Virgin Mobile

If you want to sign up to a contract and you are scared that you might not like the mobile phone and you might think, you will then have to return the phone. Will the mobile provider allow you to do so?

Vodafone UK

If you have signed up to the contract in a shop and you would like to return the mobile phone and cancel the contract, you will not be able to do so as their company policy will have to assure its customers to check the mobile phone properly before leaving the store. Once you have left the store, you will not be able to return the mobile phone but you could exchange the mobile phone to a different handset. This is only possible if you call them up within 3 working days. You need to ensure that you have not used the mobile phone before you return it.

If you have signed up to a contract through the telephone or through the web, you will have 7 days upon receiving the mobile phone to return the mobile phone and cancel the contract if you are not happy with it. Vodafone UK will not question your loyalty in anyway.

I have to say that Vodafone is getting smarter as that theday goes by. I'm sure that the reason why they are doing this is to prevent customers from abusing the law to the customer's advantage. As the saying goes, Vodafone will lose revenue whenever a customer returns a mobile phone. They could not resell the mobile phone as "new". It will be worst if they have to cancel a customer's contract. In this way, Vodafone would have to endure more losses as I was told that Vodafone will have to pay to get a customer's sim card working.

In a nutshell, if you are thinking of taking up a contract with Vodafone, the best thing for you is to get into a shop and try out their live handsets before ordering online. You would also need to take up insurance too, just in case you have any problems with your mobile phone.

O2 UK

Irrespective of whether a customer orders a mobile phone or a contract online, through the telephone or going into a shop to get it, he or she will have the 14 days cooling off period. I think this is great because O2 UK is offering such a fantastic service to customers. It is a shame that the cooling off period is only 14 days. However, they are complying with the UK law in regards to consumer protection and also a consumer's right to return the goods under distance selling regulations.

I have to say that O2 UK is one of the best mobile providers in this category.

3 UK

Forget about thinking of returning your unused 3 UK mobile and cancelling your contract after you have step out of the shop (if you have signed up to one in the shop). You will lose the right to cancel the contract. I do believe that this is not protecting the consumer at all! This practice should be banned!

If you insist in taking up a contract from 3 UK, it is better for you to order online or through the telephone as you do have 14 days to return the mobile phone and cancel the contract provided you have not used the phone. I think it is pretty unfair as if you have not used the sim card, how are you going to test the mobile phone then?

3 UK is not a good mobile provider when it comes to providing an excellent customer service. It is recognised that they are having problems with their call centres in Bangalore. However, if you insist in taking up a contract with 3 UK, call them or order online. At least you can return the mobile phone if you wish to return the mobile phone.

Orange UK

If you have taken up a contract with Orange UK and you do want to cancel it, you would have to call them within 7 days. After the initial call, you do have 30 days to return the whole package to them before your contract is cancelled.

This is not bad at all...

T- Mobile UK

With T- Mobile UK, you have 7 days to return the mobile phone and cancel the cotract if you want to. It is much better than 3 UK irrespective of whether you have signed up for the mobile contract online, through the telephone or in store.

There is a problem with T- Mobile UK though. If you have a cotract with T-Mobile UK, please check your bill constantly online (both billed and unbilled) as there might be some mistake in it as I have encountered. Good luck.

Virgin Mobile UK

Virgin Mobile UK is the best... You have 30 days from the start date of the contract to return the mobile phone, to exchange for a new mobile phone, to cancel the contract or all of the above. It is just great!!! Customer services is pretty good with Virgin Mobile UK. Go for it!