Cusomer service in Windsor

[Anonymous]

Hello all,

I just wanted to share my poor experience at Windsor O2 shop on 27.01.17.

I have come in to switch to O2 from another provider, therefore I was asked the necessay information as normal.

What I found outrageous, that they refused to sign me up for O2 contract unless I provide another identity document, such as passport or UK driving licence and a second debit or credit card!

My EU ID card was for some reason unsatisfactory on its own, whereas I use it for travelling between EU countries and it is a legal document that is used in the same way as any passport. 

Why the debit card I provided and my bank account details were not enough remains a mystory. I doubt many people have multiple bank accounts with several debit cards. I am also sure that not every person uses credit cards - it is optional, not mandatory service.

I felt treated like some kind of criminal, when signing up for a £10 a month contract without even taking a phone out (I had my own I wanted to use). Are all foreign citizens treated like that in O2, just because O2 staff fails to recognise their legal documents?

It was a very unpleasant experience that I will make sure would not happen ever again! There's no way I'm going back to that shop! O2 seems to be very welcoming in attracting new clients to their network!

[Anonymous]

Maybe the debit card  wasn't registered in England? You also have to be registered on the electoral roll & lived in England for 3 years 

You would need a UK driving licence or UK passport too

if they performed a credit check as well then it may have failed 

[Cleoriff]

Hi @Anonymous I don't think the checks O2 do are biased in any way towards foreign residents.

They have to ensure anyone (whatever nationality) is able to pay the contract. It would be the same for any business. Sorry if you feel you were treated differently but it's the same for everyone.

On a side issue. I am a UK resident and have an apartment in Spain. Trying to take out a contract here is virtually impossible. Even when topping up a Spanish PAYG sim I have to take my passport to the mobile phone shop and they won't activate it until they make a call to head office.  

[MI5]

I have the same experiences in France.
It requires my passport a credit card and a French utility bill just to get a payg sim!

[jonsie]

Passport here for P&G sim but yes the same for contract, passport, credit card, utility bill and residency card or driving licence.

[chrisymon]

Not no polictain but wont that have something to do with leaving the EU and your contract will go into when we finally leave. Maybe clutching at straws on this one.

[Cleoriff]

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@chrisymon wrote:

Not no polictain but wont that have something to do with leaving the EU and your contract will go into when we finally leave. Maybe clutching at straws on this one.

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Not that at all. My issue about contracts and PAYG sims in Spain was started years ago...Long before anyone had an inkling we would leave the EU...

At the time, I was told it was their method of security.

[jonsie]

The EU doesn't come into it, most countries have their own security measures and rightly so.

[Anonymous]

I do understand that O2 has to carry out credit check, that's why I provided my ID card, details of my current and previous addresses, my debit card and bank account details. I do understand it is the necessary information for them to open an account.

What I found inappropriate was the fact they asked for a second ID (passport or driving licence), which seems unnecessary when they already have a legal ID card in front of them. And later they asked for a second debit card or credit card (one is not enough again?), which is aslo very strange, as usually everyone just uses one debit card for their main&only current account. Credit cards are also an option, anyone may not hold one at all.

Moreover, none of this additional measures are required when signing up online. Double standards?

Overall, I found that the requests of the shop staff were over the top, therefore I found them offensive.

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous online sign ups do still incur credit checks via email etc