Pay Monthly and Pay & Go

[katieh1982]

I want either the Galaxy SIII or the iphone 4s.  O2 want £99 and will not budge, despite me telling them that I can get the phone for free through Orange, and indeed for free on the exact same tariff if i go through mobiles.co.uk.  Explained on the phone that it seemed ridiculous for me to cancel only to come back again through another website.  I got fobbed off with the fact that company doesn't have the bills o2 does, not my issue.

I will be cancelling my contract even though I have been with o2 problem free for the last 10 years.  I feel completely unvalued as a customer and cannot believe that there is no budging or offers to be made.  Surely a free upgrade should mean just that!  And when I can get the same tariff but the phone for free if I essentially go out and come back in again, what sense does it make to not offer me the same?

Not impressed at all, not when other companies will do it for free, but o2 just can't be bothered it would seem.  I will sadly be cancelling later.

[DaveC Level 19: Quirky]

A commercial decision I'm afraid. If you want to stay on the O2 network try somewhere like P4U or CPW

Make doubly sure any network you move to has reception in all the places you want. Worth trying a PAYG SIM as the maps are not always reliable.

[Yosser2000]

http://www.buymobilephones.net/

i actually upgraded with these last week - stupid how o2 themselves wanted £99 on a £36 24mth contract, yet i got for free on upgrade through the above on a £32 a month - got phone next day and order the micro sim online and swapped sim over.

[Bobbych]

Yip, had the EXACT same issue yesterday. Been waiting for ages, to get to my upgrade point after 2 years, and BOOM, nothing

I rang yesterday, as I wanted a S3, and was told, YES, you can, for £99 plus £36 a month!

Hang on I said, that is the same as new customer, surely existing ones get a better deal on upgrade? Apparantly Not.

So, I threw the guy a few websites, such as phones4U who will ge me the phone, for FREE, same £36 a month, on O2!  He said, sorry he could not match that.  I said, but it is an O2 contract, how not?

It seems, O2 will not give away the phone, or discount it.  But Phones4u, and others will.  I said, ok, I will cancel my contract, and go to phones4u, and get a new S3 for free, and he said, great, go ahead.

He then said, but wait, don't cancel your current contract, once they send you your new phone, and sim, just ring O2, and they will keep you old number and contract going, just on the new phone

this is just crazy, I simply cannot understand the UPGRADE system, as it seems cheaper to  just go and get a NEW CUSTOMER deal  

[adamtemp64 Level 50: Versatile]

Who did you talk to upgrades or retentions?

[ewanrw]

Part of the reason it is cheaper elsewhere is by buying it from another vendor, O2 don't have to cover the cost of the handset.

I also suspect that some of the deals being offered are loss leaders, but the consumer mobile market is pretty cut-throat just now.

Ewan

[pinkteapot]

Exactly the same thing here.

I wanted the iPhone 4s on the £36 a month on and on contract (unlimited calls, unlimited texts, 1Gb data).

mobiles.co.uk were doing the phone for free. O2 retentions wanted £99.

I ordered from mobiles.co.uk. The phone arrived when they said it would. Just in the process of moving my number from my old O2 account to the new one (one possible hiccup on that but hopefully it'll all go through ok).

The only annoying thing is that when you order a phone from mobiles.co.uk they give you a free one month trial of each of insurance and a gadget helpline (two separate contracts with two separate companies). You can't opt out and after a month you start paying for them. Both can be cancelled though. Bit of a faff but worth it to save £99!

[MI5 Level 62: Glorious]

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pinkteapot wrote:

You can't opt out and after a month you start paying for them. Both can be cancelled though. Bit of a faff but worth it to save £99!

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They hope you forget to cancel as they make money on selling these insuarnce policies. Get the cancellation letter written now so you don't forget

[Bobbych]

indeed, that is how they make up the difference on giving you the phone for free. They hope you will not cancel the insurance.  It is like going to PCWORLD or DIXONS for a PC or TV. They make very little on the item, but try and sell you extended warranties, which is where they make the cash

just remember to cancel

[katieh1982]

Hmm interesting conversation tonight.  I made the decision to go for it and trade in my 3gs to get 70 off soothe phone would cost me 29 which is better than 99.  I spoke to a very nice Scouser called Lee who said to hold on a week as A they don't currently have the 4S (which I have decided to go for) in stock and B the price is potentially going to drop with the iphone 5 pending.  I was told to hang on as I could get it cheaper in a week! 

I have to say as much as this is a pain in the ass,  o2 still have the best customer service I know of. The upgrade people I have spoken to understand how irritating this is really, I have even been told to.get it from Orange as the deal is better!

Customer service and the operators are always really helpful and good to talk to but o2, sort your retention offers ASAP!