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Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

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jgfrancis
Grafter
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Registered: ‎08-05-2017

Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

Quite simple really. PAC and STAC codes are only for use when you want to leave one provider and take out a NEW contract with another provider.

 

PAC - Close old account and open a new account keeping your existing number

 

STAC - Close old account and open new account with a new number

RobC
Pro
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Registered: ‎03-12-2016

Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

I saw you state your opinion on that before,

but the process does NOT define that as the case, and in fact a number of the process descriptions quite clearly state that if you don't want to use the PAC OR STAC immediately - you can create your new account and use them later.

 

anyway, if that is the case with PN then PN should have quickly rejected the attempt with a suitable notification.

 

The STAC process should just be the old number terminate part of the PAC process

- and a PAC can be requested and submitted to a new or existing account at any time.

The STAC request informs the old supplier of the intent just like the PAC request does (both time limited)

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RobC
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Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

@Camaj 

 

I dont want to make assumptions on what PN may or may not have implemented, correctly or incorrectly

BUT I will re-offer a suggestion I made earlier

 

The STAC process with the new supplier should most usefully !! ask for the number to be actioned in both cases

ie

the number which is to be transferred ('number you want to keep') or terminated

Message should perhaps be 'number on other supplier'

 

So it may simply be that the number PN asked for 'number you want to keep' (PAC message for a submitted STAC code) should be 'the number you want to delete' or 'number with other supplier'

 

so in both PAC and STAC processes - it should be the other supplier mobile number you submit (first) to the receiving supplier with the pac/stac code 

 

BUT PN do need to confirm that

 

 

 

 

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Camaj
Dabbler
Posts: 21
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Registered: ‎11-07-2019

Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?


@RobC wrote:

 

Have they told you anything at all yet @Camaj ?

 


Nothing yet, apparently I have to wait until Monday when people are back at work

 

Regarding your last few post, and to reiterate what I said, I would be very surprised if I'm using the system not as intended and if I am I'd find it quite odd. I would have thought the whole thing was pretty straight forward and I can't see what difference it makes if you're on a new contract or whether you've had it for years. I can see that in most cases people are going to port a number within a short time of getting their new SIM but I can't see it making a difference to anyone.

 

My only confusion about the process, before this, was why you needed to tell your new network your STAC in the first place, it's not like when you change ISP's and they need to talk to each other for the switchover because the customer is using the same equipment and can't have two (open reach based) ISPs at the same time. Asking for a STAC should trigger an automatic contract termination without 3rd party involvement

 

If I have done something wrong then it's something that customers should be warned about. I'm almost tempted to go and buy a SIM port my Three number to that and never use it again.

jgfrancis
Grafter
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Registered: ‎08-05-2017

Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

Ok, I admit i'm wrong.

I overlooked that you can use a PAC or STAC to transfer to an account that aleady exists.

I'm sorry, and take back my previous posts.

RobC
Pro
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Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?


@Camaj wrote:

My only confusion about the process, before this, was why you needed to tell your new network your STAC in the first place,

 

If I have done something wrong then it's something that customers should be warned about. I'm almost tempted to go and buy a SIM port my Three number to that and never use it again.


 

To allow the old supplier chance to ring you to offer a deal

To allow you a chance to test you new service while having your cancellation of old service to hand

To to able to use an existing (PAC) system with minimal modifications rather than create a whole new one

To allow time for the warning notification from the donating service to get to the customer (in case of stolen phone)

... plus others ,,,

 

 

 

It certainly looks like three have given you a correct STAC and that the issues arise from the PN side.

I had issues porting my long held number into PN .. and when I ported it back out again.

 

BUT - it all depends on whether PN have implemented STAC into that PN PAC 07507 307996 txt process (which doesn't seem to mention STAC in the help page) - and how,

or whether the second part of the STAC process (action it) is implemented in some other way on PN

or if its just yet another PN error.

 

and yes - you should have been sensibly and competently informed of any issues, particularly if its simply that STACs are not accepted through that PN 07507 307996 txt process 

and there should be PN documentation on the STAC process,

... AND the staff here should know that process.

........ all of which are not issues limited to this process with PN

 

 

 

Limited examples yet with PN PAC/STAC texting as it seems PN are one of the last to 'implement it - at the last moment they could .

See also issue with PAC through it:

https://community.plus.net/t5/Mobile/PORTing-number-problems-and-poor-quot-My-Account-quot-Page/m-p/...

 

 

It seems to me from repeated prior experience that if a PN process (PAC or any other) fails, or a customer raises an issue, absolutely nothing happens from the PN side and its left to the customer to find out and chase endlessly with clueless 'support' staff

- as you are now finding

No visible PN ownership of errors or issues whatsoever let alone effective proactive resolution.

 

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RobC
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Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

oh

and a little point

that you appear to have been told 'the number is in use also seems to indicate that the PAC process you used did accept the STAC

and possibly implies that your PN number is NOT the number you should have submitted - no STAC (or PAC) request associated with it - so  'number in use response.

 

Dont know if thats because you gave that system the 'wrong' number (as it asked for the wrong one) and it would have worked if given the number to be discontinued,

or because it tried to PAC a STAC   Undecided

 

 

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Camaj
Dabbler
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Registered: ‎11-07-2019

Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?


@RobC wrote:

that you appear to have been told 'the number is in use also seems to indicate that the PAC process you used did accept the STAC and possibly implies that your PN number is NOT the number you should have submitted - no STAC (or PAC) request associated with it - so  'number in use response.

 


 

I've just received a reply from SammyM that suggests you were correct! My response:

Ah that might be the issue then because I gave my Plusnet number and not my Three number. Someone in the thread asked me that and I told them the same thing. They suggested that a customer should be giving their old number.

The issue then seems to be that the sms response is incorrectly worded. It says "To continue please confirm the 11 digit mobile number that you'd like to keep starting with 07". This makes sense for customers looking to port a number but not for someone looking to retain their old number. I imagine this should be rephrased to ask for the number from the other network.

 

If this ends up being the case then I'll mark this as solved and point to this comment.

RobC
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Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

Smiley

 

It will be good to know that the stac process works, even if the message they give out is misleading.

 

Thumbs_Up

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Camaj
Dabbler
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Registered: ‎11-07-2019

Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

As it happens it's far easier with GiffGaff, you just go to this page and fill it out. It even asks you for the number you want to cancel and not the number you want to keep!

RobC
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Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

@Camaj 

but to be fair - that isnt a txt process

Quite a few SP's have had online/account options

 

Did you manage with PN or give up?

What did that leave as an opinion of PN as a supplier?

Show us ONE just ONE real, defined benefit for the British public from Brexit

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Camaj
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎11-07-2019

Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

Yes it it's online and not text but the point is they're asking for the correct number. I don't think they let you text them but I'd prefer to do it online anyway and texting might charge the customer or use up a text. A minor impact, obviously, but still worse.

 

At the moment PN aren't involved any more. Luckily since I have 3 SIM cards, and wasn't porting, I used my GiffGaff SIM. It doesn't effect my opinion of PN much but it's awfully incompetent of them, to have this mistake in the first place and then not to spot this mistake when the issue occurred and lastly to have not fixed it yet, at least as far as I know, I can't test it. Potentially this has cost me £11 because now I'm into a new month of my contract and will be charged for that.

Camaj
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎11-07-2019

Re: Did I make a mistake trying to switch away?

Fix

Conclusion: This problem was caused because Plusnet asked for the number I wanted to keep when I texted PORT to the porting number. They should be asking for my old number, the one I want to cancel, if I am using a STAC

The solution would be for Plusnet to change the message so that it asks for the number from the other network but in the meantime you should supply the number you want to cancel if you're using STAC, i.e. your old number. Supplying your Plusnet number to plusnet won't work and Plusnet won't even realise that it's your own number.

 

Unfortunately my port was deemed "in progress" even after receiving a phone call from Plusnet telling me it wasn't going through, luckily I have a GiffGaff SIM and was able to do it online and their instructions were correct. As an aside my phone was still active the day after it was supposedly cancelled and I believed that it was because I was in the middle of a month, as it happens the service was terminated some time in the last week but I was only able to confirm it today. If you are not able to log in to My3 then your contract has been successfully cancelled although you can try making a test call to double check

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