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So it seems renewing phone contracts is more of a PITA than it used to be...
On Vodafone at the mo, I know there is much hate for them here, but signal works in my office so keen to stick with them. In the good old days, you'd ask for a PAC, then get a call and you'd thrash out a deal that suits both sides.
Not a chance it seems this time. My 2 year contract finishes towards end Feb and I'm on a Galaxy S6 and 'want' something newer (and bigger). They had no interest in giving me a good deal so I requested the PAC. Retentions called, as they do, slightly better offers but still worse than offers for new contracts in CPW. Another retentions call a day later and one decent deal for an iphone7 (pretty much the only phone that I didn't want) but still garbage for the larger Android phones.
However, I saw a bundle deal in CPW that was an outright purchase of an Andriod phone packaged with a 12 month SIM deal (the phone is cheaper than it otherwise would be in this package deal). I was happy to go ahead with this but the guy in CPW said Vodafone wouldn't allow me to transfer my number across to a 12 month SIM from a 2 year contract.
Is this something anyone here has experienced? He was adamant that I'd have to take a new number or transfer to O2. I thought numbers could be kept no matter what. Would this change if I'm a day out of the 2 year contract rather than still just within the 2 years (may not be classed as an upgrade then?).
Finally, if I have to move provider, Virgin seems a good option for what I need. Do they have full access to the entire EE network or are they constrained at all?
Sorry for the prattling on...
A PAC works for moving from one network to a different network. It probably won't work for changing from one contract to another contract on the same network.
You could port your number to a PAYG SIM on another network. Then port from that to a new Vodafone contract.
Plusnet piggyback on all ee masts and regularly outstrip the competition deal wise. As for a PAC code, they are obliged to give it you at any time you request it, this may or may not require you paying to buy out your remaining contract fees if still within the term. Simple call to Ofcom would clear up for certain.
Is the new contract on Vodafone, or another carrier?
I have the PAC code but would be willing to stay with VF if they allow me to keep my number and change to SIM only.
The subtlety here I think is that I want to take up a package from a re-seller (CPW). CPW say VF won't allow me to tranfer to this new SIM only package and keep my number. Maybe its because I'm still in contract for 2 more weeks and therefore it would be considered an 'upgrade'? If I wait until out of contract maybe this hurdle is removed?
EDIT cody - new 12 month SIM deal would also be with VF.
the guy in CPW said Vodafone wouldn’t allow me to transfer my number across to a 12 month SIM from a 2 year contract.
That's because they get higher commission for new numbers.
Cougar - I share your cynicism but this guy was really helpful. Sure he would have done it if he could. The more I think about it I reckon he just didn't get around to saying "come back in two weeks when your contract is done and we can do it them"....maybe?
Having had a squint elsewhere online there are many comments about having to change my number to PAYG status which takes 30 days notice. Then port to another provider for say a five quid top up, then port back again to VF...
I'm with Virgin and I don't see any throttling going on.
They're sum only deals are great, especially when they have offers on.
Virgin sort of has access - but has the same limitations as BT Mobile customers on EE and EE's own pay as you go customers i.e.
- No wifi calling
- No Voice over LTE (4G)
- No access to 800MHz bandwidth (best coverage) for 4G in the areas EE have rolled it out.
That said EE's main 4G network (most of which is 1800 MHz) is 90% landmass coverage now - population % is much higher but landmass is the more difficult one to achieve - other networks are now a good way behind that).
EE will price match the Virgin tariffs on their own nearest price plan so you get all the above without going on Virgin. I'm paying £15 a month for 25 Gb data, unlimited everything else including roaming data minutes and texts.
cheddar - that £15 was SIM only or a pay monthly phone?
If the offer you want is marketed as a new customer deal they might not be willing to let you switch over, though those deals always seem shortsighted to me if they won't use them to retain customers.
Otherwise I don't see why they wouldn't let you change the tariff on an out of contract number.
I'd check with Vodafone or someone else at carphone warehouse, but if they confirm what you've been told you'd have to go down the port out and back in route.