O2 leaving early - or not.

MrGentlyBenevolent

I ordered 2 sim only on a 12month contract with o2 in September 2022.
This continued to run till November 2024 when I or o2 was hacked and I was sim swapped with an esim (Which I didn't know existed and neither did my bank security advisor!!)

O2 then (after a lot of phone calls where they were unable to tell me how it had happened; whether it was an inside job, someone phoning pretending to be and asking for an esim, or a hacked account) issued me with a new sim and I had to accept a new contract for 24 months for both sims. I got a measly £10 compensation for the hassle they put me through.

I missed the 30 days deadline at the announcement of the price hike, when I asked O2 for my pac codes, I was told I would get a refund for any unused part of the month. Then when I moved to Ecotalk (EE) I got a demand for an early termination fee.

The original contract (2022) says :

"Your airtime contract will continue until such time you choose to upgrade or leave." So I was under the impression that once the 12months was up I could give a months notice to cancel."

Only one phone was subject to a sim swap hack, so does that contract still apply?

"You can end your contract following a change from O2 that will result in a non-beneficial change without having to pay an Early Termination Charge (if applicable)."

Do I have any wriggle room to argue that the early termination charge does not apply?

Any legal eagles out there who can advise?

TIA

Woodstok2000

You signed up to a 24 month contract in Nov 24, so that ends in Nov 26. Leaving before that will incur a fee, unless there was an uncontracted price rise.

Once the price rise was announced, you have 30 days to let them know youre leaving. Miss that timeliness, and a fee applies.

peteuk

Original 12 Month contract, Oct £22 was that split for cost of phone/sim? Once that contract was up did you change it?
The yearly price rise is usually in the contract, so therefore you would have had to wait until the end of the contract before moving.

As above new 24 month contract in Nov 24 so therefore you were contracted until Nov 26.

Not sure why you were so fused about an eSIM )I get it was changed without your knowledge. if you contacted them at the end of the first 12 m contract and changed the tariff then that is when they may have put you on a eSIM.