o2 Backwardness - existing bill pay wants iPhone but er, can't...

Vim Fuego

I've been thinking of taking the plunge and buying the iphone from o2. I'm an existing bill pay customer so I thought it'd be no problem to switch from the current price plan to the iphone plan because:

a) o2 make more money each month (big plus)
b) I've been with o2 for ages, have good payment history and all that.

But unless I'm eligible for an upgrade (I'm not and am presumably a long way from it), I can't do it. So it seems the best option now to is to buy an iphone elsewhere, jailbreak it and maybe moving to another operator depending on their data charges.

Seems a bit silly.. I've sent them an email asking if there's anything they can do but I won't hold my breath

Anyone managed to get them to ignore this policy or make a change 'just this once'?

vinnycoyne

Can't you buy a PAYG iPhone and stick in a bill-pay SIM? You can keep your existing plan, although you may need to purchase a data add-on.

Vim Fuego

Well, I could buy PAYG but there is the small matter of €480 to consider. If money was no object, perhaps....but why be on bill pay and pay PAYG handset prices? I'd like an iPhone but not that much.

whiterebel

My contract was up, but I wasn't due an upgrade. Went into local O2 shop, and she checked the upgrade situation, and confirmed I wasn't due. Grand, says I, was thinking of an iPhone - €480 says she for bill pay. Bugger off says I. Will go to VF as I like the look of the 5800 anyway. Hang on, she'll check the system again, to see if she can upgrade me. Surprise, surprise, iPhone for €169 (8GB) or 5800 for €199. Tell you what, says I, O2 can stick their iPhone, their unwillingness to unlock it, their twisted charge structure for it, the stupid upgrade situatiuon and the non user-changeable battery as I am going to change to VF. Which I did, and I am extremely happy with the 5800, its a joy to use. 100 minutes + 100 texts +1 GB data add on for €39 a month.

Dades

Vim Fuego wrote: »

But unless I'm eligible for an upgrade (I'm not and am presumably a long way from it), I can't do it. So it seems the best option now to is to buy an iphone elsewhere, jailbreak it and maybe moving to another operator depending on their data charges.

It's nothing to do with the upgrade per se - it's to do with the current contract you're signed into. Every time you upgrade they make you sign a new 12mth contract.

Also beware, in the same way they won't let you break your contact to start a new contract with the iPhone, you'll have difficulties moving to a new network for the same reason.

Can you remember when you last upgraded (i.e. signed a new contract?) Maybe it's only a few months to go and you could wait for the new iPhone anyway?

mobius42

This is the way all phone contracts work for all phones, not just the iPhone. If you're not due an upgrade, you don't get the subsidised price. They make the discount back after a certain number of months into the contract. How long has it been since you last upgraded or changed plan?

whiterebel wrote: »

My contract was up, but I wasn't due an upgrade. Went into local O2 shop, and she checked the upgrade situation, and confirmed I wasn't due. Grand, says I, was thinking of an iPhone - €480 says she for bill pay. Bugger off says I. Will go to VF as I like the look of the 5800 anyway. Hang on, she'll check the system again, to see if she can upgrade me. Surprise, surprise, iPhone for €169 (8GB) or 5800 for €199.

O2 offered you an upgrade you weren't entitled to in an effort to keep your custom and you consider this a reason to criticise them?

whiterebel wrote: »

Tell you what, says I, O2 can stick their iPhone, their unwillingness to unlock it, their twisted charge structure for it, the stupid upgrade situatiuon and the non user-changeable battery as I am going to change to VF. Which I did, and I am extremely happy with the 5800, its a joy to use. 100 minutes + 100 texts +1 GB data add on for €39 a month.

Why were you even considering buying an iPhone in the first place if these were major issues for you? Also, the upgrade situation is the same for the iPhone as it is for all other phones. In fact, they even offered iPhone 3Gs to 2G owners even though they weren't due an upgrade.

I agree on the unlocking situation though. Maybe if Ireland had a communications regulator that was worth a damn, stuff like this might change.

I'm not an O2 fanboy or anything, it's just that, when it comes to the iPhone, people have this strange sense of entitlement that I've never seen in relation to any other phone or network. I've seen it time and time again on forums. Why people only seem to complain about these things when an iPhone's involved, I don't know.

Vim Fuego

I only had my bill transferred into my name about 4/5 months ago so I have a while to go on the current contract just yet. Thing is, I'm not looking for any mega-cheap upgrade deal, just looking to pay the same as any new customer getting an iPhone on bill pay. I wouldn't mind starting into a new 12/18 month contract as a result of this change.

mobius42

This could end up working in your favour. There will more than likely be a new iPhone released soon. By the time it's out, you'll probably be eligible for an upgrade and you'll get a better phone than if you upgraded now.

Dades

OP, the thing is O2 make their money on signing people up to new contracts.

You're already in a contract with them so there's no real benefit in allowing you out of one into another - esp if it means giving you a new phone. The few quid extra a month you might pay doesn't change this. I suppose they might let you buy your way out.

whiterebel

mobius42 wrote: »

O2 offered you an upgrade you weren't entitled to in an effort to keep your custom and you consider this a reason to criticise them?


Why were you even considering buying an iPhone in the first place if these were major issues for you? Also, the upgrade situation is the same for the iPhone as it is for all other phones. In fact, they even offered iPhone 3Gs to 2G owners even though they weren't due an upgrade.

What pi**ed me off with O2 was there was no budge until I mentioned Vodafone and suddenly they were lobbing €300 off the iPhone.
Apple pi** me off for their refusal to allow users to change battery.
I've used Apple Macs since 1994, and was looking forward to the first phone I could get that would Sync properly for contacts, calendars etc, without being unworkable/expensive/faulty. Then Apple decided to give it to bloody o2 who screwed it at every turn. Thankfully Nokia have plug-ins now for the business phones which work perfectly with Macs.