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I knew someone here would have the answer (y)

Have you noticed their 'smallprint' says "Each April, your Monthly Charge will increase by 4.5%". I know they all do this now, but 4.5% strikes me as greedy.
It is, it’s 4.5 minimum +Consumer Price Index.

Ofcom the toothless and spineless regulator does it’s usual regulation, nothing.
 
It is, it’s 4.5 minimum +Consumer Price Index.

Ofcom the toothless and spineless regulator does it’s usual regulation, nothing.
This really grinds my gears. They lie and say it’s due to the increasing cost of services, if that was the case you’d see higher costs for the service, not a contracted price rise. In fact the price rises on which the increases are based on are affected by the price rices so it’s a never ending circle. Whoever dreamt that up and managed to market it to consumers as a cost relating to the increase in costs is a marketing genius.

and regulators have just seemingly accepted it. If anything, I would hazard a guess that the cost for MNOs to provide service is actually rapidly decreasing.
 
I can't see any reference to the CPI in the contract details, just the 4.5%.
It’s actually a unfair term.


All customers should be RPI or CPI the date you joined is irrelevant

Ofcom 2013 mid contract (minimum term):

 
But that’s referring to where the price rises are unexpected, they got around this instead by contracting in the price rises and Ofcom hasn’t bothered with this so they’ll be allowed to get away with it until they do.

I think some of the large players saw that CPI or RPI increases were going to become a bit stagnant compared to what they predicted and so whacked on a fixed increase + a variable one to make sure that they’re still getting more money.
 
But that’s referring to where the price rises are unexpected, they got around this instead by contracting in the price rises and Ofcom hasn’t bothered with this so they’ll be allowed to get away with it until they do.

I think some of the large players saw that CPI or RPI increases were going to become a bit stagnant compared to what they predicted and so whacked on a fixed increase + a variable one to make sure that they’re still getting more money.
Which again goes against Ofcom own ruling, problem is Ofcom will only take on investigation when a large number of consumers or group of consumers take it to them.

I mean how is internet equality access served to the poorest on benefits or pensions even pre CoVID with over inflation rises Retail staff do not disclose. Now it’s 4.5%+ some more, it’s ridiculous for everyone but those strapped for cash it’s a absolute inequality esp given the state of BT Openreach under Ofcom for decades where mobile broadband is the only way to get decent speed the most part of nationwide.
 
Im currently using a B535-232 but experiencing some weird firewall issues on P2P so just purchased a ZTE to see if that solves my problems.

I was just going to say I've noticed different performance issues with using many different Three and Smarty SIMs but I've found using a Data Only SIM with Three rather than using Smarty or one with minuets and texts it defaults to a different channel and gives better overall performance even in peak. Very weird I know but if you are experiencing performance issues its worth a look.
 
I purchased a ZTE from an eBay seller who didn't say it was Three branded. I could have bought cheaper from Three on 30 day plan so may return. However, the one I received is unlocked and does support voice calls on Vodafone. It also looks like it will support Bridge mode too.

Has anyone checked the Three sold ones to see if there features work?

My firmware and hardware are

Screenshot_20210925-120437_Chrome.jpg
 
Im currently using a B535-232 but experiencing some weird firewall issues on P2P so just purchased a ZTE to see if that solves my problems.

I was just going to say I've noticed different performance issues with using many different Three and Smarty SIMs but I've found using a Data Only SIM with Three rather than using Smarty or one with minuets and texts it defaults to a different channel and gives better overall performance even in peak. Very weird I know but if you are experiencing performance issues its worth a look.
How can you see what channel is in use on ZTE?
 
How can you see what channel is in use on ZTE?
Edit, ignore all this if this isn't what you meant by "channel" :)

I don't think you can. I did come across this website/forum


I tried one of the links while logged in but i have a vodafone sim in there and only have B20 at this location on vodafone. I did get this message {"result":"failed"} so it tried doing something. I will throw my three sim and try B3 and B20 links when i have time, and also the B3+B20 link. Try at your own risk of course.
 
Edit, ignore all this if this isn't what you meant by "channel" :)

I don't think you can. I did come across this website/forum


I tried one of the links while logged in but i have a vodafone sim in there and only have B20 at this location on vodafone. I did get this message {"result":"failed"} so it tried doing something. I will throw my three sim and try B3 and B20 links when i have time, and also the B3+B20 link. Try at your own risk of course.

Sorry, I meant Band :)

Your link is very old (2017) and comments say it doesn't work on newer firmware.

I had found the link below which explained setting bridge mode, which is working on my firmware. He also shows Band locking, but I can't find that.


Would you mind posting your firmware version so I can see if same?
 
@welshguru I'll do it a little later on when no one is using it. I'll also check to see if bridge mode is available and if those band changer links work with the three sim in
 
Capture.PNG

Mine is a Three branded router by the way
Also, those band change links don't work. Always results in failure.
I can't seem to find bridge mode.
 
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I also came across this thread in Italian https://forum.fibra.click/d/15002-debrand-e-blocco-bande-su-zte-mf286d-tim/394

They have found a way to install a Finnish firmware on their Italian TIM carrier branded MF286D which offer band selection. I did give it a shot (don't really care if i brick it, i'll just go back to b535) but i get the error "invalid selected version" I think this method only works with TIM Italia branded firmware. I made an account and commented to see if someone could assist but i come across stupid by using google translate :D The thread is 9 months old and has slowed so i don't expect much. The author/creator of the firmware is quiet too. But if anyone can make sense of it or technically inclined, maybe they can make it work. Obviously, try this at your own risk. Firmware could be compromised for all i know or could turn your router into a brick.
Edit. I think this thread birthed the MD286D thread. A lot of information in it.
Edit 2. Found bridge mode. Forgot to disconnect from the network.
 
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This isn't exactly the right thread to ask this in, but I'm going to anyway as I know folks here have a wealth of pragmatic experience.

A month to go on my Three 24month contract, and I now find they've stopped their 4G Hub deal at £14/month for 24months - the price has now been hiked by £8 to £22/month.

So I've been looking on MoneySuperMarket and realised that you can get SIM only deals for 100Gb+ from 'resellers' such as Mobiles.co.uk for networks like Vodafone, IDMobile etc for £8-20/month depending on exact requirements.

Has anyone any experience of signing up to a deal from the likes of Mobiles.co.uk and just popping say a Vodafone SIM in their B535 or B525 router? Are there 'pitfalls' with these deals I should look out for?
 
This isn't exactly the right thread to ask this in, but I'm going to anyway as I know folks here have a wealth of pragmatic experience.

A month to go on my Three 24month contract, and I now find they've stopped their 4G Hub deal at £14/month for 24months - the price has now been hiked by £8 to £22/month.

So I've been looking on MoneySuperMarket and realised that you can get SIM only deals for 100Gb+ from 'resellers' such as Mobiles.co.uk for networks like Vodafone, IDMobile etc for £8-20/month depending on exact requirements.

Has anyone any experience of signing up to a deal from the likes of Mobiles.co.uk and just popping say a Vodafone SIM in their B535 or B525 router? Are there 'pitfalls' with these deals I should look out for?
I think they're all generally OK smithbill17, signed up a few times with various recommendation sites and everything went smoothly enough.

Shame you missed the three deal a couple of weeks ago on Money Saving Expert though, I got an unlimited everything 2 year deal on there for £10.

Never seen a deal as cheap as that before, so needless to say I was over the moon.
 
I think they're all generally OK smithbill17, signed up a few times with various recommendation sites and everything went smoothly enough.

Shame you missed the three deal a couple of weeks ago on Money Saving Expert though, I got an unlimited everything 2 year deal on there for £10.
Three annoy me! I phoned them up a few weeks ago & enquired about the £14/month 2year deal and was told that I'd have to pay £36 to end my contract just 1month early, before I could then get the £14/month deal. If they had told me there was an unlimited everything deal for £10/month, then I would've paid the £36 and signed up for the £10 deal!

I presume your £10 deal is actually a 'mobile phone SIM'. Is there any reason why it would be better to use a 'mobile broadband' SIM contract as opposed to 'mobile phone SIM' contract?
 
Three annoy me! I phoned them up a few weeks ago & enquired about the £14/month 2year deal and was told that I'd have to pay £36 to end my contract just 1month early, before I could then get the £14/month deal. If they had told me there was an unlimited everything deal for £10/month, then I would've paid the £36 and signed up for the £10 deal!

I presume your £10 deal is actually a 'mobile phone SIM'. Is there any reason why it would be better to use a 'mobile broadband' SIM contract as opposed to 'mobile phone SIM' contract?
Yes it's just a normal contract sim only deal.

I have a 5G CPE Pro 2, so don't need a three supplied router.

Their broadband deals just include a router, as far as I'm aware the sims are all the same, the broadband deals may or may not include call time though, you'd need to check.
 
I think they're all generally OK smithbill17, signed up a few times with various recommendation sites and everything went smoothly enough.

Shame you missed the three deal a couple of weeks ago on Money Saving Expert though, I got an unlimited everything 2 year deal on there for £10.

Never seen a deal as cheap as that before, so needless to say I was over the moon.
I got a similar deal two years ago.
Even when the contract was up in August it is still continuing @ £10.42 including the RPI increases,.
They did mention, one time on the phone, that I seemed to be using it for home broadband but didn't seem to care.
 
I got a similar deal two years ago.
Even when the contract was up in August it is still continuing @ £10.42 including the RPI increases,.
They did mention, one time on the phone, that I seemed to be using it for home broadband but didn't seem to care.
Well I certainly won't be complaing after 2 years if it stays at £10 odd twocats. :p
 
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