Credit Expiry from December 2020 clarification

[muffinhead]

I received this text earlier today:

From Three. CONTRACT CHANGE - Please note, effective from 1 December 2020, top up credit will expire after 180 days. Any unused credit will expire after this time unless another top up is applied to extend the expiration date by another 180 days. If you don't accept this change, you have the right to cancel your prepay service within 30 days of this notice without penalty on or before 23 November 2020. Find out more on this change and how to cancel see 3.ie/change.

I'm on the Prepay Golden Sim plan, active since the O2 days, I'm assuming it is classed as a BeFree plan with regards to this post?

If so, and I refuse to accept the term changes regarding the credit expiry, can I request a refund of my existing credit? How would I arrange this?

[LauraH]

@muffinhead Hello and thanks for posting on 3Community. For more information on the recent communication you've received, I'd recommend one of the methods listed on 3.ie/change. These are the designated channels 😀 Being prepay you can request an unlock code if you need one to move provider. However, I'd hate to see you go. If you have available credit on your account did you know you can spend it on Play store? Check outHow To: Buy apps using Pay by Mobile 

[muffinhead]

Can you tell me if a credit refund is possible in this situation? I've received conflicting information on live chat.

[LauraH]

@muffinhead Good morning, I’ve looked into it and at the moment there’s no option to request a refund for purchased credit. Towards the end of the year the rules will be changing and you will be notified via sms (or email). For now, you have a right of exit (without a refund) until 30 days of the notice you received.  Also, credit can be used in the usual manner on calls, texts and data as well as using Pay by Mobile services which I’ve mentioned above.

[muffinhead]

When you say rules are changing at the end of the year, is this in relation to being able to have credit refunded?

[LauraH]

@muffinhead watch this space, all will be revealed by sms or email over the coming months 😉

[two]

Hi, I also have a few O2 SIMs and some of them received a similar change text. But not all. And online they all still show 200 years of credit validity (with O2 it was like 10 years or so before the merger). So I'm not sure if this change affects all Three numbers or only the native ones. Also, if O2 cards are indeed getting the same poor expiry rules, I want my credit back. Thanks.

[LauraH]

@two Hello there 👋 I'll answer this for you 👌 The changes will come into effect from December so when you log into your My3 accounts you'll see your new expiry dates then 👍 Any credit purchased before December 1st will have a 180 days validity period from December 1st. It will expire after those 180 days unless a new top-up is applied before the expiry date.

[two]

So it goes down from 200 years to 6 month? Pretty drastic. And how to get back the credit? I'm not going to use it in only 6 months if it was planned for 200 years originally.

[Three_Deborah]

@two  Hi there, sorry about the delay in getting back to you. These changes apply to both top-up and promotional credit. I know it's a huge change and it's a year that full of change.  I fully understand that others, like you, may not use up their credit through calls, text, data, or buying apps. However, these prepay terms and conditions have been brought in line with EU regulations. At the moment there is no option to request a refund for credit purchased. To be honest, my hands are tied on this one.

for full details of the changes click here