I have been a customer of 02 for many years under my name, address and telephone number [Removed].
I have also had a mobile phone contract with Virgin for my grand-daughter as she was under-age. This contract was held in my name and was for number [Removed] which I understand has now been migrated to you at 02. I am now paying 02 for her airtime.
Today, 10th July, we presented ourselves in the 02 shop in Bognor Regis and explained that we wanted to upgrade her phone, transfer the …327 number onto her new phone and try and transfer the contract into her sole name as she is now nearly 19. We chose the phone and the plan which Ellie set up in her name. We were then told to wait a couple of hours until the new phone had registered with 02 and then contact them to do the rest. Ellie used the switch service and set up her new phone and then we called 02 who confirmed that the registration had taken place. I would say at this time that we would have been happy to leave the account in my name, get the new phone and then transfer to her name at a later date but were not told to do this.
To cut a long story short we were on the phone for almost 2 hours, passed around from pillar to post, each time having to explain what we wanted to do, told varying stories of what we could do and what we couldn’t do without anyone really telling us if it was even possible. I had to, for my own sanity end the call, at which time they told me to contact Virgin. I had previously spoken to Virgin who had told me that I had to deal with 02. Considering Virgin customers had no choice with the migration the least we could have hoped was that 02 would be able to deal with ongoing services. I spent a further 30 mins on the phone to Virgin. My
grand-daughter has now decided to cancel the new contract with 02, take the phone back to the shop and basically tell them that this is due to bad customer service and the inability to deal with the situation which in this day and age should not be difficult and should have been something that was prepared for before the migration was made. We cannot be the only people with this request.
Whilst on her way to the shop she received a text message, (ironically from the first person that she spoke to at 02), telling her that she can transfer her number with the use of a code but has to go to another provider. After all the years I have promoted the service of 02 to them she basically has to go to another company to keep the number that 02 already had and we were paying airtime for.
The 02 shop were also rather surprised that this could not be done but whilst she was there, they reviewed the account again (with my consent) and it came up with a red flag saying that it was a Pay as You Go account and therefore the number could not be transferred. Why was it made a Pay as You Go account, it was not a Pay as You Go account with Virgin so why was it redesignated. It looks like this was another thing done without the account- holders request. They attempted to redesignate the account and then try but it came up with the same outcome. My grand-daughter was then told to call in the next day to cancel the new contract and that she had no alternative but to go to another provider. I cannot believe that 02 would want to lose this business, albeit we are but one person, but surely you should be able to resolve what appears to be such an easy thing to do and how many other customers are experiencing this.
She has called in today, they still cannot accommodate her and she has cancelled the contract. Apparently, she can go with another provider and keep her number. This seems to me to be a farce. She is going to a supermarket.
I am so unimpressed with 02 I would like to know why this could not be done and will be looking for compensation at least to cover the cost of my time and phone calls. 2 ½ hours wasted.
To add insult to injury I looked up the email address for complaints, sent an email on the 11th July and you rejected it. This is my second attempt. This was rejected on the 15th. Phone Call today 7 minutes.
Christine Empson
