News about O2’s Home Broadband and Home Phone Service

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,

We have reached agreement with Sky for them to acquire our consumer Home Broadband and Home Phone business.

For more information on what this means, read more here: http://o2lin.kr/Z1CRJT

If you’d like to read our press release, it’s here: http://o2lin.kr/Z1zF10

O2 Social Media Team

[Anonymous]

I've been with O2 for several years now and never had cause to complain. The CS at O2 has been exemplary in my experience. I've constantly recommended O2 to friends, family etc.

My issues about Sky taking over O2 are purely ethical. If I'd have wanted Sky as a provider I'd have taken out a contract with them. I didn't and I don't. I'm happy to say that if I have to remain with Sky because of my contract with O2, I'll never do business with O2 again.

[Anonymous]

I agreed to a new contract over the phone with O2 ten days ago, am I right in thinking I have a 14 day cooling off period and can still cancel.

Not a chance am I wanting anything to do with Sky and it's awful service.

[Anonymous]

I am sorry for the O2 employees, including the ones on this Forum, they are probably wondering if they will still have a job and may not like the possibility of working for Sky any more than we do being a customer.

We can always change provider, they the employees are between a rock and a hard place.

As many have said it will take time; I have been through change of ISP before with Metronet being purchased by PlusNet.

I would guess the decision was made by the O2 parent Telefónica they want the money and Sky want the network and hope to keep a proportion of the customers.

I would be surprised if we see any change within in year; it need approval and has only been agreed in principal. There needs to be careful planning or the integration will be a disaster (which may well be the case).

For now I’m staying put either until my contract ends in September or the service goes down, but will not be going back on to an annual contract. It’s easier to just leave than argue the service is substandard and that’s the justification for ending the contract.  I expect I will be leaving but in no hurry.

[Toby]

Hi DC-SonA,

Some great discussion points in your post. You're right, this change is taking lots of planning and preparation so at the moment there are not a lot of details save for the FAQs which will be added to regularly.

The community will be here to deliver all news as it comes, so I'm glad everyone who has just joined the forum has found it so they will be able to see when we update with more news.

Cheers, Toby

[Anonymous]

Were you still in contract with O2? Because I'd like to jump ship early as I just joined Sky so that would work for me.

[Anonymous]

A few years ago i was happily with UKonline for email broadband etc. I had been with them since they started in 1995 and happily paid my monthly account for a superb service. They were taken over by Sky and many promises were made and an answer sheet similar to the one quoted here was issued.  After a short time Sky announced they were closing down UKonline; the service and the email accounts of everyone.  The only option was to go elsewhere or more over lock stock and barrel to SKY.  No negotiation and no one available to discuss technical matters.  Took 3 days of my professional effort as an IT consultant to effect the changes, reprint documentation, etc etc.

I am worried and have a terrible deja vue premonition.  Hello Plusnet+

[Anonymous]

Agree with several other posts - shame about this news of O2 sell out to Sky.  It was customer service that attracted me to O2 as a broadband provider.  Sadly Sky just don't seem anywhere close as the Which? site reports;

"The true test of a broadband provider in our survey is how good its customer satisfaction score is. This draws on both the users' overall satisfaction and how likely the company's customers are to recommend it. Sky's score of 51% here is disappointing, and a long way below the top of the table - certainly not enough to earn it a place as a Recommended Provider. Though it's still a long way from being the worst in our survey, there are plenty of alternative choices that outperform it."

And I think the alternative choices will be the ones I'll be looking at..........

[Anonymous]

Hi thesevampires. I checked on the terms and conditions sent to me when I renewed my contract. You have FOUTEEN says to cancel but it must be in writing (I don't know if email counts or whether you can ring up and then confirm in writing). You're lucky. I did the same and when the announcement was made I was on day 16 of my contract so I can't simply cancel. Will still be moving though.

[Toby]

Hi scotilla and MikeH5678,

Great to see that you have joined the discussion about this news with some interesting points.

As I get more exact details about the news, I shall update the community.

Cheers, Toby

[Anonymous]

If "Toby" can find anyone with a distinctly positive word on this move then Id be surprised.