O2 Classic 123 PAYG Pay As You Go SIM - keep number active / alive

fleemkt

I'm not sure if it's been covered (apologies if it has), but does anyone one know what is required now to keep alive an O2 number on this PAYG tariff?

I've had my number before they removed it and it used to be the case that you only had to make a call or have a chargeable activity every 6 months and I think a top up every 999 days.

However, I've noticed that their terms now say that your number will be disconnected if you don't top up or add a bolt on every 6 months.

Does anyone have a definitive answer?

Thanks

Neil_Jones

Well I haven't topped up since I put the initial credit on my o2 tariff (now 15 months ago) and it still works.  A second phone I moved to the same tariff is also still working, 18 months later after the initial top-up and it makes no calls either - gets a load of text messages from the bank though, but aside from that...

sdduk

Yeah i have the 321 sim and not topped it up for well over a year.
had the number about 10yrs i do make a call now and again but only for about 2 seconds and a few texts i use it for when i sign up for something over the net and it keeps all the crap off of my normal phone.

EssexExile

I believe we are all still on the old tariff that only requires a chargeable use every so many days. New customers go on the new tariff that requires a top up every so many days instead.

fleemkt

fleemkt said:

I've had my number before they removed it and it used to be the case that you only had to make a call or have a chargeable activity every 6 months and I think a top up every 999 days.

What meant to say was '... before they removed it to new customers in November 2019'.

I've had my sim for 10+ years; a relative since last summer.

Both topped up March/April this year.  Do you think it'll be okay to just make a call / text rather than top up?

EssexExile said:

I believe we are all still on the old tariff that only requires a chargeable use every so many days. New customers go on the new tariff that requires a top up every so many days instead.

Their current terms suggest that those on the classic PAYG tariff, which is no longer available to new customers, should 'top up' to avoid the number being disconnected and lose all credit on the sim?

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/pay-as-you-go/classic-pay-as-you-go

I interpret details on the link as applying to all O2 classic PAYG users?

d123

O2 admitted the 6 months top up clause was wrong, the guy I leased with in the Exec Office said he was going to try and get the web team to rectify it. If you read the T&Cs you'll see the correct clause, which is a chargeable action every 6 months (I have it in writing).

Ive had a Classic sim since the first month they introduced them, it was only topped up £10 when new and hasn't been topped up again. It's still working.

d123

Here's the relevant part of the letter.

From page 1


From page 2

fleemkt

Thanks for the info d123; very helpful!

If only O2 can update / correct their online t&c's.  It's good that you have it in writing - but for the rest of us, it's a bit ambiguous.

alanwsg

I've had an 'old-style' PAYG O2 SIM for years, I have it as 2nd SIM in a dual SIM phone.
I hardly use it, but do take care to make a call every 3 months or so to keep it active.
Last year, it stopped working. I got in contact with O2 and they said it had been cancelled as I hadn't topped-up in the last 6 months, they re-instated it but said they wouldn't do it again!
So I guess I have to add £10 every 6 months if I want to keep it.

Farway

alanwsg said:

I've had an 'old-style' PAYG O2 SIM for years, I have it as 2nd SIM in a dual SIM phone.
I hardly use it, but do take care to make a call every 3 months or so to keep it active.
Last year, it stopped working. I got in contact with O2 and they said it had been cancelled as I hadn't topped-up in the last 6 months, they re-instated it but said they wouldn't do it again!
So I guess I have to add £10 every 6 months if I want to keep it.

Maybe they are using this to weed out those of us who make a tenner last years

From a commercial viewpoint it would make sense to clear out non profitable users

Neil_Jones

Farway said:

From a commercial viewpoint it would make sense to clear out non profitable users

Realistically PAYG customers are not profitable no matter how you look at it, considering on a lot of them the price per minute is significantly below the equivalent landline charges.  The main selling point of a mobile network/tariff is either in bundles or the contract side of things, especially when your deal runs out and it rolls over onto something ridiculous.

PAYG is more likely a loss leader for the majority of networks, but if they cleared them all out a lot of companies would cut their user base quite significantly.