted 23 quid
off me to give me a PAC; implying that I was breaking my contract and
threatening to sue! He wanted me to pay this by credit card despite the
fact that there's a direct debit in place, which has paid the bill in
full each month. He implied the money was payment for the PAC, but
eventually I realised that what he meant was this was the outstanding
amount remaining to be paid on the contract.

How bizarre is this? Thinking of taking it to Ofcom but would welcome
any further feedback from the resident 'experts'...


From: Jon on 5 Dec 2009 10:53
In article <i6cSm.51862$ng.33645(a)newsfe19.ams2>, davidlobsterpot601
@hotmail.com says...
> In a nutshell, he said I could either give 30 day's notice, OR ask for a
> PAC but NOT both.

That's right, because when you PAC out the T-Mobile service will end.

> Furthermore, if I did give notice, I would then no
> longer be able to obtain a PAC in future; the account would close in 30
> days and the number would lapse!

The "point of no return" used to be about 6 days before the end of the
notice period, so this still sounds sort of correct.

> Moving on... I was then told that if I asked for a PAC now, then that
> action would close the account more or less straight away (but I would
> still be liable for the rest of the contract). BOTH droids specifically
> said this - that it's the requesting of the code which closes the
> account, not the handing over to the new provider.

Hmm, not quite tru I dont think. What happens if you request the PAC but
don't use it?

> Any comments?!

For the sake of svaing a few pounds by trying to time your swap to
perfections simply obtain your PAC and use it. That's what I would do.
--
Regards
Jon
From: Lobster on 5 Dec 2009 11:14
Jon wrote:
> In article <i6cSm.51862$ng.33645(a)newsfe19.ams2>, davidlobsterpot601
> @hotmail.com says...
>> In a nutshell, he said I could either give 30 day's notice, OR ask for a
>> PAC but NOT both.
>
> That's right, because when you PAC out the T-Mobile service will end.

My understanding too; and that if you PAC out "X" days before the end of
the contract you still have to pay the "X" days rental, which is
understood and far enough.

>> Furthermore, if I did give notice, I would then no
>> longer be able to obtain a PAC in future; the account would close in 30
>> days and the number would lapse!
>
> The "point of no return" used to be about 6 days before the end of the
> notice period, so this still sounds sort of correct.

But 30 days...!?

>> Moving on... I was then told that if I asked for a PAC now, then that
>> action would close the account more or less straight away (but I would
>> still be liable for the rest of the contract). BOTH droids specifically
>> said this - that it's the requesting of the code which closes the
>> account, not the handing over to the new provider.
>
> Hmm, not quite tru I dont think. What happens if you request the PAC but
> don't use it?

Dunno. Fair question. But why do they ask up front, by credit card,
for all the outstanding charges on the rest of the contract as of the
date the PAC is asked for (if not to close the account)?

>> Any comments?!
>
> For the sake of svaing a few pounds by trying to time your swap to
> perfections simply obtain your PAC and use it. That's what I would do.

Point taken; but as I said in another branch of this thread, the guy
wanted payment for a months' rental there and then by credit card; more
money that I care to throw away just because the airtime provider is
either being arsey or doesn't know the rules. I'd probably do that
happily in 2 or 3 weeks, but I'm concerned that suddenly they will then
miraculously undertand the rules properly and tell me there is 30 days
notice from the day I ask for the PAC.

The other thing is that there are three of us who will be PAC'cing out
of T-mobile over the next few months (there were some good T-mobile
cashback contracts running last year!) so it's worth my while getting it
right.

Thanks
David
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