Increase in Galaxy S2 price - surely not?? Insane!

[Anonymous]

I'm due for an upgrade on 01.07.11 (next Friday ) and have had my eye on the Galaxy S2 since its release.
Usage wise thinking around the £27 mark 24 month contract would suit and thought the £49.99 one-off price reasonable at the start of May. Around the start of June it rose to £59.99 and again considered this reasonable being a popular handset. The recent increase to £149.99 though on this tariff - WHAT THE HECK???? SERIOUSLY??
An overnight price increase by over £100 on all tariffs for the phone?? I've been with O2 for 8-10years and, whilst slightly pricier than other places, I've always stuck around because I've experienced no major issues and good CS. But lordy - is this price rise accurate?
They can't expect people will pay this and stay with O2 given the choice of competitors surely?

[sheepdog]

This is typical o2 behaviour: the prices bizarrely go up one month then a couple of weeks later, it becomes a special offer beating everyone else. Trust me as only a short while ago, the same thing was being said about the Blackberry phones and they become basically free at that mark.
Though I do have to say, the S2 is in heavy demand at the moment so may be an indicator of that demand. Best thing is to either wait a little longer or go simplicity/sim-free and avoid all this palaver.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the same boat. My contract runs out at the beginning of August and am able to renew/upgrade from 3 July. I was also keeping an eye on the prices of the SGS II on the o2 website for new customers and was alarmed to see it shoot up by £100.
I'm hoping that the deal for renewing will be different to the one offered to new customers, but I reckon that is wishful thinking.
While I was looking around, I noticed that Phones4u are still doing the phone for free on most tariffs. Could be worth checking with them (I believe they also supply unbranded/unlocked?)

[Anonymous]

It's just bizarre. I had a conversation with a nice guy called Alex in retentions around 9th June and we discussed I could upgrade 3months early (contract officially ends Oct 1st) as promised to me by a CS advisor in April despite my rewards tier being 'revised' (i.e. demoted) at the end of May). He agreed they would honour the advised July 1st date.
We discussed briefly specifically the S2 and that I intended to upgrade on 1st July paying the £59.99 on a £27 / 24month contract. He said he'd put full notes on to confirm we'd had the upgrade chat, so I'm going to try and get them to honour that conversation at that price. Not sure if he included the S2 bit but worth a shot.
My usage has been low lately but I can afford much more - it's the principle really and not paying more than I need to. Again been with O2 years and this pricing just seems disproportionately excessive compared to other companies, even for O2.
If they don't agree on July 1st then to be honest it's cheaper for me to buy out the remaining 3months of my contract and go elsewhere. How on earth can they think that makes commercial sense when that becomes a viable option - for me to still be in profit despite paying them three months in excess to terminate???

[Anonymous]

I had the same problem. Was due to upgrade 21 June and rang O2 to try and get some sort of discount in their increased Samsung Galaxy 2 handset prices and monthly tariffs. Spoke to two people including a Manager and they just were not interested. I have been with them for 15 years. As it happened, I looked on Phones 4 U website and they were still doing the old O2 offer of £27.00 per month for 300 mins, 3000 texts and 500mb of data WITH A FREE HANDSET - which is something O2 were never doing at that tariff anyway. So I am (somewhat begrudgingly) still an O2 customer for the next 2 years, but I have a lovely brand new Samsung Galaxy S2 (which is fab by the way) and the tariff I originally wanted! This was only 2 days ago so I suggest that you all go to Phones 4 U to get your Galaxy 2 handset, as they seem to have far more O2 tariffs available than O2 themselves - madness - but there you are!
A now happy customer, but no thanks to O2!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for letting us know your experiences with o2. At least I now know not to even bother calling them on 3 July when I can upgrade, I'll be straight on to Phones4u.
I'm planning on going for exactly the tariff that you went for, seems a great deal. All I hope is that Phones4U are still offering the SGS II free on this tariff on 3 July. As I understand it, the phone will even be unbranded and unlocked from them.
It's crazy that o2 cannot offer the same deal direct. I guess you are still going to be paying them monthly so they don't care, they don't take the hit on a free phone. If some people are happy to pay £150 to get the phone on the same tariff from them then they are laughing.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys. I'll still call O2 on 01.07 to see what I can negotiate but not expecting much at all.
Here's my revised question then that I'm hoping someone knows about - since my contract officially ends on 01.10 (October) and I've only got the option to technically upgrade with O2 3months early, can I specifically go to a 3rd party (like Phones4U) and say 'look I want a new handset on an O2 contract' and that serve as a renewal of my existing account with O2, or is that they are two separate transactions so I'd effectively have a new account with O2 and I'd have to buy out/honour my current account?
I hope that makes sense as a question! I get the feeling it will be two transactions/two accounts but that would be a shame and such a mess especially since I'd be still technically with O2. This is why I would just prefer to keep it simple and keep dealing direct with O2 but the price discrepancy with this handset is just too much between operators and vendors like Carphone Warehouse etc. Even Vodaphone have it free with a £30 a month tariff and I don't have many positives about them usually! Wouldn't have considered it if O2 had kept with their pricing for the S2 they'd advertised in May but now as I mentioned above, it's cheaper on July 1st to just buy out the last three months of my contract and go elsewhere and STILL be in profit.

[Anonymous]

This was exactly what I didnt want to hear. I am due an upgrade today as I am on a 12-month deal, although the contract doesnt end until 5th October. I have wanted the Galaxy S 2 for ages and cannot pay the £100 on the £32 a month tariff. I've got a whole list of competitors offering the phone for free on a better deal so I wont even go down the route of staying on o2 through Carphone Warehouse. I will buy out my contract and go to a competitor.

[Anonymous]

I went instore to Phones4u and got the Galaxy SII free on o2 renewal. £32 for 600 mins, unlimited texts and 500Mb. I don't know how o2 think they can get away with charging £100 when competitors are doing them for free.
Anyway, I'm happy as I didn't have to wait for the phone to be delivered either as I would if I'd gone through renewals.

[Anonymous]

£150 for the S2? WTF?! I was thinking of getting one when I upgrade next month, don't think I'll bother now, might try and get a Windows Phone.