A strong majority (78%) of the British public think that it should be easier for mobile phone users to switch providers, according to a YouGov survey, commissioned by Three.
78% of people want to be able to choose a new provider and have them manage the switching process, as happens with services like gas and electricity today. Only 2% of Britons disagree with this view.
UK consumers, unlike others in Europe, must ask their current operator for permission to keep their mobile number when they leave and join another network. However, Three’s CEO, Dave Dyson, has called for government action to make it easier for customers to switch mobile operators at the end of their contracts without losing their number.
More likely to switch
Almost two-thirds (64%) of people said they would be more likely to switch mobile phone providers if their new operator automatically contacted their existing network to complete the process.
- 64% of people agreed that there is a greater chance of them changing mobile phone providers if their new provider managed the switching process
- Less than one in ten (7%) Britons disagreed with this claim
- Over a quarter (28%) of the public do not know whether they would be more or less likely to switch providers if their new operator contacted their existing network to complete the process
Three CEO, Dave Dyson said: “As YouGov’s figures show, consumers want a simple switching system that allows them to make a choice when their contract period ends, without having to be subjected to what is often a long and frustrating process.”
Three is a communications company which offers its mobile phone users a high-speed mobile broadband network. Three UK is a member of the HWL group of companies, which include 3G operations in Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Macau and Sweden.
