More support websites zero rated during COVID-19

[Chris_K]

O2 announces zero rating for support websites during COVID-19

• More than 20 websites zero-rated on O2 in addition to NHS websites
• From today, O2 customers won’t use any of their network data when they browse a range of financial, health and emotional support and advice sites on their O2-enabled devices
• Additional zero-rated sites include Citizens Advice, Money Advice Service and Mind

O2 has today announced a zero rating on more than 20 additional support and advice websites to help its customers access the support they need, worry free, during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Customers who are on O2 won’t use any of their allocated monthly data allowance when browsing a whole host of support, advice and charity sites on their mobile.

As well as the NHS, which O2 announced it was zero-rating last week, O2 customers can also browse 22 additional support and advice networks, including Citizens Advice and Mind.

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Mark Evans, CEO, O2 (Telefonica UK)

Our customers are the most important thing to us, and we want to ensure that they have the support they need throughout this difficult time. That’s why, further to our announcement last week zero-rating NHS websites, we’re ensuring that additional websites providing financial, health and emotional advice and support can also be accessed by our customers without using any data allowance for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.

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The full list of zero-rated sites include:

Citizens Advice:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Financial Advice:

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en

https://www.stepchange.org/

Mental Health / Emotional Support:

https://www.samaritans.org/

https://www.mind.org.uk/

https://www.rethink.org/

https://www.anxiety.org/

https://youngminds.org.uk/

https://www.mindout.org.uk/

Support for Older People:

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/

https://www.thesilverline.org.uk/

Support for Young People:

https://www.themix.org.uk/

https://www.childline.co.uk/

Health Support:

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

https://www.asthma.org.uk/

https://www.bhf.org.uk/

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/

Disability Support:

https://www.scope.org.uk/

https://www.rnib.org.uk/

https://www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/

Bereavement Support:

https://www.cruse.org.uk/

For more information visit https://www.o2.co.uk/

UPDATE

We have this week expanded our zero-rated websites to include those that offer support and advice for victims of crime, sexual abuse and domestic violence situations and provide support for vulnerable children – and can now be browsed without using a customer’s data allowance. More details here on our press release.

The websites are:

• Victim Support – www.victimsupport.org.uk
• Rape Crisis – www.rapecrisis.org.uk
• The Survivors Trust – www.thesurvivorstrust.org
• Male Survivors Partnership – www.malesurvivor.co.uk
• Refuge and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline – www.refuge.org.uk
• Women’s Aid and Welsh Women’s Aid – www.womensaid.org.uk and www.welshwomensaid.org.uk
• NSPCC – www.nspcc.org.uk

[MI5]

I'm sure O2 shareholders will be impressed with your resilience but it's unfortunate that you'll lose so many customers.
For sure if I was cut off whilst trying to save the nation I would not be staying around any longer than I had to.

[MI5]

In fact, is there any point in us repeating the same unhelpful spiel over and over.
Closing the forum seems like the best idea right now and just list all the key facts on the closure page.
Login to any other website and there is a banner page stating if they are open, closed and other key facts etc.......

[MI5]

and don't worry about keeping our off topic community going. I know somewhere else we can do that

[Cleoriff]

@jonsie  Latest from this morning re the payment management team,

1) the call wont connect

2) If it does it cuts off after one ring

3) Some people getting a recorded message stating we can't take calls

All hopeless and leaving us helpless! As you say, O2 have put up a shield to avoid helping their most valauble asset, the customers.

[Mi-Amigo]

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@jonsie wrote:

How about a Q&A's topic pinned to the top of the community welcome page with what we can help with and what we can't as things are impossible at the moment.

@MI5 wrote:

In fact, is there any point in us repeating the same unhelpful spiel over and over.
Closing the forum seems like the best idea right now and just list all the key facts on the closure page.
Login to any other website and there is a banner page stating if they are open, closed and other key facts etc.......

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Totally agree.

Post a Q&A pinned at the top off the Community Welcome page - advising customers where to seek help, explaining and apologising for the long wait/disconnection.

Close the forum to new members - keeping it open to exisitng members.

Introduce a payment break for all PAYE and Monthly pay customers - with notice of that on the Community Welcome page.

All common sense. All helping the customers - especially those on the front-line who are saving lives.

In case it has escaped the attention of those in power at O2, who neglect to help the customers in the

current situation - think on this:

It might be you who needs help from those on the front-line, but only to find that the nursing staff can`t help you because they have no service from O2, can`t pay their bill, and can`t contact customer service. 

[jonsie]

My thoughts too...

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@MI5 wrote:
In fact, is there any point in us repeating the same unhelpful spiel over and over.
Closing the forum seems like the best idea right now and just list all the key facts on the closure page.
Login to any other website and there is a banner page stating if they are open, closed and other key facts etc.......

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[gmarkj]

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@Mi-Amigo wrote:

Post a Q&A pinned at the top off the Community Welcome page - advising customers where to seek help, explaining and apologising for the long wait/disconnection.

Close the forum to new members - keeping it open to exisitng members.

Introduce a payment break for all PAYE and Monthly pay customers - with notice of that on the Community Welcome page.

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Should be on the main o2 page, not just the community...

[Mi-Amigo]

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@gmarkj wrote:

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@Mi-Amigo wrote:

Post a Q&A pinned at the top off the Community Welcome page - advising customers where to seek help, explaining and apologising for the long wait/disconnection.

Close the forum to new members - keeping it open to exisitng members.

Introduce a payment break for all PAYE and Monthly pay customers - with notice of that on the Community Welcome page.

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Should be on the main o2 page, not just the community...

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Quite right @gmarkj 

[Cleoriff]

I don't do this for money, I post here as I enjoy posting and it keeps me busy but this situation has thrown the Community to the wolves as it were.

O2 can't help, so everyone is coming here and we can't help.

Vicious circle and extremely cheap labour.

[Mi-Amigo]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

I don't do this for money, I post here as I enjoy posting and it keeps me busy but this situation has thrown the Community to the wolves as it were.

O2 can't help, so everyone is coming here and we can't help.

Vicious circle and extremely cheap labour.

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It is obvious to anyone with an ounce of sense or compassion that you, and all the other members who have, and continue to give, your time, knowledge and advise do so because you care - even when you cannot help.

All of you are trying to help are hindered, fighting a deluge of questions, with one-hand tied behind your back, and the vicious circle will continue until the O2 powers to be actually do something for all customers.