o2 UNABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE AT NEW ADDRESS

[Spitfire400]

Hi There,

Going try and keep this short and sweet if I can. My fiancee has been with o2 since 2005/06 roughly, though it may be slightly longer. That shows dedication to the network and brand I feel, if that counts at all these days or not is another matter.

She has 2 personal accounts, one which used to be her own, and additional line taken to get me my iPhone 4s when it was released, and now used to get upgrade to Sony Xperia Z. In addition to this, she has another personal contract taken out through Carphone Warehouse for her dad. Also, she has two business lines, one for herself and one for her younger brother (iPhone 5).

So quite a few lines really. We are moving home in approx. 6 weeks time to an address which shows coverage, but in reality has none indoors, with outdoors being very variable, and sometimes, more like quite often none at all. We are only going to be affected by this on her business line, and the personal line which Xperia Z was taken out on.

We have discussed this with agents on the phone numerous times, who have done nothing satisfactory other than suggest using TU GO, when we eventually get broadband connected at new house. At present, this does nothing to help with business number, as it is not yet compatible. Additionally, we are not going to have unlimited broadband for at least 3 months once we get hooked up, due to provider not having bragging rights at the exchange, having to lease the line for us from BT.

At no time on these phone calls has anyone been willing to accept that the coverage shown on website on coverage checker is very innacurate. Line of sight may be the problem, as the area has very varied terrain and forests. And it's in a valley, but maybe o2's systems don't show agents that. The postcode is KA6 7FD.

Why has there been no offer of discounting the line rental on two of the five numbers used by my partner? Effectively we feel like we are only getting to use 50% of the network, 10% of the time we are there, and still paying 100% cost for it.

Please, if one of the Moderators could respond, will provide any further details needed to resolve this, hopefully once and for all.

[adamtemp64]

You will only get a response from us customers here as it is a customer to customer forum.

But being a business customer ring 8002 from the business mobile and enquire about boostbox like vodafone sure signal. (costly but will resolve poor coverage indoors)

Checking your postcode confirms only outdoor coverage on 2g only nearest  mast some 2 miles to the south east along the main road.

P.s. as exchange is only bt providers like plusnet can give you unlimited adsl at that address .

[Spitfire400]

Thanks very much for responding so quickly. That mast, according to o2 themselves, only provides coverage in a south direction, and doesn't serve our village in any way. The nearest mast which does, is the one 5 miles north. We are very much considering cancelling these two lines, as other providers can give us 3g, without paying £150 for a box, which i'm told by agents needs to plug into our router at home, and only gives us coverage in the house. What about when we go into village for supplies, and someone needs to text or call us on the o2 numbers? Or when we need to check the Facebook page for the business, and can't without tethering or using wifi at the pub? And we are expected to continue paying full whack for this.

God it feels good having a rant about it, but if no-one from o2 moderates these posts, then I can expect nothing to change really.

[adamtemp64]

o2 do moderate just do not comment on this sort of issues.

And o2 are correct in not offering a discount as they cannot guarantee coverage in all areas.

But things are changing as o2 have agreed to provide 2g 3g and 4g coverage to 98% by population indoors (no other network took this obligation at the 4g auction) by the end of 2015. Also is there a vodafone mast nearer? (ofcom sitefinder shows one 50m or so south of the postcode) as the network agreement will allow o2 to site a cell on the vodafone mast. (may not happen until 4g upgrade for that area)

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

I'll no doubt get flamed for this but as it's your choice to move to that area I'm not sure what you expect o2 to do? Tugo is provided for you free of charge but you need to get your broadband sorted first.

[Bambino]

I don't think you should get flamed at all. I think your comment is spot on.

[Anonymous]

I'm afraid I have to agree if your in contract signal really is something you should look at before moving

[Spitfire400]

Here we go,

I should have expected these types of helpful suggestions I guess. We understood that at the time of taking these contracts we would have access via our mobiles to all of the services provided by o2. And that at times, the network would be subject to delays and faults. I appreciate that o2 as a service provider can not guarantee 100% coverage and use of the network at all times. However, what happens when they are unable to provide 0% coverage or use of their network at all times?

The information given about Vodafone and o2 partnership is, to say the least, vague at times, and so far can't find any set dates when o2 will be able to improve coverage. In a sparsely poplulated area such as the one we are moving to, I doubt there will be a priority to  do so by the end of 2013. This means that if we are to wait for 4g rollout before 3g even becomes available, then it's quite likely this won't be until closer to the end of 2015.

So at the end of the contract, when we have paid 24 months line rental x3 for phones that look good but don't make calls, text, or browse, we are then being promised coverage. That's a long time to wait it out.

And it's very easy to say, if there is no coverage there, don't move house. However, when it is a purpose built home for the needs of your physically disabled partner and daughter, you don't refuse the offer of moving there, simply because your network provider is being difficult and calling you a liar by saying there is good outdoor coverage when there clearly isn't.

So I will now quite happily continue paying for these three lines that I can't use at all, and can start to use indoors only when I get my broadband put in. Happily throwing money at three devices that I can't take outside because they don't work as advertised.

Thanks very much for your constructive destructive help folks. Much appreciated, just about as helpful as o2 customer care.

[Bambino]

Without wishing to trivialise the health problems of your family, you clearly should be able to comprehend that it isn't O2's fault that you have chosen to move to an area that has no coverage. I really don't know what you expect O2 to do? Did you check to see if any other network has coverage in your area before you took out your contracts? 

[Spitfire400]

We did check the other Network's coverage before taking out the contracts. And at the time of taking the contracts on, all the U.K networks were able to provide coverage at the address we lived in at that time. 

However, we are now moving to an area where coverage is not the same. It's not o2 to blame for this, and we are unlikely to blame ourselves for choosing to move to a property that better suits our needs. 

Surely, eight years with the provider, a gesture of goodwill to reduce the cost of the three lines out of the five currently held wouldn't be impossible to re-assure the customer that their loyalty is appreciated. If this was offered, we might even consider paying the £180 for the boostbox being offered as an upfront only payment to us.

Don't want to leave the network and go to another provider, but o2 don't want us to stay either.