Cancel contract, or contact regulators?

gaogier

Hello

Simple question, my o2 phone contract needs to be canceled - I get no coverage at home - Others on o2 get coverage.

Okay, I have an iPhone 4, got the phone on 24th June 2010 via post, no signal at home, no idea why, went into o2 store 2 maybe 3 days later, got a new sim card, of which they said, give it a day to work normally.

I went back in a few days later, as still no network at home, they switched the sim card over again, said wait a few days. Nothing, I phone up (using another phone) o2, who said that they are updating the network in my area, many others are getting problems, and I should wait until 15th July 2010.

See what they done? pushed me past the 14 days, I am now locked into the contract for 24 months.

After another sim change, and nothing working, I was told to take my phone to apple, and get it switched over, so I did, (o2 switched sims and told me to switch my phone with apple again and again). I have had 4 Iphones according to o2 Records. All no signal at home, i then used my brain, got a micro sim to normal sim adapter and tried it in other phones, no network.

Basically, since late 2010, after apple saying they will not switch over the phone again, o2 have declared I live in a "dead zone" for just myself, after rebooting my account or something.

Since then, I have been in dispute with o2, who now finally agree that they will terminate my contract, which has 8 months left. This is after months of o2 saying they have problems with the masts and they are fixing it please wait until a few weeks as the problem should be fixed. (You see, I get signal 5 meters outside of my property (I don't get signal in my garden).

I have had 4 Iphone 4's
At least 20 new sim cards
Reboot of account 3 times
Discount of bills if wanted - £45 and if I keep the phone half the remaining contract.

I have finally got o2 to agree that there is a network problem.

I can give back the phone, and free termination of contract, however I need an Iphone 4 (not going for Iphone 4s).

So, the option is, go for a 12 month contract and pay £299 for the handset + £36 (totalling £731). I don't have the £299 for the new phone.

Keep the phone, pay o2 £135, pay Vodafone £15.50 for 12 month contract (totalling £321) or £20.50 for a 1 month contact for 8 months (totalling £299).

The second option seems like a much better deal, however I don't have the full £135 payment for o2. Should I contact the regulators and see what they advise? Cancel the contact, or see what else they can do?

Why Vodafone? My sister has a Vodafone iphone 4 and has no problems, why only 8 months? Vodafone are trying to put together a deal for me. Starting in 8 months.

Ideally I want to stay with o2 until the contact is up, and I have full network, I have been with o2 for 15-16 years.

diamonds

I'd report to Ofcom, then take the reference number to o2 high level complaints...thats shocking behaviour over a year o2 knew you were not getting reception, "who said that they are updating the network in my area, many others are getting problems, and I should wait till...." is an admission o2 KNEW you were in a dead zone that took you past your return period....o2 should have offered you out there and then.

grumbler

diamonds wrote: »

I'd report to Ofcom, then take the reference number to o2 high level complaints...thats shocking behaviour over a year o2 knew you were not getting reception, "who said that they are updating the network in my area, many others are getting problems, and I should wait till...." is an admission o2 KNEW you were in a dead zone that took you past your return period....o2 should have offered you out there and then.

gaogier wrote: »

...I get no coverage at home - Others on o2 get coverage.

My understanding is that the problem was with the phone, not with the "network in the area".

diamonds

After 2 sims within the 14 days they should have offered a new iphone in that period to try or the option to leave.

keith1950

however I need an Iphone 4

You might want an iphone 4 but nobody NEEDS one !!

spiro

The iPhone 4 needs a 'rubber band' or case around it to stop your hand blocking the aerial, have you got one?

Techhead_2

diamonds wrote: »

I'd report to Ofcom, then take the reference number to o2 high level complaints...thats shocking behaviour over a year o2 knew you were not getting reception, "who said that they are updating the network in my area, many others are getting problems, and I should wait till...." is an admission o2 KNEW you were in a dead zone that took you past your return period....o2 should have offered you out there and then.

That's utter nonsense because Ofcom don't investigate individual complaints and the OP has already been offered a range of solutions.

OP, you need to decide what to do. If you have no signal at home then it would be madness to stay, so take the offer and leave.

If you do want to argue your position further then you can contact The Ombudsman's service (used to be called OTELO) who will make an independent decision.

victor2

keith1950 wrote: »

You might want an iphone 4 but nobody NEEDS one !!

Exactly.

spiro wrote: »

The iPhone 4 needs a 'rubber band' or case around it to stop your hand blocking the aerial, have you got one?

Maybe you and the iPhone 4 are incompatible. Get a different (Android?) phone. If other phones work OK on O2 then no need to change network, so maybe O2 will do a deal with you.

gaogier

spiro wrote: »

The iPhone 4 needs a 'rubber band' or case around it to stop your hand blocking the aerial, have you got one?

I have a free one from o2, it does not make any difference.

grumbler wrote: »

My understanding is that the problem was with the phone, not with the "network in the area".

I have used the sim card, in phones that are proven to work, I get no signal.

I get signal when out of the house, sometimes 5 bars. when I don't get 1 bar if I am lucky at home.

victor2

If other phones on O2 work in your house, but not when you hold them, you're the common denominator unfortunately. It's either you or your contract. Will your phone with your SIM not work for anybody in your house?
Try using somebody else's phone, on a different network, in your house, and see if you get a signal.

gaogier

o2, have admitted that its the contract. Its about 1000 sq meters that I get no signal, and my home is right in the middle of this. I bet that its more, but I am not going to knock on other peoples homes to see if I get network. I have to walk, 2-3 meters out of my home down the road to get signal to make phone calls.

Same with other people, same thing with different phones (including iphones), o2 stores say I should get a full refund and keep the phone, but they can't cancel it their end. This is due to myself going in on the 26th 2 days after I got the phone, well into the 14 day return period, They then said their mast is down, and had to wait 15 days taking me way out of the 14 days return period.

I was then told, sorry, your in the contract for 24 months, nothing we can do but switch sim card again, the signal should be fine where you live (according to network coverage in the area, it states, well check for your selves, PO6 4DQ, http://www.o2.co.uk/coveragechecker You can see how close the mast is. The mast that was down, was the one near Widley.

All o2 have been saying for 13-14 months, we can send of your phone for a repair, but it wont fix the problem if you have had 4 phones, and it not working in other phone models. (blackberrys, Nokia 3310, 2 sony ericsson - different models and some samsung model, not including Iphones)

This problem is the same with both myself and anyone who uses the phone.

On the phone to o2, I had to show the guy that the phone just cuts off when I walk into the "dead zone", I had 4 bars of signal, walked 1 step into the zone, the phone said call failed, I phoned back up, (this was saturday), who said that can I do it again, I did, phone connection lost again. o2 know its a problem with the network/contract.

They said that due to the problem, I can give back the phone, (of which I have paid £720 of my bill 16/24 months) and no termination fees or Pay 50% of remaining contract, 8 x £45 = £360, making me pay £180, but due to o2 deleting half my complaints/fixing phone calls and in store, they have given me £45 oops voucher. So its just £135 to pay off. A new Iphone 4 same spec is £299 on a 12 month contract with vodafone, and they expect to have none left by the end of the week.

Why should I have to pay £135? do I phone up some regulator and see what they say? I just want a working phone at home, where I spend 90% of my time due to operations and having to rest.

My phone works fine everywhere else, but this "dead zone" which is what o2 have called it.