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02 phones4u contract not activated

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Hi guys

We went into a phones4u store on Monday to purchase a new 02 iPhone 5 contract. Paid £99 for the phone which left my bank immediately but the SIM card still isn't activated almost 72 hours later.

We first called phones4u to find out what was happening only to be told to call 02, 02 then told us to call phones4u.

Neither had any record of the SIM card number or telephone number, not to mention name and address etc (though during the call phones4u took name and address).

Phones4u said they couldn't explain what had happened but insisted we needed to go back into the store to activate a new contract again. I explained through work issues etc we can't make it into the store now until the end of February and I asked where we stood with the phone we paid £99 for and what happens with direct debits etc only to be told "we can only advise you to get to a store as soon as possible, no direct debit will be setup until a contract is activated".

Where do we stand? As we can't make it into the store and they can't sort it over the phone (and no direct debit is setup) my partner thinks the best option is to buy another sim only contract to put in the phone (which we can do online obviously).

Please help, terms and conditions don't seem to cover this :(

Thanks in advance
tobybowes
2008 Competition Wins: £200 Cash (Boffer's Youtube Bag O' Crap Video Competition 2)
2009 Competition Wins: Monopoly Deal Card Game, Wild Bean Cafe Coffee Hamper, 2 Mars Bounce Football's, a £10 Magnum® Pleasure Card
2010 Competition Wins: Lucozade 8Gb iPhone 3GS........hopefully more soon
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Comments

  • It sounds to me like phones4u have made some kind of mistake. The networks should automatically connect a contract, that a retail agent sells to a customer, that the networks have authorised (by way of credit check).

    Did they print a contract which you signed and were given a copy of?

    I suppose it's possible that, if you didn't return to store, phones4u could chase you for the phone but if o2 don't have a contract with you then they won't bother.

    It's not your fault and if you've done all you should do then phones4u should sort it out. Doesn't sound like it's too easy for you to get into store either so get them to explain further.
  • Yeah we was given a printed copy of a contract and they'd already done the credit check in store.

    Phones4u refuse to give any more information over the phone purely due to lack of information on their system (basically there is none).

    Would be random if they chased for a phone when they're making us run around for a contract when we've done all that we were required to do :(

    I told them more than once I couldn't make it into the store for almost a month only to get the "get to a store as soon as possible" speech :(
    2008 Competition Wins: £200 Cash (Boffer's Youtube Bag O' Crap Video Competition 2)
    2009 Competition Wins: Monopoly Deal Card Game, Wild Bean Cafe Coffee Hamper, 2 Mars Bounce Football's, a £10 Magnum® Pleasure Card
    2010 Competition Wins: Lucozade 8Gb iPhone 3GS........hopefully more soon
  • Silk
    Silk Posts: 4,836 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Have you tried calling the store itself and speaking to the person who sold you the contract or the manager of the store ?
    It's not just about the money
  • Yeah they didn't want to take or check any details on the phone and insisted that if once 72hours from the time on the receipt had passed we then have no option other than going into the store, no one will tell me what happens if we don't go into the store though, don't see why we should have to anyways even if we could as every thing is signed and they have all the correct details etc.

    It's funny, I used to moan about orange not been able to deal with anything without picking up the phone (back when I had time to stroll into town), now it's the complete opposite with 02/phones4u :(

    Would've been a cheaper deal online but couldn't wait to get the phone, big mistake, no wonder shops are closing down with service like this! :(
    2008 Competition Wins: £200 Cash (Boffer's Youtube Bag O' Crap Video Competition 2)
    2009 Competition Wins: Monopoly Deal Card Game, Wild Bean Cafe Coffee Hamper, 2 Mars Bounce Football's, a £10 Magnum® Pleasure Card
    2010 Competition Wins: Lucozade 8Gb iPhone 3GS........hopefully more soon
  • Silk
    Silk Posts: 4,836 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    I take it you've not ported a number when you took out the contract ?
    It's not just about the money
  • Mickyk
    Mickyk Posts: 171 Forumite
    Call O2, have them check under your postcode for your name, as they may have a contract, but P4U have failed to set up the sim, happens all the time at Vodafone.

    If this is the case, then O2 will have to issue you a new sim, as they do not activate 3rd party sims without the proper approval due to risk of fraud.

    If O2 have no contract, then P4U have possibly just let you walk out with an ip5 for £99, although they could well chase you given they have your details. Although they have to try and correct the situation or it would not look good, if they suddenly just issue a court order for the sum value of the phone.
  • chanz4
    chanz4 Posts: 11,057 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Xmas Saver!
    if they have a signed contract, they may at a later date put it through manual connections. The other option is in feb return the phone to them.
    Don't put your trust into an Experian score - it is not a number any bank will ever use & it is generally a waste of money to purchase it. They are also selling you insurance you dont need.
  • sparky93
    sparky93 Posts: 393 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    they seem to do this a lot....happened to a friend. she set up a ip5 on o2 contract via p4u. she signed nothing, and lefft the store, 3 months and the sim is still not active.
    in mean time she put her old sim in and working fine. again she tried to call but had the 'we have no details and call o2' but she hasnt. As her dealings are with p4u.
  • tobybowes
    tobybowes Posts: 409 Forumite
    No we haven't ported a number yet, we was going to do this after the contract was activated. Lucky we decided to do this else we'd be completely disconnected, also lucky we didn't trade in the old phone as well.

    02 had no details what so ever when we called up last, though I'll double check this again at 3.15 when the 72 hours is completed. Once I've checked with 02 I'll give P4U Tech Services and the Store one final call and if they can't resolve it without me going in to the store I think I'll monitor my bank for new direct debits and order a SIM-only contract to use with the phone.

    From what I've read they can't legally demand you to return to the store and as I've not cancelled any contract with them or with 02 then I haven't broken any terms and conditions (if it was an emergency phone for all they know I could've switched it on and threw it on the side and never checked that money wasn't leaving my account every month).
    If we deliver a phone to you (other than on a standalone basis) and you do not enter into the associated airtime agreement or you cancel your agreement AND do not return the phone to us (or where permitted under paragraph 10 do not enable us to collect it) we will charge you the retail price of the items delivered to you

    Terms above are from section 3 on Phones4u, if they'd rather just collect the phone and lose a contract I'm happy with that, not sure why they don't go to this kind of length to keep you as a customer though when you can't make it into the store!

    Wonder if they'll will only click that the contract isn't activated when they get their commission from the network, pretty certain this will be itemised per order placed?
    2008 Competition Wins: £200 Cash (Boffer's Youtube Bag O' Crap Video Competition 2)
    2009 Competition Wins: Monopoly Deal Card Game, Wild Bean Cafe Coffee Hamper, 2 Mars Bounce Football's, a £10 Magnum® Pleasure Card
    2010 Competition Wins: Lucozade 8Gb iPhone 3GS........hopefully more soon
  • tobybowes
    tobybowes Posts: 409 Forumite
    sparky93 wrote: »
    they seem to do this a lot....happened to a friend. she set up a ip5 on o2 contract via p4u. she signed nothing, and lefft the store, 3 months and the sim is still not active.
    in mean time she put her old sim in and working fine. again she tried to call but had the 'we have no details and call o2' but she hasnt. As her dealings are with p4u.

    Hi sparky, so did she only initially pay for the phone and no contract direct debit has ever left her bank? Has she ever been chased for the phone or the money after the initial complaints about it not being activated?
    2008 Competition Wins: £200 Cash (Boffer's Youtube Bag O' Crap Video Competition 2)
    2009 Competition Wins: Monopoly Deal Card Game, Wild Bean Cafe Coffee Hamper, 2 Mars Bounce Football's, a £10 Magnum® Pleasure Card
    2010 Competition Wins: Lucozade 8Gb iPhone 3GS........hopefully more soon
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