Phone blacklisted - is this a thing?

[Pandapenguin]

My phone is with EE. Was blacklisted 6 weeks ago. For 4 hours. (Taxi driver brought it back after i reported it).

Many phone calls later - still not been unblacklisted. EE say they are having an ongoing issue with blacklistings not lifting and I still have to pay my phone bill for a phone that doesn't work.

Apparently due to the fact that i have another line, which i pay for as well, with them, I am in a better position than the people who only have 1 phone and thus am not entitled to a temporary replacement handset.

I'm self employed and use one phone for work. Is anyone else having this issue or are they winding me up?!

[RibenaMonsoon]

They should absolutely be offering you a courtesy phone!! That's awful service. I work in the mobile phone industry and blacklisting is a bar which is placed on the phone itself when reported lost or stolen. It helps deter thieves by making it unusable and unsellable.

I'd write to head office and be all over social media if I were you. They obviously have a courtesy phone service, they have by their own admission chosen not to give it to you. It's not your fault that they are having difficulties removing these bars and you are rightly entitled to ask for a courtesy phone while this is being sorted as these bars should only take 2 hours to remove.

[Pandapenguin]

Thanks @ribena that's what i thought. They claim all phone networks are having this problem and told me no courtesy phone because i already have another phone with them so im not totally stuck, even though i pay for it.

When i said i want to cancel my contract if no courtesy phone they said oh well blacklisting issue isnt a priority for us then because you would end up selling the phone and making money off it.

They just point blank said no. I'm not sure what to do. Any advice appreciated. I put on my personal and work twitter and they ignored it 🤷🏻‍♀️Stunned to be honest.

[RibenaMonsoon]

That's ridiculous!! Why on earth would you sell the phone that you are paying contract for?

I work for one of the UK mobile phone networks ( not EE) and I removed a blacklist bar for a customer yesterday. We aren't having issues with it as it came off fine. So it can't be all networks having the same problem. Because my company isn't.

If you don't have a working service for over 30 days you are legally within your rights to cancel.

At this stage I would complain to the regulator body Ofcom.
//Www.ofcom.org.uk

Register a complaint with them. They contact EE on your behalf and ensure they either fix your issue or let you out of your contract for no fees.

[Mehfruittea]

It’s the IMEI number of the handset that has been blacklisted, not your phone contract. Ask EE to forward all your calls to your other phone until they sort it out. They should still give you some line rental as you pay for the handset as part of the contract, and you are unable to use the phone you have purchased. Inconvenience due to no SMS (unless you pay for an app to forward them). If you get no joy, make sure the log it as a complaint and ask for a deadlock letter and details of their ADR alternative dispute resolution scheme. You’re entitled to have them review your complain if EE don’t sort it within 6 weeks.

[Justgivemesomepeace]

I also work for a mobile network, absolutely no problem lifting imei bars here either.

[Pandapenguin]

Thanks so much, am going to contact regulators tomorrow. I had no idea about the 30 day thing. I asked them today if they had any idea when phone would be working and they said, i quote "well no because it could be an hour it could be 2018 and we don't want to get your hopes up. Technical issues like this are complex." Jaw-dropping!!!

[Justgivemesomepeace]

Omg I can't ever imagine saying that to a customer

[Pandapenguin]

@justgivemesomepeace i know, same! I didn't even know how to respond to be honest

[RibenaMonsoon]

Same here. Crikey having gone so long without a service you take ownership of the problem and bloody well apologise.

Could you imagine if it was the other way around? "Sorry EE I might pay my bill today, it might be 2018. My financial arrangements are very technical and complex"

By the way I'm not suggesting you do that. It affect your credit rating. But my goodness I'd love to say that to a company that was screwing me over.

Good luck with the regulator OP. Let us know how you get on and I hope it all gets sorted.

[Pandapenguin]

@thanksribena i actually was furious on the phone today and i said, being completely sarcastic - 'dyou think you might have it sorted by 2018?' Thinking they would say oh no way before then and then i got response above. ARGH!

The thing which set my rage off the most was how they said oh well you already have another phone so you know there are others who only have 1 and then they really have got no phone! Forgetting the fact my other line is with them, i pay for it and im a single mum and self employed and my other phone is for work. Dicks.

[rjay123]

Have you only spoke to one advisor?

[thefutureisours]

EE customer service are absolutely bloody useless. Keep calling till you get someone good. In my experience this will take anything from 15-30 phonecalls. Good luck, you may need it!

[Pandapenguin]

Nope spoken to loads of them it's been going on for 5 weeks so i've rang about 10 times now. All are 'computer says no' and when they check with technical team 2 whoever they are always come back no replacement phone allowed. But today was the worst.

[thefutureisours]

Cross posts op. Keep trying!

[Pandapenguin]

@thefuture no worries - im confusing muself now. 6 weeks not 5 without my phone - rage! Thanks x

[Pandapenguin]

To anyone reading this who finds themselves in a similar position: i tweeted the ombudsman today and ee phoned an hour later and it was fixed. Thanks for social media tip