O2 on a blocking frenzy!

indiegirl_2

I can only suggest that it was put on manually because that's what I was told when I called - I was told that another 'agent' had applied the bar at 06.40am that morning and hadn't written anything else in the notes (which the girl I spoke to said was against company policy). That's why I asked for further investigation.

If it was the system doing it... then why? My account is up to date and fully paid up. How odd.

Service was returned within 6 hours so it wasn't too much of an inconvenience in the end, all told. I'm still worried about my details being compromised in some way.

dangeroussports

I understand, no one wants to be found in a compromising position!

Thanks

indiegirl_2

OK, an update and advice needed from any O2 employees who might lurk on here.

I called to officially complain earlier, before putting my complaint in writing.

My original upgrade phone went missing after being sent out around the 12th June. A both-ways bar was placed on the phone, which also affected my SIM card. I called at the time and asked for that bar to be removed, which it was.

Within 4 days my replacement phone had arrived. I put my sim in the new phone and it worked immediately.


The guy who I spoke to this evening told me this (after suggesting that my phone was barred due to a late payment - which I told him it wasn't!):

When the both ways bar was placed on my phone originally- back in June - and then removed- the second system that O2 use did not update.

O2 have to "send some forms off", which they were waiting to be returned. These were returned last week and they discovered that the second system did not have the both-ways-bar removed. Thus, they had to reapply the both-ways-bar to my phone and then remove it in order to update both systems.

At this point I interrupted him because he was talking about the IMEI of the original phone being barred - and I pointed out that my replacement phone obviously has a different IMEI. I asked why my replacement phone had been barred on the 1st August at random, and he spieled about the 'two systems not updating'.

I asked why a communications company couldn't send a text, email or make a short call to inform me that there was a technical problem ("it's not a technical problem, it's because the system hasn't updated" he then replied) to let me know.

Am I being led up the garden path here? Surely if O2 block one phone's IMEI, that's it blocked for good. If they mistakenly block my SIM as well - which is what they did (and didn't offer to send me a new SIM) - and I ask for the bar to be removed, how can a both ways bar which has remained on the second system be removed by blocking my second phone with a different IMEI??

I got the feeling that the gentleman I was speaking with was reading from a screen (hence trying to confirm that my service was blocked due to my account being in arrears when I first called) of 'possible answers to give the customer' (for that read:"bulls..t"). I'm not confident he has explained this properly to me - does anyone else have any ideas??

stacey21_2

Hi

Sorry I didnt get a chance to write back to you today, this thread has just reminded me!

Yes the information you have been given is correct, we have to bar then unbar a phone to update on the second system (system X) This is a higher level system.

When a phone has been barred for over 48 hours (roughly) it then attaches onto this 'secondary system' which permanantly bars the phone. Then, if we remove the bar as agents on our primary system (system Y) we as agents cannot remove them from system X because it is a higher level and has effectively 'blacklisted' the phone. So, we then need to send a handset unbarring form to verify that it is a 'safe' handset.

When a customer calls to say a handset has been lost etc, it is an automatic instinct to put on the bothway and imei bar. Possibly after the agent had done this (in roughly 2 seconds) the conversation led onto the fact that it was a lost in transit phone.. which would actually need a handset barring form, since our system Y only bars the imei of the phone in which your sim card is registered...

phew..

hope ive explained that correctly, if not, give me a pm,.

stacey