MSE News: Warning: New and renewing O2 customers to be hit with inflation-busting price hikes

jnm21

j1m5ane said:

Hi, confirmed with O2, that, even though i'm only 3 or 4 months into 2 x 24 month contracts signed with MobilePhones (part of AO) I can leave without penalty.

Specifically asked if i needed to return the handsets, they said no it was O2 that were changing the terms of my contracts, switching me to new tariffs, so i could keep the handsets. They gave me the PACs so that i could switch to a new network on SIM only.

It is not o2's call - you agree to two sets of T&Cs - effectively 2 contracts.  You'd be better off looking at AO's T&Cs.

By all means try it, but if it goes well, don't assume that it always will.  I hope it does go well. 🤞

waseem432000

jnm21 said:

j1m5ane said:

Hi, confirmed with O2, that, even though i'm only 3 or 4 months into 2 x 24 month contracts signed with MobilePhones (part of AO) I can leave without penalty.

Specifically asked if i needed to return the handsets, they said no it was O2 that were changing the terms of my contracts, switching me to new tariffs, so i could keep the handsets. They gave me the PACs so that i could switch to a new network on SIM only.

It is not o2's call - you agree to two sets of T&Cs - effectively 2 contracts.  You'd be better off looking at AO's T&Cs.

By all means try it, but if it goes well, don't assume that it always will.  I hope it does go well. 🤞

I am in same situation and I bought my contract from buymobiles. Just checked with O2 and they confirmed I can keep the device. I have checked my buymobiles email and they explicitly mentioned that device and delivery were free. Sent them an email to confirm that before I use my PAC code. 

fireice

I've been looking at this as well, I have a contract with o2 bought through a 3rd party retailer which has 15 months to run.

o2's email confirms that no early termination charges will apply:

Because of these changes you have the right to end your tariff without having to pay an Early Termination Charge. Should you decide to end your contract, you must give us notice within 30 days of the date of receiving this communication as set out in your contract.

But reading the 3rd party retailer contract:

If you purchase Contract Phone or SIM Only we will often charge you less for those Goods than the amount we would charge if you were buying them without a Network Contract (the Retail Price). You acknowledge that us providing those Goods to you for free or at less than the Retail Price is conditional on you not downgrading your Tariff or ending your Network Contract during the Minimum Term.

Except in circumstances where you cancel your Contract and your Network Contract in accordance with clause 9 (in which case the provisions of clause 9 apply), if your Network Contract ends before the end of the Minimum Term or if you downgrade your Tariff then:

Within 7 days of the downgrade or end of the Network Contract you must:

a) pay us the difference between the price you paid for the Contract Phone or SIM Only and a sum equal to the Retail Price including VAT, plus the market value of the Promotional Products plus VAT; or

b) if the Contract Phone or SIM Only and any associated Promotional Products are in good working order, fully functioning and intact you can return them to us;

So it seems that if I end my o2 contract early, I would have to pay the difference to the 3rd party retailer?

waseem432000

fireice said:

I've been looking at this as well, I have a contract with o2 bought through a 3rd party retailer which has 15 months to run.

o2's email confirms that no early termination charges will apply:

Because of these changes you have the right to end your tariff without having to pay an Early Termination Charge. Should you decide to end your contract, you must give us notice within 30 days of the date of receiving this communication as set out in your contract.

But reading the 3rd party retailer contract:

If you purchase Contract Phone or SIM Only we will often charge you less for those Goods than the amount we would charge if you were buying them without a Network Contract (the Retail Price). You acknowledge that us providing those Goods to you for free or at less than the Retail Price is conditional on you not downgrading your Tariff or ending your Network Contract during the Minimum Term.

Except in circumstances where you cancel your Contract and your Network Contract in accordance with clause 9 (in which case the provisions of clause 9 apply), if your Network Contract ends before the end of the Minimum Term or if you downgrade your Tariff then:

Within 7 days of the downgrade or end of the Network Contract you must:

a) pay us the difference between the price you paid for the Contract Phone or SIM Only and a sum equal to the Retail Price including VAT, plus the market value of the Promotional Products plus VAT; or

b) if the Contract Phone or SIM Only and any associated Promotional Products are in good working order, fully functioning and intact you can return them to us;

So it seems that if I end my o2 contract early, I would have to pay the difference to the 3rd party retailer?

Reading that third party contract terms, how do they enforce how much was the device price and how much was airtime as those aren’t mentioned explicitly(in my case anyway). I pay £30 for a S20 FE to O2 which I bought through a third party and I have already paid for that device and airtime for 6 months. How can they calculate the amount which I have paid for device in the past 6 months and then ask me for the remainder? It’s O2 who have changed the contract terms and they should be held liable, not the customers who were paying their monthly bill for a contract with a fixed term. 

I contacted the third party I bought that contract from, asking for details, and they replied to me on email that O2 will contact me with the next steps. O2 has already confirmed to be that I can leave without early termination so I am going to see what happens. I may be more inclined to return the device back to the third party than actually pay the remaining amount.