World Consumer Rights Day and your mobile phone rights

The Fixed Means Fixed campaign does not appear to have had a good outcome at all. O2 are not the only ones that are still not playing fair, and Ofcom are (as usual) siding with the operators not with the consumers, especially as the ‘clarified’ rules have not been applied to existing contracts.

In particular, EE have recently announced a change to their terms and conditions that allows them to increase prices by RPI instead of the lower of CPI and RPI, without giving the customer the right to penalty-free cancellation. They maintain that “this change is of benefit to customers”, and not to their detriment(!!)

Many have argued with them that the only fair change to the terms and conditions (in light of Ofcom’s recent guidance) would be to allow penalty-free cancellation should any price rise be proposed. Ofcom are fully aware of EE’s behaviour but apparently disagree that EE should be subject to either the guidance, Ofcom’s general conditions (in particular condition 9.6), the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1994, or even EE’s own terms and conditions.

Also, I am not aware that Which have reported EE’s recent behaviour anywhere. In any case, it is clear that consumers are still unable to exercise their statutory rights without going to court, and that the Fixed Means Fixed campaign has so fair failed miserably, with Ofcom and the phone companies continuing to act against consumer interests.

A simple solution would be require companies to call these contracts VARIABLE PRICE CONTRACTS. Those companies that are prepared to offer a fixed price for the duration of the contract would soon take business away from those that raise their prices.

I was with 3mobile fixed contract came to an end so gave them 30 days notice to quit. About 2 weeks later found another phone supplier and decided to take my old number with me. 3 told me that I have to give them a further 30 days notice to close this account and I will have to pay another monthly instalment for a phone that I cant use as soon as I use the pac code to transfer my old number the line is disconnected. I have filled out 3 on line complaints form and they have ignored every one of them. I think this is a unfair terms and condition but 3mobile wont even answer my emails?

To me there is a much simpler solution. The giffgaff network runs on a month to month basis so if you don’t like it for whatever reason, you can just leave. But from my experience, you won’t want to. I get 250 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited data for £12 a months