topic Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support in Other Products and Services

Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

MI5 — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 13:36:15 GMT

We currently find ourselves in an unprecedented situation of virtual lockdown, working from home, laid off and generally suffering from reduced services and support.

In order to help with contacting O2 I've pulled together all the options I know off in one thread.

To pay bills, ask for payment extensions etc, you need to contact the Payment Management Team.

You can reach the Payment Management team on 0800 902 0217.

The opening times are:
Monday to Friday – 8am to 8pm
Saturday – 8am to 6pm
Sunday – 9am to 6pm

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/account-and-billing/payment-support

These guys can give you more time to pay but you may still be cut off as it is an automated system process.

Additional bill paying help from @Cleoriff here

To get reconnected you need to call customer services.

0344 809 0202 from any other phone or you can use Skype to call 0800 032 1402

Additional numbers found by customers which may work.

0800 977 7337

Guide on using Skype from @Bambino here Skype Guide

For other enquiries we have a contact guide from @Marjo here but please note that live chat is offline due to working restrictions.

Tip: When calling, if you get as far as hold music, stay on the line until connected as you are in a queue.

Obviously, customer services are very busy, so please have patience.

If you have placed a click and collect order prior to store closures, we have an update here from @Chris_K Store Closure Update

Online orders, upgrades and deliveries are running as normal, but reduced stock levels may result in delays to receiving orders. Please avoid calling as O2 will keep you informed by email whenever there is news for you.

Any outstanding costs for your old contract are paid when you complete an upgrade and the old contract is effectively cancelled at that point.

Your next bill will be a combination of your old tariff and new tariff costs and will be the same date as usual.

Your account number remains the same.

You will also have a new direct debit for your device plan if you are new to refresh.

Number ports, transfers and sim swaps are currently taking ages to complete.

If you can avoid these at this time it will save you having to wait. If you have already started the process, please be patient as we are talking days or weeks for some of these to complete.

Finally, the official O2 Update thread is updated regularly with info here O2 News Update

Here is some advice about your account:

A guide to My o2 on the web site - How to guide My O2
A guide to My o2 app - My O2 App guide

NB: All of the below is for a pay monthly account. I do not have a pay as you go account to check, so some of these may not apply.

Some things that you CAN do in yourself:

Change your bank details (sort code/account number)
Request an unlock for the device shown on your account
Change your tariff (which changes at your next bill date)
Buy/add bolt ons
Swap your sim
View your spend cap
Change your contact details
- phone number
- username and password
- security question
- billing address
- Pay your bill (if you don't have a direct debit)
Contact preferences (what o2 contact you about - marketing, promotions, etc)

Now the bad - things that you cannot do:

Change your direct debit date
Change a spend cap
Change the name on your account
Remove bolt ons
Swap a number from one contract to another (if you took out a new deal, rather than upgraded)
Move from pay monthly to pay as you go
Request your phone number to be changed (if you are receiving harrassment or abuse for example)
Arrange a payment scheme for your bill (either due to loss of work or your bill being larger than usual)
Add or remove O2 Phone Insurance cover
Call conferencing/merging if more than 3 people involved

Scam calls, texts and emails

*Texts asking you to change billing details

It's a well known scam.

Block the number and do not follow any links.

Forward the scam text to 7726 - It's free.

Other ways to report here including Action Fraud website

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/safety-and-security/phishing-and-smishing-advice

How to block a number:

https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00062352/

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201229

Nuisance calls

General guide on here Guide: Are you fed up with spam calls and texts? Follow these steps to help stop them

and here

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/safety-and-security/unwanted-calls-and-messages

If these can't be stopped then you are allowed one number change free of charge via customer services.

For all of the things that you cannot do, you need to talk to customer services.

I hope you find this useful and please add any tips of your own to help keep things as normal as possible.

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

Cleoriff — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 10:14:37 GMT

Excellent guide @MI5 . Something we can refer customers to.

My only suggestion is you add the 'simple' Contact Us guide https://www.o2.co.uk/contactus as the big one is a bit lengthy for people to wade through?

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

gmarkj — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 10:16:44 GMT

Nice work @MI5.
The only thing to add is maybe a few things that people can or can't do themselves either via the website or the app.
So yes: change bank details, upgrade, unlock phone.
No: add/remove/change spend caps.

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

MI5 — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 10:32:31 GMT

Feel free to drop it in to a post @gmarkj

Let's make this a real community guide.

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

TallTrees — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 10:34:42 GMT

Great idea @MI5

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

jonsie — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 11:07:48 GMT

Top job!

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

O2Lorna — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 11:15:28 GMT

You Guys are fab

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

gmarkj — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 17:53:26 GMT

Here is some advice about your account:

A guide to My o2 on the web site - How to guide My O2
A guide to My o2 app - My O2 App guide

NB: All of the below is for a pay monthly account. I do not have a pay as you go account to check, so some of these may not apply.

Some things that you CAN do in yourself:

Change your bank details (sort code/account number)
Request an unlock for the device shown on your account
Change your tariff (which changes at your next bill date)
Buy/add bolt ons
Swap your sim
View your spend cap
Change your contact details
- phone number
- username and password
- security question
- billing address
- Pay your bill (if you don't have a direct debit)
Contact preferences (what o2 contact you about - marketing, promotions, etc)

Now the bad - things that you cannot do:

Change your direct debit date
Change a spend cap
Change the name on your account
Remove bolt ons
Swap a number from one contract to another (if you took out a new deal, rather than upgraded)
Move from pay monthly to pay as you go
Request your phone number to be changed (if you are receiving harrassment or abuse for example)
Arrange a payment scheme for your bill (either due to loss of work or your bill being larger than usual)

For all of the things that you cannot do, you need to talk to customer services.

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

Cleoriff — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 11:28:55 GMT

Great addition @gmarkj

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

Bambino — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:22:38 GMT

Great OP and addition @MI5 and @gmarkj

@Martin-O2, @Marjo is there any way this post can be made a sticky and the subject title put in BOLD at the top of the first page? It's slipping down the list from the avalanche of posts and is already on Page 3 on my view of it. Might help a few who read posts before they post their own question so they don't ask a question answered by this one.

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

jonsie — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:26:37 GMT

Another good addition to point to @gmarkj

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

Mi-Amigo — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:45:43 GMT

A brilliant guide - a true Community effort from each and every one of you.

I am sure that O2 customers will appreciate this help, advice and support

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

Martin-O2 — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:07:31 GMT

Fantastic guide @MI5 and @gmarkj ! I'll combine both posts into one and then pin it to the top of the board.

@Bambino we can't bold it unfortunately but I can make sure it's right at the top of the floated topics. I'm also going to link to this from the main Convid-19 info post.

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

Ben_30 — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 17:18:29 GMT

Good guide.

A further question - what are the current hours of operation for customer services?

Trying to work out whether I should just keep calling this evening until I'm in a queue or whether it has already closed which is why I can't get in a calling queue.

I need to unbar my new SIM

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

Cleoriff — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 17:23:53 GMT

Opening times @Ben_30

Monday - Friday	8am - 9pm
Saturday	8am - 8pm
Sunday	8am - 6pm

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

MI5 — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 18:12:48 GMT

@Ben_30

Times vary between Personal contracts, PAYG and business and may also change day to day depending on staffing levels.

You can check here for the latest opening times http://www.o2.co.uk/contactus

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

Cleoriff — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 07:05:47 GMT

Can I just add something about private messages to members.

Over the past 4 days I have have received 4 private messages from customers asking me for advice.

THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING.

Please post your questions openly on the forum. Help is always available.

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

Hopeful2BHappy — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 08:44:58 GMT

@MI5 you are a wizard! 👍
Well done, and thank you 🙂

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

Cleoriff — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 08:50:39 GMT

Include @gmarkj in those thanks @Hopeful2BHappy

It was a combined effort

Re: Coronavirus (Covid 19) Community Help and Support

MAH1 — Sat, 04 Apr 2020 08:56:39 GMT

Many thanks for your most comprehensive reply.
I will soldier on.
Kind regards,
MAH1