Was I misled? PAC / Porting my number to O2 from Three

[PaulRed]

I would like to get your opinions on an issue I have encountered during the recent transfer of my Three Mobile number  (Monthly contract) to an O2 PAYG SIM  on Tuesday, 5th March.

Following the use of a PAC code through O2's transfer form on Tuesday 5th March, my Three SIM was disconnected the next day; however, the intended number porting to O2 did not occur. Despite multiple calls to O2 customer services, where they resubmitted the PAC code and advised patience, I was then informed on Friday, 8th March, that it is purportedly impossible to transfer a Pay Monthly SIM from another provider to a PAYG SIM. Consequently, I was told I needed to take out a contract with O2 for a minimum of 12 months.

Feeling compelled due to the PAC code already being in O2's system and unusable elsewhere, I reluctantly subscribed to a contract to retain my old number. 

Since initiating the PAC code transfer and since Wednesday, 6th March, at 12 noon, I have been without my number. My primary concern is whether O2 was accurate in stating that a Pay Monthly SIM cannot be transferred to a PAYG SIM. Was I possibly misled or provided with inaccurate information to coerce me into committing to a 12-month contract?

I eagerly await your opinions in clarifying this matter. If O2's assertion is correct, I am perplexed as to why this information was not conveyed during the six previous calls and why their online form allows users to select a transfer from a monthly SIM to a PAYG. Conversely, if customer services provided incorrect information, I find myself in a situation where I have been obligated to enter into a contract against my wishes.

I appreciate your guidance.

Note: I have also sent this to OFCOM for their view on this case.

[Oxonian]

@PaulRed 

O2 are currently taking some eight weeks to investigate and respond to complaints, so you might have a wait before your hear anything.

Please keep us informed of developments. 👍 

[PaulRed]

@Oxonian and @MI5 just had a reply from the Ombudsman which may be usefull.

For Communications Ombudsman to become involved you need to have raised your complaint with your supplier and allowed them 8 weeks to resolve it or be in receipt of a deadlock letter from the supplier referring you to our service.

The regulator states that you must have made a reasonable effort in that eight-week period. A reasonable effort we consider is having evidence of making at least three contacts with the company spaced apart, whether they respond or not. Ofcom also state it is not unreasonable for the company to close a complaint if it has not heard from you for over 28 days.

The later part being key if anyone plans to complain. 

[Oxonian]

Thanks for the feedback @PaulRed, very relevant information. 👍 

[PaulRed]

@Oxonian @MI5 @jonsie @madasaf1sh @Enlli  Just an update.

If there is one thing that is consistent about O2 Customer Services, it is that every time you chat or call, you have to run through the whole issue every time despite, notes being taken on previous calls / chats. Working in support myself, It is no wonder that O2 Customer Service get such a bad press. They have no idea or cannot access the history of a case and I would say that 95% of the O2 Reps I have talked or chatted to either have no idea at all or simply lie to you to get you off the call.

So, if you remember, on Thursday 14th March I thought I was getting somewhere...  The O2 Rep, found that the number was locked in the O2 system and stated that he was going to raise an urgent request to unlock and port over.

Yeah, that did not happen. After calling today, simply to get an update, I had another rep run through the same questions for over another hour of my life and also stating that the number had been locked and it would need to be unlocked to port over. He also said, he could find no escalation from the other rep on Thursday 14th but on this occasion could view his notes after I pressed him and gave the other reps full name.

So, the rep today has also stated that he has raised an urgent request to unlock and port over my number and also added that he will personally monitor and also update me directly once the port is complete.

Oh, this will take a further 3 to 10 days. So, to date, I have been without my number for 15 days. So, I can expect this to be 18 to 25 days without my number. Probably longer...

This porting issue is on top of the fact that I was sold this contract on the basis that I was told it was impossible to port a number from a Pay Monthly (from my previous provider) to a PAYG.

I still have an ongoing complaint timeline (now on resolver) on this and I am now recording all calls (obviously notifying O2 that I am recording) - I have yet to get a response but do not expect one anytime soon.

At this stage, I am unsure if I should laugh or cry. O2 are a shambles when it comes to support, it should be such a simple task to unlock the number and port it across and I can only pray that my latest interaction today and the promises made come to fruition.

Fingers crossed for the next 3 to 10 days. I'll keep you posted if you are at all interested

[Enlli]

@PaulRed I don't think any of the regulars on here would be surprised at anything you have said.

I'm a newbie in relation to some (Just been here two years) It was bad when I joined but I've definitely seen standards fall further in that time. Whatever the rhetoric from the high ups about improving customer services things have got worse and the introduction of the new 360 CMS has proved a bit of a disaster, adding to the workload of an already overstretched CS

[PaulRed]

@Enlli Yeah, I thought Three had issues but they actually shine compared to O2. I think I had memories from when I was an O2 customer many years back and they actually gave a ....

As a side note. I have also emailed Lutz Schueler the CEO of Virgin O2 UK to ask him if he finds the two issues in my case and the resulting customer service acceptable and if not to maybe help escalate... I do not expect a reply.

[MI5]

He'll have his head to far up the shareholders asses to care about it

[Enlli]

Seeing Schueler was in charge of Virgin and their CS went down when he was in office, I don't hold out hope

[PaulRed]

@Enlli  and @MI5 Yeah,  I do not expect a reply but it does add to the final case file and towards my efforts to try and resolve this amicably.

[madasaf1sh]

He wont reply trust me, he doesnt respond to customers full stop, not on twitter not by email.. And to be honest you will have more luck in Rotherham United winning a game this season lol  @PaulRed 

If the number is locked then that will need to go to the network that owns your number as they are the only ones who can lock a port.. so good luck some of them are slow and as useless as some of the new cs reps...