[Darryld1]

Thanks for the replies folks. I hope my experience is helping someone - that's why i'm being so detailed. Remember that i also have a life to get on with, so i'm spending some of it with the intention of helping someone. Some of this might be obvious to you and some of it not. Take what you need. You are helping me too, so big Thanks.

Okay so there is no mention of PAC codes in 3's or Orange's T&C's yet they both imply verbally and in writing that PAC codes overide 30 days notice and any other requests by a customer to cancel a contract. I don't mean cancel mid-term, I mean 30 days notice, 30 days before the minimum term of that contract is due to end.

How many people appreciate what 'minimum term' actually means? It certainly isn't explained when we sign contracts and we hope that we'll never have to deal with such things - though so often we actually do! it means that you have entered an open agreement with them to provide a service until you give them notice to stop providing that service as per their T&C's. In my case, I gave them notice several times a week for 3 months and still they did not stop providing that service. They could have suspended the service pending further investigation but all they did was argue the toss. They could have stopped at any time. That is a FAILURE on their part.

Then a false assumption is made by 3. This is that is a PAC code (which is offered and not requested - please make sure you make a distinction about that ie you did not 'request' a PAC, you were 'offered' one and accepted it on certain terms) is a sign that if it is not used within 30 days, it will not only expire (this is the bit they don't tell you) but they will take it as a sign that you still want a contract even if you say you don't when you receive another bill from them. What then happens is that you are then expected to give another 30 day's notice. This is not what PAC codes are intended for. A PAC is only a transfer of a number and should not be linked in any way to contractual terms and conditions to do with contract termination.

I spoke again to OFCOM today who again stated that PAC codes are not to be used in the way 3 are using them.(as detailed above)

I also spoke to OTELO today who said the same. (ditto)

Tomorrow I will inform Trading Standards and CAB.

My attitude has always been this: as 3 chose to provide me with a service, despite me giving 30 days notice and afterwards continually requesting they do not supply one, that they are responsible for doing so. If they choose not to act on my request, that is their choice. It's slightly different from saying that I accepted that just because they texted me a PAC twice, that I tacitly accepted the terms of them doing so. Again, a PAC is ONLY a transfer of number and nothing else. Any inference made or drawn from offering and supplying one, is false!

3 debt recovery dept. called me again today to ask how I inteded to pay. 3 really are totally ignorant of it's customer's requests and their own processes. It's like trying to argue with a machine which is not programmed to accept anything other than it's programmed response. Purposely designed to be difficult and to cause such situations. This is an example of how far removed 3 are from their own processes and I will use this as an example of how they FAIL. I have already been contacted by 3 executive office who offered me first "a credit of £40 to my account" then "a credit of £50 to my account". Which account? What sort of 'credit'? Isn't this 'offer' acceptance that they are wrong? I take it that way and I am inferring that this is bribery to get me to accept part of the blame. No chance! This is already costing them more than they could ever hope to receive.

I have requested my original contract, not a photocopy. I would love to be a fly on the wall of whoever gets to read my letter as it's a real stinker!

I have requested a copy of their T&C's which state anything to do with PAC codes. They will not be able to provide this and I believe they have not offered to in the hope I won't ask for it. Wrong!

I have requested all recordings and transcriptions of all phone conversations (i doubt they recorded any), especially the call during which they offered me a PAC code and didn't explain the implications they give to it not being used. They will not be able to provide this because they did not explain this to me at the time they offered me a PAC. What they say they did do was text me twice and at the end it said something like, if I don't use the PAC, that I should contact them. Why would I do that? So they could try to talk me out of leaving 3? I had already stated that I was leaving 3 when they transferred me to another team in customer services who tried and FAILED (I used that word a lot in my letter to them) to convince me to stay.

i'll be sure to keep you all upto date. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.