Prepay 20: When an upgrade is actually a downgrade.

[Saturn]

Today, I "upgraded" on the prepay €20 plan to the Prepay20 plan and topped up as requested. I then realised that this upgrade appears to be a downgrade as it doesn't seem to allow me to keep my credit any more.(there is a problem with the order also and it has not been confirmed yet.) The definition of top-up, being that you add to your balance, seems to have taken on a unique meaning with Three, and if this is confirmed to be the case, would represent the slippiest method of misleading a customer I have seen in recent years.

Can you confirm if the new Preypay20 plan allows us to keep our credit as before and can you advise why the top-up I paid doesn't seem to be a top-up?

Could you also confirm the position of customers in these circumstances under EU distances selling regulations and the right to change one's mind.

@Three_DeborahWould appreciate any help you could offer, thanks.

[Three_Deborah]

@Saturn Hello there, it's been a while!

Okay so there are a few questions within your post, I'll do my best to answer them

• In all the years I've been working with Three, I've never defined a "top-up". You've presented me with a challenge! So for me, it's the method of applying credit to your Prepay account.
• I know that there are delays with some orders, so you may be impacted by this. When the order goes through, you'll receive a customer agreement which includes all the t/cs
• Questions around our current suite of plans are popular on our Prepay board. So much so, we've put together a few blogs about Plan Activation. So yes, 3 Prepay 20 requires a minimum top-up of €20. This €20 credit is then deducted for the allowances included in the plan. We recommend topping up by lets say €25 if you need extra credit. 
• I'm going to take a guess that you ordered this plan online and if so, you have a 14 -day cooling off period. Let me know if this is the case

[Saturn]

Thanks for your response.

So can you tell me how it represents an "upgrade" if I no longer get to keep my credit of €20 as before? And, why isn't this explicitly pointed out.

Also, I've spoken to you on a few issues before but, respectfully, Three doesn't get to redefine whatever words and phrases it chooses and therefore, as you yourself stated, topping up should mean what most people understand it to be, adding to one's balance of credit. I have topped up today and it didn't add a cent to my balance, despite having an activated account for the last five years and topping up on a cumulative basis every month thereon. It's incredibly misleading and unacceptable.

I believe under EU distance selling regulations that we have a right to cancel any new contract within 14 days without question. I did order online, and wasted two hours trying to use your online chat feature for help, that's bereft of utility. Can you confirm @Three_Deborah the method to do so? I'll DM you if you need the order number.

Thanks.

[Three_Deborah]

@Saturn

I'm sure that the minimum top-up requirement is pointed out in the T/Cs and any ideas you have to help us improve our services are taken into consideration. Did you top-up by €20, if so, each time this is done, the €20 is deducted for the plan activation. 

I'm sorry to hear that you didn't get a solution on messaging, and I'm happy to help here. Please do send a PM with your details and we'll take a look at your account. 

[Saturn]

Excuse me @Three_Deborah but you cannot refer an existing customer to extraneous terms and conditions when they've topped up every month for years and had that amount added to their balance only to find that this no longer applies after the fact. I've looked at the terms and it keeps referring to top-up, whereas what you're referring to is a rental/activation fee. As mentioned the language is misleading and companies are required by consumer legislation to be very precise and clear, not just in terms and conditions, but also in marketing language. I refer you to the consumer rights directive, so that you may add that to what you take into account going forward.

https://www.ccpc.ie/consumers/shopping/buying-online/

I will DM you the order number.

Many thanks.