O2 Dillema - iPhone

[yusavio]

Sorry for the cross posting but felt a separate thread was more appropriate

I have a slight dilema with my O2 contract and would appreciate any advice

I've been an O2 customer for over 2 years, my O2 contract finished in August but I kept it going as a rolling contract. I upgraded my O2 contract after September 18th and got a 8600 which was sold on ebay for a tidy profit.
I was signed up on an 18 Month contract, £35 a month with 600 Mins, 500 Txt Messages.

When activating the iPhone, I transferred my current contract onto a new iPhone contract hence paying the £219 transfer charge. Everything went seamlessly and I've been very impressed with O2 and the ofcourse the iPhone.

Now, do I create a headache for my self and cancel the iPhone contract, revert to my old £35 a month contract (with 400 more minutes 300 more text messages) and downgrade the firmware to 1.1.1.
I will get £219 transfer charge refunded but will have to get the data bolt on for £7.50 a month.

Or do I stick with the iPhone contract.

Here the cost for the 18 months on the current contract £849

And if I was to revert to my original contract, the cost would be £765 (but I would have 400 more minutes, 300 more text messages)

Cheers

 

[abrooks]

Errr, tricky one...

According to O2 you have a 14 day period in which you can cancel your iPhone O2 Contract, whether you'll have to pay to move back to your old contract, I don't know.

In O2's terms they also state that cancelling a contract requires the iPhone to be returned to its place of purchase, can't see why...

 

[TonyHoyle]

In O2's terms they also state that cancelling a contract requires the iPhone to be returned to its place of purchase, can't see why...

Can't see how they could enforce it either - you buy a phone from the apple store it's yours. They can't force you to return it, short of sending guys with big guns to your house.

 

[yusavio]

Can't see how they could enforce it either - you buy a phone from the apple store it's yours. They can't force you to return it, short of sending guys with big guns to your house.

Well, even guys with small guns would convince me

I still have another week to decide and it doesn't seem as straightforward as I had imagined.

 

[robelkin]

You have to remember, if you keep your previous contract, in 12 or 18 months you get another free phone, which you can sell and make a profit.

If you look at the numbers, and the fact that the iphone can/will be unlocked, then there is a good case for someone who has been with O2 not to get the iphone contract.

Take my situation, much like yours:

Been with O2 for 3 years.

Was on £20 a month for 500mins/400texts rollover, with a free phone.

I could have gone to an iphone contract, costing me an EXTRA £25 a month, plus the cosrt of the phone. But what I did was get the orbit when I renewed my contract with 400 mins and 1000 texts, sell on ebay, buy the iphone for a net cost to me of £60. Plus, I added the £7.50 data bolt on, so £27.50 a month compared to £45, and all I lose was the visual voicemail. Just waiting on iphone unlock now.

The great thing about this is that in 18 months, I get another smart phone (orbit, whatever), and sell it and buy a new iphone which I will get unlocked then as well.

My saving is £315 over the 18 month contract. So I make the saving and still get free iphones.

I think O2 are screwing their existing customers, and so you should cancel your iphone contract and make some money!

 

[yusavio]

You have to remember, if you keep your previous contract, in 12 or 18 months you get another free phone, which you can sell and make a profit.

If you look at the numbers, and the fact that the iphone can/will be unlocked, then there is a good case for someone who has been with O2 not to get the iphone contract.

Take my situation, much like yours:

Been with O2 for 3 years.

Was on £20 a month for 500mins/400texts rollover, with a free phone.

I could have gone to an iphone contract, costing me an EXTRA £25 a month, plus the cosrt of the phone. But what I did was get the orbit when I renewed my contract with 400 mins and 1000 texts, sell on ebay, buy the iphone for a net cost to me of £60. Plus, I added the £7.50 data bolt on, so £27.50 a month compared to £45, and all I lose was the visual voicemail. Just waiting on iphone unlock now.

The great thing about this is that in 18 months, I get another smart phone (orbit, whatever), and sell it and buy a new iphone which I will get unlocked then as well.

My saving is £315 over the 18 month contract. So I make the saving and still get free iphones.

I think O2 are screwing their existing customers, and so you should cancel your iphone contract and make some money!

Cheers for the advice mate, your situation pretty much mirrors mines and the 8600 which I got free has paid for the iPhone, just the extra £219 charge and lack of minutes, messages.

I'll cancel the iPhone contract, switch back to my 600 mins, 500 sms contract and buy the O2 bolt on for £7.50. Visual Voicemail is a feature I can live without and the bonus of getting £219 refunded is a big factor.

 

[mhuk01]

Cheers for the advice mate, your situation pretty much mirrors mines and the 8600 which I got free has paid for the iPhone, just the extra £219 charge and lack of minutes, messages.

I'll cancel the iPhone contract, switch back to my 600 mins, 500 sms contract and buy the O2 bolt on for £7.50. Visual Voicemail is a feature I can live without and the bonus of getting £219 refunded is a big factor.

i currently have an unlocked US iphone on vodafone in the uk. just got off the phone to o2's network services who confirmed that if i switch to o2 (normal PAYG or contract) then they can activate visual voicemail for me, its just a button they have to press!

i'd be grateful if anyone on a normal o2 PAYG/contract with an iphone can try this for me before i switch. just call o2 switchboard on 0113 2722000 and ask for network services...

 

[slicedbread]

i currently have an unlocked US iphone on vodafone in the uk. just got off the phone to o2's network services who confirmed that if i switch to o2 (normal PAYG or contract) then they can activate visual voicemail for me, its just a button they have to press!

i'd be grateful if anyone on a normal o2 PAYG/contract with an iphone can try this for me before i switch. just call o2 switchboard on 0113 2722000 and ask for network services...

wow i find that hard to believe. Not that i'm saying you are lying, but that O2 would even consider this!

With visual voicemail an iphone only feature, they would surely expect only legit UK O2 iphone users to be able to access it? What about hacked UK iphones, how are they gonna let you use the voicemail if you aren't on the expensive iphone plans?

 

[mhuk01]

wow i find that hard to believe. Not that i'm saying you are lying, but that O2 would even consider this!

With visual voicemail an iphone only feature, they would surely expect only legit UK O2 iphone users to be able to access it? What about hacked UK iphones, how are they gonna let you use the voicemail if you aren't on the expensive iphone plans?

i'm not saying that it's gonna be their official policy or anything, but at the end of the day all you need to personally do is speak to a nice guy at the end of the phone who is able to press the button (ie not the standard services staff, the network/IT people)
hope that makes sense.... i definitely made it clear that my iphone hadn't been bought in the uk from o2.

 

[arkitect]

i'm not saying that it's gonna be their official policy or anything, but at the end of the day all you need to personally do is speak to a nice guy at the end of the phone who is able to press the button (ie not the standard services staff, the network/IT people)
hope that makes sense.... i definitely made it clear that my iphone hadn't been bought in the uk from o2.

Are you sure he heard the visual bit of visual voicemail? And not just voicemail?

I know some iPhone users had to have their voicemail activated by O2…

Also bear in mind some support staff will say amost anthing to get you off the line. Not as bad as some sales people wanting to do a sale… but still…

 

[mhuk01]

Are you sure he heard the visual bit of visual voicemail? And not just voicemail?

I know some iPhone users had to have their voicemail activated by O2…

Also bear in mind some support staff will say amost anthing to get you off the line. Not as bad as some sales people wanting to do a sale… but still…

you're right... i'm gonna give them another call and make it extremely clear!

 

[mhuk01]

..spoke to network services again and they seemed certain i could get it switched on but told me to speak to the iphone customer services team....

...who obviously just gave the usual 'we only support UK based iphones'