3year contracts

[Kevin1]

So I'm due an upgrade and have decided to go for OP6T. £41 all in on a 36month contract 20 GB data unlimited calls and texts. Carphone Warehouse offered the same price only 100gb data on a 24 month contract. On further inspection I read that phone and broadband contracts are limited to two year contracts. So how are O2 justifying charging for an extra year but CW can give the same handset for the same price minus a year

[Glory1 Level 43: Bright Spark]

Hi @Kevin1

As this is a customer forum, and we are all customers like yourself, we couldn't possibly comment on O2's pricing policy. 

However, I can say that O2 do offer Refresh, contracts which you wouldn't get through Carphone Warehouse, though you could still remain on the O2 network.

I would suggest you speak to Customer Services http://www.o2.co.uk/contactus who would be better able to answer your question. The best time to ring is between 8-8:30am to avoid a long wait on the phone.

Good luck and welcome to the forum 

[MI5 Level 94: Supreme]

The handset price is the same whether you choose to take a 2 or 3 year contract with O2 but obviously if you take 3 years there's an extra year of unlimited calls, texts and data to be paid for.

[Anonymous]

Because you do have a CCA (consumer credit agreement) that’s slightly different from what other providers will offer you when you buy a phone and plan. With O2 you do have your SIM that your are free to cancel anytime as long you clear your CCA. You do have your plan direct debit and your device (credit) direct debit. In theory it’s not a contract but a credit . Carphone will be classed as a contract. Hope that helps

[madasaf1sh]

Just to add o2 arent the only ones offering 36mth terms, Virgin Mobile do, as well as some other MVNO's do, so they are becoming the norm again... but in the same vain there are a lot more 12mth contracts as well. 

[Cleoriff Level 90: Eminent]

@Kevin1

Actually O2's 3 year contracts come under the heading of Custom Plans. So you can choose what you want to suit your need. Choose the upfront cost, the length of your contract and data which you can flex up or down every month

https://www.o2.co.uk/custom-plans

CPW don't offer any of that. Although I agree their prices are often cheaper. As said above though, CPW do not offer the other perks you get from buying directly from O2 (except Priority)

[anticpated Level 28: Ingenious]

Cpw offer 12 month contracts if you pay more upfront. So you could essentially do that as an option. Personally I think 36 months is far too long although you can pay essentially more per month if you choose to.

[Marjo]

Hi @Kevin1, lots of information above from our members above! I hope it clarifies the Custom Plans and the length of contracts but do pop back in if you want to discuss more with the community.

If you do end up choosing the Custom Plans in the end, it would be lovely to hear your feedback on what you think of it as the Custom Plans are quite a new addition for us!

[welshsteve76]

"Slightly" off-topic, but I simply do not see the point of 3 year contracts/deals.  Batteries in modern phones stop holding their charge for more than half a day if you're a heavy user after a 2 year period in my experience, and with the batteries inside the phones these days not being interchangeable, the cost of replacing one is not worht the effort these days.  Plus after 2 years, your device may stop receiving vital updates, although I do think by law now, manufacturers have to offer extended security update support.

On topic though, the one thing O2 do well at the moment is the flexibility with the "build your plan" (allowing you to choose your mins/txts/data levels) and "refresh" for the phone part of your deal.