topic Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F... in Pay Monthly

O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 12:50:34 GMT

Hi Folks

Warning to you if you are looking at staying with O2.

As we know - Most people are being sent price notification changes - Increasing your bill by £2.50 per Mobile Airtime number per month allowing you to cancel penalty free.

I decided to look at options on my 2nd number with O2 - I enquired about reducing my monthly cost while also staying with them. The advisor said they could reduce my cost to £18 for unlimited data.

Warnings if you go down this route. They will deactivate your current plan and service. This is not a Tariff change but a *NEW* 24 month term on a SIM only basis.

Due a System "Issue" - I have now lost my number and spent 3 hours on the phone on this one call (Ongoing) trying to restore it (Sadly its a number I use for banking and other services like WhatsApp)

My warning to anyone who is thinking staying with O2 via this route to be very careful as you could end up with no service.

Ill post an update here when I know more about the cause...

Eli

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:06:14 GMT

Thanks O2 - You've cut me off permanently. And lost my number too.

How embarrassing...

Paid £36 a month for unlimited data on my old tariff with Device plan. Tried to change it an £18 a month tariff as per above. "System Says No" for whatever reason but we cant restore your existing number as we have cancelled that plan too.

To DaveO2 - This cannot be real... O2's CS / Terminations team cannot be that real.

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Enlli — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:08:15 GMT

And as it is a new account it will be on the new terms and conditions which accept the £2.50 per year rise.

You should be able to get out of it on the 14 day rule for distant selling.

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:18:26 GMT

Cant even get the new tariff plan active as Eligibility check says no... Even though my existing one has been terminated as part of the process to move it across. To also add to this, my old tariff was more than my new one!

Can someone flag this one before I blow a lid at the CEO's complaint team?

O2 - The only network that will kick you off their network if you want to save some money by staying with them.

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Enlli — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:17:41 GMT

@Dave-O2 Can you take a look for @Elihearts

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:41:46 GMT

Currently @ 3 hours and 20 minutes on the phone and Im being told under no exceptions there is nothing they can do to save my service. Its gonzo.

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Enlli — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:46:11 GMT

@Elihearts It may take a bit for Dave to get in contact as following these things up is extra to his normal duties

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:48:20 GMT

Arh no - I dont hold anything against Dave and 100% agree - Just wanted to provide an update in Case Dave reads this

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

jonsie — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:19:55 GMT

This sounds like an adviser completely out of his depth when changing the tariff

Disgraceful that it can't be fixed

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:30:56 GMT

4 hours and 20 mins later...

From my post on ISP Review;

O2 announced £2.50 increases. Decided to move 1 number to UW - Requested a final bill - Told to wait 14 days. Keep this in mind - Balance outstanding while waiting for the final bill.

Today, airtime plan 2 made a request to reduce my tariff to unlimited data for £18 a month which is a sizable deduction compared to £36 + 20% O2 give you for multiple lines / family reduction.

Got through the IVR and spoke to the team that's handling these and they said they could do it and it would entail disconnecting my old number and moving it to the new plan. it wasn't till later I found it was a new 24 month term for SIM Only but I rolled with it knowing as you everything is all above board.

She proceeded to disconnect my number but I kind of made it clear I wasn't happy that it had to be processed that way and let her do her thing. She then decided to setup the new number but at no point in advance did she tell me it was a 24 month SIMO replacement. I only found out while I was in MyO2 website and was looking at the account as it now shows my line had been "Cancelled".

She then run up against the 1st part which was the balance of the airtime on the other agreement which had just become overdue in the last day. I grumbled and told O2 that I do not pay until I get a final bill. She put me on hold and told me no exceptions shortly after. I begrudgingly paid via a Credit Card Id just paid off.

I told her this and she then proceeded. Had to go through an "Eligibility check" which then failed but she didn't tell me. She had me on hold again and then came back telling me some "Flags" were preventing the "Activation" of the new ESIM.

On hold for another hour until I was asked whether I wanted my PAC code due to the importance of the number (Banking, Contact from family, Amazon account - You know the usual) - I said no because I wanted to revert back to my old service.

Then put on hold again. Then I get transferred to a manager. She basically has me on hold on and off for an hour and a bit too. Keeps popping back saying her Customer Services Team are working on it. Keep in mind that my new setup / plan would be less than my current plan per month

Then after all that time comes back and says "Tough - We cant restore your service nor move you to the new service... Whoopsie!"

I then get put on hold again as I say it is unacceptable that you can blackhole my number as they see fit given their agent's carelessness. Get dumped with complaints, they raise an emergency restore request then just close my complaint saying essentially its done and to go away.

I ask them to keep the complaint open just to make sure I have a point of contact should things go wrong. Refused. Ask to raise a new one for the general lack of good service. Refused...

4 hours and 20 minutes… For that...To be told my service cant be restored and then maybe the emergency restore would work...

I cant just leave though, I have a device plan for laptop with them that still has 3 years and £1500 to pay them - but I'm expediting my leave from them I think...

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 19:35:27 GMT

Complaint Email has gone out to the CEO just now.

ill keep you posted.

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Enlli — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 19:46:47 GMT

Regretfully that eMail at this stage may hold things up as agents will be weary of being involved if the CEO office is investigating

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 19:52:27 GMT

Its not for pulling rank, its because the complaints advisor today wasn't interested so I have no "Ownership" perse. If it holds up by a couple of days - I'm okay with it for now.

The key here is someone I can work with to get it restored on a complaints front. Not having to blindly call up customer services and be given the run-around. I think its fair given today.

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Dave-O2 — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 09:27:38 GMT

Thanks for the tag @Enlli

@Elihearts To see if i can add anything further please drop me a PM with some further details.

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 09:35:28 GMT

Will do @Dave-O2 - Bear with...

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 10:18:30 GMT

Calling O2 now as I have a weird feeling they have messed something else up...

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:20:37 GMT

O2 going for another 10 pin strike here... The 1st strike was phenomenal...

AND THEY SCORED THE 2ND KNOCKOUT STRIKE!

I was chatting with someone at work also on O2 who is trying to leave them and while I was showing them MyO2 - I noticed that my device plan had disappeared...

So I called today. Due to Agent "Error" (Im being nice here...) - My device plan has been cancelled and now I am about to get a bill for £1k for the device plan...

"Speak to Customer Services to pay monthly, Sir"

I am so royally done with this one. No Service, No Device Plan, No Number For OTPs / Family / Banking.
I'm not making this up. This is 100% all real...

I cant afford £1k upfront for this. Which in turn unless they do something amazing, there's going to be late payments on my Credit File...

On a lighter note... The advisor was nice and said that I seemed to be handling better than she would have. Complimentary but just... Yeah...

As I put in my complaint letter... O2 - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ "I Dunno"

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Elihearts — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 15:27:22 GMT

Update

Call from Exec Team - They reinstated my ESIM and now have the tariff I was supposed to have. It was an hour call going through lots of bits and I am so disappointed in O2 as a whole with what they can do.

So here we go...

They reinstated me on a 24 month Tariff for SIMO UNL £18 a month. I am now racing through all of my items currently to detach them from this number and move it to another number that I consider safe an away from O2.

Regardless of that - O2 have advised that they are unable to reinstate the device plan to its current repayment plan and I will now get a bill for about £1k.

I have been told that I will have to repay it in full, upfront either with a 30% discount or a payment plan with damage to my credit file with "Arrangement To Pay" Markers. I have asked for written correspondence that they will remove these once it is paid off. This is pending...

Ive also been told the maximum amount of time is usually 12 months. They are looking into exceptions for this one as to whether it can be done for longer.

Oh + £50 compo as a goodwill. This is not a good outcome at all. But given I have no choice but to accept it given paying £1k upfront just isn't good. If a payment arrangement isn't done - It goes to default.

And I wont be able to upgrade or place new orders with O2 while it is oustanding. Which means my time with O2 is maybe done and dead come when my laptop etc needs to be cancelled off.

And for 2 years, I may have to take a hit with Credit Card increases etc.

Guy was nice but didn't feel like he thought outside the box much but maybe his hands are tied. Ala Company Policy

If I am not allowed to upgrade for 2 years, Ive put in an order to convert to a device plan with a tablet and I am also ripping away all services that rely on this number...

Not good at all - For ref, it was the press team who referred my case to the exec office.

** If you are wondering why I am looking at upgrading it and not running for the hills - The SIMO is 24 Months, No real choice and I'm just going to ride it out...

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

CAJ64 — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 15:32:05 GMT

You can leave your airtime contract if they've broken your agreement by putting up the price by more than agreed. Legally they have to decouple it even though they'll wang on about you having to pay off 'in full'. That doesn't mean in full NOW before moving airtime.. it just means in full by the original agreed device contract end date. Just move all your airtime away. I've moved my airtime to Giff Gaff despite still having a device plan to pay over the next 3 years.

Re: O2 - What A Cluster... F...

Enlli — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 15:41:11 GMT

@CAJ64 Read the thread.... it's way more complicated than that now.