Phone user
Last week's 14-hour Three Mobile outage, which also impacted other affiliated networks, prompted numerous customer inquiries about compensation. Pexels

Three Mobile customers who experienced network outages recently will be adequately compensated by the company following outrage over break in services of cellular communication.

The prolonged service disruption, which occurred last Wednesday, 25 June, lasted 14 hours and left many users unable to make calls or send text messages.

How the Outage Affected Users

The extensive service interruption also created difficulties for some doctor's surgeries, which relied on the network for managing appointments. Last week, the company issued a statement saying, 'We're really sorry for any inconvenience caused.'

The service disruption also impacted other phone network providers that operate on Three's infrastructure, including Smarty and ID Mobile. Smarty, in turn, issued an apology to its own customers via social media, echoing Three's statement.

This incident occurred just weeks after Three UK finalised its significant £15 billion merger with Vodafone, forming one of the largest telecommunications companies in the UK. Given this recent disruption, you might be wondering if you're eligible for compensation. Here's what we know so far:

Customer Reactions to the Outage

Following the disruption, customers swiftly took to social media platforms, eager to learn what they would receive in return for the lost service. One customer directly asked, 'Will customers be compensated for the loss of services?" Another voiced their concern: 'What are we getting for the disruption?'

Another unhappy user commented, 'I hope we all get compensated from you." A user said: " 10 hour outage ..... any compensation ?" Another said: "You forgot to add what are we getting for the disruption?'

At the time, in response to the numerous complaints, Three stated: 'Hi there, we know how frustrating this outage has been, we're unable to confirm compensation, however our customer care team can check this for you here.'

Understanding Compensation Rules

Ofcom, the telecommunications regulator, has an 'automatic compensation scheme' in place for disruptions affecting broadband and landline services. However, this scheme does not extend to mobile customers, meaning they lack the same level of protection.

'Our automatic compensation scheme means broadband and landline customers will get money back from their provider when things go wrong, without having to ask for it,' Ofcom clarifies on its official website.

'Providers that signed up to the scheme will provide compensation for delayed repairs following a loss of service, missed repairs or provision appointments, and delays to the start of a new service,' it adds. Still, customers who were affected can approach the company directly to request compensation.

Simrat Sharma, a mobile expert at Uswitch, shared her perspective with The Sun, stating: 'Three's reported outages this week will be incredibly frustrating for customers - and it's understandable that many will be thinking about compensation.'

'Ofcom advises that compensation for mobile signal outages is 'dependent on the circumstances. But in extreme cases where repairs take much longer, you may be entitled to an additional refund or account credit.'

'If you've experienced huge disruption from the outage, don't hesitate to contact your provider to see if they can help,' Sharma explains.

How to Seek Compensation

It has stated that individual compensation claims will be assessed by their dedicated customer services team. To initiate a claim, customers are advised to contact Three's customer support directly. You will likely need to provide details about how long your service was affected and the impact it had on you.

Users can apply for compensation by using this link to customer support. They will need to provide details about the duration of the service disruption to their device and the impact it had.

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