SIM Only Upgrade Eligibility

[MaxWilkesUK]

 

 

Just joined O2 today (Unlimited SIM Only £22p/m - Summer Special). On signing up the eligibility checker was like “You are likely to pass our credit check” but the order was actually referred to the credit risk team. A few hours later received a text saying it was all approved.

The plan page (when ordering) said “Option to upgrade to a new phone and plan after 3 months” however my brand new MyO2 account seems to be suggesting I am eligible to upgrade today? Would this be a free upgrade? Or would it require paying the remaining 24x £22p/m (early upgrade fee). I’m not looking to upgrade as am happy on SIM Only (using the eSIM in my iPad Pro), but just asking more out of curiosity than anything else. I was expecting to be able to upgrade after 3 months like the plan page suggested but is this something anybody else has experienced?

Also, would it be a whole new credit check (as in hard search) or would it just be a soft search like some networks do for upgrades (even from SIM only to device…EE, for example, only hard search new customers).

Is this “special offer” upgrade option being available immediately because O2 are confident I am eligible already? Even though I haven’t even received or paid my first bill yet. Seems a little odd since I’m still trying to repair credit history.

[MI5]

@MaxWilkesUK 

Sim only accounts can upgrade at anytime to a device plan and yes, further credit checks are required.

[MaxWilkesUK]

@MI5 As in a FULL (hard) credit check as if you were a brand new customer? And doesn’t take your existing payment history with O2 into consideration but rather treats it as a brand new application based off credit reference agencies alone? (Similar to joining O2, or any other network for the very first time).

Or a soft one that also takes your existing payment history with O2 into consideration (which is the case with some other networks and, from what I’ve read, with O2’s “Switch Up”). Just for clarification.

[MI5]

Full hard check @MaxWilkesUK 

Everyone now treated the same regardless of history or length of time with O2.

Another "improvement" introduced with the Virgin Media merger.