o2 cost me £80 by not cancelling my Talk Talk contract when switching me

thisiskirsty

Hi

Please advise!

I've been a customer of o2 with my mobile since 1999. This June, I contacted them to take advantage of an existing customer offer on their broadband service.

My broadband was set up with o2 on 15th June. However, I discovered this week, that my old provider Talk Talk was still charging me (approx £80). When I contacted TT, they said they were unaware that I had changed providers, and that o2 should have imformed them.

I remembered when the o2 chap came to my home to set up the new BB, that he gave me a new number. I had assumed I would keep my old number, and simply the provider would change behind the scenes. As I had assumed it this, I hadn't thought to ask o2 to keep my old number, when setting up the switch. I didn't mind my home number changing, so thought nothing more of it. But it transpires that TT have still been supplying me on the old number, while o2 were supplying on the new number.

So I contacted o2, to find out why they didn't contact TT to inform them I was switching provider. The woman on the phone was fixated on whether I had requested a number change or to keep my old number. I told her I didn't remember, but I did remember asking: 'do I, the customer, need to contact TT to tell them I'm switching, or do you, o2, do this for me'. I was informed that o2 would contact them. So regardless of whether I wanted to keep or change my phone number, o2 should have contacted TT to tell them I was moving.

I now have to wait up to two weeks for them to retrieve my call, so they can listen to it and decide who is at fault. I asked if I would be able to listen to the call myself, and she replied that I could see the transcript of the call, that she would attach to my account - but at a cost of £10 to me.

I'm absolutely livid, and would really appreciate any advice, as I can't believe that this is acceptable.

Many thanks!

JJ_Egan

As far as i am aware after multiple changes of ISPs you the customer and nobody else can cancel an existing contract .The new ISP does not contact the old one to say hey we have taken over xxxx .

jje

cajef

I understood that if you use a MAC to transfer then the new ISP should inform the old ISP the date of changed over, however it does not always work so you should not rely on it and always inform the old ISP yourself, if the OP did not use a MAC then it their responsibility to tell them as the old ISP has no way of knowing.

macman

It is also your responsibility to cancel the old DD, as no-one can do that but the account holder.
And of course to check your monthly statements.

thisiskirsty

Thanks all for your responses - lesson learned the hard way I guess.

This is the first time I've ever switched ISP;, I'll get it right next time. I maintain I was ill advised on the phone call with o2 though, as they didn't tell me to get a MAC and they did tell me that I didn't need to contact TT myself.

Foolish me for believing them!