Not offered a retention on CPW o2 - buying advice on new phone

parkside_stroller

I was a £5 a month customer on o2 through Carphone Warehouse. They called me a couple of months back offering me Sony Ericsson Satio for £30 a month with loads of mins and texts (have loads already and only use 100 - 200 a month of each). Unlimited internet - I use this sometimes and do a bit of picture messaging. I didn't take it at time - had heard bad things about Satio but I believe they have sorted these out now and its a phone I would consider.

I called them up last week - using a number on website - although I asked and was told that my call was free they charged me 20p a minute - I was charged nearly £4 for the call but did not identify a handset or deal I wanted during that time - seemed to rather persistent in offering me an iphone and I thought it was overpriced compared to other smart phones.
I asked them to call me back as I had to go to an appointment - agreed time and they didn't call back.
I called today and asked for disconnections and then for a PAC - explained that I had already been told by email that the 20p a minute charge for what I thought was a free call would not be refunded. I told her about the other stuff above and she put me on hold for a minute.
She returned to the call and to my surprise gave me the Southampton address to write to for my PAC - no attempt to keep a customer who has spent £35 minimum for last 20 months. The previous contracts may even have been more expensive or sometimes resulting in higher charges (can't remember). I have been with them for about 6 years if memory serves me correctly.
I am really very surprised about their failure to try to retain me - has anyone else had a similar experience?
Can anyone advise me on networks, retailers or choice of smart phone?
Would like to bring cost down a bit but thats not crucial.
Also like to be able to get email and facebook pretty much instantly and I am interested in possibility of using the android technology but thats not crucial to me.

DUTR

Realistically, there is no incentive for them to keep you, if you leave O2 is not going to close down, retention deals from any network are rarely anything to get excited about, the deals that are around are pretty much the same for any network and any handset.
As you leave to join another network, someone will be leaving another network to join O2

5867dude

I was a £5 a month customer on o2 through Carphone Warehouse.

That is your problem. They haven't earn't a lot of money from you, and also as they have to pay Carphone Warehouse as well, they are proberly making 50p a month from you if that. They don't want to keep you as it isn't financially viable.

And in response to your second question, I advise the Nokia 5230 which costs ~£70 on PAYG and free on contracts from £10 a month or even cheaper if you do cashback deals. I advise getting Internet with your plan and that is roughly £15 a month in total(http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/buy/NOKIA-5230-TD154-FCON)

robt_2

parkside_stroller wrote: »

I was a £5 a month customer on o2 through Carphone Warehouse.

no attempt to keep a customer who has spent £35 minimum for last 20 months. The previous contracts may even have been more expensive or sometimes resulting in higher charges (can't remember). I have been with them for about 6 years if memory serves me correctly.

Which is it? £5 or £35 a month?

Either way, if you aren't profitable they have no incentive to offer you an incentive to stay. Your spend has no relevance - but your profit to them has.

fatboy88

i thought you could get your PAC code over the phone

MJTHFC

fatboy88 wrote: »

i thought you could get your PAC code over the phone

With O2 through CPW you have to write. Not sure how legit this is but it seems to be the way everyone does it.

I'm about to get my PAC code from them. Anyone done it recently? What's the protocol?