I have been recommending easyMobile to my friends for 18 months now since I started using this no-nonsense mobile phone service. It is part owned by Stelios, the entrepreneur that the British public have come to know and love.
However, the company recently announced a huge price rise. Any call less under 1 minute will be charged as 1 while minute. So, a quick 10 second call will cost you 15p (or 3p to another easyMobile phone). The company said:
As from 1st October 2006, calls will continue to be charged per second but with a minimum call charge of one minute. This change has been made in line with the competition and will ensure we can continue to offer you great services. If you have any questions please contact our Customer Service team on 0845 415 4500 or e-mail them at other@easymobile.com
I make short phone calls, so I calculated how much more this new pricing would cost me. In August, I made 65 calls at a cost of £5.70. However, those same phone calls would have cost me £11.48 on the new tariff. Over double the cost!
This is not the sort of behaviour you expect from a Stelios company. It is the sort of trick that Ryanair – "The Hidden Extras Airline" – would pull, but not easyJet. The philosophy that easyMobile started with was one of honesty, transparency and straightforward pricing without any catches. But they have ditched it. They have signed-up thousands of customers and encouraged people to recommend their friends (4 of my friends have joined due to my recommendation) and now they plan to milk these new customers through a dirty stunt like this.
I emailed them my comments 10 days ago. They did not reply. I am now looking for a new phone provider.
It's disappointing when a company that you trust lets you down like this isn't it?