I honestly did not think this is possible.

After moving to UPC Mobile to discover I overslept the fine print [link if you want the details] and deciding to cut my losses and move to another operator, I experienced the most painful 1hr on the phone with customer support...

Me: I would like to cancel ASAP, pay early termination and port number to a new operator, can you please indicate the earliest date?
UPC: 30 June 2020
Me: I am not interested in the contract expiry, I would like early termination with the associated penalty but keep my number and move ASAP.
UPC: exactly, the earliest you can move your number is 30 June 2020
Me: I am fine paying the entire 12 months x CHF 39 now, so I can port the number.
UPC: No, this is not possible - your number is locked in the system until 30 June 2020, so you must respect the contract.
Me: You don't understand - I am willing to honor the entirety of the contract TODAY, as long as I port my number away from you and never ever deal with UPC...
UPC: 30 June 2020.

That back-and-forth went on for an hour, during which I read the T&C's which say Basically, along the lines of we-own-you and you-shall-pay. What is surprising is that even when I accept my err and openly agree to poney up, they still refuse to release and port the number.

Any idea how to end this madness?

I had exactly same shit with UBS on an early redemption of a mortgage and hit a brick wall.


One nicely worded letter to Sergio Ermotti, the CEO of UBS pointing out i was ready to pay the full debt immediately and remove any risk whatsoever resulted in a telephone call from the manager of UBS Lausanne appologising profusely, inviting me to lunch to discuss and resolve the situation.


I got out of the mortgage with a 25% discount over what i should have paid.

Are your services available for hire? I guess there is little to nothing to lose and lots to possibly gain... Thanks!

The T&C states you can get out by paying the full subscription if you terminate early.


You have tried direct with UPC and hit a wall.


Here is what I would do: Go to your chosen new operator, take a subscription, ask to take your number with you. The new operator will ask for an authorisation form, in that choose 'immidiate transfer incurring cost'. Leave it to the new operator to do the porting. Works faster and professionally as they do it all the time between companies. If for some reason they still cannot do it, I dont think you are liable under the new contract as you never got your number transferred.

The answer depends on how important it is for you to get out early.

You could simply not pay the monthlies.

They will hunt their money, which will cause additional costs and potentialy a number of entries in your Betreibungsregister, but if you're lucky they'll terminate the contract at some point, or agree to terminate it - tough luck if they don't.

Risky strategy. Again, it all depends on how important it is for you to get out.

If you try the DUTCH way, make sure the contract doesn't start until after your number has been successfully ported.

They must release the number: Art. 3 Verordnung der Eidgenössischen Kommunikationskommission betreffend das Fernmeldegesetz https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classifi.../index.html#a3

CEO of UPC Schweiz GmbH is Ms. Severina-Pompilia Pascu

Letter in the mail. Your quoting of the law is most helpful.

Update, hopefully it serves others as well:

In response to my letter to UPC CEO, I got a call from a kind gentleman who offered back my freedom with no early termination fees. "Just go to your new carrier, tell them to get number without respecting delays, we are releasing your numbers".

Deep behind every shitty marketing department live decent customer service /retention folk, who get it.

Thanks to the EF hivemind and not giving up, I got my [number portability] freedom back. Hat tip to @aSwissInTheUS for the legalese!

I can completely understand, I had a bad experience with Upc myself, by far the worst provider. Should be avoided at all costs.

Interesting to hear your experiences as i evaluate UPC against other lower cost providers. By the sounds of it the feedback was not good, was there anything in particular that really disappointed?

Thanks

Link in first post has the details ;-)
Overpromising and underdelivering.

Just go Wingo.....it's cheap, part of Swisscom, and excellent all round