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Help Difficulty in finding out my credit balance

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smasheroO16

Member
Hi — today (Sun. 12/2/2017), I downloaded a software update to my Galaxy s7 phone. Since then, it has become very difficult to dial my provider's (3UK) number in order to immediately hear my credit balance. Instead, the number takes me to a section that offers packages, add-ons etc., which is not at all what I want to hear. (I ought to state that my account with 3UK is pay as you go, and the department that is connected to —by the same number— seems to be for contract customers.)

Today, I dialled their number (free to all registered users) about ten times, and each time, was offered these extras, instead of hearing, immediately, the words: Welcome to Three! Your credit balance is...

Before today's update, the same thing would happen, and, at first, I did not know of any cure for it. Then, I found that, in Settings, if I turned off Background data, my calls would connect me to the "Credit Balance" announcement — every time. Since the update of today, there is no mention of Background Data in the settings.

So, whether my call gets through to the Credit Balance section seems to be mainly a matter of luck. Does anyone know of a cure for this frustrating problem, with the current Android system? (I think it is called Nougat.)
 
Thanks for that, psionandy! However, I should very much prefer to be able to dial a number, as used to be possible.
Kind regards, smasheroo
 
smasheroO16 said:
Hi — today (Sun. 12/2/2017), I downloaded a software update to my Galaxy s7 phone. Since then, it has become very difficult to dial my provider's (3UK) number in order to immediately hear my credit balance. Instead, the number takes me to a section that offers packages, add-ons etc., which is not at all what I want to hear. (I ought to state that my account with 3UK is pay as you go, and the department that is connected to —by the same number— seems to be for contract customers.)

Today, I dialled their number (free to all registered users) about ten times, and each time, was offered these extras, instead of hearing, immediately, the words: Welcome to Three! Your credit balance is...
Click to expand...

It sounds very much like something Three has done at their end, rather than whatever the update did. Are you dialling 333 or 444? One is for contract, other is for pre-paid customers apparently.
https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100127023704AAZ1vb5

They might even have an MMI code you can use, and get your balance directly that way as well. Would have to check with Three for that. MMI being a short code that you dial starting and ending with * or #.
 
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smasheroO16 said:
I am dialling 444, every time.
Click to expand...

That definately sounds like something Three has done, instead of going directly to balance, you're getting a menu of upsell stuff instead. Check with Three, they could very well have a direct MMI code for balance, which might be something like #444#, *444*, etc. I think most carriers do.

IMO Three is not the best UK network, they might be one of the cheapest, but from experience in the past, Three customer service leaves a lot to be desired, and some of their extras or add-ons can be very expensive. A bit like the Ryanair of UK phone carriers. :D
 
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mikedt said:
Check with Three, they could very well have a direct MMI code for balance, which might be something like #444#, *444*, etc. I think most carriers do.. :D
Click to expand...

In the last hour, I have dialled with hash at each end of the number, also star, and all that happened was an error message. Anyway, after that, I dialled 444 three times, and each time, got through to the credit balance department, just as it ought to be. I shall monitor this for a while, as, if successful dialling continues, the problem will have disappeared. Perhaps this was just a blip after the update.
With sincere thanks to all that have replied,
smasheroo
 
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