Lost Our Contract Mobile Phone!

k_bagpuss

Don’t know if you can offer any advice here but my husband lost his mobile phone after a night out at the weekend. He actually dropped it in a taxi. We did try to ring it but nobody answered. So we rang 02 and asked them to put a stop on outgoing calls. 02 actually barred the phone completely so we couldn’t even phone it to see if anyone answered. It was just a black cab so we can’t trace it back through the taxi firm. He was only 3 months into a new contract although he has been with 02 for 5-6 years now. 02 told him that they won’t give him a new phone (not even a lesser model) Is there something we can do to get a replacement phone? He’s a student so we can’t afford to buy a replacement, and we can’t afford to take out another contract. And what can we say to 02 to get them to help?

Smartasss

o2 can't be expected to do anything more to help - it wasn't their fault he lost it! By barring it they have prevented anyone running up big bills on it which you would have to pay.

They will still be charging you for the contract.

The cheapest solution is to get a cheap second hand (unlocked) handset. There should be plenty available amongst the student community.

o2 will provide a new SIM which will have the same phone number.

jf2404

If you have a contract, usually you get a good phone, but it is cheaper as the company "has" you for atleast a year.

Don't forget that the phone you probably get free on contract would most likley cost £200-£500 sim-free/ payg. It is always best to get it insured, either through your service provider or somewhere else ( i have a TSB account and with my monthly charge of £5 i get free mobile insurance).

In your situation you could either :-

1. buy a cheap payg, get o2 to send out a replacement sim (you might get charged for the sim) and use that until you can upgrade/cancel the contract.

2. If you don't want the contract you could write in to give notice to cancel and ask to pay the remaining line rental (which depending on if it's 12 month or 18 month contract will be very expensive as it will just be your usual charge X 9 or 15)


Remember just because you don't have the phone, it doesn't mean you don't still pay line rental, so you will be better off getting a PAYG and just put your new sim in. So either save up for a good phone or for like £30 get a payg

Here are some on payg

Hope some of the above helps.

jgjet

Read through your contract, don't you get 3months free insurance cover?

Smartasss

Even if you have insurance, it won't cover leaving your phone in a cab!

jf2404

There are ways and means. If you had insurance, you could say it was stolen instead of lost. You wouldn't be the first to "lie" and you wouldn't be the last either

renee_3

jf2404 wrote:

There are ways and means. If you had insurance, you could say it was stolen instead of lost. You wouldn't be the first to "lie" and you wouldn't be the last either

I am shocked & horrified at this post!!
u should be taken to the Tower for that suggestion.

nobody falsely inflates or lies on insurance claims??

do they?!

jf2404

lol.

Yes some people do, i used to work for a mobile phone provider and received alot of calls where something wasn't right in the claim.

If your insurance doesn't cover loss they would rarther lie and pay £25 excess than £200 to pay off the contract or £250+ for a new phone.

Not my view personally , like i say, i have insurance and if i did lose imy phone i have other handsets to fall back on. I'm just saying it does happen and i have seen people do it.

Woby_Tide

if O2 have already barred it ringing up and saying "Oooo you know how we said it was ledt in a cab, well actually it was stolen....er.... by a bear..er..." I don't think they are going to believe you nor payout any insurance that may have been due

jf2404

lol, well i'm sure if a bear broke into your house and ran off with your rolex you wouldn't be able to claim, anyway where the hell did this bear come from lol ?.

And obviously, if you were to lie you wouldn't change your story. But bagpuss doesn't have insurance and i'm sure has no bear friends, so back to the main answer, get a cheap PAYG.

itgirlinuk

If its not a private cab, but a proper black cab - then they are pretty good. Why don't you check with the lost and stolen office and see if they have it in their possession.

My friend once lost his bag in a black cab and he got a letter through the post saying they have found a bag and if he could come and claim it. They found his address from the post he had in his bag! Clever, eh! He went to their offices in Central London, showed them the letter, described the bag and got it back. Not a thing was missing.

So, give them a ring and see what they say. But it usually take 10-15 days for the items to turn up at the office.