Upgrading through Vodafone or another company

[Lisa_liverpool]

Hi

I'm looking for advice, I'm looking to take over a contract in my mums name. The contract is due an early upgrade soon and I've been looking into the best deals.

I have been through USwitch and found a deal on an IPhone 7 cheaper than what is being offered by vodafone. I have also found the same offer with Carphone Warehouse similar to that on USwitch.

We went through Carphone Warehouse originally to get the contract 4 years ago (I have since had an upgrade with Vodafone!) I have queried this as to why it is cheaper to sign up as a new customer rathan than carry on as an existing customer and was told that it is a third party company offering them rates. Is this not treating customers fairly? If it still has Vodafone's name against it, should they not be offering the same deals rather than more expensive ones?

[BandOfBrothers]

Independents such as Cpw can offer different deals  / offers as they can pass some of the kickback they get for opening an account from the network back to the customer. Well that's how it used to work. 

Your situation is a little more involved because you want to take over your mums name. This is called a Transfer of Ownership. 

You'd need to be able to pass a Credit Check. 

More info in How-do-I-transfer-my-number-and-agreement-to-someone-else.

[Lisa_liverpool]

So I would be better cancelling the contract in my mums name and going through an independant to get a better deal than what they can offer me, putting the new contract in my name? 

It's a lot of messing round to stay with Vodafone, I might just be better looking at other network providers.

[BandOfBrothers]

It maybe beneficial to be as close as you can to the end of contract date and ring 191 choosing Thinking of Leaving and speak to the Retention Team. 

Is it important that you retain your Mums number is the main point to consider. 

[AnnS]

Hi @Lisa_liverpool

If your Mother is going to do a change of ownership for her contract to your name, it would be an idea to do the upgrade before transferring to your name.

The reason for this is Vodafone have a three month rule, this means on any new contract, three clear payments have to be made before you are able to upgrade.

The change of ownership is easily done by calling the Change of Ownership Team.  Your Mother will need to call first to give authorisation, you will then need to call to accept the contract into your name.  Providing the credit check clears, the contract will be in your name from midnight the same day.

When going through a third party such as Carphone, although contracts can be cheaper, they try and sell a new contract.  This means transferring the number to the new third party contract will be complicated.