Now you can switch by text to get a better phone deal
MILLIONS of people fed up with their current mobile phone deal will from tomorrow be able to dump their provider by text and take up with a new network the next day. The new ‘text-to-switch’ rule, introduced by communications regulator Ofcom, is expected to save phone users £10million a year.
This is because they will no longer have to wait 30 days before being allowed to leave their provider. Until now this has meant switchers had to stump up for a new deal while still paying the old one.
Switchers will also benefit from more competitive deals immediately. Currently, switching is a nightmare with customers often pressured into staying when calling to cancel their contract. Last year, only one in ten consumers bothered to switch.
Richard Neudegg, head of regulation at comparison website uSwitch, says: ‘Until now, many customers feared the switching process. ‘But from tomorrow there will be no delays – or pressure to stay with a company.’
To trigger a switch under the new rules, customers can send a free text to their provider. Or they can do it online or by calling directly.
Texters must choose between two numbers, used by all networks. Those who want to switch but keep their existing phone number should text ‘PAC’ (short for ‘porting authorisation code’) to number 65075.
Anyone happy to have a new number should text ‘STAC’ (service termination authorisation code) to 75075.
A unique code is sent by return, along with details of any outstanding charges. Customers can then pass
their unique code to a new provider, which takes responsibility for the switchover – with the old provider sending a final bill.
Receiving a code should be swift and it will be valid for 30 days with transfers completed within one working day.
Priya Cinar, a switching expert for Carphone Warehouse, welcomes the new regime. She says: ‘I’ve helped hundreds of people switch contracts and all too often it’s been a longwinded, complicated process.
‘People have had to have long discussions with customer service teams and pay two contracts at the same time.’
Nearly half of consumers have not changed network provider in five years or more. According to Carphone, some 16 million phone users will see their phone contracts end between now and the end of the year.
Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s consumer group director, says: ‘Breaking up with your mobile provider has never been easier.
‘You won’t need to have that awkward chat with your current provider to take advantage of any great deals available elsewhere.’
There is also a third texting option – catering for people who don’t want to change provider but are interested in up-to-date information about their account. For example, how long is left on their contract and whether there are cancellation fees for leaving early. For this, people should text ‘info’ to 85075.
From February next year, telecoms companies will be forced to send reminders to customers about when contracts are due to end, as well as offer them their best tariff deals.
Searching the market for the full range of deals on offer is still advised. Neudegg adds: ‘There are some really cheap SIM-only deals now – where you can keep the same phone and just pay for a new tariff. They could save a lot of people a material amount of money.’ Meanwhile, anyone sticking with their existing deal should check they are not paying a loathsome penalty for their loyalty.
Too many customers continue to pay the same price for their deal every month even after a contract ends – despite having already paid off the cost of their handset. This con is ripping off customers to the tune of more than £1 million a day, according to Citizens Advice.