Dealing with mobile phone problems Mobile phone problems FAQs

Some calls aren't included in 'free' mobile minutes

Mobile call charges

My mobile service provider has put up its prices – can it do this?

Most mobile contracts allow service providers to increase tariff prices within reason, though there’s often a clause to say the provider must let you know in advance.

If you’re outside your contract period, vote with your feet and switch to another provider. 

If you’re still within your tie-in period and the mobile phone provider makes changes to the tariff or contract that are ‘of material detriment to you’, you can usually cancel the contract without penalty within a month of being notified. However, this won’t apply if the increase is no more than an increase in the Retail Price Index (RPI), the official measure of cost-of-living increases.

I haven’t used more than the inclusive texts and minutes in my tariff, but I’ve been charged extra for some calls – why?

'Free' texts and minutes usually apply only to ‘geographic’ numbers (those starting with 01 or 02), 03 numbers and other mobile numbers. 

Calls to other types of phone number aren't usually included and can cost up to 30p or 40p per minute. These include numbers starting 0800 (which are not free from a mobile), 0845 or 0871. 

Find out more about the cost of calls in the Which? guide to premium-rate numbers. 

I've been sent a huge bill after using my mobile phone abroad - do I have to pay?

Unfortunately, the answer is probably yes. Calls you make when abroad are never included in your free minutes, and when you're abroad you'll have to pay to receive calls as well as make them.

There are rules in place about the cost of calls in EU countries and mobile providers are obliged to put a price cap on your usage to prevent you running up huge bills. 

However, in countries outside the EU there's no protection, so providers can charge what they like. Legally they're not obliged to warn you if you're running up a big phone bill or to waive the charges if the bill is much higher than normal. However, it's worth asking your mobile provider to make an exception if you ran up a big bill because you were unaware of the costs. 

The Which? guide to outlines typical charges and tips on how to keep costs down. 

Keeping your mobile phone number

Can I keep my phone number if I switch provider?

Yes. Contact your old mobile phone provider and ask for your porting authorisation code (PAC). Many providers will supply this immediately over the phone, though some may ask you to request it in writing and may send it to you by post. 

Providers must send you your PAC within two days of receiving your request (by phone or by post, depending on which method they use). 

Give your PAC to your new provider, who will transfer your number over to your new service.

I want to change provider and keep my number, but my current mobile company wants to charge me for my porting authorisation code (PAC) – is it allowed to do this? 

While most providers will give you your PAC free of charge, they're allowed to charge if they want to. This shouldn’t be more than £25.

Mobile cashback problems 

Are mobile cashback deals a good way to save money?

Many sellers of mobile contracts offer cut-price line rental as an incentive to encourage you to take out the contract. The discount usually comes in the form of ‘cashback’, whereby you have to claim back a proportion of your monthly fee at certain points during the contract period (after six months and after 12 months, for example).

However, you have to be quite on-the-ball and proactive to make the most of cashback deals – you can't just sit back and wait for the cash to come to you. You'll have to hit certain deadlines and send proof to the correct addresses, otherwise you may miss out on your cashback. 

So if you're disorganised by nature, cashback deals are probably best avoided. 

The terms of my mobile cashback deal seem impossible to meet - what can I do?

In the past, many people experienced problems with mobile phone cashback deals and found that the company they used failed to honour its promises. Sometimes claiming the cashback involved following a procedure that was unfairly difficult to adhere to, such as allowing only a very short time window in which to make a claim.

To address this, mobile regulator Ofcom introduced mobile phone misselling regulations – if you sign up to a deal that promises cashback, you must be told who exactly the offer is from (cashback deals are usually offered by the company selling the contract, not the mobile network).

The terms of the offer must be clearly provided in writing, and not be unduly restrictive. For example, in order to claim the cashback, you should not:

• have to submit original phone statements – copies should be acceptable proof
• have to pay for the company to process a cashback claim
• have to submit a cashback claim within an unreasonably short period (less than 60 days, for example)
• have a cashback payment refused if you have an outstanding balance on your account.

I signed up to a mobile phone deal that offered cut-price line rental, where I paid the full monthly fee upfront and claimed money back at intervals. I missed my first claim and now I’ve been told this disqualifies me for all other claims, so I’m stuck with a long, expensive contract. Is there anything I can do?

Unfortunately, there's probably little you can do. It's likely that your contract states that you must make each claim within the required timeframe to receive cashback at subsequent claim deadlines. Check to see whether this is correct. 

However, under mobile service providers' selling code of practice, sellers of mobile phone contracts are obliged to make details of all incentives clear when you take out your contract. 

If you think you were mislead when you took out your mobile contract, complain to the seller using Which? template letters.

Poor mobile customer service

I'm unhappy with my mobile network and want to switch - how can I avoid problems?

Which? has found that most people who switch their mobile provider find it easy and save money, so don't be put off. Take a look at free Which? advice on . 

Which mobile provider offers the best customer service?

Find out in the Which? review of the – thousands of Which? members give us their opinion of their mobile providers to help you choose the best possible service.