Pre pay top up with UK bank card

[Sue56]

Yesterday and today I have had a problem trying to top up with my debit card. Firstly on the App, secondly on the quick top up link. My card was not accepted and I should contact the bank.!! My plan  payment is automatically taken from my bank account using this card. I needed the top up as the plan does NOT include calls to the UK. 

I chat messaged 4 different agents all telling me my card had been declined!! 

Impossible I had paid electric Ireland that day with no problems.

They were sending me a link to top up which also didn't accept the card. Then you cannot get back to the conversation you were having because the conversation was taking time to upload!!

We made a special journey to the store in Carrick on Shannon to ask face to face. The guy there gave me a no to call 1913 to try.  He also told me that 3 were not receiving direct debits from UK banks?? Mine gets taken!!

I called 1913 which directs you to the same link that the agents gave me. That doesn't accept my details.!!

Again tried an agent who told me you CANNOT TOP UP With A UK CARD IT HAS TO BE AN IRISH BANK??

When did that happen?? 3 are happy to take my auto payment, but I cannot top-up online with the SAME card😡

I had to purchase €20 voucher to be able to top up.  I now find that that voucher has been allocated to my plan to pay for this month.  So, I am still without the add on to call the UK for business purposes.  

I was told that I should but a €5 voucher so that I get 100 mins international calls.  Can I trust that this €5 will just eaten up by a single call to UK without getting the 100min.

Unbelievable farce of a business. The chat line is just useless, the App is really not user friendly.  Not happy as I really need to call UK.

[Three_Niall]

Hey @Sue56  , Welcome to the 3Community 🙂

Sorry to hear about your experience with topping up but I am happy to help you here. While your UK card is not being accepted on Three.ie, we also have the option to top up through Google Pay or Paypal at the link here if you have either of these services available.

If you are on the 3Prepay 20 plan, when you top up by €20 the credit is used to activate the plan for 28 days from the date of the top-up. To have the credit applied to your balance and not activate the plan you would need to top up by less than €20. If you decide to top up by €5 this credit will applied to your balance and you can either use this €5 on calls to the UK until the credit has been used up or you can purchase the addon for the 100 minutes and then your calls will be deducted from this allowance of 100 minutes.

[Sue56]

Thank you Niall but topping up with €5 will not be enough to cover a call to HMRC TAX OFFICE. I was on the phone on Monday waiting for 50mins in a queue. That ate my €12 before I could speak to someone.  Cannot use my card so have to get a voucher. €5 will not cover call.

[Sue56]

See both my replies. I needed to add when you call 1913 it does not give you the option to use the add on €5 for 100 mins.  It just takes you to a basic top up. Which in my case doesn't work with a UK debit card that in fact no communication has told me that. How is it that my UK debit card which is a VISA DEBIT can be used worldwide but I cannot top up in Ireland if you don't have an Irish bank card??

[Three_Niall]

Hey @Sue56 , I'd love to look into this further for you and report this situation to the relevant team as the UK card should be accepted. Pop through to me here on PM along with your mobile number, full name, address and date of birth so I can validate the account and look into this further for you. 

[Sue56]

Thank you for your email. I reported the issue via the complaint form on
Three. Someone is looking into it for me.
I topped up with voucher to keep my plan up to date €20.
Today checking on the app to see if I can add on €5 to use 100min to call
UK. It won't let me add on because there are INSUFFICIENT FUNDS!!!!
However, now it I go to quick top I have been able to use the same card
that I couldn't use the other day. Unbelievable..🙄

Thanks anyway

[Three_Niall]

Thanks for the update @Sue56, once the complaints team has reviewed the case they will respond to you via the email address you provided within the form, if you would like me to look into this further for you pop through on PM with the details requested and I'd be happy to check this for you.