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MOBILE PHONES
www.e-maze.org.uk
Who is your contract with, if you have purchased a mobile phone? The contract for the purchase of a handset will be between you and the trader. If you mobile phone develops a fault, you will have rights under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 as anything you buy should match its description and be of satisfactory quality. Use Ask eMaze! if you need help here. The contract for the airtime (ie when you are actually making calls) will depend on which service provider you are using (eg Vodafone, Orange etc) and whether an outlet is acting as an agent or issues a contract in their own right. Check your contract and if you are still uncertain go Ask e-Maze!
Points to consider when choosing a mobile phone service: Reception in the area in which the phone is most often going to be used; Price of the handset; Cost of the calls’ What facilities are available; The sort and length of contract; Whether the handset can be used with more than one network operator; Whether the mobile phone company insures the phone.
Stolen Mobile Phones If your mobile phone is stolen you should immediately inform the police and the mobile phone company. You may still have to pay some rental payments – check you contract. The mobile phone company will usually disconnect the service so you do not pay for any unauthorized calls. Your handset will not usually be replaced free of charge. It may be covered by household insurance or you may wish to take out insurance to cover the phone being stolen again in the future. You should consider the cost of the insurance premiums compared to the cost of replacing the handset.
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The above factsheet is intended only as a brief guide to this topic and should not be used as legal advice. If you need more detailed information before making a decision please go to Ask e-Maze! where an adviser will assist you. 18 August 2004.
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MOBILE PHONES
www.e-maze.org.uk
How to keep your mobile phone safe The Metropolitan Police recommend taking the following measures which can help to prevent your mobile phone getting lost, stolen or being misused if someone else does manage to get hold of it: Keep your phone out of sight when you aren’t using it eg in your pocket or bag; Use your phone’s security lock code, if it has one; Keep the details of your electronic serial number (ESN); Property mark your phone with your street number and postcode to help the police identify it if it is stolen; Don’t leave your phone in an empty car, or if you have to make sure the car is locked and the phone is out of sight; Try not to attract attention to your phone when you are carrying or using it in the street. Mobile Phones and Driving It is now a criminal offence to use a hand-held mobile phone when driving. The ban also applies when you are waiting at traffic lights or in a traffic jam. There is a fixed penalty of £30 for breaking the law by using your handheld mobile when driving, but if you are convicted in court the fine could be up to £1,000. Drivers of buses, coaches or goods vehicles face a higher maximum fine. Although hands-free phones are not included in the ban and can be used while driving, you may still risk prosecution for failure to have proper control of your car or for careless/dangerous driving. Mobile Phones and Advertising From August 2004, new guidelines introduced by the Committee of Advertising Practice state that any advertisers who get your mobile phone number, must get your permission before sending you a text message. They must also make it clear from the start that they are an advertiser. If you need to respond to a telephone message via a premium rate number, this must also be made clear. Advertisers must have the permission of a parent or guardian when communicating with children by a mobile phone. If you have a complaint about an advertisement on your mobile phone, you should contact the Advertising Standards Authority on: 020 7580 5555.
The above factsheet is intended only as a brief guide to this topic and should not be used as legal advice. If you need more detailed information before making a decision please go to Ask e-Maze! where an adviser will assist you. 18 August 2004.