New O2 Data cap

Techhead_2

Also, I should add that you are wrong on another matter. The current contracts are not advertised as having unlimited data. They are advertised as having an inclusive allowance (as described in my post which you took exception to).

n00b_boy

Hi Techhead,

I'm sorry if you think my post came across as me taking exception to your post or being critical - it certainly wasn't the case. I was having to get out the door as I was getting picked up to go out in a short period of time, so I was asking questions and sticking to unadorned facts in a succint manner rather than being more expansive!

re: the unlimited data, I don't believe I said they were sold as unlimited data - my point was that some contracts have been sold as unlimited in recent times even though they have a cap / FUP on them, and the ASA has ruled that they are legally allowed to advertise them as unlimited, despite this fact! I believe that ruling still stands (I remember it being discussed somewhere in the massive Vodafone thread) so it would not surprise me if some contracts were still being sold as 'unlimited' even though they technically aren't. The practice seems to have diminished in recent times but I'm sure that it still occurs, somewhat annoyingly.

Thank you for your advice on my issues. I have contacted them via the web email form (trying to find a proper email address to email from a proper email account seems impossible) and I am hopeful that it is just an error, but I have been able to do a small amount of internet trawling today and it would appear that O2 are looking to apply the strict cap (of either 500mb, 750mb or 1Gb) across all tariffs, not just those signed up after 24th June 2010. This would make me an unhappy bunny if true! as they will be repeating Vodafone's actions from earlier in the year - applying a cap and therefore a change to the FUP contained within the T&Cs of the contract, but not actually making customers aware of this and the fact that they can legally cancel the contract with no penalty due to this change.

I must say, however, that I have not had a chance to read O2's T&Cs yet, but that will be one of my next actions. I expect that they will be similarly worded to Vodafone's T&Cs as the law requires them to inform customers of changes and allow customers to leave without penalty if they are adversely affected (in non-technical terms, and as I understand it!).

I am surprised that there is not more on the internet about this issue yet. Perhaps I am one of the first to get this email, but I would hope that O2 customers aren't just going to roll over should O2 change T&Cs without telling them! Vodafone customers were a lot more pro-active... lol


Ooh, while I remember, to update my earlier post, O2 have now sent me another text, the day after the previous one, stating

"Your new monthly data allowance has now started. To continue using data please switch your phone off and on. For more info visit http: [sic] http:// go.o2url.com/data".

One day's notice/reminder is not entirely satisfactory IMO, even if I had been on one of the new post-24th June tariffs! I am also unsure of what I should do - if I try to use the internet without switching off and on, would it work? And if it does / if I do switch off and on again, are they going to take that as me accepting the change to the T&Cs? I would hope not but sometimes these big companies can be a law unto themselves!

gjchester

n00b_boy wrote: »

One day's notice/reminder is not entirely satisfactory IMO, even if I had been on one of the new post-24th June tariffs! I am also unsure of what I should do - if I try to use the internet without switching off and on, would it work?

To me that is not your notice, but more that it's starting.

Was notice on the back of on of your bills or in a a paper insert in with them or have you recieved a prior text?

n00b_boy

I have had no notice either on paper or electronically and I did not expect to receive notice because I signed up to my tariff before 24th June 2010 and therefore I should be unaffected by the changes!

With regards to the response to my webform submission, requesting confirmation that I would not be charged, this is the incompetent reply today from customer services that, I assume, is based overseas...

Hello xxx

Thanks for emailing us.

I've checked your tariff, 500 MB Data and Unlimited Wi-Fi for £5 is been
added to your account. We've introduced these changes, after the survey
we've done on our customer's Data usage.

If you don't want it, please reply to this email and I'll remove it for
you. But you won't get the Unlimited Data Bolt On back.

I'm sorry for the late response. If you need anything else, just email
me or visit our online help centre at:

http://www.o2.co.uk/support/generalhelp/help

Regards

Cxxxxx
O2 Customer Service

NOT happy. :mad:

How can they just increase my bill by adding on an extra I shouldn't need, then turn round and say that I can't get Unlimited back??

This is being forwarded to complaints ASAP... :mad:

RedShep

Hi Lucy,

I have had the same issue and this is for my business where we have 5 iPhones - all of which use much more than 500MB per month.

Today I got a text saying I was over the limit and could no longer use data. All our phones were on unlimited data before the June date. In November I increased the number of minutes being shared by all our business phones. It turns out at that point they changed our unlimited data to 500MB. They did not inform me on that call, via text or post at any point. I even asked on the call if the new minutes would affect our unlimited data and they said no! I didn't even get a text at 80% usage which is meant to happen.

All they have said is sorry and go and buy some new data. The thing that really annoyes me is that if I knew they were going to change the data limit when I changed the minutes I would not have bothered as data is more important to our business than minutes.

So, I realise there is a limit and that isnt going to change - anyone know if I can get any compensation? Or can the 500MB limit be increased? Or even get the contracts we have cancelled (O2 have mucked up many times before and I am sick of them).

I feel your pain!!!!

Red

Wintermute

RedShep wrote: »

Or can the 500MB limit be increased? Or even get the contracts we have cancelled (O2 have mucked up many times before and I am sick of them).

O2 just launched a couple of bolt ons to increase your allowance, for £5 you can add an extra 500MB, for £10 you can add 1GB, these can be added as a recurring bolt (min term 30 days) on or a one off allowance top up which isn't pro-rata'd based on the days to your billing date so if it's the day before your billing date, you pay £5 you get an extra 500MB to use, but it must be used by midnight or it'll be reset.