Should O2 accept any responsibility?

ArJayBe

This is an embarrassing admission. I’ve been in a contract with O2 for about 15/16 years. I started paying £29.99 monthly, I think. The cost, over time has risen to £36.36 per month. 

I am still using the same phone. It is a slider phone - I think it is a Samsung SGH D600.

Over that period (15/16 years), I’ve probably sent no more than 10 text messages in all. My phone calls these days (for the last eight years at least) are limited to perhaps no more than 10 a month – often far less. Calls would either be to my home or to my wife if we lose each other while shopping. None of my calls last more than a minute or two. I’d be surprised if my phone had internet access but, if it does, I’ve never used it.

Yes, I have been very stupid to have paid out so much for so long for such little service. It isn't as if we are overflowing with money and I am not even going to begin to try to explain my failure to do something sooner.

I am going to contact O2 in the next few days to see what they can offer in the way of a new deal. I’m sure if I had a smartphone I would make far more use of it in every way – texting, internet, photos in particular.  

I just wondered if anyone could advise on the best way forward and if O2 has any responsibility for allowing this inappropriate contract to have gone on for so long and even increasing my payments? 

I'm not trying to deny my own considerable responsibility in this, I just wondered if O2 might be open to offering a better deal considering the money they have been making out of me and providing very little service in return. 

I thought I'd just seek some advice before jumping in.

Thank you

tonygold

o2 may be very likely to offer you a better deal than you are on. a new basic smart phone and contract will will probably cost you half of what you are paying now (or better still purchase a smart phone for around £100 and a new sim only deal for around £10 a month considering your low usage). but, expecting them to compensate you for not monitoring your low usage amongst there millions of accounts as opposed to you checking it as your 1 and only account is a bit much to expect. the onus is on you here, but i'm sure going forward you will save a lot of money!

Neil_Jones

If your usage is going to be so low as to be non existent and you can honestly say you have no interest in what smart phones can do for you, then get a cheap "dumb" phone like one of these for example:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nokia-1-77-Inch-Feature-Phone-Single-Black/dp/B081DDS4HK

(you may need a new SIM in a smaller style)

And jump on a PAYG tariff:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/best-pay-as-you-go-sim-cards/

This will not prevent you from upgrading to a smart phone at a later date as the budget phones are so cheap and so versatile, and you can stay on PAYG if that suits you.

As to o2 accepting responsibility - no.  Not their responsibility.  Strictly yours.  You probably should have done something about it years ago in all honesty.  And they have "provided" a service - you've had a signal and the backend systems work, but not their fault you haven't used it.

Bogof_OAP

I am a bit bemused by the contract rising from £29.99 to £36.36 "over the years", as presumably (correct me if I'm wrong) the contract originally included your handset, which will have been paid for many years ago as you say you're still using the original phone.  Those price increases do smack of blatant taking advantage to me.

However as the other replies state, it was really up to you to challenge them at some point when you figured out you were being ripped off.

Can I suggest Giffgaff for a SIM only deal, as they use the 02 network so you know you would have decent coverage in your area, and I have found them brilliant to deal with, and their packages start very low, or you can have PAYG with them.