Help Needed ! Mobile Phone Gurus Contracts etc etc

[Philbo]

Hey there,

So the story goes a little like this I have 5 services with Vodafone used to be Three and I have been with them for 7 years,
Now I want to move to the UK for 20mths and in doing so don't really have much choice on closing the account. I have to move my ex partners phone to her own name which is easy done and pay out the $372 handset repayments thats easily done.

Now heres where it starts to get costly !

The other four are a bit harder
There are two Mobile Plans and two Broadband plans all on the same account
1. $80per mth Phone
2. $29per mth Phone
3. $20 Internet
4. $19 Internet

To close the accounts I have to pay out both the plan and the handset/device.

They want to try and sting me a grand total of $4111 to close all the plans and pay out the phones/contracts !
This is ludicrous ! Now is there any way of halving it or reducing it that some of you may of experienced ?

They are going to get the connections/special team who deal with this sort of thing to call me tomorrow, I'm just after some advice on
what to do and how to go about it as Vodafone have actually not really let me down tbh and I would like to work out a decent way to reduce my options severely as I don't want to pay out such a crazy ass figure !

Would there be any point in contacting the TIO ? Or what other suggestions can people offer.

Cheers Phil

[TheChad]

you could pull the shitty service card that has gotten so many of us off in recent times. But might be a bit harder since you've told them you're leaving.

[Philbo]

Yer but seriously this Bill is a joke.....Can't wait for the call tomorrow to see their offer of a solution !

[shifted]

you could pull the shitty service card that has gotten so many of us off in recent times. But might be a bit harder since you've told them you're leaving.

Mate tried that recently, only got offered to keep his service at half the cost.

[disc0-dan]

Having worked in the industry near on 10years now id have to say what they are asking is completely reasonable. In saying that its not out of the realms of possibility for them to help, but they are by no means obligated.

You signed a contract with a term of 'x' months with 'x' minimum cost over that period that would have included hardware for '$0' or a largely subsidised rate. They then project their yearly financial for cast based upon their customers commitments/contracts, so in turn by cutting the cost they are undercutting their projected bottom line.

You could play the loyal customer card and say you are moving international or into a rural area and need to port your services to a different carrier. I would offer paying for all hardware associated with the contracts but asking for a heavily reduced or waived service cancellation fee. No point offering to give the hardware back as the phones/modems are not re-sellable and effectively useless, so your best bet I would say is to offer to pay them off but ask for leeway with the service fee's.

[Dagon]

You're skipping country.
Can you get away with just... y'know... not paying?

[duste]

^ For 20 months; he plans on returning, what's he going to do then? :p

[crabman]

Stop paying your bills now, by the time you get back debt collectors would have been put onto it and realised you have left the country and given up :P

[mARC]

Shitty credit rating over four grand, seems legit...

[_S9_]

Why the hell did you have 2x Internets, and 2x Mobile phones to begin with?

[TJ]

Mobile and home?

[apg39]

Did you not sign and agree to a contract which stated the early termination fees & your liabilities?

Keyword: contract. You are breaking the contract, you are responsible for the charges.

/End thread.