Ending an O2 contract workaround - is this right?

Alzibiff

I have an 18 month O2 mobile contract which I got as part of a broadband and TV deal with Virgin Media in May 2022.  I went into my local O2 shop today to ask about  poor network coverage in reasonably local places that I visit from time to time. (Was thinking about moving to EE when my contract ends in November). After answering my coverage questions I was invited to "upgrade" to a new 24month contract at a special £11 a month price for 6 months. When I said that I may well want to leave O2, I was then told that if I came back after the 6 months introductory price, I could "upgrade" again to a 30 day contract and once that had run out, I would be free to go to whatever network I wanted.
Querying this further, I was told that with O2, I can "upgrade" at any time and that a 30 day contract "upgrade" is a way of leaving the network earlier and cheaper than waiting for the end of my 2 year contract / payment fee for early exit.
Does this sound like a plan? Seems too good to be true somehow.

powerful_Rogue

Alzibiff said:

I have an 18 month O2 mobile contract which I got as part of a broadband and TV deal with Virgin Media in May 2022.  I went into my local O2 shop today to ask about  poor network coverage in reasonably local places that I visit from time to time. (Was thinking about moving to EE when my contract ends in November). After answering my coverage questions I was invited to "upgrade" to a new 24month contract at a special £11 a month price for 6 months. When I said that I may well want to leave O2, I was then told that if I came back after the 6 months introductory price, I could "upgrade" again to a 30 day contract and once that had run out, I would be free to go to whatever network I wanted.
Querying this further, I was told that with O2, I can "upgrade" at any time and that a 30 day contract "upgrade" is a way of leaving the network earlier and cheaper than waiting for the end of my 2 year contract / payment fee for early exit.
Does this sound like a plan? Seems too good to be true somehow.

This.

Email them, get it in writing. Without anything in writing I would not believe this, sounds like an underhand sales tactic.

ProDave

I was previously with Sky mobile, using the O2 network and following several "no signal at home" problems where multiple faults on the only mast covering our home took a week each time to fix, they released my from my contract early without penalty.

So log all the no signal problems and try that avenue.

Alzibiff

I have just had a web chat on the O2 site and have the same story as I got in the shop, so I guess that this counts as Email now I have the chat transcript. Relevant two lines are these:

Me: Will I be able to upgrade to a 30 day contract when on a 2 year contract and only have started it 6 months ago.
O2 Service Rep: Yes, you can switch to a 30 day rolling contract.

400ixl

If that is the case, where does this new 24 month contract come into it? As you are already in a contract and more than 6 months in then by that theory you should be able to "upgrade" to a 30 day rolling contract now.

Alzibiff

400ixl said:

If that is the case, where does this new 24 month contract come into it? As you are already in a contract and more than 6 months in then by that theory you should be able to "upgrade" to a 30 day rolling contract now.

Yes - that is correct and what I was told at the shop. All down to economics. Cheaper to go with £11 a month for 6 months and then switch if I want as the 30 day rolling contract is in the order of £26 at the mo'. (Up to this morning, I had been paying £25 a month which was the O2 bit of my Virgin Media deal). There are three areas near me where O2 coverage is lacking so will put up with that for now.

flaneurs_lobster

Alzibiff said:

400ixl said:

If that is the case, where does this new 24 month contract come into it? As you are already in a contract and more than 6 months in then by that theory you should be able to "upgrade" to a 30 day rolling contract now.

Yes - that is correct and what I was told at the shop. All down to economics. Cheaper to go with £11 a month for 6 months and then switch if I want as the 30 day rolling contract is in the order of £26 at the mo'. (Up to this morning, I had been paying £25 a month which was the O2 bit of my Virgin Media deal). There are three areas near me where O2 coverage is lacking so will put up with that for now.

But as @400ixl asked, why can't you switch to the 30-day rolling contract now and quit O2 in a month? 

k_man

If the original deal included a new mobile, you may be able to switch the calls/data part to 30 day, but possibly the handset element will continue for the original period (unless that part is already paid off).

Alzibiff

k_man said:

If the original deal included a new mobile, you may be able to switch the calls/data part to 30 day, but possibly the handset element will continue for the original period (unless that part is already paid off).

Yes that is exactly what I was told on the web chat. I bought my phone separately from the O2 contract though but am very surprised at what I found out today. It might not be cancelling in the strictest sense of the word but being able to take out a 30 day contract in the middle of a 24 month one is a handy dandy 'get out' I think.

km1500

I think not, and predict you will be back to complain you can't get out of your new 24 month contract !!