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.

[Anonymous]

Its just odd that they take the decision yet there is a peculiar work around to circumvent the system. It is only because they decouple the airtime from the handset though that a loophole exists.

Anyone want to buy a Galaxy S5 by the way?? £400 to shove their PAYG SIM in - a saving of £80 off O2's price. LOLS

[MI5]

Yes, it is strange that there is a workaround but many wouldn't either spot this or even be comfortable in taking the risk....
I have to give you credit for seeing it though

[viridis]

Nah can get galaxy s5 much cheaper nowadays. 😉

[Anonymous]

Apparently because of my post I have been promoted to apprentice. Makes me better qualified than O2 Open decision makers then!

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Apparently because of my post I have been promoted to apprentice. Makes me better qualified than O2 Open decision makers then!

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[Anonymous]

Are we eligible after three months? or does it have to be applied to new contracts at the time?

[MI5]

It has to be done when you take out the contract (within 30 days?) and can't be added retrospectively.
There is no guarantee that the offer will be introduced after 3 months either 😞

[davethorp]

Not surprising that O2 have done this, a pity as I would qualify as I'm a student although I have a much better deal elsewhere so it doesn't really matter.

We all know why O2 are excluding the iPhone. It of course should make zero difference what handset is bought as the discount to comes off the airtime element only. But for reasons only known to O2 and everyone else on the planet (*cough* profiteering *cough*) it does make a difference it seems

[MI5]

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@davethorp wrote:

But for reasons only known to O2 and everyone else on the planet (*cough* profiteering *cough*) it does make a difference it seems

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More likely "tradition" (hopefully)

[davethorp]

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@MI5 wrote:

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@davethorp wrote:

But for reasons only known to O2 and everyone else on the planet (*cough* profiteering *cough*) it does make a difference it seems

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More likely "tradition" (hopefully)

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I stand by my explanation