Leaving O2

SavingStudent1

Hi everyone,

I just had a quick question. I'm on a monthly contract with O2. The billing period runs from 1st of the month to the end of the month. The bill is taken on the 12th of the month. So, my April allowance has just finished and the bill will be taken on 12th May.

So, May's allowance just started yesterday. If I leave today and give my PAC code to my new mobile service provider, say Three and it asks for the "Network switch date". I assume this is when my O2 contract is cancelled and won't work anymore and the transfer to Three will begin.

I have options to transfer on dates from 7th May to 31st May.

My question is:

- If I buy the SIM tomorrow from Three, will I pay for this month's bill because I bought the SIM from 3rd May. Or will I pay for it from the Network switch date? Namely, when will my contract with Three start?

- If my network switch date is 7th May, will I still pay O2 for the full month's bill or a pro-rated bill from 1st May to 7th May?

I just want to ensure that if I am going to pay a full month's bill with O2 regardless of when I switch, then I'll just switch at the end of the month, else I'll be paying both SIM's bill in full, but only able to use the new one. If I won't, then I'll switch as soon as possible and just start paying on my new SIM. 

PHK

Whatever you do you will have a few days overlap. Your new SIM will start from the day you buy it. 

Once you’ve received the SIM and are happy with the coverage then give them the PAC to transfer your number from O2

Assuming you’ve completed your minimum term then O2 will charge you from your previous billing date to the date you switch. But note that if you make the switch after the bill has been prepared but before the money is taken then you’ll pay for the full month (because O2 didn’t know about the switch when they prepared the bill) but you’ll get a credit on a final bill for the unused days. The final bill will also include any out of plan charges that weren’t on the previous bill. 

If you are still within your minimum term then you’ll receive a bill for the time remaining between the switch date and the end of the minimum term - you would have been given an estimate of this when you requested the PAC. 

eDicky

SavingStudent1 said:

- If I buy the SIM tomorrow from Three, will I pay for this month's bill because I bought the SIM from 3rd May. Or will I pay for it from the Network switch date? Namely, when will my contract with Three start?

- If my network switch date is 7th May, will I still pay O2 for the full month's bill or a pro-rated bill from 1st May to 7th May?

Service from Three with its associated phone number will begin independently of any number port.

Don't cancel your direct debit with O2, let the billing and any refund take place as PHK outlines.

flaneurs_lobster

SavingStudent1 said:

I have options to transfer on dates from 7th May to 31st May.

An aside - network ports can take 24 hours and don't take place over weekends. To minimise disruption try to set up a switch date that's early/mid week.  

SavingStudent1

Thanks for this - that is very useful. I'm definitely changing and will be happy with moving my SIM provider - the coverage seems decent in the area. I do appreciate checking it works fine, but it is simply because my bill is so high, I want to change it as soon as possible.

I assume if I change by next week, I'll be charged around a week's bill, i.e. 1/4 of the monthly bill approximately as I left a week within the new billing cycle.

I'll order the SIM and do the PAC transfer at its earliest time too, to stop the 'charge'.

PHK

It’s worth mentioning that contract charges are a month in advance. So porting the number one week in would result in an eventual refund of three weeks (if you are outside your minimum term)

I would re-read the answers above to make sure you are fully aware of what you are doing. 

SavingStudent1

PHK said:

It’s worth mentioning that contract charges are a month in advance. So porting the number one week in would result in an eventual refund of three weeks (if you are outside your minimum term)

I would re-read the answers above to make sure you are fully aware of what you are doing. 

Yes, that is what I expected. I'm not sure if i entirely understand what has been said.

But, I'm no longer in contract, i.e. I'm on a monthly contract after my term finished.

If I order the SIM, it will come whenever it does. Now, I can ask to transfer my number onto Three by giving them the PAC code. At that time or at the time they make the transfer, my O2 contract will be cancelled and I'll move onto Three's services.

If that date is 14th May, let's say - 2 weeks into the month, then I'll be charged till 14th May and given a refund for the remainder of the month's bill, which is 17 days - I assume.

Neil49

SavingStudent1 said:

PHK said:

It’s worth mentioning that contract charges are a month in advance. So porting the number one week in would result in an eventual refund of three weeks (if you are outside your minimum term)

I would re-read the answers above to make sure you are fully aware of what you are doing. 

Yes, that is what I expected. I'm not sure if i entirely understand what has been said.

But, I'm no longer in contract, i.e. I'm on a monthly contract after my term finished.

If I order the SIM, it will come whenever it does. Now, I can ask to transfer my number onto Three by giving them the PAC code. At that time or at the time they make the transfer, my O2 contract will be cancelled and I'll move onto Three's services.

If that date is 14th May, let's say - 2 weeks into the month, then I'll be charged till 14th May and given a refund for the remainder of the month's bill, which is 17 days - I assume.

The straightforward answer regarding your refund is Yes (but don't cancel the direct debit on your bank account until you receive it) 

Secondly, organise organise your pac switchover for early in the week (ideally Tuesday or Wednesday) just in case of any issues. If you leave it to a Friday then any problems won't be investigated until Monday earliest. 

SavingStudent1

Neil49 said:

SavingStudent1 said:

PHK said:

It’s worth mentioning that contract charges are a month in advance. So porting the number one week in would result in an eventual refund of three weeks (if you are outside your minimum term)

I would re-read the answers above to make sure you are fully aware of what you are doing. 

Yes, that is what I expected. I'm not sure if i entirely understand what has been said.

But, I'm no longer in contract, i.e. I'm on a monthly contract after my term finished.

If I order the SIM, it will come whenever it does. Now, I can ask to transfer my number onto Three by giving them the PAC code. At that time or at the time they make the transfer, my O2 contract will be cancelled and I'll move onto Three's services.

If that date is 14th May, let's say - 2 weeks into the month, then I'll be charged till 14th May and given a refund for the remainder of the month's bill, which is 17 days - I assume.

The straightforward answer regarding your refund is Yes (but don't cancel the direct debit on your bank account until you receive it) 

Secondly, organise organise your pac switchover for early in the week (ideally Tuesday or Wednesday) just in case of any issues. If you leave it to a Friday then any problems won't be investigated until Monday earliest. 

Thanks, I ended up doing all of this and it was fine - waiting for the direct debit stuff to pull through, when it does.

SavingStudent1

When should I expect to receive the refund via direct debit? Is it when the next bill payment is taken for the following month?

Neil49

SavingStudent1 said:

When should I expect to receive the refund via direct debit? Is it when the next bill payment is taken for the following month?

I'm pretty sure it's when the next bill payment is due for the following month.