Adding Voice allowance to a Mobile Broadband Contract?

[Anonymous]

I'm currently 7 months into a Mobile Broadband Contract that I took out with a Dell Streak.
At the time, voice calls weren't a priority to me from this device but circumstances have changed and it would be advantageous if I could make voice calls on this contract too.
Does anyone know what my options are?
Thanks,
Chris.

[Anonymous]

You should call 202 and ask if you can do a tariff change to a standard tariff plus data bolt on. What tariff are you using the streak on now?

[Anonymous]

I called 02 and I've got to say they were less than helpful. Basically they told me that there was no way they could switch me from my current Mobile Broadband Contract to Standard contract with data allowance.
They said I would have terminate my current contract, paying the remaining months, and take out another one.
As it happens I will probably be able to sell the Streak and the accessories I have for it for the same price as it will cost to get out of my current contract.
Guess who I'll not be taking another contract with?
Very disappointed in O2.

[Anonymous]

What is the term of your current deal? Is it a standard 18 month or 24 month contract and definitely on mobile broadband with an allocated mobile number and sim card.
If your plan meets all the conditions I mentioned above what you need is nothing more than a simple tariff change. Call again and you may fare better. If still no joy ask to speak to a supervisor and calmly point out that you are still seeing out your contract on o2, and they never know their luck, you may even incur some extra call charges!
Surely common sense rules here?

[Anonymous]

The contract name is Mobile Broadband Laptop 25 24 Month.
Yes to the SIM and mobile number.
I might give them another try, if they don't want my money I'm sure another network will take it.

[Anonymous]

A transfer from a Laptop deal to a normal contract is not as simple as a tariff transfer from a T&C point of view when the contract was taken.
Different rules apply to contracts that include phones than ones that include laptops, such as lowering the tariff after a set period, technical support and R&R.
A person could take a laptop deal for 24 months, swap to mobile phone contract the next month, wait 9 months then call o2 and start lowering the tariff month after month as changing them to a mobile phone tariff would mean they would fall under mobile phone T&C's, not the original laptop T&C'S. This would not be possible on a Laptop deal contract as o2 make you stay on the same pricing band for the length of the contract as when you took out the contract.
This means you get the laptop at less than the rate you were meant to as o2 get back the money for the laptop in your monthly line rental and you were meant to be paying the full laptop monthly bill for 24 months, not 9 or 10 and then lowering it down month after month.
I am not saying this is fair or good, but that would be o2's argument.

[Anonymous]

Well, looks like it is no dice. Shame as otherwise I've been happy with the contract. I'll settle the contract and either keep the Streak and get it unlocked to use on a rolling monthly contract or sell it and change to something else.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, unfortunately laptop deals are a different box of badgers. Shame. Though you can't drop mobile tariffs every 30 days any more, you can drop them once.