Ordering a PAYG Phone from O2 - MyO2 registration enforced or account required

[pgn]

So I finally decided young Quartus here is old enough for a mobile phone (he's been going on about getting one for what seems like ages, and my ears could do with the rest, tbh...). He is, after all, going to "big school" next year, which means reliance on the school bus system hereabouts, so a phone might come in handy...

Off I went, found a deal at a reputable direct seller of these handy devices, then searched and found a better one at a local retailer of flat-pack furniture, only to end up on O2's website where the same model of handset was cheaper yet again than either of the preceding "bargains".

OK. On O2 website, add phone to basket, hit checkout, am prompted for an e-mail address - this *will* be registered for a MyO2 account. Ooops! Quartus has an e-mail address, but probably falls below the age of having his own MyO2 account.

I backed up the truck, logged into my own MyO2, went through the order process, and lo and behold, a couple of days later, phone arrives and this appears in my MyO2:

So my question is, despite the pressure-selling tactics to get an e-mail address for any mobile sold, how do I divest my own MyO2 of this unwanted, and incorrectly identified (I got a Nokia 1.3, not the Motorola mentioned in the screenshot above!) addition to my record? 

How have others handled this seemingly mandated tie-in of (any) e-mail address with a PAYG phone and a tenner a month SIM with unlimited calls, texts and 6GB of data (for the first three months)?

[jonsie]

My debit card worked for first top up but it was a Classic tariff?

The debit card was already registered on my account though

[MI5]

I'd buy a voucher in advance, just in case

[pgn]

Thanks, @jonsie and @MI5  - I shall seek out a voucher for O2 next I am in the local Spar/Newsagent/FillingStation - pretty sure one of them used to do vouchers.

I'll keep this open for now, as it will be a few days before I have the voucher and decide to take the plunge, hit the "Remove this device" button on MyO2, and attempt to top-up using a voucher to activate the big-bundle on the SIM.

Haven't done one of these in ages... O2 Website tells me what you see below - 

[pgn]

Voucher purchased (a bit of paper with a bunch of digits on it, and O2's name and redemption  instructions!) and taped to the card/folder that contains the SIM card.

Getting there! 🎄🎁

[MI5]

You'll need to dial 4444 and follow the prompts to redeem a voucher when you're ready

[Cleoriff]

@pgnFor future reference, you may want to use this wonderful guide

Guide How to Top Up (PAYG) 

[pgn]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

@pgnFor future reference, you may want to use this wonderful guide

Guide How to Top Up (PAYG) 

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Haha, yes, @Cleoriff - if O2 could be relied upon to accept a credit card for first Top-up on a new PAYG SIM and new phone, then I wouldn't need this whole belt-and-braces for an 11-year old's Christmas Present... 

The wonderful guide alludes to how tetchy top-up can be first time around:

O2 already shot themselves in the foot by (a) asking for an email address during the (anonymous) O2 online Shop purchase process, and when I switched to my MyO2 account to order, (b) dropping the young'un's new phone number in as a managed device in my own MyO2. 

Hence the belt and braces, as I intend to divest myself of his mobile on my MyO2 (seems to be an option there to do this now, at least!), and register his number against his own MyO2 account, yet to be created. 

Christmas presents - a minefield when dealing with Tech 😖

[Cleoriff]

Although after first top up, you should be able to register a card @pgn ....(hopefully)

[MI5]

As you already have a card registered in your wallet @pgn you would probably have been fine to use that.

But never hurts to have a backup with O2.....

[pgn]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

Although after first top up, you should be able to register a card @pgn ....(hopefully)

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Yep. I can't be doing with a wee lad's tears on Christmas morning, and no Pay-Point Shop open, and Tech Support on minimal staff, when the O2 Web-Top-up says "Transaction declined". Or "Invalid e-mail address for MyO2".