Low-cost mobile packages the end of attractive rates
Low-cost mobile packages: the end of attractive rates ?
You still pay more than 15 € for limited calls and ridiculous internet data ? You don’t need to know mobile packages low cost.
The major companies at the head of the French telephone network have spread the word to jointly release their offers low cost in 2011, almost 5 years after the Free tidal wave. The proposed offer ? Exactly the same as for classic packages, but much cheaper and without commitment.
But the honeymoon period seems to be over and SFR, Orange and Bouygues are regularly making bad moves. Back to these scams that you should avoid if you choose one of these packages.
Very advantageous rates compared to the classic packages
Sosh, RED and B&You, the low cost d’Orange, SFR and Bouygues, made a great entrance during their launches. This attempt by the big names in mobile telephony to respond to Free’s attack with packages with unbeatable rates at the time was a success. Indeed, many users have taken the plunge by abandoning these classic packages with commitment, too expensive and with few advantages.
It must be said that the so-called ” low cost “of the big operators had a great future ahead of them ! From very competitive rates, without commitment, without file fees, … operators even did you the honor of transferring between your two contracts without you having to do anything.
This is how you could easily find yourself with 40 GB of internet, unlimited calls and SMS/MMS everywhere in France, sometimes even in Europe, and all this for less than 10 € per month, more than 2 times cheaper than what the classic packages offered under commitment.
You are no longer satisfied ? A competitor offers the same thing for less ? The change of’operator is simple: c’is the freedom of the no commitment !
Beginning of the hostilities: this email was not to be missed
For a long time, the situation remained as it was: a good plan that was not shady. No little lines that would catch up with you in due course. No conditions, no little “*” next to each of the convincing arguments that attracted you, no misleading advertising.
What was indicated was what you got, no more, no less.
We had to suspect that it was finally too good to be true.
The first alerts were launched a few years ago when some users were surprised by a somewhat strange email sent by their operator. The content of the email is generally summarized by adding an option to your package as follows:
A package that evolves with new advantages. Options that are added without being asked ? We wouldn’t spit on it. On the other hand, the price increase due to the addition of unsolicited benefits ? Here, the pill is difficult to pass.
Especially since this change will be made by default.
Fortunately, when you receive this email, you have a few weeks to refuse this change, depriving you of this “incredible” opportunity. The email usually included a link to your customer area to refuse this offer. You will have confirmation as follows:
Where many cried to the scam because it was enough to have missed the single mail sent to cancel this change, we could be pleased to have still the luxury to choose. SFR has nevertheless gone even further …
RED by SFR: a “lifetime” rate that finally has an expiration date
Until now, in the field of packages low cost, the standard was to offer a very attractive rate but at a lower price limited duration. The contract was there: low rate for 1 year before returning to a more conventional rate. Users were satisfied with this since they could change operator with a simple click, enjoy the offer of a new operator low cost for 1 year, and change again without any problem.
A process a little tedious, but it was the cost to have a cheap and quality package.
However, SFR was the first operator to lift this condition on its RED packages by proposing contracts with advantageous rates for life. The operator does not hesitate to’elsewhere to put it forward on its advertisements: ” There are promotions that end after 12 months. Not in our country “or ” Without a price that doubles after a year “We could read on the communications posted in the metro, on bus shelters or even on the internet.
Same operational method, some users could see an email landing in their mailbox :
Except that this time, no possibility to refuse as you can see in this email. No link to refuse the’offer nor mention that’a refusal is even possible.
If you do not wish to undergo this automatic increase (to benefit from advantages that you may not need), your only option is to terminate your contract.
Some users have tried to contact advisors to ask for the cancellation of this offer on their package as well as a refund of the difference they had paid for sometimes several months without realizing it. The answers have always been negative, leaving consumers with a lot of frustrated and angry to have been ripped off.
On February 11, 2021, the same sentence falls for B&YOU: Bouygues customers receive an email indicating an evolution of package for 4 € more (from 4.99 € /month to 8.99 € /month), again, without possibility of refusal.
It seems that cheap packages finally have an additional cost: the need for increased vigilance on your mailbox to set sail as soon as the operator tries to pass a new tariff changes without your consent.
Users who are upset about not having signed up for a variable-geometry tariff are even crying foul misleading advertising against SFR which announces a “lifetime” tariff. It is often said that life is too short, at SFR, this is certainly not empty words for their rates.
Bouygues followed soon after, so we can imagine the end of very low tariffs for low cost packages ?
