Phone cut off

[Anonymous]

I’ve been an o2 contract customer for six years. I run a small business and use my phone extensively, resulting in bills of around £100 per month.

A couple of weeks ago, got a text message out of the blue from o2 informing me that I had been disconnected. Not only had outgoing calls, texts and data been barred, but I was also unable to receive incoming calls. In other words, the SIM had been completely disconnected. 

My account was up to date as I’d paid the last bill a week previously. The text basically told me that I’d been disconnected because I’d spent £35 over my monthly contract amount. However, this wasn’t an unusual pattern of usage for me as I use a lot of 0845 numbers in the course of my business.

This caused me great inconvenience. I was working on a site with no access to a landline and was obviously unable to contact o2 from my mobile.

When I did eventually manage to contact o2 I was told that this was a result of a new credit control policy implemented by o2’s management. Although I was immediately reconnected, I had at this stage been left without any means of communication for several hours.

Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated, because I am now having great doubts about the integrity of this company.

Gary.

[MI5]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I wonder if this was a mess up and they needed an excuse to hide it !

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LOL, cynical, but most likely Maybe Leonard can check the policy for us?

[jonsie]

It's certainly nothing I've heard of before but it's good that the OP was able to be reconnected straight away.

[Anonymous]

I have just copied this from the terms and conditions, may be the reason you were cut off.

5.10 We can’t set usage limits on your account. We’ll try to monitor usage of the Service through your account to control our credit risk and your exposure to fraudulent usage or unintended Charges caused by your usage, but we can’t guarantee this and O2 is not responsible or liable for any such fraudulent usage. If we see usage on your account that causes us concern, we might restrict use of the Service on your SIM Card and/or bar your SIM Card. You’ll need to contact us before you can use any of the chargeable aspects of the Service again. You may also have to make an interim payment before the Service can be restored. You may be able to track your own usage on our Website.

[perksie]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I have just copied this from the terms and conditions, may be the reason you were cut off.

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The OP was aware of that, it's the fact they were cut off without warning they're unhappy about.

[Liquid]

From reading the T&Cs I don't think it apples here. If he normally goes over his bill so much I can't understand why they'd choose to cut him off this time.

Got to agree with others it can only be a mistake.

[Anonymous]

The OP states  "A couple of weeks ago, got a text message out of the blue from o2 informing me that I had been disconnected."  I may be wrong but how could he get a text if he was disconnected?  so sounds like he was informed before being cut off. 

good luck getting them to admit they made a mistake.

[Liquid]

They tend to still allow incoming sms/calls for a while after "disconnecting" a service.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Liquid  didn't realise that.

[Liquid]

I definatly agree with you though I believe you'd have more luck getting blood from a stone (is that the right saying?)

[Anonymous]

Let me clarify that. The text was sent immediately before I was disconnected. By the time I’d read it, 30 seconds later, my phone service was gone. So this wasn’t an attempt to establish contact with me and I never had a chance to reply.

I’m still none the wiser, but thanks anyway for all your replies.

Gary.