O2 unlimited broadband = approx monthly 40GB, 20GB preferred

dreamshiner

I found out last week O2 have decided to cancel my broadband account with 1 months notice. They say they are invoking the fair use policy. To say I'm annoyed is an understatement. I have been with them over 5 years and to get hit with this caveat is pushing my buttons.

I've written to O2 complaints team today outlining my concerns and personal circumstances to see what they come back with. I will update this thread accordingly.

I see that they have a company representative policing the thread so don't want to jeopardise my complaint by announcing anything particular to me on here before they come back to me.

From my discussions with them it would appear the unlimited internet they offer is limited to 40GB, above this you receive phone calls telling you to reduce it, however they are decidedly fuzzy about how much and to what level (how could you set a threshold when you sell it as "unlimited" after all).

Donnie

LLU or Access?

kwikbreaks

dreamshiner wrote: »

I have been with them over 5 years and to get hit with this caveat is pushing my buttons..

O2 didn't offer broadband until 2007.

Did you receive any warnings before the disconnection notice?.

If you don't have your MAC then get it now or there will be a delay in getting running with your new ISP plus you will certainly get lumbered with a 12 month contract without one as it is a new connect which costs the ISP ~ £45

To be fair to O2 they had no choice but to start to enforce their FUP on Access as the performance had been dire for ages even after their shaping/throttling efforts.

dreamshiner

I've been a mobile customer on a business tariff for over 5 years paying a fair whack. Broadband customer for 18 months.

I received a call telling me to watch my usage, I told them I didn't consent to them monitoring me on an unlimited contract. 2 months later, contacted and told it was ending one month later. No texts, emails or letters in the interim period.

When I was on the phone trying to speak to someone higher up the food chain I received the MAC code in a text message.

I understand some people rip the behind out of things, however I feel I used my broadband responsibly and I downloaded overnight. I also reduced my usage by almost half.

CrabPaste

I cant see your complaint going anywhere to be honest, other than an apology that you're unhappy and good luck with your future provider. I speak from my own experience of when another ISP did the same exercise some time ago.

They've taken the decision to terminate your contract, that's not a decision they'll have taken lightly, and I doubt very much they'll reverse their decision.

You not giving them consent to monitor your usage is neither here nor there. You've got a contract with them that has a fair use policy, like it or not, they'll monitor your usage.

Mobile phones and landline based broadband are very different beasts. Your broadband is supplied by BT, rebadged as o2. BT want to be paid for the extra bandwidth you're using, and o2 cant afford to do this for the amount you're paying for the broadband.

I'm not defending their decisions, just offering my perspective.

dreamshiner

It's just why advertise and sell it as "unlimited" when they clearly have a threshold of 40GB which they keep quiet and don't advertise - go above it then you've got someone on the phone giving you gip. I don't know how a company in this day and age can quote "unlimited" but add a little asterisk and some small print (especially with legislation such as the sale of goods act) and suddenly they are in the clear.

I think the only reason the will fight tooth and nail not to reinstate my contract is they are concerned of setting a precedent and then it becoming widespread knowledge on website such as this one. That's hardly a basis to run a business ethically or morally.

I'm going to ruffle a few feathers.

CrabPaste

I'm pretty certain that they'll have a non retention policy for heavy users, hell, that's an understatement, they're cutting you off!

They're terminating your contract. When you're no longer a customer of theirs, you've got pretty much nothing to go on. I know you're pi*sed, but all due respect, I see you getting absolutely nowhere with your complaint. I speak from experience (and not as a customer).

kwikbreaks

dreamshiner wrote: »

I'm going to ruffle a few feathers.

On the broadband front they won't give a damn. There is no chance at all that they will change their minds and despite the misleading advertising you'll get nowhere complaining about that either as the ASA has no teeth and has dismissed similar complaints in the past.

About your only way to express your annoyance is to move your mobile phone business (which unlike the broadband does return a profit) to a different provider. Not that they'll notice that either.

MoneySavingUser

The LLU service has always been basically proper unlimited

The access service had a FUP but they didn't enforce it before and its performance wasn't very good

However recently they have made the access service a lot better and I have noticed a lot better speeds

This morning though I have received an email saying use less or be cut-off!!

They say I have gone over 40GB but my monitoring tools only show about 26GB used this month so their figures are off - however the supervisor says this is a final reading! and the only option that I have is to write to the official complaints department

I think I'll just get my MAC and leave before the access service gets any worse...

dreamshiner

By enforcing this policy they have prompted me and my Mrs to cancel every contract we have with O2, combined its around £170 a month. That's what happens when two business units don't talk to each other.

KrazyKate

Hi there Dreamshiner! It's not just me thats had a telling off then!

I had a lovely email from them yesterday advising if we dont dramatically cut our usage by next month then they will cancel the contract. Im not overly fussed if it is cancelled as I've only had it a couple of months and got a deal where I get 6mnths free then the access package at 17.50 a month after that. So up to now have not paid anything to them but it's the principle. I too have emailed them (they are meant to be getting back to me within 24hrs but they've only got an hour left so i'm not very confident!) stating that the conversation i had when signing up as I basically told them I had a PS3 and Xbox and needed the Unlimited to be unlimited for that reason. We too download through the night because recently this is the only time the speed is anywhere near the 8meg quoted when we signed up.

I was recomended to O2 by a collegue who has never had any problems and reviews also said they were one of the best - I think not!

By the looks of things, they say what you want to hear to get you signed up then dont care after that. If I leave them it will be them cancelling not me as I don't want to be liable for any fees - do you think I would be liable if they did cancel?

I also have had numerous phone contracts with them and over the years have given them alot of money, hope they realise they are cutting off their nose to spite their face as I would be taking my business elsewhere and making sure friends and family are aware of their issues aswell.

Hope everything works out for you. Get ruffling!

KrazyKate x