O2 Broadband Price Rise - Existing Customers

harding1985

Got an email this morning from O2 saying that there broadband prices are going to increase from £10 to £13 from 1st March 2011, thats a 30% increase!!

So much for loyality, I'll be looking elsewhere when my year contract is up in April :mad:

FLINT

You won't have to wait until April if you wish to leave. I too had the same email on Tuesday, my contract was supposed to be with them until June but because they are changing the price I am free to leave without penalty. Give O2 cancellations a call and they will confirm this with you and also as I found try to retain your business with discounts.

Caveleiro

A 30% increase cannot be justified nothing has gone up 30%! I spoke to customer services this afternoon and first I was told that the Premium package that has an 'unlimited' 100 mb per month 'limit' are being phased out. He said that was the reason for the increase. When I escalated the complaint the floor manager didn't admit that but waffled on about costs and alternative cheaper packages. I'm making a complaint to ofcom.

Caveleiro

Flint is right you can cancel without penalty in these circumstances but then the O2 con merchants get away with it. Make Ofcom aware!

Quentin

Why will ofcom be interested? It's a business decision.

You aren't forced to stay with them, and equally they cannot be forced to offer you the same deal for ever!

They will let you leave without penalty, which is all they can be expected to do (but if you do tell them you want to leave expect them to offer you sweeteners to stay!)

Caveleiro

Caveleiro wrote: »

A 30% increase cannot be justified nothing has gone up 30%! I spoke to customer services this afternoon and first I was told that the Premium package that has an 'unlimited' 100 mb per month 'limit' are being phased out. He said that was the reason for the increase. When I escalated the complaint the floor manager didn't admit that but waffled on about costs and alternative cheaper packages. I'm making a complaint to ofcom.

I've just checked and individuals can't complain to Ofcom. I asked the manager for the O2 complaints procedure and she replied that I should complain to Ofcom. (I record all telephone conversations by the way so they can't deny it.) That was wrong - so she didn't inform me of the compaints procedure and advised me wrongly regarding Ofcom.

Quentin

You seem determined to waste your time.

OTELO is the place for your complaint, not ofcom!

The o2 complaints procedure is pretty easy to find if you have google where you live!

JJ_Egan

As they have informed you of the price rise i see no way to complain to anybody . Its up to them what they charge and as ISPs need more profit per user others are likely to follow .

Justification does not come into it its a free market .
Product is not sold under a price protected regime and nor should it be .

jje

student_84

You have a simple solution, leave if you're unhappy. They have increased the price, which they're entitled to do, and have given you the chance to leave.

You can do what I did and ring them up, speak to them politely and get two months free which negates the price increase .

divadwem1

o2 lead you to believe the planned tariff change is just a small price increase, but beware the unlimited download disappears from the standard (now called basic) package. For an o2 customer unlimited download which was £7.66 will mean changing packages thus going up to £12.25 a 60% price hike!!

They did not tell you in the email and they have since changed the web page that customer were directed to. Go to the page again and look at the "compare packages" option.:mad:

Sponge

Just be aware that if you're currently on one of their 'legacy' packages (which these increases hit the most) then they'll try to switch you to one of their current packages (The Basics, The All Rounder, The Works) which have limits and traffic management. If you can negotiate a discount, then make sure it's not a new contract, but you're staying on your current legacy product.

They're trying to get people off the legacy packages.

The T&Cs of your contract allow them to increase their prices. But they also allow you to cancel your contract early, without penalty, if the situation meets the following conditions. These price rises are above RPI, so cancel.

Your obligation to pay us a maximum of the monthly subscription charges to the end of the Minimum Term does not apply if you end
the Agreement because we’ve increased the Charges or if we’ve changed the Terms to your significant disadvantage. In both cases,
you’ll need to give us a minimum of 30 days’ written notice (within one month of our telling you about the changes). This doesn’t
apply where:
• the increase or change relates solely to Additional Services in which case you may cancel, or stop using, that Additional Service;
• the increase does not exceed the Retail Price Index (“RPI”) figure in any twelve month period; or
• the increase or change is as a result of a requirement by a government or competent regulatory body. For the avoidance of doubt
this includes any increase in VAT or the imposition of a similar or new tax on the Service or us.