o2 - no signal for 6 weeks and want to cancel

mariokempes

1) I work from home and use mobile all the time.

2) Was with Vodafone but signal was poor

3) Switched to O2 as all the people I spoke to got a great signal where I live.

4) Took 18 month contract in July.

5) 2 weeks ago mast (or whatever it physically is) goes "down" (told this by engineer) with NO DATE planned for fix...

6) Called o2 again and asked when it was being fixed - "no idea but Nov 30th at earliest" - !!!!!!.

7) I said cancel the contract as that is no use to me. O2 "You (yes ME) will be in breach of contract so will need to pay full contract up". Aye right its not me that is in breach is it ??

Said if i cancel he said they would send in debt-collectors after 2 weeks for the full amount.....


Anyone been through this and / or any idea as to my rights. Absolutely furious.

kingofherts

1) Irrelevant, unless you have a business account with O2 and took the phone out with the sole intent of using it for work

2) Irrelevant

3) Irrelevant, mobile signal can vary from full strength to nothing in a few yards there are so many factors that can effect it so even people living in the same street can have a different experience with the same network

4) so you have 15 months left

5) Phone masts are complicated electronic equipment, they can suffer outages and breakdowns and sometimes can require extensive work or even total replacement to get them working again and then they will need recalibrating to return the signal to previous levels

6) They have at least given you a ballpark date for when the fault is going to be rectified, as i said phone masts can be troublesome beasts

7) completely correct, no mobile phone provider guarantees a signal of any kind, just because you can't use it in one location doesn't mean you cannot use the phone elsewhere as it is a 'mobile' phone and certainly does not give any grounds to cancel a contract. I would be asking for a reduction in line rental as a goodwill gesture because you are experiencing a degraded service until the signal problem is resolved rather than demanding the contract be cancelled, you will get a much more favourable response.

Hope that helps

mariokempes

Well you are a bundle of laughs...

So basis of contract is they provide a telephony service and I pay for that service ? Yes or no ?

They breach contract my providing no service at all for 6 weeks and you suggest that is acceptable ? What world do you inhabit ?

markdavey

Unfortunately, you posted asking for advice and the advice that kingofhearts gave while blunt, is accurate, it is just not what you wanted to hear. Mobile operators do not guarentee their service at a specific location and faults do happen, perhaps a lighter tact is needed with the mobile operator if you want an outcome that is remotely biased towards you....

mariokempes

No on the contrary I wanted the "truth". And if that is the case then I despair. So they can charge money and provide nothing in return ?

What would happen if gas/bt/electric took same approach ?

Edit - he / you seem to imply that their approach is logical/legal.

zppp

mariokempes wrote: »

Edit - he / you seem to imply that their approach is logical/legal.

It is. Nowhere in your contract will it state your signal is guaranteed. End of.

Re them not providing a service, they are still providing a service, and if you are nearby another operational mast, that means you do have service availability. I would suggest you may want to have a look at Skype as a short term solution.

mariokempes

zppp wrote: »

It is. Nowhere in your contract will it state your signal is guaranteed. End of.

Re them not providing a service, they are still providing a service, and if you are nearby another operational mast, that means you do have service availability. I would suggest you may want to have a look at Skype as a short term solution.

I sit here with no signal at all for 6 weeks and they can get away with that just because they provide a signal 3 miles away ? That is OK ? That is a service ? Be as well just giving up then.

I am sure you are correct - but is stinks big-time.

I assume Skype is a type of large stick ?

Guys_Dad

You need it in writing from the network that the mast is down, how long it has been down for and when it is going to be replaced.

Although not part of their t&c, their coverage chart is an indication of the signal that you should receive and, more to the point, indicates where their masts are.

Now masts can go down, but in this day and age, 6 weeks is not acceptable for a repair time.

Having assembled the above information - and assuming that the signal is still missing - you should contact the Chief Exec and complain politely indicating that you wish to terminate the contract and want a refund on your service when it was not available. Also check what they are claiming for your area here http://www.webmap.o2.co.uk/ You can print that and send it to him too.


There are precedents for contracts being cancelled when there are serious problems such as you indicate.

You have nothing to lose.

Techhead_2

@guysdad, Are you aware that there can be delays to repair that are outside of the service providers control. This can delay a repair by many, many weeks. Just some examples:
if access is required across private land then permission is needed from the landowner. This can take days or weeks.
If utility work is needed this will add delays.
etc.

Can you point me towards one of these cases you mention where a precedent has been set, for failure to provide signal. The one that normally gets mentioned is the case against Orange. However, that is based on mis-reporting of the case.

Guys_Dad

I agree that masts can and do go down. However, there is a limit to how long customers should be expected to wait and, of course, the network has a dutty to amend its coverage map and keep it up to date as per Ofcom requirements/agreement.

I am almost sure that there were a couple of pprevious posts on this forum where the network had agreed to cancel due to masts being out of service.

Looking on Google, I did find the following before |I lost interest!!

Also, although it applies to Broadband and covers the initial 30 day period, O2 have a "happiness guaranteed" slogan. Possibly worth reminding them? In any event, OP shoul at least claim some line rental etc back Have a look at :-

Not a cancellation but certainly refunds see:-
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1113937
http://www.orangeproblems.co.uk/mobiles/viewtopic.php?p=1593


T-Mobile cancel contract due to decommissioning a mast
http://www.hotukdeals.com/misc/t-mobile-decommissioned-mast-contra/725151

Watchdog - Orange back down
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/03/mobile_charges_but_no_signal.html

Blog re 3
http://www.lsdigitalmedia.co.uk/fed-up-with-3-mobile-call-their-executive-office/

midgetessa

Phone them and ask them what their complaints procedure is.

Keep insisting on making a complaint until you speak to an organ-grinder. If you have no joy, go ahead and make your official complaint. If THAT brings no joy, complain to the ombudsman.

I agree with you that you should be allowed to terminate your contract and I think the ombudsman may agree that you would be reasonable in asking for that.

Not everything is about the letter of the contract as so many people assume on MSE.