Used to have the free 200M data sim but it stopped without notification?

[pwalk]

For the last couple of years, I've had an active free 200MB monthly data sim.
Recently after the online account and app has been updated, I couldn't see my allowance or refresh date. The SIM continued working fine (data and incoming calls as well).

I chatted to support and the agent appeared a bit clueless and claiming this has stopped. I didn't see how this could have been stopped since it was working fine and I haven't heard anything about it from Three. When I confirmed that I can still use data on it (while roaming as well, as it used to), the agent's reply was basically "that's great".

After coming off the chat, it has suddenly stopped.
Now, I understand that the service might have stopped and it was a free service, but to cut it off just like that, without notification and after chatting to support who didn't appear to know abut it, is strange to say the least. For all purposes, this was a normal working SIM from Three, albeit for data only. I'm sure something's wrong here?

[pwalk]

It is possibly even more strange. Around the time it stopped working for me, when I was desperately trying to find information in my account about what's going on, I somehow ended up making an "order" for "MBB - SIM Only" at the cost of 0.00. I also got an email confirmation and "Welcome to Three" message. That was around the same time I noticed it not working and I chatted to CS at least twice. One thing I know for sure though, I definitely did not deliberately go into my account and make an order. At that time I simply ignored it and didn't make a connection to what's happening with the Data Reward Sim, now it's starting to make sense.

[tyw7]

Hi,

I complained and they gave me £10.

[pwalk]

That still doesn't address the issue, they just compensated you for used credit but thay are doing nothing to even address the situation.

[wirral61]

Hi, thanks for your response.  Subterfuge seems an appropriate term for Three's actions!

We complained about disappearing credit to a Three agent.  Got the standard response that everyone was notified by text and/or email in 2022  -  not true as we certainly were not contacted.  I know that calls were still being charged at 3p/minute until  approx. July this year - some actually cost 2p if less than 40 seconds. Conveniently, she couldn't see past a/c history since the Login re-register last week.   The Agent logged a complaint to another dept.

Three responded a few days later informing us they'd been ’unable to resolve the matter’ and simply closed the complaint!

Also, I  haven't knowingly re-registered my Data Reward SIM, just the My3 account - as far as I'm aware!

I've also checked my email history from Three and there's very little since 2018, certainly no notifications of any changes either to free data or 3-2-1 tariff removal. 

I have several photos of my a/c page (from a desktop PC) with credit balances and the long code reference ID for the 200mb data plan. My phone Calls Log confirms the few telephone nos. that I've called this year - lots of calls to 2 separate numbers.  Until July I'm certain the 3-2-1 tariff applied.

I intend taking the complaint further and wondered if anyone has had a positive result from Three.

[lenawilliams]

I'll also be interested to see how complaints are resolved (including my own one).

Given what I'm reading here in other posts I'm only really hoping for a refund of PAYG credit balance at most, based on the way they've actioned things in terms of the move from 321 rates to current PAYG rates (as if they claim they sent notifications back in 2022, presumably by text message given none of us have any emails on it, its underhand to silently move customers off 321 rates over a year after they claim to have notified us and thus silently depleting credit balances).

Worst case I'll just have to use a second SIM for calls and data, and leave the Three SIM as incoming calls only save for keeping it alive with a text every x months, as I still have over £10 credit on mine which I don't intend to just gift to Three to reward shoddy customer service! 😄

[Pleske]

If you transfer your number to a different network, apparently Three can refund your credit but I don't know how easy it is or how long it takes.  https://www.three.co.uk/support/switching/leave-three/more-information-about-leaving-three#:~:text=P... 

[droid5555]

£10 only buys 100mb, not even one months old free data. They have broken their contract and t&c but are betting that no one will legally challenge them. I have moved my number to RWG mobile and next step is to try and get that £10 credit refunded to me as per the texts sent when I switched. Not holding my breath though.

[bronxboy]

https://www.three.co.uk/terms-conditions/three-products-and-services/data-reward-sim

I found the original email from February 2018 when I first registered, which contained the above link with terms & Conditions.

In particular:

Right to withdraw - Three reserves the right to withdraw or amend the offer of 200MB free data each month at any time.

It does not mention that Three need to give 30 days.  Terrible customer relations from Three - and I suspect many of the Data Sims earned Three little or no profit so they don't really care if they piss off what I will assume is a very very tiny percentage of their customer base.

Yep, these were handy but time to move on

[pwalk]

Thanks. We have the answer then. It would have saved everyone a lot of headache if Three had just pointed everyone to the above. The wording "for life" and unhelpful CS agents just added to the confusion.

[Pleske]

Technically, they haven't only withdrawn the 200mb free data, we've also been switched to a completely different plan.

The Data Reward Sim was still on the 3p/2p/1p rates and had a minimum £2 top up. The new plan has a £5 min top up and 35p/15p/10p rates.