O2 Open Discount on iPhone 6 - Workaround so you can get it....

[Anonymous]

I am sure I am not alone to discover the utter absurdity and madness some idiot or group of decision making idiots have decided to exclude the new iPhone 6 from the O2 Open scheme on Refresh.

The first part of the madness in this is as far as I know the 30% discount on O2 Open applies to the airtime NOT the price of the phone you purchase on the 24 month 0% side of the Refresh plan. So it makes no sense why O2 open exclude the iPhone 6 as it is not being purchased with a discount.

From my point of view I have no intention of spreading the cost of an iPhone. I have always paid for one upfront from Apple and gone to PAYG or SIM free but would like the 20GB data allowance refresh airtime agreement. There is currently no SIM free option providing 20GB of data allowance for £28 a month, in fact none of the SIM only tariffs have anything above 8GB of data allowance. Less the 30% this is very good value making the £28 refresh 20GB plan less than £20 monthly.

I would simply pay off the iPhone within weeks of getting it on Refresh.

Here is how it is really stupid how you can circumvent the stupid O2 decision to exclusde the iPhone 6 and get the O2 Open discount with an iPhone on refresh - but only if like me you intend to pay for the handset outright:

1. Take out a Refresh plan with the Galaxy S5 - this shares the same 20GB airtime tariff as the iPhone 6 but is included in the O2 Open scheme. In fact it seems to share the same airtime schemes as the iPhone 6.

2. Apply the O2 open discount to get 30% off the airtime.

3. Sell the Glaxy S5 and pocket the cash. You don't even need to open the box.

4. Pay off the Galaxy handset cost from the 0% Refresh 24 month agreement. You still keep the airtime going.

5. Purchase and iPhone 6 unlocked and SIM free from Apple and insert the O2 refresh SIM. You could even take out a 0% credit card that gives 18 months 0% and purchase it over time on that.

6. Hey presto you have an iPhone 6 on Refresh with the O2 Open discount sitting nicely on the airtime.

Barking Mad as you can see....

Alternatively if like me you get 30% off from Vodafone through their Employee Advantage scheme at your work go with them as they honour the discount on an iPhone 6 unlike O2.

Currently I am not sure which option to follow but clearly O2 suffer when it comes to making business decisions.

[jonsie]

You have a simple choice to make in reality depending on whether Vodafone has adequate coverage for you. There is a way round the O2 stipulations but if you feel that's too much unnecessary fuss then go with Vodafone.

[Anonymous]

My point is there shouldn't be "work arounds" and shows how absurd and barking mad O2's decision making heirarchy actually is.

My employer actually gets discounts for us from Vodafone, O2 and also EE. The three major mobile communications players. I have been on SIM only on O2 for years so much I so I was with them when they were called Cellnet. In fact with a 20% discount on EE which I can get my tariff would be cheaper that O2 for the same 20GB limit and I get an iPhone 6 discount included. But I would prefer to stay with O2 - but their decision is driving me away.

When I asked sales if they valued me as a customer they replied "yes". I am guessing I was talking to Pinocchio Lip Service.

It is a pitiful state long standing customers have to leave simply because of the myopic descisions taken with the O2 firm.

[Anonymous]

I like your thinking however at some stage through the process their us a really good chance of losing money on the 1st phone and possibly having to add money to the iPhone purchase.

[L_W_Ward]

Vodafone has offered me a simular deal with 30% off (£20) and i've ordered it with the intention to play with it, check the coverage in my usual places of visit and maybe send it back. I prefer O2's refresh deal however Vodafone have won me over in theory with their Netflix and Spotify extras, low price up front and price PM. Also quidco cashback has helped :). Turns out after selling my current phone i will be in pocked quite a bit. 

I called O2 and asked them to match it but they won't. There is no point getting mad at this becasue they are a buisness at the end of the day and they are within their right to do this. To be honest I was impressed Vodafone would allow discount and cashback (via quidco NOT vodafone) on iPhones. All the others won't touch with with a bargpole. 

Also for the people who know me on here this doen't mean i'm leaving O2. I just want to play with it and if i have any doughts it will go back  

[Anonymous]

A slight loss perhaps but through Quidco you can get 2% cashback on the price of the iPhone and I think some credi cards give cashback. Indeed I think American Express give 5% cashback on a new card taken with them so you could get 7% off the iPhone. Of course don't forget the ongoing lifetime 30% discount off the airtime which is 8.70 a month. Over 2 years, 5 years and so on......

O2 really need to rethink their decision particulalry as there is a circumvent and also as other networks are not excluding the iPhone 6 from employee schemes. 

But perhaps O2 want to sack off some of its customers to other networks???

The cost of the Galaxy on the refresh is £480 - On ebay they are selling for not far off that new that I can see.

[Anonymous]

I really like your workaround but just thought I'd add the possibility of a slight loss.

We have not really been told why the network excludes the iPhone's on product launch so we think it's down to getting as much revenue while their hot.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps it is about time one of the decision makers cam on here and justified the logic on this and what their view is of customers disappearing off to other networks on the back of their decision........

From my point of view I live in a large town on the coast but not in a normal house I live on a house boat so can't get a wired internet connection and rely on mobile 3G now 4G. The data tariffs that come with larger allowances are all coupled with handsets and indeed are on other networks like that too but I like O2's way of decoupling the handset from the airtime as I have always just purchased my iPhone upfront from Apple directly and inserted what ever SIM I fancy into it.

Indeed there is even a Refresh tariff where you can buy the i6 upfront and just pay the airtime which is what I am intrested in but I am dismayed they do not allow my Open discount even though I am paying full price upfront for the handset - yet buying a Galaxy they will apply the discount to the airtime.

Maybe I will just wait and see as in reality I have no rush I have an EE SIM hat works in my iP5 with 50GB of data valid for 6 months which I am using as my web connection which was a special samply I paif £15 for.

[Anonymous]

I'm afraid you won't get any official clarification or justification on the forum as we are all customers apart from 3 site management and moderators.

I also purchase my iPhone's from the Apple Store but the difference with me is I prefer to stay on payg. And the iPhone's are unlocked that are direct from apple which I'm sure you know.

[MI5]

I honestly value your opinion (and I'm sure O2 do to), but I fail to see why anyone feels they have a right to question the business decisions of a major multi national company?
The choices are out there in plain sight for everyone to make their own minds up as to what suits them, so go with the best deal that suits you.
Don't take this the wrong way as it's just my opinion but people are paid to make these decisions and they will be made with good reason, regardless if anyone else can see then or not.