Switching from Pay monthly SIM contract to PAYG SIM

[panda]

I can't seem to find any information about switching from a monthly Three Advanced SIM 8GB Data Unlimited Minutes - 12 month plan to PAYG keeping the same phone number and using a physical SIM card (in an iPhone). How does one proceed and what is the timeframe as I believe there's one month notice on the pay monthly plans?

It it helps, I'd like to switch from a 'Three Advanced SIM 8GB Data Unlimited Minutes - 12 month' plan that is way past the initial year to a Three PAYG as I'll be spending time abroad so won't use much my UK SIM at all, but would like to keep my phone number.

Can it be done online or in the iOS app (I couldn't find how)? Should I go into a shop? Any other advice on how to do this? Thanks in advance.

[jimjamz]

As of May 2024, Three are still unable to switch Three customers from a Monthly account to a PAYG account.

I spoke to customer support, who confirmed this.  I also received the same information by speaking to an agent via the live chat.

The only way to achieve this is to follow their bizarre procedure of requesting a PAC, moving to another network, then moving back to Three on a PAYG SIM.  Ludicrous! It's 2024 and how long have Three been around?  Yet, they cannot achieve such a commonly requested task in order to retain customers.  If you put me through so many hoops to try and keep me on a Three monthly contract, what makes you think I'd go to all the effort to return to Three just to be on a PAYG?

[herbief]

Is this still ongoing?  I am getting the same response from customer support (via 333) and getting no ETA on when this will be resolved.  Seems completely ridiculous!  I registered a complaint but don’t have confidence it will ever get addressed.

[jimjamz]

I would not wait for this to be resolved.  Three have had years to accomplish this and have made no suggestions that they plan to do this.  I see it as a ploy to discourage current contract customers to revert back to, or switch to PAYG.  Even if Three had our best intentions at heart, it is probably a small percentage of customers who are wanting to make the switch, that Three will use this statistic as a means to justify not going to the effort of implementing this process.

I've already moved away from Three in May.  I do not plan on returning to Three as a PAYG customer.

[KateS]

Hey @herbief,

Unfortunately, we're unable to offer a swap from Pay Monthly to Pay As You Go currently. It is something we've been able to do in the past, however, at this time, we're unable to process these requests.

The only way around this would be to port your number to an alternative provider on a PAYG SIM temporarily and port back to Three on a Pay As You Go account.

We're sorry for the inconvenience.

Thanks,
Kate