MSE News: O2 raises prices for 7 million mobile customers

Former_MSE_Helen

"O2 pay monthly mobile phone customers will be hit by price hikes from 28 February next year..."

Read the full story:

O2 raises prices for 7 million mobile customers

jobdone1

How is this right, When you sign a fixed term contract you are agreeing that you can afford this tariff etc and the credit check on you proves this in some way.

Its like Edf energy saying to me that the fixed tariff that i have signed up to for 18 months is now going up by rpi but as we know it does not because its a fixed signed deal.

I know a mobile contract is not fixed but it should be whilst in the contract agreement as you have no choice. Yes you can cancel early and face penalties due to something being forced on to you.

O2 says its terms and conditions allow it to put prices up once every 12 months due to inflation, meaning it won't let you leave your contract early penalty-free.7

So with o2's above statement say if you got a contract 2 months ago and was not aware that their last price rice was ten months ago meaning two months into your 18 month contract you suddenly find yourself with an increase for the next 16 months is just plain wrong. They go on to say you can't leave penalty free because they only raise prices every 12 months works all one way in my view and yes you guessed it o2's

Gordon_Hose

You were beaten to it by a long shot: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4338683

macman

jobdone1 wrote: »

How is this right, When you sign a fixed term contract you are agreeing that you can afford this tariff etc and the credit check on you proves this in some way.

Its like Edf energy saying to me that the fixed tariff that i have signed up to for 18 months is now going up by rpi but as we know it does not because its a fixed signed deal.

I know a mobile contract is not fixed but it should be whilst in the contract agreement as you have no choice. Yes you can cancel early and face penalties due to something being forced on to you.

O2 says its terms and conditions allow it to put prices up once every 12 months due to inflation, meaning it won't let you leave your contract early penalty-free.7

So with o2's above statement say if you got a contract 2 months ago and was not aware that their last price rice was ten months ago meaning two months into your 18 month contract you suddenly find yourself with an increase for the next 16 months is just plain wrong. They go on to say you can't leave penalty free because they only raise prices every 12 months works all one way in my view and yes you guessed it o2's

You've answered your own question :
Your EDF contract is a fixed term, fixed price contract.
Your O2 contract is a minimum term, variable price contract.
It may not be 'right', but it's perfectly legal.They can if they wish raise the price the day after you contract.

jhe

So with o2's above statement say if you got a contract 2 months ago and was not aware that their last price rice was ten months ago meaning two months into your 18 month contract you suddenly find yourself with an increase for the next 16 months is just plain wrong. They go on to say you can't leave penalty free because they only raise prices every 12 months works all one way in my view and yes you guessed it o2's
[/U][/B][/QUOTE]

this is exactly what has happened to me, i renewed 2 contracts around 8 weeks ago, 1 is a 12 month contract and 1 a 24 month contract.
i intend to complain about it, how much more are they going to charge me over the length of the 2 contracts.
i know they will hide behind the small print but what is the point of signing up for contracts if they can do what they want with prices once you are tied!

Gordon_Hose

That's what has annoyed me. The fact there's no choice in the matter.

At least let customers see out their minimum term at the price it was sold to them for, then they can make a decision whether or not the price is right at renewal time. They can either stay or change provider.

macman

None of the networks imposed rises within minimum term until a year or so ago, despite the fact that they could have legally done so. Then, once one did it, the floodgates opened.
02 are I think the last network to do this.
The only real 'remedy' is to avoid contracts and use PAYG.

VfM4meplse

macman wrote: »

The only real 'remedy' is to avoid contracts and use PAYG.

But if you do this and have an MSE head on your shoulders, your social chatter will diminish rapidly. You'll end up worrying about pennies rather than minutes.

diamonds

More power for the fire, this is currently being reviewed, and most have done these rises - Voda, Orange and now o2's blatant "you cannot cancel" just push the review in consumers favour LOL

http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/10/18/addressing-consumer-concerns-over-mid-contract-price-rises/

Gordon_Hose

diamonds wrote: »

More power for the fire, this is currently being reviewed, and most have done these rises - Voda, Orange and now o2's blatant "you cannot cancel" just push the review in consumers favour LOL

http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2012/10/18/addressing-consumer-concerns-over-mid-contract-price-rises/

"Ofcom plans to issue its consultation on ways to protect consumers from unexpected price rises within fixed contracts by the end of 2012."

If it goes in the consumers favour, I wonder how it will affect O2's announcement? If they are forced to cancel the rise, will they claim unfairness as other operators have been allowed to impose price increases.?

I suspect O2 have made the announcement now to sneak in before OFCOM issues it's consultation and they'll be allowed to increase their prices.

Hiding behind small print and "we've held off making increases in the past" is weak.

flexrider

VfM4meplse wrote: »

But if you do this and have an MSE head on your shoulders, your social chatter will diminish rapidly. You'll end up worrying about pennies rather than minutes.

Or cheaper option

Sim only

Forget the shiny Iphone dangled on a carrot with your contract how i started for 2 years have now unlinited text mins and web (voda red) and free local numbers and 0870 0800 ect, 22 quid a month...Fixed till aug 2013