back to article Ur dumped lol: Folk may be able to leave mobile contracts via text

It's considered a cold way to end most relationships, but customers may soon be able to consciously uncouple from their mobile providers by simply sending a text. Ofcom's "text-to-switch" proposals today are intended to make it quicker and easier to switch from one mobile network provider to another. Under the plans, …

  1. Phukov Andigh Bronze badge

    seems to me

    that all of these "simple to leave a service" mechanisms are almost exclusively run so that they help a customer leave *someone else's* service and move to their own.

    they certainly don't work as simply to "get away from us and go to someone better".

  2. wolfetone Silver badge
    Coat

    If only this happened in the 1980's

    Phil Collins could've cancelled his phone contract by fax too.

  3. casaloco

    Why not?

    This is one of those "why can't you request a PAC number by text already" things.

    1. VinceH

      Re: Why not?

      Agreed.

      The ease of leaving problem isn't just limited to mobile phone contracts, though. There are all manner of things where it's piss easy to sign up via a website, but to cancel requires a call and a sales pitch aimed at persuading you to continue paying. If you can sign up online, you should be able to cancel online.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Why not?

        The reason that most MNOs won't allow "texits" is not just about the chance for a sales pitch, but intentional delay and hassle. If you've been trying to dial customer services, select "thinking of leaving", and then are put on hold until you've got to ring off, they've won. After people have been through this three or four times, they'll start to wonder if they can be bothered, and maybe they should just take the less-good-value renewal offer from their current network.

        The networks know all this, and have a very good idea that their best interested are in making switching as slow and tedious as possible.

      2. Wensleydale Cheese

        If you can sign up online, you should be able to cancel online.

        This.

  4. Dave 126 Silver badge

    I'm on a SIM-only tariff. When I ran out of data three days before my monthly refresh, I was appalled by EE's top-up pricing.

    Whilst leaving them by text is tempting, it takes the fun out of ringing them up and saying "Your top-up rates with no roll over are just customer-hostile. Up my monthly data allowance for the same money or I'm leaving for GifGaf."

    Just buy your phones outright, even if you need to use a credit card to do so. It gives you greater consumer protection against the phone vendor (Sales of Goods Act) and gives you greater leverage over the network operator.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @Dave 126

      Agreed. Also, never go for "unlimited" data packages...unless you prefer your broadband served throttled. They work on the "Chinese Unlimited Menu" method. First and second portion, full size, then gradually shrink the ribs with every subsequent portion.

      Incidentally me and a bunch of mates put this to the test in The Yangtze in Windsor. My extremely large African friend (whos favourite flavour of ribs is "unlimited") kept going until the waiters started sweating. It got to the point where they were bringing out single ribs. I shit you not.

      Mobe providers are the same with "unlimited" tariffs. Theres a sweat point where they apply restrictions and limits (ironically) just in case we try to get our moneys worth.

      I promise you, if you use an unlimited sim for a day flat out (just loop a load of speed tests) it will make the data connection virtually unusable for the rest of the month.

  5. Martin Summers Silver badge

    Something they may not have thought of. I've often switched to new customer deals from the same network via a different party, try getting your number changed to your new plan then! (And no they've never matched the deals I gave up trying) I've had to port from EE to GiffGaff then port from GiffGaff back to EE. Utterly farcial. Luckily GiffGaff allow you to request a PAC via their site and it appears instantly. Unfortunately for them I think they probably get used that way quite a lot but it's a means to an end in a ridiculous system.

  6. bengoey49

    I wish Ofcom would do the same with broadband providers. Last week I cancelled my broadband with BT, after a long sales pitch they agreed and I have to pay £31 ' TERMINATION FEE ' . Why?. I bet most people don't know about termination fee when you leave BT Broadband. I was not in a contract by the way.

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