Beware 02 Business users

[Anonymous]

Beware of 02 Business Contracts !

Beware of 02 Business Contracts ! I have a business contract with 02 and my managers all have mobile phones (20gb data and unlimited texts/calls.) We have been with 02 for nearly 10 years. Recently there was a problem with one of our phones, we received a bill for over £400 when it should have been £24. We discovered this was due to a function called wi fi assist and the device decided to use the data allowance instead of connecting to the usual wi fi spot, the user was not aware that this had occurred at the time . 02 won’t offer a refund for this amount because they have refunded once in the past and their policy is only one refund per customer, ever !. However it’s not the lack of refund that bothers me or reason for this post, I want alert other business owners on 02 contracts and highlight this problem. We asked 02 to help us prevent this ever happening again and requested to cap our employees billing so that the bill payer and not the handset user where in full control of the contract monthly payments. They refused, (I spoke to 4 different depts.) saying that they don't have the facility for this under a business contract, only personal contracts and that each individual user/employee will be sent a text when they are reaching their data allowance and they will be in control of whether the allowance is exceeded. I fundamentally disagree with this system for billing, I am the bill payer and don't give permission for any of my employees to exceed their data allowance. 02 only inform the bill payer via the invoice after the event. Very frustrating and totally unacceptable . I have 20 employees can you imagine if they all went over their data allowance my monthly bill could be in excess of £8'000 . Crazy system 02,  you have lost a long standing customer because of an inadequate management system that could end up costing your business customers a great deal of money, and I do believe there could be a compliance issue here too that has legal ramifications. Our business has now moved contracts from 02 to Three. We are receiving 30gb data, unlimited calls and texts for £16 per user, and most importantly the billing for each user is capped to avoid any such situations again. For businesses that want the security of knowing what their bill will be each month look elsewhere, 02 cant help you and really don't care. Please alos note that 02 wont inform you when you are leaving that you need to notify them and allow 72 hours for your handsets to be unlocked. They just issue your PAC code via text message and hope that you and you business are further inconvienced by this issue. Again, appalling sevrice 02, when PAC codes are issued and your customer is obviously leaving you should be required to unlock their devices, after all the device belongs to the customer and not 02.

[Cleoriff]

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@hivis wrote:
Oh and yes the finger was pointed at him, and his autistic son.

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Whether his son is autistic or not, your employee willingly gave permission for him to use his works device.

So the fault lies with him and not O2.

I think O2 did well writing off a 2k bill to be honest.

[hivis]

no, can you answer the query regarding how an ipad user receives a text

my point isnt 100% aimed at a refund, its the fact of a text warning being sent to a tablet??

[hivis]

Your comment [quote]your employee willingly gave permission for him to use his works device.[/quote]

please see my initial post which states "without his knowledge"

I am well aware he/we are at fault, but o2 are sending text to a tablet....hillarious, which they also admitted which is how they refunded some of the bills.

[MI5]

Obviously it can't, but neither would calling have worked either.
I'm afraid the responsibility has to be with the user here.

[hivis]

I not looking/need nor want your approval/or agreement, Im stating my experience

[MI5]

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@hivis wrote:

Your comment [quote]your employee willingly gave permission for him to use his works device.[/quote]

please see my initial post which states "without his knowledge"

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To run up a bill that big would take some considerable time so I'm struggling to go with "without knowledge"

[MI5]

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@hivis wrote:

I not looking/need nor want your approval/or agreement, Im stating my experience

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It's a discussion forum.

Apologies. I'm out.

[Glory1]

Good morning @Anonymous

Can I just point out, as I believe O2 did, that your employee would have received 2 texts, one when he/she used 80% of their data and again when they used 100% of their data. So if they went over and incurred additional charges that is down to them not O2. And I am speaking as a business contract customer, myself. 

If either of the texts did not come through, as happened to me not that long ago, O2 did refund the overspend as I pointed out to them I am not psychic and had I known I'd used 100% of my data I would have stopped using it.

However, I do agree with you that business contracts should be capped like consumer contracts so that this can't happen. But, unfortunately O2 won't or can't do it. Therefore, it is up to the business customer to keep a close eye on their data usage which they can do through MyO2 or by checking their phone's data usage.

[Glory1]

Good morning @hivis

I will answer your query as to how or why a text was sent to a tablet. And I am speaking as a business customer who uses O2 mobile broadband through an O2 hotspot, which uses data, on my Kindle.

The text was sent to the tablet as it was the tablet using the data. I receive texts through my tablet when I have used 80% and another when I have used 100% of my data on the tablet, through my tablet's message centre. 

As has already been stated by other members of this forum, your employee was at fault for allowing his son to use his work device in the first place. And further at fault for not monitoring his son's usage. That is not down to O2.

I keep a close eye on my data usage on my tablet to avoid just such an occurence as has happened, and act accordingly when I receive the first text informing me I've used 80% of my data. I do exactly the same with my phone data. To ensure I don't go over my allowances and incur exhorbitant charges. Though I have to admit I would have to go some way to incur £8,000 in charges!

I trust I have answered your question as to why the text was sent to the tablet.