[ozzyo99]

Hi folks,

Just wondering if anybody has recently upgraded (contract renewal) their mobile phone with O2. My contract came into it's upgrade period (last billing cycle) on June 10th so today I spoke to a few people to negoiate a better deal/new handset, however unlike previous years where they have offered me the earth, they aren't exactly playing ball.

Current contract:

O2 500
500 Xnet minutes
200 SMS
£17.50 per month all in (A 1/2 price line rental is applied from last negotiation).


Basically I'd like a Nokia N95 (but would settle for a K810i if needs be) but basically when I phoned up I was told the following:

-They CANNOT process 1/2 line rental deal anymore, meaning I'd be paying £35 a month on a new tariff offering 600 Xnet minutes and 1000 SMS. They would offer me 20% discount on that tariff meaning it was £28, but not on the N95 where £89.99 would be payable on top!!!

-They won't offer me a K810i on my current deal, as they no longer do this discount.

I phoned up 3/4 times and spoke to different people and all basically said the same thing. So my options seem to be:

1. Stay on my current contract and just don't renew it, alas no new handset but still good value at £17.50 a month.

2.Renew my current deal, but they won't give me a new handset still, but they will credit my account with £30.

3. Threaten to leave, ask for my PAC (see if that changes anything, I suspect not) and perhaps vote with my feet.

I'd like to hear from people who've recently managed to negotiate with these people (never used to be this hard) and anybody with any good deals on the N95 too (I've checked e2save/1stop etc).

Ideas welcome folks

[phatbear]

I recently had exactly the same problem with O2 on previous years I was able to virtualy name my price and they would bend over backwards to give me what I wanted, but no joy this year, so I popped to the local orange shop and got exactly what I wanted for a lot less than O2 wanted, and eh voila a nice new N95, oooh happy days.

So my suggestion is bin O2!!!

all the best

the bear

[ozzyo99]

Hm, well good too see it's not just me they're being awkward with. Did they offer you anything at all when you requested your PAC? I'm just disappointed that basically I'm getting no better of a deal than a new customer, but having said that I'm sure their business model is more about new customers than retention. Been on O2 now for 3 years...disappointed.

Out of interest what deal did you manage on Orange if you dont mind my asking?

[mburton2]

Ozzyo99....Be carefull!!

I *THINK* you'll find that when your 12 months is up, you will start paying the FULL price of o2 500 Tarrif £29.79+VAT NOT the £17.50 you are currently paying. At least thats what I was told a few moments ago....

I just managed to get:

E65 FOC
£25pm with 500xnet, anytime mins, 400txt
My Europe Extra FOC (Means I can receive calls whilst I'm abroad FOC, which is handy, as I'm spending alot of time buisness travel in Germany/Belgium...and was racking up about £7 a month "Calls received whilst roaming" charges)
Calls made whilst roaming at 25ppm

In total it means an extra £5pm ontop of my current tarrif (500Xnet, anytime + 400 Txt), but I can get rid of my N80, and HOPEFULLY at last have a phone with a half decent battery life!.

I wanted the N95, but its not been getting the good reviews I was hoping for.

[MrGKaplan]

Glad to see it's not just me with O2 woes.

I agree they seem to favour new customers and not give two hoots about loyalty and good word of mouth from older customers.

I have been with O2 online since they were Genie online (anyone remember them? - unlimited texts - those were the days )

I threatened to leave O2 at end of contract last October as they would not give me a free upgrade to Sony k800i. Frustrating as a new customer could get the same deal as me (200 mins 500 texts for £30 a month) and get the phone for free.

Highlighting this to the customer service and renewals staff didn't seem to do much. They said I had to terminate my contract and take out a new one with a new number if I wanted the phone. They didn't seem at all bothered when I pointed out how much hassle this would be for me as a loyal customer. I made sure I mentioned to a supervisor how poor their customer service was and still they would not budge and again seemed so unconcerned they were losing a customer and delivering rude and unhelpful service.

I called back the next day to terminate my contract and said I was switching networks. Suddenly they made me an offer - halved my bill to £15 a month and offered me the phone for £79.99 - I took this deal in the end but surely I shoudn't have had to struggle so much to get it?!

Looks like I too may get my price hiked back up come October if mburton2 is correct. Not happy on that one.

Sean Bean's warm friendly O2 voice doesn't seem so friendly now eh?

Anyone else any ideas on dealing with o2?

[ozzyo99]

Hi folks, thanks for the replies.

mburton2 I tried to clarify that today and was lead to believe that the contract will continue to remain at the said price for good, until I either terminate or take out a new contract. I will however call and again clarify this, as the person I spoke to one said occasion appeared to have issues speaking english

Basically they will offer me £30 credit to sign a new deal on the same tariff. However the tariff you mentioned for £25, can you give me the name of that tariff, as £25 isn't a bad jump if I can get a new handset K810i for example.

Not sure on any better deals out there at the moment either that don't need 50 bills sending off for redemption.

[mburton2]

Sorry ozzyo99, they didnt say WHAT the tarrif was going to be called..But I got the impression that it was still the o2500 tarrif, but they couldnt do it for £20 anymore, and had to charge £25...

[phatbear]

O2's argument when I asked for my PAC code was that because the N95 is a new phone they arent in the postion to offer anything on it, to which I said hold your horses the N95 is 3 months old I hardly call that new. oddly enough when i went to orange to get my phone and I asked if they could do anything on the extra bits like memory cards etc they said they couldnt offer any extras due to the phone being new out?? they also said this applied to the lg prada too, kinda odd.

All the best

the bear

[inkinoo]

Basically unless you are spending a decent about of money per month (ie more than £50 per month) mobile networks really couldn't care.

Get your PAC and move to Orange.

[dave_bass5]

Ive just finished a 12 month contract with O2 (through CPW) and i would like to stay with them as they dont muck about with the phones too much, unlike orange. I have no real complaints about the signal i have etc with O2.
I have tried 3-4 times to get a cheap N95 and a good tariff but so far no luck. I can get the tariff i want they want £80 for the phone and this is on a 18month, £30PM contract. While im happy to stay with them for that length of time i have a feeling i may not want to stick with the N95 that long.

Anyway, im now waiting for the Sony announcement today. If there is anything i fancy i might just stay as i am until the phone is released. Im very happy with my K800i and that's what's making it hard as i would like a better version like the K850 if it happens soon rather than a phone i would need to charge up every day etc like the Nokia

Only 4 hours to go

[Ianfromnotts]

sure I had an upgrade letter from e2save (CPW web) offering same deals as new customers which would give the n95 at £50 on a £30/month 02 18 month package mind you move to a £40 package with £140 cash back and get phone for free - hmmmmmmmm £10 x 18 less £140 less £50 = £10 cheaper and double the minutes

http://www.e2save.com/tmobile-mobile...learance/N95CL

[Ianfromnotts]

useful comparison here £35/month 18 months and free N95 reputable company

http://www.ebuyermobile.com/offer/8O235X516/

[ozzyo99]

Right just to update my thread, I've now managed to wrangle a deal which I deem suitable from them.

500 Xnet
400 SMS
My Europe
K810i
£25inc vat
12 month contract

Apparently I was only getting 100 texts a month, despite being told by someone from O2 I got 200, useless people. But the flipside is it makes paying the little bit extra more paletable given I now get an extra 300 SMS a month should I ever need them.

I basically in the end went through to retentions (instead of the useless upgrade dept.) and they offered me better advice and overall a much better package.

I gave up on the N95 in the end after playing with a colleagues, it's too slow for my liking. Thats before you get to the chronic battery life.