Boostbox setup

[JulianMobile]

Hi,

Thanks to anyone that can help.

I have poor reception in my basement, it was ok, but its just too unreliable now.

I have tried to set up wifi calling, but my phone, while it says it does wifi calling online, does not have O2 firmware, as I bought it independently, and so that is not an option, unfortunately.

So, I looked online at the information about a Boostbox, the only other solution:

Boostbox guide | Help & Support | O2

and so I bought a Boostbox.

The support pages say to call 202 to add someone and I spent over an hour on hold today, trying to do that.

The support pages also list the requirements for a Boostbox to work as:

"Your broadband must have an upload speed of at least 300Kbps (0.3Mbps) and a download speed of at least 2Mpbs."

Noticeably, despite what I was told before, the requirement to have a business account is not listed as a requirement on O2's website at all.

So, I have fulfilled all the requirements that O2 has listed on their website.

The Boostbox does seem to be working, now that I have made adjustments to my Router firewall rules to allow the traffic it needs through. The Boostbox has white lights, where they are needed.

I need to add my phone number to the box to get it working, I can't get hold of anyone when calling 202, does anyone have any idea how to get this working please?

Is there a number perhaps to get straight through to Boostbox to ask them to do what the O2 website says they will do if I call 202?

I have all the serial numbers and details for the Boostbox and the O2 numbers I would like to add, just no one to tell them to!

I would be very grateful for any help at all please.

Regards,

Julian

[MI5]

@JulianMobile 

As you have alluded to above, they are for business accounts only.

[Bambino]

@JulianMobile We have always been told that the Boostbox was not available unless you were a business customer. If you contact O2 and they become aware that you are only a personal customer it may cause you problems. Perhaps someone else in the community with more tech savvy than I have can point you in the right direction.

[Enlli]

As to WiFi Calling there is a likelihood that your phone will work with O2. Despite the warning O2 have not used specialist firmware for some time.

Not one phone in our house was bought from O2 but all work.

More than likely it needs turning on in your account as it's not there by default 

Contact O2 regarding that

[madasaf1sh]

@JulianMobile 

There are some consumers who have a boost box grandfathered,  they can not get a replacement or buy a new one. They are no longer available to Consumers..

o2 wont add them, as you you need to go via Business Customer Services, and have a business account, with the Boost Box registered to the account...

o2 don't even give them away for free, they now cost between £200 and £300 for the box. 

I would return the boostbox to where you bought it from, and get a refund.. 

You dont need a phone with o2 firmware to use WiFi Calling, you need to call o2 to enable it on your account, and then turn it on, on your phone..

[MI5]

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@madasaf1sh wrote:

You dont need a phone with o2 firmware to use WiFi Calling, you need to call o2 to enable it on your account, and then turn it on, on your phone..

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In 90% of cases but there are some phones that specifically need O2 firmware, so, depends on what phone @JulianMobile has?

[JulianMobile]

Thank you all for your quick replies.

I am going to call O2 business and see if they will help. I don't mind opening a business account, if I must. But really O2 should be held to the information on their website; that is very clear about what is required and having a business account or a Boostbox supplied by them are not requirements listed where they should be if they are requirements - that's misleading and unhelpful.

Wifi calling is turned on on my account - I have been and checked online "You currently have WiFi and 4G Calling turned on."

My phone, a Sony Xperia 1 ii, would seem to be compatible, even without O2 firmware, but it does not have a Wi-Fi calling section - I have searched the Settings area and its just not there.  It does actually say under "Set up Wifi and 4G calling for Sony, under How to set up Wifi and 4G Calling?, just at the end "To get Wifi and 4G Calling, your device will need to use O2 firmware*. It should do if you bought it direct from us in an O2 shop, online or over the phone. We’re working to make it available on other devices as soon as we can be sure the experience is great. We’ll get in touch when this happens." I don't think waiting for them to get in touch will be fruitful.

I bought the Boostbox from someone who no longer needs it and I anticipated this problem, but not the difficulty in actually making contact with the Boostbox people at O2. The person I bought it from is also happy to call O2 to add me to the list, but I would like to be able to give them clear instructions, if I do ask them to do that and there is no way to get through to Boostbox - I spent an hour on the phone today trying to do just that.

I will try tomorrow calling the Business part of O2 and see what they can do. But I pass all the requirements  published publicly by O2 and so should be able to get the Boostbox working as advertised. Otherwise, what's the point of listing requirements at all?

It says very clearly the following:

"If your home or office doesn’t have O2 coverage, you can get a Boostbox. It works as a signal booster and connects to your broadband to give you a 3G signal. You’ll need a 3G or 4G phone to use a Boostbox." It says "HOME or Office", not just Office and "you can get a Boostbox", not "you must get a Boostbox from us", for example, it could not be more misleading, if a business account is necessary.

Further, it says, under "What do I do if I need help or my Boostbox breaks?":

"Call our Customer Service team on 202 free from your O2 mobile. Or call 0344 8090202 from a landline which is charged at the standard UK rate."

These are the contact details, not for O2 Business, but for O2 Personal; Business is contacted on 8002 or 0800 977 7027.  This is not the only time the website says to call 202 and not 8002. 

There is nothing at all about needing a Business account, but they repeatedly imply that personal accounts would be fine - not ok.

Thanks again for the replies.

Julian

[madasaf1sh]

@JulianMobile 

You can only open an o2 business account if you are a business, o2 will then happily sell you a boost box for £180+vat

Also be aware you will have to pay off any minimum term on the personal contracts before been allowed to move them to o2 business..

Also like most companies they keep the guide up for customers who already have one, as it's a support document not a sales document.. 

At the end of the day you didnt purchase one from o2, o2 no longer provide them to consumers..

The other problem is that the box is registered for Emergency Calls and only the person who bought the box can change that..

I wish you luck, but it could end up being a very expensive folly

[JulianMobile]

Thank you for your reply.

I understand business accounts, minimum contracts and what it means when a company like O2 publish information on their website.

I hope it's not folly to try to get a Boostbox working as O2 intended and given I have a working one, the expense needn't be large - need it?

Can anyone help sort out the problem please? Can anyone help me contact Boostbox Support, for example?

Thanks again, regards,

Julian

Regards,

Julian

[MI5]

@JulianMobile 

I can ask @O2Sarah- to check