Upgrade via uswitch

[Soggy6]

My pay monthly contract is coming to an end and I wish to keep my phone and number and just switch to a Sim only deal

I've found a real on uswitch which is better than what the O2 portal is offering 

How do these upgrades work..is everything just transferred automatically from old to new cobtri?

[TPP1986]

Thank you again!

Was looking at upgrading my S23 to the new S25

[Enlli]

One thing to consider is prices go up by £1.80 every April so the shorter the contract the better

[pgn]

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@TPP1986 wrote:

Thank you again!

Was looking at upgrading my S23 to the new S25

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For upgrades that include a new handset, sites like mobilephonesdirect are a good bet, cheaper than O2, and as they bundle handset and airtime in a single monthly cost, the £1.80 yearly uplift helps now, for a change - previously you got 13.7% (for example) applied to the total sum, @TPP1986 

Note you can also by handset outright from the manufacturer, lump payment or over 12 or 24 monthly payments. Good luck.

[bruceg]

I've tried the uswitch £8 32GB option - once it directs me to the O2 portal it only gives me the option to sign in or register with o2. That just gets me into a flow where I have 3 options regarding transferring my existing number - transfer my number from another provider, cancel my old number or "not now"
I don't get any option regarding "upgrade my plan" ...
Anyone else come across this?

[Enlli]

@bruceg  Just checked, the upgrade route seems to have disappeared. Not the first time, happened in April but came back

[Disae]

I have used this method in the past but the upgrade option no longer seems to be available 

[pgn]

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@Disae wrote:

I have used this method in the past but the upgrade option no longer seems to be available 

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The option disappeared for a while once before, @Disae - give it a few days, then try again, see if the Upgrade option returns. Good luck!

[Ex02_]

It seems as tho o2 have changed this again. So that this pop up doesn’t show and o2 only give you the option for a new eSIM or new physical sim. I spoke to a customer support and they said this only allows o2 customers to buy a new number and doesn’t actually upgrade existing plans. “This is only for switching from other providers to o2”. Has anyone come across this? I’ve used Uswitch before to update my plan and it worked fine

[madasaf1sh]

It is down to uSwitch and others as well as they dont make much money from existing customers upgrading, they make money from new customers..   So they have all removed the options..

You have 2 options: 
1. If your contract has expired then sign up for a new contract and ask o2 to migrate your number to the new contract (Reports have been made saying o2 have refused to do this).

2. Port your number out temporarily to a new network and then after a couple of weeks sign up for a new contract via o2 and port the number back. 

This isnt just o2 that do this but other networks do the same via the comparison sites

[pgn]

I suspect you'll find the "Upgrade" option from the likes of mobilephonesdirect and similar, where a new handset is cheaper than on O2's own website, also issue a new number and then leave the buyer to navigate the foibles of a number migration from old to new SIM/eSIM with O2.

You'd think there's be a caring, overarching, independent authority that was watching out for the consumer and stopping such knavery... 🤔