Removal of Mobile Essential Sim discount without notice.

[kenwalker]

My latest Mobile bill shows a monthly charge of £5. Up to now there has been a discount of £2 per month but without notice, this has been removed. This has come at the same time as I renewed my Broadband contract. Is this coincidence? Why has this suddenly happened?

[kenwalker]

It's certainly an interesting situation. I can't help but remember when "Fixed " contacts turned out to be anything but. Still, that's another story. 

[Gondola]

The 'notification' on the billing for TalkTalk Mobile has been the same since Q1 2018 "...any TalkTalk mobile discounts you may have will only continue to the end of your promotion." which is perfect because the £2/m broadband customer discount promotion continues as long as your home address has telephony or broadband service from TalkTalk.

For TalkTalk to bring this promotion to an end requires a change to the Terms and Conditions that link the TalkTalk Mobile discount to the taking of telephony and or broadband service at the same address. So, the only dispute would be whether the presence of the mobile discount was instrumental in deciding to renew and or retain a broadband contract. The contracts are separate and TalkTalk may say the discount is material only to the retention of the TalkTalk Mobile contract.

When the mobile discount was reduced by £3/m we were successful in getting a £3/m credit to the end of the broadband contract term. The discount term links both contracts together to the customer's material advantage and therefore any  material disadvantage such as withdrawing the mobile discount for TalkTalk Broadband customers in a term contract for broadband service would require either a £2/m credit to the end of the broadband contract term or those customers being allowed to exit a broadband service contract on the normal 30 day notice of withdrawal of the mobile discount.

TalkTalk would want to cease the TalkTalk Mobile service if profitability has withered. Ceasing the mobile discount for broadband service customers that come to the end of their broadband contract term is an appropriate time to withdraw that mobile discount without any consequential effect on broadband profitability.  In my opinion this still requires formal notification to the customer.

[kenwalker]

I appreciate what you meant but I would think that Talktalk would argue that the notice on the statements, even though not actually true in all respects, was a form of notice. As you say, it's their loss. Thanks anyway for your input.

[Gondola]

My point was that you should still be able to enjoy the £3/m tariff from TalkTalk Mobile. But if you've already switched provider then OK. TalkTalk's loss.

[kenwalker]

Thank you for your reply. At the end of the day, even if Talktalk did give me 30 days notice I would end up having to get another service which indeed I have now done. Unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 5Gb data for £4.99 and I get the first 3 months at £1.49. More than I need as I'm a light user but miles better value than Talktalk at their full rate.  It's also still on the Vodaphone network. It's just not worth the hassle to get maybe another few months out of Talktalk.

[Gondola]

Hi kenwalker 

The special deals with O2 ended in 2021 when TalkTalk reversed a decision to close the TalkTalk Mobile service.

The background is that the Essential SIM was bundled in to the initial broadband package and initially charged at £5 per month with a £5 broadband customer discount that was reduced to a £2 discount in July 2018. TalkTalk did negotiate deals with O2 at the same time for customers wanting to move mobile service provider but those deals ended in 2021 despite what has been stated in the billing notes. In 2021 TalkTalk negotiated a new deal with Vodafone for the TalkTalk Mobile MVNO service to continue as that was still generating £3 million in profits albeit down from the previous year of £7 million in profits.

The customer contract for TalkTalk Mobile service is separate to the broadband contract but the TalkTalk terms and conditions are, in my opinion, very clear.

TALKTALK MOBILE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. To take mobile services from us, you, or someone at your address, must take telephony or broadband services from us. As we give you discounted charges for this (the TalkTalk Mobile service), if this situation changes, we may increase your charges to our standard rates.

In my case, our address does still have broadband services from TalkTalk upgraded to Full Fibre. Therefore, until TalkTalk Mobile notify cessation of service or removal of the discount by giving 30 days' notice I would not accept any change to the TalkTalk Mobile billing. I believe my £3 per month contributes to TalkTalk Mobile still being operational because I'm a fairly light user. Heavy users may not be considered profitable.

Is the address registered with TalkTalk Mobile the same address as your current TalkTalk Broadband contract? If so, I would call TalkTalk Mobile on 0345 172 0044 option 1 and ask why the TalkTalk Terms & Conditions do not apply. I'd be interested in the answer.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

I'm sorry that O2 didn't have any deals for you. 

[kenwalker]

I have just wasted my time contacting O2. As I suspected, you haven't "put together something special for you with our friends at O2."  O2 have no special offers for Talktalk customers like me.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

As we do not sell mobile anymore you have to contact O2 directly and advise your are with us for SIM only. 

[kenwalker]

"Instead we’ve put together something special for you with our friends at O2" - Will you please point me to the "something special" that you say, as I can't find it anywhere on Talktalk website in the Mobile or Broadband sites.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

Hi kenwalker

Its clear the discount has now expired this was outlined on your bills 

"We’re simplifying our mobile service so aren’t selling new TalkTalk mobile offers. This means any TalkTalk mobile discounts you may have will only continue to the end of your promotion. Instead we’ve put together something special for you with our friends at O2."

The above information was included on each bill under the customer update section. 

Sorry you missed it.

[kenwalker]

My previous renewal was 18 months before my recent renewal. That's not the point. I've been getting a discount each month and it's suddenly been taken away without notice or warning. I wasn't informed of this when I was discussing renewal of my contract. That's not good business practice, it's underhand.  I would like a company representative to respond.

[Gliwmaeden2]

It looks like it hasn't been offered for renewing customers in over 18 months, @kenwalker. When did you last renew before this time?

A reply from Gondola in early 2022:

 

That's from this thread:

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Fibre/I-Signed-A-New-Contract-Under-False-Pretences/td-p/2854432

Changes in price are listed on the Talktalk website, but, if the change happened some time ago, will not be up there any longer.

So, yes, it's happened because of the renewal.