[ecossef]

When I started working at a new company I was delighted when they offered me a contract phone. At the weekends and all available spare time to me I work as a filmmaker so having a phone is handy to phone/text cast and crew...so I went for the shiney new k850i thinking it was the bees knees. Whoops.

I took out an 18 month contract so I could get all the great deals - unlimited o2 calls and txts.

And then it went wrong. Fault after fault, my phone finally died on sunday during filming. I couldn't get into my texts, it kept saying "Operation failed" so I phoned customer services and explained my plight. I was told not to worry, they'll send me a replacement, but they no longer send out replacements for the k850i, so they would upgrade me to the c702, I said that it wasn't sufficient as the camera wasn't as good, so she said she'd upgrade me to the c902, fantastic. It would be with me on wednesday.

4.30pm today and still no phone. So I call o2 and they tell me that they have no c902 in stock, would I like a samsung? No. I don't like samsungs, I was told I'd get the c902. Apparently she wasn't meant to say that, she must be mistaken. They can send me out the k850i. A phone they apparently don't stock anymore replacements for.

I ask how much would it be to just upgrade to the c902. I can't. not unless I buy myself OUT of my current 18 months contract or wait 8 months to get a new phone. I asked how much it would cost me to cancel my contract, the woman vanished for like 5 minutes as she "figured it out" and came back saying £280.

£280 to cancel a contract just so I can upgrade and get a new phone!?

They can only send a new handset if I return my current handset 3 times.

So I can either pay £280 or accidentally wreck 2 more k850i handsets.

Any advice?

[SeanT]

Yeah, just take the other K850i, and upgrade at the end of your contract like everybody else... the warranty on the phone doesn't entitle you to an upgrade - only a repair (with a junk loan phone) or a like for like replacement. If you want to upgrade before the end of the contract, sell the brand spanking new K850i (to someone who'd be grateful for a cheap one, like me to replace my 810i) and buy a c902 (nearly new, from somewhere with a forum where they trade and sell phones, can't think where )

[ecossef]

Sounds like good advice.

Are you looking for a new k850i??

[richcandy]

Sorry to hear that you are not happy with O2 customer service. I am sorry to say that all UK networks are the same.

You might find the handset that you want on ebay for less than the cancellation fee.

[Rob_Meister]

Just thought I would add that replacment and repairs have always been pretty decent with O2. But it did take almost 2 weeks for me to recieve my first phone when taking out new contract. They took my address etc, but then phone kept getting returned to them and it turned out database was out of date and my house being newly built (6-7 months before) wasn't on it. So ended up getting sent to a relative!!

[RB211]

Like me, you'll probably find that O2 Replacement and Repairs send out reconditioned phones and it won't take long before these break either. Their quality control must be non existent. My original K850i broke in the same way as yours (could not access the text menus), the second phones screen stopped working after 3 days and the third phones touch screen buttons stopped working after a week.

O2 then offered me a choice of three other phones. I choose the N95 Silver, the first one broke after a week, buttons stopped working. The second N95 (my current phone) seems to be working just fine.

[kBm]

Originally Posted by RB211

Like me, you'll probably find that O2 Replacement and Repairs send out reconditioned phones and it won't take long before these break either. Their quality control must be non existent. My original K850i broke in the same way as yours (could not access the text menus), the second phones screen stopped working after 3 days and the third phones touch screen buttons stopped working after a week.

O2 then offered me a choice of three other phones. I choose the N95 Silver, the first one broke after a week, buttons stopped working. The second N95 (my current phone) seems to be working just fine.

All those broken handsets? -how big are your hands! Have you got massive thumbs or something!

I'll stick up for O2 - ive had no issues with the customer service, always found them to be very helpful. I havn't had a phone break on me yet though, so have not dealt with repairs etc

/touches wood.

[wildy74]

It could be worse, you could have been on Three.

[J7MAN]

I broke my n95 and had a brand new n95 the next day.

[wildy74]

Slightly (miles) off topic - what sort of films do you make

[Desmo]

Porn. Why else would you need a decent camera on set?

[RB211]

Originally Posted by kBm

All those broken handsets? -how big are your hands! Have you got massive thumbs or something!

I'll stick up for O2 - ive had no issues with the customer service, always found them to be very helpful. I havn't had a phone break on me yet though, so have not dealt with repairs etc

/touches wood.

O2 Customer Services have always been pretty good to me. Although I've had to have a pop at them when they sent me a new replacement handset with no charger and USB cable, I did get a months free line rental.

And as for Three, I ended up buying my contract out and going to Ofcom to get the money back but that's a different story.

[Sy1441]

Even though i work for a rival network I cant help but stick up for O2 in this case. Your handsets faulty so they've said they would replace it which is more than they need to do to fulfill their obligations as a retailer / network.

[sagor]

i have contract with o2, orange, 3, and vodafone,

o2 is the best