Communications Ombudsman says check the smallprint on ‘Unlimited’.
This morning the Communications Ombudsman, an organisation that helps consumers resolve disputes, is warning that many smartphone users are being misled by so called âunlimitedâ offers that come with very limiting âfair useâ policies. The message is simple â most âunlimitedâ offers donât deserve the name. We think they are right.
This is an issue we’ve been concerned about for some time and with all the recent media interest, weâve been on the BBC telling our story about all-you-can-eat data.
In July of last year we called time on any offer that we had called âunlimitedâ that wasnât genuinely unlimited.
We had started applying the term to limited deals because the rest of the industry had adopted it and we were being drawn into competing with their âunlimitedâ offers. Following the rest of the industry was the easy thing to do, but it was the wrong decision.
Six-months later we introduced a truly unlimited data plan with all-you-can-eat data for internet use on smartphones which, as our adverts say, is ‘all the internet you’ll ever need’. Itâs called The One Plan. Itâs our biggest selling contract. Since then weâve extended all-you-can-eat data to Pay As You Go and our other smartphone contracts.
Itâs based on some simple customer insight: people like using the internet on their phones, find it difficult to measure how much data they use and don’t want to worry about an unexpected bill.
Itâs the simplest route weâve found to offering customers peace of mind on their smartphones.
The problem with the word âunlimitedâ is that it has been devalued by telecoms companies. Amazingly some have even offered three different sized âunlimitedâ plans. Confused? We’re not surprised.
Thatâs why weâve argued that networks should not be allowed a free pass to use the word unless they mean it. Unfortunately, other operators lobbied the advertising watchdog to prevent this happening so current advertising regulation still permits the use of âunlimitedâ if the bundle it applies to covers the use of âtypicalâ users.
Meanwhile, the Ombudsman makes a timely point: âAs our technology develops the âtypical userâ is downloading and streaming more and more information. This is an emerging problem which we think could cause real consumer detriment.â
We agree. A typical smartphone user signs a contract for two years. Over that time they will use more and more data as they make the most of their smartphones. Small bundles and limits soon equal out-of-bundle charges.
Thatâs why for people that want both peace of mind and to make the most of their smartphones, we think the only way is truly unlimited data, what we call all-you-can eat.
Source: http://blog.three.co.uk/?p=2929
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