£100 deposit for taking o2 mobile abroad?!?!

tomos42

I was furious when I phoned up o2 CS last week to make sure my mobile was set up to work abroad, and was asked to pay a £100 deposit to lift the calling bar.
Apparently as I haven't yet made 3 direct debit payments to my account, they can't lift the bar.
(I'm 2 months into a 200 + 100 texts contract from mobileshop)

Has anyone else been told this?

Needless to say I refused to pay, went to Paris last week and it seemed to work fine, although I didn't need to make any calls/texts as it happened.

Interestingly enough my girlfriend's orange contract from e2save did not work abroad, but then she didn't check to see if there were any restrictions before travelling.

Hope this info is helpful to someone.
Tom

redux

I was also told this recently, a couple of days after the contract started. I got Mobileshop to call O2 dealer support and say I would cancel the contract if they didn't change their minds, as I'd had a different account with O2 for over 3 years including roaming without problems, and didn't want to pay £100 deposit on the half-chance I might make a one minute roaming call on a one day trip (in the end it was 16 seconds), when I could use the other phone anyway. They called back to say O2 had allowed it without the deposit.

espresso

tomos42 wrote:

Interestingly enough my girlfriend's orange contract from e2save did not work abroad, but then she didn't check to see if there were any restrictions before travelling.

Sorry no experience of O2 but on Orange, a PAYG is enabled for roaming by default whereas an Orange contract has to have the bar lifted before it can be used abroad. Simple phone call and no deposit was asked for.

scoobysnaks

I have just taken out an 2 x o2 contracts a couple of weeks ago and both contract phones are enabled for roaming confirmed by o2, plus free int traveller service. (cheaper calls home 28pence min)

Also 1 free minute talktime and 1 free text home.

Time to check your credit file maybe?

Hope that helps you.

redux

scoobysnaks wrote:

plus free int traveller service. (cheaper calls home 28pence min)

Also 1 free minute talktime and 1 free text home.

not quite

incoming calls are 28p; outgoing ones are 58p

and I believe the other offer is on payg not contract

in fact, the contract inclusive texts can be used at 4 for 1 from abroad

scoobysnaks

redux wrote:

not quite

incoming calls are 28p; outgoing ones are 58p

and I believe the other offer is on payg not contract

in fact, the contract inclusive texts can be used at 4 for 1 from abroad

Not quite

As I am getting the int traveller service free - taken from my bill.

redux

scoobysnaks wrote:

Not quite

As I am getting the int traveller service free - taken from my bill.

But I did not suggest the monthly ITS fee was chargeable

You have misquoted the tariffs - outgoing calls are not 28p per minute, but 58p

on the lower part of this page

http://www.o2.co.uk/personal/abroad/prices/callingwhileabroad/0,,133,00.html

redux

In any case, for more than minimal use, it will be worth looking into getting a foreign SIM card in an unlocked phone.