Switch Up Clarifications (to community team)

[MrFrenzy]

To the O2 staff running this community: there have been a load of posts relating to switch up and the changes coming, with little clarification from O2. 

Can we please, for the sake of clarity of the product being offered, get some answers on the following:

1) Is the official policy for switch up changing for those on plus plans to now be every 90 days as many stores are telling customers (including myself)?

2) If you are in a 36 month agreement and you switch up at any time (because you’re on a plus plan), and you then change your mind/ don’t like the new phone / decide you wish to leave, are you free to cancel? Some stores are telling people you can, but the FAQ section of the website says differently. 

3) If when switching up you fail the credit check, are you left phoneless?

I’m sure people have other questions but we need answers to these questions please because rumours aren’t good. The product offering of upgrading ‘whenever you want’, if changing to 90 days is a completely different offering and so I’d like to know the answers so I can decide whether this is worth me committing to for 3 years or not…. If changes are constantly going to be made and the offering diluted all the time. 

[MI5]

@MrFrenzy 

Our community team, @Chris_K  has stated this guide will be updated with latest info as it becomes available 

Guide: Introducing O2 Switch Up. Swap phones whenever you want! 

[MrFrenzy]

Thanks MI5, it’s disappointing that the no strings product now seems to come with caveats. Too good to be true, ay!

[MI5]

It seem so at the time. Not surprised it's been modified tbh @MrFrenzy 

[Breanna]

New updates were posted today here @MrFrenzy.

As for your questions 2 & 3, we would need to defer to @Chris_K for specifics. 

[Chris_K]

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@MrFrenzy wrote:

To the O2 staff running this community: there have been a load of posts relating to switch up and the changes coming, with little clarification from O2. 

Can we please, for the sake of clarity of the product being offered, get some answers on the following:

Hey, let me try and address your concerns and questions. Firstly, I know we announced a few weeks ago there'd be some incoming changes to our O2 Switch Up proposition, and this morning I have done a complete overhaul of the original announcement which goes into these changes in detail.

Sorry we couldn't share anything until now, but the new terms only take effect from today and we couldn't give this finer info out before now.

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1) Is the official policy for switch up changing for those on plus plans to now be every 90 days as many stores are telling customers (including myself)?

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If you were on a Plus Plan prior to 3 August 2023, you'll remain on our 'anytime terms' where you can Switch Up whenever you like. The new '90 day terms' only applies to new Plus Plan Switch Up customers from 3 August 2023, or to existing Custom Plan customers who still have an active Switch Up chargeable Bolt On whenever they choose to do their final Switch Up - at which point the Bolt On will be removed and they'll need to choose a Plus Plan to continue using Switch Up. For those ex-Bolt On customers moving to Plus Plan from 3 August 2023, the 90 day terms will apply.

2) If you are in a 36 month agreement and you switch up at any time (because you’re on a plus plan), and you then change your mind/ don’t like the new phone / decide you wish to leave, are you free to cancel? Some stores are telling people you can, but the FAQ section of the website says differently. 

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If for example you take out a Plus Plan from 3 August 2023 and then use Switch Up and move to a device you dislike or you're not getting on with, you'd be unable to get your previous device back as we’ll have already started to refurbish it as one of our Like New phones.

In this case if you want to change your device, you'd need to wait 90 days before using Switch Up again to change to something else.

And if you'd like to cancel, then standard cancellation terms and process applies - this won't be any different whether you're a Plus Plan customer with Switch Up or not. In such instances, early termination charges (ETCs) may apply. You won't pay ETCs on your Airtime Plan but you will need to pay any outstanding amount on the Device Plan. Full cancellation info here.

3) If when switching up you fail the credit check, are you left phoneless?

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Absolutely not, no. Generally speaking credit checks are only done for new customers or existing customers moving from sim only to a device contract, so there should be no risk of what you've suggested. If you're an existing or current Plus Plan customer with Switch Up, then provided your device is in good condition and matches our grading criteria, you should be good - subject to whichever set of Switch Up terms applies to you.

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I’m sure people have other questions but we need answers to these questions please because rumours aren’t good. The product offering of upgrading ‘whenever you want’, if changing to 90 days is a completely different offering and so I’d like to know the answers so I can decide whether this is worth me committing to for 3 years or not…. If changes are constantly going to be made and the offering diluted all the time. 

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Although today we're introducing some changes to O2 Switch Up, it's worth highlighting this is still a unique proposition within the industry and if you're on our anytime terms, then that won't change, and if you're on our 90 day terms, then you're still able to Switch Up every 90 days (subject to grading criteria checks) which I imagine for most customers, will still be more than they'd typically look at.

Speaking personally as an O2 customer rather than an employee for instance, if you're a die-hard Apple fan then you're only likely to Switch Up once or twice a year, and if you're a die-hard Android fan then that's still 4 epic flagship devices per year you could Switch Up to - S23 Ultra, Pixel 7 Pro, Z Fold5 and Pixel Fold all in the same year, without having to pay the remainder of your device plan. Where else can you get that freedom?

[Itsalive1978]

So just for clarification in my case I was an early adopter of the switch up plan and have been on it since August / September 2022, does this mean I can still switch up when ever I like as many times as I like or if I say switch up Friday 4th August then my contract move on to a post 3rd August contract and so can only switch up every 90 days ? I’d just like something concrete that I can show any retail advisors In store if I run into any issues.

[madasaf1sh]

@Itsalive1978 

Just take this thread with you, as that is what I will be doing

[unfitguy]

Hi @Chris_K thanks for the update, been on SwitchUp since Sep 22, if I switch up now does that mean I accept the new T&C and can subsequently only change every 90 days.  Basically the same @Itsalive1978 question below

[madasaf1sh]

@unfitguy 

No I read it completely different if you signed up for Switch up on a Plus Plan before the 3rd August you stay as you are i.e upgrade whenever you want, even when you switch up after the 3rd August.  and each time you do. 

Only if you sign up for the first time to a plus plan after the 3rd August are you restricted to every 90 days, the same applies if you had the Bolton 

The reply from @Chris_K clears that up just scroll up....