3 mobile - I'm confused! (1 Viewer)

Feb 4, 2010
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Any "3" mobile dongle users out there who can help me please?

I bought myself a "3" dongle to use with my Mac laptop; it came with 1GB of data which was supposed to expire after 30 days on Sunday (8th).

On Monday I tried connecting to see what happens....and it still worked. I went to the My3 pages for my account, added some extra registration details to allow me to login via wi-fi (rather than just the dongle, in case I suddenly got cut-off via the dongle) and my balance showed (and still shows):

Credit:
Cash top-up £1
Won't expire

It's now Tuesday night and the dongle still works.

So..what's going on? Why is it still working, and where did the magic £1 credit come from, because I haven't topped my account up via voucher or credit/debit card?

What would you do?

1) Nothing.....keep using the dongle for free, apparently;
2) Contact 3 customer services, before they spot the issue and come after me demanding that I pay for all calls since Sunday at some penalty rate;
3) Buy a top-up quickly - I haven't registered a debit/credit card against this mobile number, but they do have my details from the initial dongle purchase. Could I be charged a mega-bucks rate for exceeding the time limit, like you do for exceeding the data limit, using that credit card?

What should happen when the 30 days is up? No access to the internet, other than the My3 pages?
 

GJH

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First (daft) question - is it definitely a PAYG dongle and they haven't got you signed up to a contract?

I got a "3" SIM which I use in an existing (ex T Mobile) dongle. Every time I top up my account I get 150MB Internet usage allowance which has to be used within 90 days or I lose it.

Could it be that your £1 top-up is some sort of bonus and you also get the 150MB deal?

Graham
 
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1_man_and_his_dob(lo)
Feb 4, 2010
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Definitely PAYG. The packaging says it is, and when I check my account on-line it says:

Price plan:
PayAsYouGo MobileBroadband

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lunarman

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I also just had a 500mb bonus on my 3 mobile broadband sim to be used in 90days I suspect yours is the same and it is the bonus that you are using.

Lunarmab
 
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1_man_and_his_dob(lo)
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That would be nice......just wish they'd tell me if that's the case :roflmto:

What I don't want to happen is for them to realize they've made a mistake and cut me off on Friday/Monday when I'm at Malvern but still officially working and needing access. As much as it pains me to say this...I think I'm going to have to contact customer support and let them know. And purchase a top-up card, which I can activate if it's not a bonus.

150 - 500MB would probably last me quite a while - I only use the dongle when I'm away from home, which is why I went PAYG instead of a monthly contract. And I haven't too much work in the near future which requires me to be away (unfortunately).

How were you notified of the bonus? SMS, or just in your account details on-line?
 

champers

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I had the free 3 dongle about approx year or so ago via a funster's thread, 3 mobile said after a month or so that it is expired zilch left on it, but recently i tried it and found it was still working at home, then at stratford(not very well here though due to signal) and at knutsford, it has run out now ...I have never paid a penny for this dongle or its service... but will try at Malvern to top it up so fingers crossed it will worked again



Kath

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Mar 26, 2009
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I'm going to phone them and tell them about you:roflmto:

1 man and his Dob(lo) will be one man in jail soon:ROFLMAO:

Phil
 

champers

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Neil.... taran las is only jealous that he doesnt have a freebie working dongle :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

That reminds me to top up before Malvern:ROFLMAO:
 
Mar 26, 2009
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I'm going to phone them and tell them about you:roflmto:

1 man and his Dob(lo) will be one man in jail soon:ROFLMAO:

Phil

Strange the way things work - I could be doing you a big favour landing you in the clink - You'll have a perfectly valid excuse for missing the line dancing:ROFLMAO:

Champers,

My PC is steam driven - we've only just got electric and capets up here:roflmto:

Phil
:RollEyes:
 
Nov 30, 2009
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There's a phrase that comes to mind....

"with friends like these..." :roflmto:

I bet "3" reception is crap in jail....
:ROFLMAO:
Ralph's got his 3 dongle thingy , unlocked , so he can use it on any network. Got sent a code .
Its on a contract though , it was a good deal , big gig what ever ....
:)Blush: bit of a technophobe myself :RollEyes:)
But it means up to 5 WI- FI enabled gadgets can be used at once.
Handy for the 5 of us , on a cold wet evening in the MH with the lappy , eye-pods , DS's etc:winky:
What ever happened to good old snap:ROFLMAO:
 
Mar 26, 2009
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Slight digression:

On the radio today it was announced that in some households - parents send texts to their children to tell them dinner/evening meal is ready. Honest!

I'm not convinced technology is the answer to everything.:Confused:

Phil

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pappajohn

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i also think this £1 is an introductory bonus and while it wont expire time wise, it will be used up at some point and you'll have no connection.

my voda dongle came with £15 none expiring credit and when i checked my account i still had well over the original £15.

So i too got a £1 bonus :thumb:

its possible that your £1 none expiring bonus could be an emergency backup amount incase you run out of normal credit and cant buy more at the time.
similar to a card type leccy meter with £5 emergency credit.

obviously, if your credit suddenly expired then you have no connection so you couldnt buy online but this 'emergency credit' will allow you to.

 
Oct 27, 2007
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Hi Bev

Where did Ralph get the code to unlock his wifi thingy from 3. I am thinking of getting one as I have a three contract anyway and am probably due an upgrade but want it unlocked.

Thanks

Sonja

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1_man_and_his_dob(lo)
Feb 4, 2010
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i also think this £1 is an introductory bonus and while it wont expire time wise, it will be used up at some point and you'll have no connection.

my voda dongle came with £15 none expiring credit and when i checked my account i still had well over the original £15.

So i too got a £1 bonus :thumb:

its possible that your £1 none expiring bonus could be an emergency backup amount incase you run out of normal credit and cant buy more at the time.
similar to a card type leccy meter with £5 emergency credit.

obviously, if your credit suddenly expired then you have no connection so you couldnt buy online but this 'emergency credit' will allow you to.

Good point - although I think the My3 account pages are always available even if your dongle is out of credit. If not, I'll have to phone somebody (via O2) and get them to log into my account and apply the top-up.

I've now bought a top-up, so I'll make a decision whether to activate it tomorrow.

I noticed that if I was to top-up by credit/debit card, and for example specify a £10 top-up, it tells me that the £1 credit will count against it, i.e. I will only pay £9. Even though I have apparently been using the dongle and using that mysterious £1's time/data allocation. :Confused:
 

champers

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oh my i am now confused... my 3 dongle has run out at knutsford and it seems they are offering me a 30 day for £10.... I havent topped up yet... but could i at malvern with out internet???? Does it take me through so i can connect( sorry never topped up before)
 
Nov 30, 2009
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Hi Bev

Where did Ralph get the code to unlock his wifi thingy from 3. I am thinking of getting one as I have a three contract anyway and am probably due an upgrade but want it unlocked.

Thanks

Sonja

Hi Sonja ,
Hes got the Huawei E585 Wireless Modem. 2 gig a month from 3.
Its on a 30 day contract for £5 a month, so you can come out whenever you want.
It cost £7 to unlock the wireless Internet router , and once Ralph comes home from work , he will pm you the link .
You have to create a profile too .
Its got the biggest 3G network now. We have never had a problem , so far , getting a signal anywhere we've been. Though we have only been as far as the I.O.W. in the MH. So couldnt tell you what its like abroad.

We dont take all the gadgets when we go on our main holiday abroad , as we do the aeroplane ferry thing , to Greek islands , and are out every night , and the weathers lovely:Cool:.

Having the internet access does make long journeys a lot easier , as the kids can surf the net , use face book , msn , play on their i pod touches, Nintendo's etc etc. They dont seen to argue as much ! The twins are nearly 14 and our eldest is nearly 16. BTW. We are just happy that they still want to come away with us each weekend.
(Though it will be nice when they dont want to too:Blush::ROFLMAO:)

What some people forget is that they are actually taking their grandchildren away with them , not their own kids .
So they have more chance of the kids playing eye spy , monopoly etc.
Out of politeness.

Im a stay at home mum , have been since having the kids , so in the school holidays and 3pm onwards everyday , all weekend , im there. Weve done all the board / card games over the years , still do now and again.
But you have to move with the times too.
The only time i text ours for their tea , is if they are out on their bikes etc and thats because we all like to sit down to our tea together each evening.



When our kids travel with their grandparents they are like different children. :ROFLMAO:

No tip tapping ,
or mum hes looking at me ,
shes on my bit ,
god , how much further,
are we there yet etc etc etc.
So anything to make a rainy evening , or a long journey in the MH more relaxed and stress free , for us all , the better IMO.:thumb:
Bev

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Wyaye wires

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Hi Neil

We are in Ireland and went to get a top up voucher for our 3 network broadband dongle that we got here at Christmas. When we got it there was some credit on it and it lasted ages - a bit like your £1. Have now topped up for the rest of our hols and have to say that the connection speed is far better than the Vodaphone one we use back in the UK which has failed to pick up any signal in the last three sites we stayed in.

Hope you all have a great time in Malvern.

regards

Kath and Howie
 
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1_man_and_his_dob(lo)
Feb 4, 2010
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OK..update. Just went to collect my mail at sunny Malvern :winky: and I've got the web page telling me my data allowance is used up. There's a link to top-up, and that's what I've done. I haven't used the dongle much this week.

So...it looks like you can run your allowance down to zero and still top-up. As for the weird £1 add-on, I think pappajohn could be on the right track - it could be some kind of extension (maybe for newcomers to 3) when you've gone beyond your time limit. Let's see if I get it again next time.

Sorry Phil...doesn't look like the clink for me ::bigsmile:
 

ninjayorkies

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I've got a 3 PAYG dongle and my account always retains 33p which appears to be for topping up purposes so that you can get onto the website to enter your voucher code etc. I always buy a top up when it gets low and then it's to hand when I need it. I haven't had any bonus usage added to mine :Sad:
When I clear off to the continent I'll be buying a euro wide one as I don't want to rley on Wi-fi or internet cafes.
 

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