Smart WiFi Add On Mis-selling!

[MadScot1320]

I would like a sensible answer to the question I have asked numerous people at EE customer services this evening.

Back story: I have an EE “smart router” with 3 connected Wi-Fi mesh discs. I was supplied with the discs (FOC) by EE  a few weeks after receiving the smart router due to poor coverage. At that time I was informed that I would have to pay £10 a month for the newly extended contract period of 18 months. I Was happy to do that as the discs although sent at no cost would have been subsidised.

Along with the router this I received an EE 4G dongle that I neither wanted at the time or need. Why would I as I have an unlimited data contract on my phone that I could use as a hotspot in the event that the router failed.

Now that I am out of contract I want to know why I have to continue to pay for the “smart Wi-Fi” add on.

I have been told by a number of EE personnel, both retail and over the phone that this add on is to allow the discs to continue to operate with my smart router.. What a load of tosh.. The discs are a meshed Wi-Fi extender. Nothing more and nothing less. 

note that you can buy one of the discs from EE at a cost of £75, and at no point does it state that the smart Wi-Fi add on is required. It only states that they will only work with the smart router..

EE I would like confirmed: If I cancel the smart Wi-Fi add on but keep my existing fibre broadband service this will only remove the unused/unwanted 4G dongle from my account, and will have no effect on the operation of the mesh discs and my broadband service.

It would also be pertinent that this information is communicated to all of your EE retail and online staff as no one knows the correct answer.. And as far I can see you are misleading and miselling this add on to your customers.

Disappointed is an understatement!

[Mustrum]

Broadband contracts don't stop at the end of the contract period, but you are likely to lose any discount, the same would apply to a Smart Wifi contract.

It sounds like you did not understand what the Smart WiFi service was, but was happy the discs gave you extra coverage.

It would be worth looking in more detail on the Smart WiFi page:

https://shop.ee.co.uk/broadband/smart-wifi 

The 4G router is part of that service and is the way to keep you online - not everyone has unlimited date on their mobile.

HTH

[MadScot1320]

@Mustrum Just for clarity.. and I would appreciate not being patronised.

I fully understand how the contract works.. It’s no different than buying a mobile phone. You pay a fix contract term for say 24 months, At the end of that period you have paid the subsidy and device is owned by me. I can then cancel, take a sim only contract or upgrade and have a new device. Or if I was stupid enough I would continue to pay the full cost after the “contract term” ended..

So I am supplied the 3 discs for a 18 month term at £10 a month. My contract period of 18 months ends, I therefore continue paying the same or regrade and take another term at hopefully a lower rate. 

What I want to know is what the smart Wi-Fi add on gives me over just buying the discs upfront and connecting them to my smart router? Ignoring the 4G router

it’s not a difficult question…

As for the 4G router, I don’t want it or need it as I have other options if the Wi-Fi goes down. If fact it is not environmentally friendly to be handing out these devices that will never be used.. Lithium, Cobalt etc etc..

[Mustrum]

OK, I guess we have a difference of opinion and understanding - and it seems you don't want to hear. Your broadband and smart WiFi contract is very different to a mobile contract.

[MadScot1320]

@Mustrum 

Don’t get me wrong I appreciate your input. And yes the contracts are a different, but the a contract term is a contract term.. Getting away from that conversation which is not really my issue.

I want to understand what the Smart Wi-Fi add on gives me over just buying the discs and connecting them to the router..

NO one at EE can or will explain

How would the add on make the discs work any better? Or in a different way..

[Mustrum]

@MadScot1320  OK, I do understand where you are coming from, so let me try and explain.

Like your broadband - the Smart Wi-Fi  is a service.

If you had purchased the Wi-Fi discs the onus would be on you if they worked and provided the service you wanted, 

But you didn't you have a Broadband Service, and a Smart Wi-Fi service - so you have a choice - keep the broadband service at standard price, re-contract at perhaps a discounted price, or move elsewhere. The perhaps sneaky bit with Smart Wi-Fi, is keep paying - and get the "benefits" or stop at the end of your minimum term - without the "benefits" - i.e. the free 4G back up which you don't use!

Have they asked for the discs back?

Really struggling to understand the issue - have you reached the end of the Smart WiFi service, if so cancel it.

[MadScot1320]

@Mustrum  I’m not getting your explanation I’m afraid..

In what way is smart Wi-Fi a “service”, that costs £10,  when I am only utilising the smart router and 1 or more discs.. And I am not in anyway using the 4G router.. In fact calling it smart is laughable.. So the ADSL/VDSL goes down, I loose Wi-Fi.. I then have to turn the 4G router on and wait for my devices to connect.. Not really smart..

what are the benefits you are talking about? 4G is not a benefit to me.. If the add on actually made the discs operate in a more efficient way then that would be a benefit. But I cannot see technically how that is possible..

And as I pointed out earlier the discs are available direct from EE retail/online for £75.. It doesn’t state anywhere on the sales documentation that they may or may not work as you have mentioned🙄. In which case why are they being sold?

CS confirmed in one of the conversations today that the discs are now mine… They would have asked for them back if I had cancelled within the first 6 months.. (Just like an EE mobile contract) So that indicates  that they were being subsidised and the smart Wi-Fi add on was paying for them.

And just to clarify, when I took the smart router (When they were initially launched) I got the smart router and 4G router at the same time. So my fibre broadband contract included the 4G router.. I did not get any discs initially.. I had to call CS after I found coverage in my property was poor to ask for the 3 discs that I have now..

EE hybrid broadband is actually the smart broadband solution… Which should provide a “seamless” switch on loss of the ADSL line in..

[mikeliuk]

Hi @MadScot1320 ,

Typically there is little to no benefit in buying devices such as mesh WiFi extenders from the service provider over purchasing them yourself.

As the service provider needs to make a profit over and above all the time spent explaining things to customers and fixing support issues, they typically will source devices cheaply which may not be the best in the market for your requirements.

The EE Smart WiFi package sounds like a great idea on paper as I know many people have bad home broadband performance either sometimes or all the time, so would benefit from 4G LTE alternative access as businesses have used reliably for quite a long time. WiFi extenders also make sense if signals travel reasonably so the WiFi coverage is extended over a larger area.

The issue is the complexity as you've found can trip up their own staff which only confuses things for customers, even without the issue of confusing the commercial contract with there being three or more items of hardware and a separate question of ownership for each.

Personally, I steer well clear of service provider devices so I retain ownership, control, and commercial clarity.

[MadScot1320]

@mikeliuk   That is a great point of view.  And appreciate your input.

The “not so smart” solution suits my needs at the moment. And to be fair these discs work better than the extenders I previously used.

I just feel that EE are profiteering from me for no reason by not being honest and transparent on this issue.

[Mustrum]

@MadScot1320 I think for once @mikeliuk  and I  are trying to say the same thing.

Would it help if you shared your recent invoices for the services you are receiving from EE? Or what it was you signed up for?