New O2 Data cap

lucy131080

Can anyone help??
last month i upgraded and re-newed my 02 contract, as with my last contract i specifically askedfor the unlimited data which was free on my last contractthis time i was informed it was an extra £5 ontop of my online 35 contract, last week i recieved a text informing me that as from this months bill my data allowance is now capped to 500mb even though i paid for unlimited when i took the online contract out! as you can imagine im quite upset to say the least!! i called O2 and said when i renewed my contract my data allowance was set to UNLIMITED! and now it has been changed without my consent! i said this should not be allowed but they say my contract is subject to change!

Does anyone have any advice on where i stand with this as on my O2 online account it still says on the order i placed UNLIMITED DATA & WI-FI. yet thay have changed my allowance
i am very very annoyed as you can imagine and im now out of my cooling off period so i cant cancel PLEASWE HELP!!!

nickmack

lucy131080 wrote: »

Can anyone help??

I suggest you read this thread on Vodafone vs. Desire owners:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2446159

sporedude

Did you read your terms and conditions?

lucy131080

ive been with o2 for about 8 years now and this is the first problem ive had

spiro

As has been said in numerous posts there is no such thing as 'unlimited' when you are talking about mobile phone contracts, they all have 'fair use' policies which is a cap by another name.

Techhead_2

O2 haven't done unlimited internet since June 24th. Depending on your contract you get an allowance of 500megabytes or 1gigabytes.
If you reach your allowance then your speed is restricted until your next bill date. Or you can buy an extra 500megabytes for £5, either as a one off for that month or as a regular thing. I suspect the sales person has added on the extra fiver to give you a total of 1 gigabyte.

Of course, OP, whether this effects you depends on how much you use each month. How much do you use? If its about 500megabytes then you are probably paying £5 too much. If its about a gigabyte then you haven't been mis-sold. If its substantially more than that, then you might have cause for complaint.
Of course this sort of think comes down to one person's word against anothers.

So work out how much data you use each month.

n00b_boy

@ Techhead -

I understood that the Chairman of O2 had stated that customers on unlimited tariffs before the June 24th cut-off date would remain unlimited, and it is only new customers after that date who would be affected by the new caps?

I have to go out in a second but I will find the webpage tomorrow if I have time.

I fear this is turning into a repeat of the Vodafone FUP farce detailed in that other thread...:think:

n00b_boy

Ok, I have found the links I was thinking of.


You will have to add http:// at the start as I am not allowed to post links yet because I am a n00b!

This post was the post that I wanted to reference, detailing the 24th June cut-off and how unlimited means unlimited if you are a customer before this point:

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=33656393&highlight=o2#post33656393

and it links through to the which? website:

which.co.uk/news/2010/06/o2-ditches-unlimited-data-tariffs-216692

Existing customers and those that sign up before the 24th June will continue to receive unlimited data if they stay on the same tariff with the same handset. However existing customers that upgrade to a new handset or deal after 24th June will be moved onto a capped plan from 1st October.
...
O2 has assured Which? that existing customers who have unlimited data as part of their contract will continue to receive unlimited data until they make any changes to their tariff, such as changing to a different deal or upgrading to a new handset.

This O2 webpage gives the information "straight from the horse's mouth":

mediacentre.o2.co.uk/Press-Releases/O2-introduces-new-mobile-data-pricing-model-2a3.aspx

O2 today announced plans for data pricing for new and upgrading mobile customers which gives customers a more transparent pricing model tied to usage.

CEO Ronan Dunne said: “We know that customers are looking for clarity in pricing as too many offers have clauses and catches which are not easy to understand. With the wide range of Internet based services now available on mobile devices we’re providing customers with generous clear data bundles that give customers freedom. This enables us to provide a better overall experience for the vast majority of customers and to better manage demand.”

Based on current usage patterns, 97% of O2 smartphone customers would not need to buy additional data allowances, as the lowest bundle (500MB) provides at least 2.5 times the average O2 customer’s current use.

From 24 June, O2 will introduce three inclusive data bundles for new and upgrading smartphone customers. For example:

[snip]

New and upgrading customers will continue to receive unlimited data as a promotion until 1 October. From that date, they will be able to buy additional data Bolt Ons which include 500MB for £5 or 1GB for £10 and O2 will ensure customers have the ability to easily monitor their use by sending them regular text messages.

All O2 customers will continue to receive unlimited Wi-Fi through The Cloud and BT Openzone hotspots.
Existing customers will continue under their present terms, unlimited data usage with an Excessive Use Policy.
Ronan Dunne concluded “By doing this, we are laying the foundation for a sustainable data experience for all customers and the huge possibilities that technology will create over the coming years.”

I have downloaded this webpage using the Zip option to the right hand side of the page, so I have a copy should the page disappear in the same way as Vodafone forum posts disappeared...





(On a side note, I did not realise that:

Smartphones will continue to have unlimited access to public wi-fi services from O2 partners The Cloud and BT Openzone.

I will have to get onto O2 to sort out access!)

n00b_boy

Apologies Techhead - upon re-reading this thread I realised that I managed to not absorb this part when reading the opening post:

lucy wrote:

last month i upgraded and re-newed my 02 contract

in which case you are entirely correct - the OP signed up after 24th June to a contract with a cap on it, as contained within the small print of the contract, alhough it remains possible to still advertise these as 'unlimited' contracts as the ASA has deemed it acceptable, as detailed in the big vodafone thread linked to earlier.



With regards to the 24th June issue I have mentioned in my posts above, I am in the position that I signed up before that date and have now had a text stating:

O2: Your unlimited data promotion ends on the date of your next bill. Which is when your new 1GB a month data allowance starts. Last month you used more than that. For more info or to find out how to buy more data visit go.o2.url.com/data

As I signed up before 24th June for Unlimited data that was unlimited in the true sense of the word, I fear I will have to go through the same hassle with O2 that I had with vodafone to avoid getting charged extra

Has anyone else received this text?

gjchester

spiro wrote: »

As has been said in numerous posts there is no such thing as 'unlimited' when you are talking about mobile phone contracts

GiffGaff is supposed to be, but how long it will remain so another matter.

There were people on the £30 a month unlimited minutes who were using over 13,000 mins a month (thats 9 full days) and the tarriff got pulled. Costing the minutes out at a typical 4p termination rate then it was worked out at costing GiffGaff £520 in fees for which they made £30 on that contract.

Techhead_2

@n00bboy, I'm glad you apologised as it really irritates me when people are critical of others in such vehement fashion, without taking the trouble to actually read it.

As to your own issue. I believe there are two possibilities. Most likely, is that the text was one of a batch sent in error. Alternatively, there has always been a fair usage policy, in terms of what you could use your unlimited data for. I know that when people have used a large amount on (say) streaming which is not allowed, they have been warned. Even though their total use would be fine.
I think what you need to do is to make initial contact with O2 in writing (post or email) to seek clarification as to what this text is. Don't go in all guns blazing and expecting a fight. Once you have clarification in writing you can proceed to a more specific complaint.