Switch providers with a text | Roam for less | £1.8m fine for Three
I have mixed feelings towards the news. I’m happy to see change, that as a consumer, we can benefit from. But when it highlights the lack of change for us, I don’t feel so happy. But let’s put aside negative thought, and focus on hope for the future ( a mantra I seem to be using a lot at the moment…).
‘Text-to-switch’ for mobile customers - no change for us, unfortunately
Ofcom have recently released a proposal to make switching mobile providers even quicker and easier. Here’s a quote from Ofcom’s news release:
"Under the plans, people and businesses would simply send a free text message to the provider they wish to leave.
Customers would receive a unique code by return text to pass on to their new provider who will arrange the switch within one working day.
Ofcom’s proposals mean that mobile customers would no longer have to speak to the provider they wish to leave.
Under the proposed rules, mobile providers would also be banned from charging for notice periods running after the switch date. This means customers would no longer have to pay for their old and new service at the same time after they have switched – saving UK mobile phone customers around £10 million each year."
What about the rest of the telecoms industry? ITSPA and FCS join forces
Every time Ofcom put out another proposal to make switching mobile providers I can’t help but look at the processes we have to go through to switch numbers onto our service. In short, it’s not getting any better. On occasion we’re still pushing bits of paper around.
As part of our membership of ITSPA, we’re looking to get involved with their Business Switching Task Force. This group has been put together to bring our collective gripes and moans about switching providers to Ofcom. It’s really only collectively that we’ll see any change.
The hope is to partner with the Federation of Communication Services (FCS) to add weight to this lobbying.
Maybe in time, we’ll be updating you with how it’s now easier to bring your landline and virtual numbers to TTNC. Or even your mobile numbers…
The end of roaming charges has come…or has it
Since the 15th June 2017, users won’t have to pay extra charges when using their mobile in the EU. But it was never going to be clear cut, particularly now with Brexit.
The key bit of advice that I’ve seen in several articles is check your own contract. You can still be charged for your usage outside of the UK. Rather than me going into this, check out a great article from the guys at MoneySavingExpert.com
Then, with Brexit, whether this sticks around for good only time will tell.
Yet another fine for a mobile provider
It’s Three’s turn. They’ve been fined £1,890,000, after Ofcom found a weakness in the mobile operator’s emergency call network.
“Ofcom expects providers’ emergency call services to be sufficiently resilient. This includes ensuring their networks are built to allow emergency calls to be connected, even when they experience technical problems.”
Three didn’t meet this requirement, and now they’re literally paying for it. Full details of Ofcom’s investigation and findings can be found on their website.
