O2 upgrade - possible loop hole..

PaulJM

Could be one for the grab it while you can this...I guess someone clever will move it if it is...

Mobile phone with O2 is due for upgrade now - went on O2 site and found out you can upgrade on there - usually I'd call as you can put more pressure on, but thought I'd check it out.
I don't really want a new phone, but if you're owed one, why not.
I note they offer up to £150 if you don't upgrade, which seems ok.

HOWEVER - I tried to put the new Palm Pre in my basket to see which contracts you need to be on to get it free (you go through the upgrade part of the site and put in your mobile nmbr to get a code through)
The contracts were the same as the I Phone ones - £40 per month with a charge if an 18month contract, or free for 24 month ones.
When I chose "use current contract" (£19/month!) and put the phone in, it came up completely free! Same monthly charge, no charge for phone. And on 12month contract!

I've received the phone - I might not even keep it but feels quite sweet - I've also taken some screen shots in case they try to charge me more!
Phone might be rubbish - but I tried a I Phone on the site and it didn't work this way! However, seems to be worth a couple of hundred quid, so I'll not be out of pocket!
might be worth trying??

DarkConvict

Ah the problems of computer systems, I am sure this will be closed by 02 shortly as it is bound to be noticed if this is an exploit of the system. Maybe you were entitled to it free as an existing customer?

You should probably ring 02 to check your account is set-up as you expect, you don't want a £40 bill. Do you have an written confirmation like emails of your new contract?

PaulJM

Darkconvict - thanks but trust me...I'm very careful! Been bitten too many times.
Could be because I'm an exisiting customer, but I know that currently this is a very expensive phone, which on my cheapskate contract is most probably not free!
12 months too!
Should be interesting!

OneADay

Sounds as if the £150 is used as contribution towards phone so phone is free. And your contract remains on 12 month period. The £19.58 is some new tariff according to their site.

O2 do let you stay on 12 month contract - I did when I upgraded in 2007 to N95 8gig (came "free").
The £150 is basically loyality credit for upgrading in my experience.

PaulJM

oneaday - yep you could be right...but it wouldn't let me do with with any other equivant value phone - ie all the others I was allowed free were basic phones that you could buy to what looks like a value of about £70.
This was is a brand new touch screen jobbie.

Maybe it's deliberate. Either way I'll get a load of enjoyment from it or a few quid

OneADay

Sounds good - its best to stick to 12 monthers so you are onto a winner.
Just think 12 months later, you could probably get an even cheaper tariff :eek:

DarkConvict

OneADay wrote: »

Just think 12 months later, you could probably get an even cheaper tariff :eek:

Thats the spirit

Nick68

I did this as well online.

Surprisingly it only worked if you picked the Palm Pre first and then selected your current tarriff, if you selected your Tarriff first and then selected the Palm Pre it wouldn't accept it. I was expecting it to get picked up and blocked but they delivered.

In all honesty though I don't think there's much point in having the phone unless you're going to take one or both of the Internet/Wifi bolt on's O2 offer. It relies a lot on useage of wifi or the net. It looks for a Wifi connection to download any updates to the operating system, if it can't find one after two days it will look to do it over the net apparently. We have WIFI at home and it connects to that but I did add on the "unlimited", ah em 200mb download a month limit, bolt on( last update was 79MB, be careful if not using wifi, any more of that and you're 200mb of Unlimited useage will be swallowed up!). I used to overspend on my tarriff with a bit of internet useage anyway so its only probably costing me about a £5 extra a month and cheaper than any tarriff O2 were offering plus I got the phone for free.

As for the phone itself I think the Jurys still out, had it a couple of weeks and its taking some getting used to, I'm not exactly using it to its full capability. They need to get to work developing some more Apps which are very limited especially as the phone has been out in the US since the beginning of the year. May improve but saw my brother in law last week and he had the new I Phone, frankly I was jealous!.

a27

Hey guys,
I'm trying to do the same thing (I'm due for an upgrade on a £20 contract) but I can't see the Palm Pre.
I can't even see Palm under the brands.

john0612

i can't see it either, looks like they've fixed the bug