topic Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three in Tech Support

Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

PaulRed — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:20:29 GMT

I would like to get your opinions on an issue I have encountered during the recent transfer of my Three Mobile number (Monthly contract) to an O2 PAYG SIM on Tuesday, 5th March.

Following the use of a PAC code through O2's transfer form on Tuesday 5th March, my Three SIM was disconnected the next day; however, the intended number porting to O2 did not occur. Despite multiple calls to O2 customer services, where they resubmitted the PAC code and advised patience, I was then informed on Friday, 8th March, that it is purportedly impossible to transfer a Pay Monthly SIM from another provider to a PAYG SIM. Consequently, I was told I needed to take out a contract with O2 for a minimum of 12 months.

Feeling compelled due to the PAC code already being in O2's system and unusable elsewhere, I reluctantly subscribed to a contract to retain my old number.

Since initiating the PAC code transfer and since Wednesday, 6th March, at 12 noon, I have been without my number. My primary concern is whether O2 was accurate in stating that a Pay Monthly SIM cannot be transferred to a PAYG SIM. Was I possibly misled or provided with inaccurate information to coerce me into committing to a 12-month contract?

I eagerly await your opinions in clarifying this matter. If O2's assertion is correct, I am perplexed as to why this information was not conveyed during the six previous calls and why their online form allows users to select a transfer from a monthly SIM to a PAYG. Conversely, if customer services provided incorrect information, I find myself in a situation where I have been obligated to enter into a contract against my wishes.

I appreciate your guidance.

Note: I have also sent this to OFCOM for their view on this case.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

Enlli — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:41:26 GMT

Telling you there is a need to take out a Contract to maintain your number is quite frankly wrong.

It's a tactic that has come across from Virgin who are well know for such tactics.

OFCOM don't handle individual complaints but they do log them.

If they reply I think you will find OFCOM rules where broken.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

PaulRed — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:54:13 GMT

Thanks @Enlli

As the calls are recorded and during the call I made a point of getting the customer service agent to confirm several times that it was impossible to port a Monthly Number from another provider to a PAYG, also only agreeing at the end to the contract on that basis.

I have also yet to have my old number transferred and have been without it for 4 days now.

I'll hope that the number does get transferred to the new Monthly Contract SIM so I can use it again but also going forward I will raise this with their complaints and then further down the line if they have indeed lied to me, a higher power.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

Enlli — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:55:58 GMT

Just to let you know that official complaints are taking around eight weeks at present.

Once Lodged Customer Services will not help while it is ongoing

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

PaulRed — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 18:03:56 GMT

@Enlli Ultimately, I think my case will be cast iron if they have breached consumer rights and OFCOM agree. I'll take it to the Comms and Financial Ombudsman if they do not respond.

If they lose my transfer number or do not port it over, I'll also add this to the complaint along with any lack of porting support if they do not support during the complaint. Given the promise of the number porting over once I signed up to a contract I will expect support.

I have a lot of time and I love a fight when the company is so obviously in the wrong.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

Oxonian — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 20:40:01 GMT

@PaulRed

You need to take another look at @Enlli's post above please.

Official complaints are taking O2 about eight weeks to investigate and respond to currently, and during this period, other O2 teams will be unable or unwilling to engage with you. Hence, I suggest that you focus initially on your port and retrieving your number, and then lodge a complaint once this has been completed.

O2's social media team are quite well thought of so I suggest that you try to message O2 on social media :-

Facebook : https://o2uk.co/O2CFB

X (previously known as Twitter) : https://o2uk.co/O2CTW

Instagram : https://o2uk.co/O2CIG

A complete schedule of how to contact O2 is in :-

Once you have completed your port and have retrieved your number, please update this thread and we can provide any guidance that you need on your complaint.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

PaulRed — Sat, 09 Mar 2024 16:53:36 GMT

@Oxonian Already submitted.

I was coerced into signing a contract I did not want and as part of that I was guaranteed that my number would be ported if I signed up to said contract.

This is all recorded

If the number does not port, then this just adds fuel to the fire.

I can live without my number and simply switch accounts to another number if I have too.

It is more important to me to call O2 out on misleading customers and coercing them into to signing up to a long term contract when they do not have too.

They have 8 weeks to respond by law. After which I'll take this to both Ombudsman and ultimately this will cost O2 money and if the number does not port even though they have it in their system as it is no longer with Three, then they will also have a large compensation claim.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

PaulRed — Sat, 09 Mar 2024 17:04:29 GMT

@Oxonian and @Enlli I would also argue that by law as I am paying for a service under a contract and despite the complaint, they cannot refuse to help a paying customer.

If they do, then I am sure the Ombudsman will have something to say about it.

I'll find out next week and update this thread as the case goes on.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

PaulRed — Sat, 09 Mar 2024 18:01:25 GMT

@Oxonian and @Enlli I would also add that O2 customer support are completley useless having dealt with them all week. So if they refuse to help, this will be no different to what they normally do.

On top of that, they lied to me and coerced me into a 12 month contract.

It does not stop.at O2 when it comes to terrible customer support, all mobile providers are the same. It is unacceptable and we should not have to put up with it.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

Oxonian — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 17:40:32 GMT

Please do keep us updated on developments @PaulRed.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

PaulRed — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:09:20 GMT

@Oxonian Just an update. Contract Sim arrived.

Called O2 to find out status of porting to be told a request was never made during the coereced order. This is despite going through this several times with the O2 customer agent on Friday.

Spent 1 hour 15 mins on the phone and they submitted again and was asked to wait 24 hours.

I do now have an email confirming the request though which is a first and which could be light at the end of the tunnel.

I do not think I have ever come across this level of service before.

Can I ask why you guys hang around supporting them freely with your time?

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

madasaf1sh — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:18:13 GMT

@PaulRed

Because they are not bad where I am, and have always had issues sorted out, and I also manage a lot of devices on the enterprise side..
Also its good to share 20 years of working with o2 as part of my job and being a customer, as well as working selling mobile a looooonng time ago..

And this forum makes up less than 0.0001% of cusytomers most of whom have no issues..

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

MI5 — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:34:51 GMT

Facts, not opinion.....

In pay-monthly mobile customers, O2 took the most complaints (6 per 100,000) followed by BT Mobile and Three with 4 and 5, respectively.

Virgin Media O2 receives most complaints in Ofcom survey | Total Telecom

Jan 26, 2024

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

PaulRed — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:48:38 GMT

@madasaf1sh and @MI5 What are your thoughts then on the tactics to get customers to sign up to a contract, stating it will be the only way to keep my part ported number?

I run a hosting compamy so I know how important customer service is so I only base my opinions on experience and the past week has been possibly the worst customer service experience I have ever encountered.

This may have been partly saved by the 9th customer service rep today if my number ports over tomorrow.

I am however still stuck in a coerced contract beyond that.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

madasaf1sh — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:59:34 GMT

@PaulRed

Typical Virgin Sales tactic that has been going on for many years which has sadly passed onto the o2 side, as VM Sales are very driven by sales commission...

Still leaves 99,994 per 100K who dont complain to OFCOM or the ADR and then most of that number will never have any need to speak to Customer Service or whose issues are resolved first time...

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

MI5 — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 18:03:19 GMT

Typical fat cat money grabbing tactics @PaulRed

Complaints on here along have increased 10 fold in the last 12 months and getting more every day.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

jonsie — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 18:03:38 GMT

That is completely out of order and all sorts of wrong

If there was any benefit to the porting issue then it is something no one on here knows about

The only benefit would seem to be with the adviser earning commision by locking you in to O2 for 12 months

You think you've had enough of them now then wait for a few months of slow data speeds, connection issues and of course problems with My O2

And for God's sake don't buy an Apple watch

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

PaulRed — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 19:05:57 GMT

@jonsie I won't be hanging around but will cost them time and money in return for the grief I had and if they do not provide a satisfactory solution.

I can survive 12 months with poor connections as I was with Three before.

I am not sure there are any good networks anymore.

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

jonsie — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 19:09:19 GMT

MVNO's such as Tesco seem to have much better service than the big boys now

Re: Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

PaulRed — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 12:06:42 GMT

Just an update on this case. After getting on to a chat session last night (Tuesday 12th March 2024) The agent said that whilst the porting was processing, they would need to send this to the backend team and this will then take between 5 and 10 working days to look at / or possibly resolve.

A ticket was raised by the agent so I can only hope.

At present, I have been without my number since Wednesday 6th March 2024 and stuck in a contract that I did not want with a number that is not mine and I do not see a light at the end of the tunnel on this one other than giving up on the number and taking the complaint to the Ombudsmen once I either get a response or they do not reply within 8 weeks seeking compensation etc.

I will let you know the outcome and if I ever get my number back.