O2 Upfront for Life - Free Upgrade

eponymous

Most importantly, I got the assurance that the PUFL arrangement would NOT be affected in any way.

Look at it from their point of view; they marketed a pup of a contract and should be loath to help in any way. However, given that we are unlikely to surrender these contracts, but will continue to be clocking up call cross-mobile call costs, 08 numbers and so-on, they'll have realised that we're probably paying about £5-15 per month on average. After seven years, that's about £500+ of revenues which is not such a bad return, compared to £15/month contracts that get churned after a year (consumer acquistion costs, not to mention the cost of the handset will be north of £150 for 180 quid of income). Given this, we're not such a bad bunch for O2 after all, so letting us upgrade every three years, say, is no hardship.

Garetha

We get 200 off peak mins per month
I think our monthly bill averages about 20p
12 x 20p x 7 yrs = say £20

although quite early on we accidentaly used the phone before 7pm for a long chat
£8 - ouch!

millie

I got caught out a few times when they changed the morning times from 8.00am to 7.00am. I would quite often phone my som when we were away on holiday about 7.30 to make sure he was up for work. I have still not risked asking for an upgrade, are they giving the promise of no change to contract terms in writing?

wadewade

I just went into my local O2 shop with three Paid up Front for life phones which I bought for my daughter, wife and self when little one went off to uni. I just said to the assistant I thought I could get a free Legacy Upgrade - the Manager heard and said Yes of course I could.

I came out with two Nokia 6500 Slides and a Sony Ericson 850i (with 5MP camera). The paperwork says existing contract and existing terms.

I can't really believe it. The best investment ever!

millie

I emailed o2 to ask them if I was eligible to upgrade my PUFL contract and this is the reply I received

'Thanks for emailing us to find out if you can upgrade your phone and
retain your existing tariff after this.

You'll be able to upgrade your phone and still remain on your old
tariff (Legacy Mytime Net 200 Pay Up Front tariff). Please note that
upgrading your phone won't affect your existing tariff.

You're currently eligible to upgrade your phone and contract. To
upgrade, you'll need to contact our upgrades team. This is because we've a
specialised upgrades team to deal with all upgrade queries. They'll only
be able to tell you the best packages and the mobile phones available
to you.

You can call our upgrade team on 08706 007 102. They're available
Monday to Saturday between 8:00am and 8:00pm and on Sunday between 10:00am
and 6:00pm. Calls to this number are free from your O2 Pay Monthly
mobile phone.’


I phoned the number they gave me and was told that I could not upgrade unless I changed my contract and went on to one with a monthly charge, I quoted the e mail that I had received but was still told I could not do it.

I then sent a reply to the email telling them the response that I got on my upgrade request. (That was this morning and have not yet had a reply)

Meanwhile today I went into an o2 shop and they said yes I could upgrade and showed me a range of phones I could have, I chose one and asked them are they sure I would not start incurring any monthly charges. They were adamant that I would not, but phoned o2 customer services to check. They were told no I could not have it without changing to a charging contract. The assistant did not accept that and phoned someone else who gave her the same answer. She asked them what would have happened if she had given me the upgrade, and they told her it would have flagged up on my account and I would have been charged, maybe not straight away but probably in 12 months time when the minimum term expired. I am now waiting to see what reply I get to my email, but I think it is going to be the same. It seems the system says we can upgrade but when it gets looked at more closely it is found to be not possible.

Bollards

Hello,
I've been very brave today and went into our local O2 shop to ask for a "legacy upgrade". The sales assistant simply put my mobile number into the computer and then asked me which phone I wanted. I'm quite partial to Sony Ericsons so I didn't look at any alternatives and came away with the one with the 5M pixel camera. He was clear to point out that it would be remaining on my existing terms and conditions and the paperwork states that. I had to sign to say that I would remain with O2 for the next 12 months - but when you have a deal like this, why not? Anyway, I'm off to have a play with my new phone!:j

PiratePete

millie wrote: »

I emailed o2 to ask them if I was eligible to upgrade my PUFL contract and this is the reply I received

'Thanks for emailing us to find out if you can upgrade your phone and
retain your existing tariff after this.

You'll be able to upgrade your phone and still remain on your old
tariff (Legacy Mytime Net 200 Pay Up Front tariff). Please note that
upgrading your phone won't affect your existing tariff.

You're currently eligible to upgrade your phone and contract. To
upgrade, you'll need to contact our upgrades team. This is because we've a
specialised upgrades team to deal with all upgrade queries. They'll only
be able to tell you the best packages and the mobile phones available
to you.

You can call our upgrade team on 08706 007 102. They're available
Monday to Saturday between 8:00am and 8:00pm and on Sunday between 10:00am
and 6:00pm. Calls to this number are free from your O2 Pay Monthly
mobile phone.’


I phoned the number they gave me and was told that I could not upgrade unless I changed my contract and went on to one with a monthly charge, I quoted the e mail that I had received but was still told I could not do it.

I then sent a reply to the email telling them the response that I got on my upgrade request. (That was this morning and have not yet had a reply)

Meanwhile today I went into an o2 shop and they said yes I could upgrade and showed me a range of phones I could have, I chose one and asked them are they sure I would not start incurring any monthly charges. They were adamant that I would not, but phoned o2 customer services to check. They were told no I could not have it without changing to a charging contract. The assistant did not accept that and phoned someone else who gave her the same answer. She asked them what would have happened if she had given me the upgrade, and they told her it would have flagged up on my account and I would have been charged, maybe not straight away but probably in 12 months time when the minimum term expired. I am now waiting to see what reply I get to my email, but I think it is going to be the same. It seems the system says we can upgrade but when it gets looked at more closely it is found to be not possible.

I have upgraded twice now, and I have never been charged extra after the 12 month period, in fact the contract I was given clearly states I remain on the same contract.
Millie lets hope by you delving, all the PUFL contracts are not re addressed.....

millie

PiratePete wrote: »

I have upgraded twice now, and I have never been charged extra after the 12 month period, in fact the contract I was given clearly states I remain on the same contract.
Millie lets hope by you delving, all the PUFL contracts are not re addressed.....

The only reason that i have been delving as you put it, is because I wanted to upgrade my phone too, but wanted to be sure that there will be no changes made at a later date, Anyway if I have caused the contracts to be re-addressed I will have messed it up for myself also, because I went into an o2 shop today and took the upgrade that they insist I am entitled to. I just asked if they were sure nothing would change and was ensured that it would not. I asked what would happen after the 12 months that was put on the contract and he told me to go in and upgrade free again, but I will see. He actually wrote on my contract 'on existing tarriff.'

I am still not sure that I trust them, but they will have a fight on their hands if they do try to change anything as I have the original email stating it would not affect the original deal, and I was told in the shop it was ok.

I will have to go back to the shop anyway, the box had clearly been opened before I had it because although the was a sealing strip on it there was another one underneath that was broken. That did not bother me but I cannot get the back off to put the battery in, it has been removed before and not been put back on properly. There is a metal clip showing that should be under the case and there is a gap down one side of the case because it cannot be pushed on. I am not going to force it off and break it so I will take it back to the shop.

therev_4

I haven't used my PUFL for ages, but recently started getting a bill for £1 per month to cover itemised billing. Previously they only sent a bill if there had been any usage in that month, but now I get one regardless.

So, I rang O2 to ask them to remove itemised billing - which they say they have done.

Asked about an upgrade - usual story, not unless you change tarriff. So will need to go to a shop to try that one.

However, I asked what the 50 free minutes per month includes and was told that they are CROSS NETWORK minutes. I queried this and she rang another department to check and then confirmed that this is the case.

I had always understood that the 50 mins were just to O2 and landlines, and is one of the reasons I don't use the PUFL as my main phone.

Can anyone confirm that the free minutes are now cross network???

Leopard

I get charged at the rate of 50p. a minute if I make Cross-Network calls on mine.

If you need to make calls regularly to another network, one possibility is to use a dual-SIM adaptor to put both the O2 PUFL SIM and a PAYG SIM from the other network in the same handset. That also makes it cheaper for someone on the other network to call you.

I normally carry two 'phones. One is a smartphone, the complexity of which gives it poor battery life when used heavily. I use this, with a full-blooded (monthly contract) SIM, for data calls and for making outgoing calls that are cross-network, switching its 'phone component off when I'm through. I keep my PUFL SIM in the other 'phone; that one has all the MP3, radio, etc. leisure/pleasure features plus a decent camera. It also has good battery life, so I leave it switched on to take all my incoming calls and to make outgoing calls to landlines. Sounds like a complicated arrangement but it isn't, really, and it works well once you're used to it.

O2 added "My Europe" to my PUFL SIM a couple of years ago without problem - that's free and is worth having.