Why are o2 so useless?

[MystisMum]

29rh October 2025 I receive my right to exit email regarding my airtime contract. I called an hour later to trigger this, and to set up my pay monthly to be my device only.

Asked how I go about keeping my number and switch to payg, get told to get a payg sim and ask for the number to be switched. Easy. Got told to keep an eye on my o2 app to change to display that the airtime was cancelled and I wouldn't be charged for the upcoming month.

3 days later, no change to app. I call again. Second person has no record of my first call, tells me that I can't keep my number and I have to pay my device off. Nothing in the exit email states this so I decide to go into the o2 store, and submit a complaint to o2.

O2 complaints woman contacts me to offer to reimburse the airtime I was charged and tells me I can go ahead as planned, then calls me again to say I can't. Again, nothing in the email states this.

Go to o2 store, where i have to wait on the phone again anyway (so waste of time) speak to a 4th person who initiates my right to exit, delinks my device plan from airtime and takes the number/ssn of the payg sim so my pay monthly number can be migrated in 24 hours. Also got told id be reimbursed again.

24 hours pass, nothing. Call up, get told to wait 48 hours.

48 hours pass, now on the phone to a 6th/7th? Person who tells me my payg sim isn't even activated despite me being told it was, have topped it up etc. 

Losing my mind here. Dealing with nothing but idiots on tje phone who keep telling me different things, probably in the hope they can try to take another monthd airtime off me.

One for consumer rights/citizen advice? Fed up of this

[MystisMum]

Now being transferred to an 8th person. I think at this point I'll just cancel my direct debit until they sort this out

[MystisMum]

And after 65 minutes they cut me off without a resolution. 

[Enlli]

Cancelling your direct debit, although tempting, is the worse thing you can do. O2 will sell on your debit to a debt recovery agency quicker than you can say PAC code. It's the one thing they are good at.

Have they got as far as delinking your phone payments lf so you need a PAC code and get yourself off to another network 

[pgn]

Your direct debit also covers the device plan you mention, so do not cancel that direct debit instruction, @MystisMum.

Your complaint now means most agents will not be able to look into any possible solution for you.

The email stated:

-- ... you have the right to cancel your airtime plan without any early termination charges, within the next 30 days

--- If you have a device plan and you do decide to cancel, you'll still need to pay this off in full

You can continue paying monthly, or you can pay the remaining balance in full

If you choose to pay the full balance, you’ll need to call us on 202 to arrange it

__ These may help:

Guide How to Top Up (PAYG) 

Guide: How does O2 Refresh work? 

Guide: Cancelling Your Contract 

Guide: How to get your PAC [June 2021 Update] 

[MystisMum]

On the phone to agent number 9, I am told yes its done then someone else says no, then yes, being passed around from idiot to idiot.

[MystisMum]

Yes thanks I already know all of that, the problem is trying to get them to do just that!

[pgn]

Well, persistence has been known to pay off, @MystisMum - Illegitimi non carborundum!