O2 Refresh contract changes

[BlackpoolTower]

At present you can buy a phone on Refresh and if you wanted to, pay it off immediately (DEVICE plan) and the (AIRTIME plan) is cancelled.

Am I right in believing that from the 17th December 2021 that this will no longer be the case and you will now be subject to a MINIMUM 24 MONTH LINK BETWEEN THE TWO PLANS? In essence, they plan to compel you to pay for an expensive plan for 24 months whereas now, you can just leave after paying off the DEVICE plan?

[MI5]

@BlackpoolTower 

Not heard of that change - do you have a link to the changes anywhere?

[madasaf1sh]

Not heard anything either @BlackpoolTower 

Where have you heard this rumour? As this would go against FCA rules for loans and purchase agreements?

I have noticed on the website now that on a 36 month plan the device plan is the only one for 36months the airtime is left at 24months

[BlackpoolTower]

Refresh plan

 

If you're contracted with us after 17 December 2021, the minimum contract term is up to 24 months. You must have a monthly rolling Airtime Plan linked with your Device Plan throughout your minimum contract term.

After 24 months, your Airtime Plan and Device Plan will unlink. After that point, you can choose to: (i) continue with your original Device Plan and Airtime Plan, (ii) continue with your Device Plan and terminate your Airtime Plan, or (iii) terminate both your Airtime Plan and Device Plan (provided that you pay the remainder of your Device Plan in full).

Airtime plan example

Airtime Plan, today to March 2022	Airtime Plan, April 2022 to March 2023	Airtime Plan, April 2023 to March 2024
£ Today's price	£ Today's price + RPI (announced in Feb 2022) + 3.9% (Price A)	Price A + RPI (announced in Feb 2023) + 3.9%
If RPI is negative, we’ll only apply the 3.9%.

Representative example

Duration of credit agreement

36 months

If you go through to order a phone you will get the above!

[MI5]

I need to read that when sober but you'd think they'd have better things to be doing than confusing the **** out of everyone!

[madasaf1sh · Accepted solution]

All o2 are doing is making the airtime a maximum of 24 months, and then you can continue with just the device plan, so its a break out clause... 

There are no changes to paying off early, as you have always been able to do even pre refresh

[BlackpoolTower]

So I can take a phnoe out still on a device plan, pay it off the next month and then the Airtime contract gets cancelled automatically?

[MI5]

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@BlackpoolTower wrote:

So I can take a phnoe out still on a device plan, pay it off the next month and then the Airtime contract gets cancelled automatically?

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@BlackpoolTower 

I've read it a few times and the key words are "up to 24 months" so nothing changes as far as paying off is concerned in the first 24 months. it's after that the changes come into effect allowing you to cancel the airtime and continue paying for the device, which you couldn't do before.

[madasaf1sh]

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@BlackpoolTower wrote:

So I can take a phnoe out still on a device plan, pay it off the next month and then the Airtime contract gets cancelled automatically?

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To be honest, it would be better value to buy it direct from the likes of Clove and Apple etc, as your credit file will still take a hit......

[jonsie]

No change at all from what I understand of the wording