I hate Phones4U because their sales staff always come across as needy and desperate and pounce on you as soon as you go into the shop. They've driven me out of their shops on a couple of occasions so now I don't go in there unless I want to deliberately waste their time.

And a damn fine piece of kit it is too. I can't see them offering deals like that in the future. I hate Phones4U. Last time we went in there they were offering to pay the last 6 months of my wifes O2 contract just to try and get a contract sale.

All we wanted was a cheap pay as you go phone...

Madness (or desparation, you choose).

Andy

They lie, steal and cheat their way to a sale. Adding insurance and other bolt ons without your knowledge. Its the standard practice of both companies, so they belong together.

I hope they burn in hell!

While I've never used Dial-a-Phone I can't help but to think that the expansion of Phones 4U is about as bad news as you can get.

Carphone warehouse own e2save, onestopphoneshop, mobiles.co.uk and thephonespot.com.

Are there any independents left or have CPW and P4U carved up the entire market between themselves?

The best way to waste time of phone shop staff is:

* Find a shop with a relatively high volume of browsing customers.

* be REALLY interested in the latest offering from Network X and be wanting to "upgrade" *RIGHT NOW*

* enquire about the "unlimited" offer on calls / texts / whatever

* "discover" that "unlimited" doesn't actually mean that due to a FUP that doesn't disclose the actual limit.

* be loudly incredulous about the misleading nature of the promotions.

Great way to spend 10 minutes. So I've heard.... not that I've ever done anything of the kind.... *ahem*....

In their IT department, its amazing how many times I had to explain to some business analyst or manager.

"You can't do that...its illegal."

I'm not even sure that they are aware that there is a Data Protection Act.

Seriously bad company, took them 3 months to delivery my PS3 that was supposed to come with my contract and that was after much hassle.

Why would you keep that brand? oh right Phones4u is mildly more hated, I see.

either you've never worked for the company or it was many, many years ago. I've worked here for over 5 years and as a company I can say Phones4u are excellent in relation to DPA. They have large dedicated Compliance and Security departments who make sure of this and the company has gone way beyond many others in safeguarding customer data.

I bought my last contract handset from Dial-a-phone but only to get the free Xbox 360 that accompanied it. It arrived - on cue I'll admit, 30 days after my contract was connected - but faulty and with an Argos catalogue number on the side of the box!!

The sneaky insurance is a nasty one - watch for that if you buy from them. I've no personal experience of Phones4u, and haven't found them any more pushy than any other mobile sales stores.

And there is no telephone number for Dial-a-phone which takes you through to a human being and no means to report a fault other than posting your handset to their "Repair Centre". I read nothing but poor reports of this and couldn't bring myself to send it in when the camera went dodgy on my 3-month-old handset. Their website FAQs are ropey at best. And they HATE the iPhone...

(Side Note: I like the fact there's a Phones 4U ad at the bottom of the page where everyone hates Phones 4U, as I type this...)

Mind you, it drew my attention to another ad, apparently, there is an independent left. Well, at least, I've not come across mobileshop before.

Looks like Carphone and Phones 4U haven't quite got everyone yet... Although I do christen those two companies "the creeping bleeeerrrrgggghhh"

Feels appropriate...

mobileshop are a price/deal comparison site - they don't actually sell directly.

"either you've never worked for the company or it was many, many years ago. I've worked here for over 5 years and as a company I can say Phones4u are excellent in relation to DPA. They have large dedicated Compliance and Security departments who make sure of this and the company has gone way beyond many others in safeguarding customer data."

Wow. Just..... wow.

Next you'll be saying how wonderful the customer service is, and how happy the employees at P4U are to help us, THE CUSTOMERS - the most important people in the store, get the best from your excellent-value range!!

Is your name Tim Whiting by any chance??

Is throwing customers personal info into a skip good data protection?

The ICO don't think so...

http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/notices/phones4u_undertaking.pdf

Carphone is also having dealings with the ICO...

http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/Carphone_failed_to_meet_data_protection_act.html

"I've no personal experience of Phones4u, and haven't found them any more pushy than any other mobile sales stores."

If you've no personal experience of them, how can you have found them no more pushy than others?? Doesn't make sense.

I work in the industry and ALL the customers we speak to are unanimous in their condemnation of P4U's sales approach - I've not found anyone with a good thing to say about them. Most of the networks' own stores are now committed to offering an experience that's diametrically opposed to P4U.... it's a slow process, but it's starting to happen.