Hello
I would appreciate advice on my issue with O2 and a faulty handset.
Background:
I have a Samsung S22 Ultra, purchased last Nov on a 36 month contract (with 24 month airtime contract).
There is approximately £800 outstanding balance.
The phone began to malfunction at start of August and following extensive engagement with O2 and Samsung, it was agreed to send in for repairs. This was done last week (8th).
On 12th I got text confirmation that the phone was faulty but could not be repaired, and that I would be sent a new one. Today (13th) I was informed that the S22 Ultra is out of stock, is reportedly ‘on order’ but no date for delivery of a replacement.
My understanding is the S22 Ultra is no longer manufactured by Samsung and is showing as out of stock on both their website and all major mobile phone providers, inc O2. Given it is no longer in production I do not see how I can get a replacement dispatched to me.
O2 Repair team have told me that the only phone they can send me is a Samsung S22 Ultra, but accept that it is not in stock and no longer produced. They cannot send me any other phones.
They suggested firstly paying off the outstanding balance of the handset and then upgrading my phone, but pointed out this would be a new contract, so they’d no longer be liable to help for the outstanding Samsung S22 issue. I would have paid over £1000 and have nothing to show for it as the handset is with O2 and I'd be on a new contract.
They then suggested I wait 7-10 working days for the handset and if it didn’t show up they’d look at it again -but when I pushed on what that meant in terms of resolution, they couldn’t say – they merely said a manager could take a look then.
They then said they would ask me to get a new account and handset and port the number over and then they would apparently clear the outstanding balance on the old handset – but this was phrased as a ‘my manager and I think this is the solution’ and wasn’t phrased as proper O2 outcome. When I spoke to the new sales team, they had no idea what I was talking about and tried to set me up for a new contract – but weren’t clear how the old handset and airtime contract would be cancelled, particularly as there is no formal note on the file. I decided not to do this as I had no confidence that, based on prior engagement with O2 on this case where teams don’t leave notes for the record, that I would be able to get the balance wiped, and that at worst I would end up paying for 2 mobile phone accounts.
Outcome
What I’m trying to work out here is how to fix this? Can anyone advise on the following:
- How likely are O2 to get a shipment of new S22 Ultras in the next week?
- Should I pay off the balance off the phone to try to open up the possibility that the system could then offer me a ‘like for like’ replacement that isn’t an S22 Ultra?
- What is O2s legal liability under the contract to provide me a new phone, given that its under warranty still – how do I hold them to this when the phone I bought is no longer manufactured – is there a form of words or legal route I need to use to force this issue?
- Are there any ways out of this that enable me to walk away from O2 and the contract – I was toying with paying handset off with my Amex then when replacement isn’t shown, dispute the transaction through Amex to get it taken more seriously.
I’m utterly sick of O2 here – no one talks to each other, no one has any power to fix problems and I’ve spent about 4 hours on the phone today listening to people openly contradict each other, or tell me there is no fixing what should be a really easy fix.
I just want a working handset sent to replace the handset that O2 admit is beyond repair – why is this so difficult?
