RIP OFF: O2 Ireland Tethering

philiporeilly

O2 now wants to double charge customers for bandwidth they already paid for. Absolute joke of a company:

Head of O2 Customer Service wrote:

So the situation on Tethering is as follows:

We now have the service ready on our network and we only require an Apple update to get the service rolled out. We anticipate this to be in place mid Feb (maybe earlier). Dates are being agreed with Apple now.

We would strongly advise any customer who wishes to tether to avail of either:

a. 1GB @ €12.50 / month
b. 7.5GB @ €16.99 / month
c. 15GB @ €19.99 / month

If a customer does not have of the above stated bundles they will be charged 1c per KB (hence the strong advice). We are preparing an offering that will bring this inline with a more reasonable market rate, however, it it not ready yet and we do not want to delay tethering further.

Thanks for your support on the Forum for ensuring the importance of this product was not missed.

Regards

Rod

OI

Anger :mad: seethe hiss boo grrrrrrr blood boils etc etc etc, contract is up in 30 days time, I am at the end of my tether

L5

they can f**k right off if they think im paying them prices, or anything approaching them for tethering. This should be free, were already paying for the bloody bandwith. Shower of money grabbing c*nts. Cant wait till my contract is up.

Matt Bauer

What, O2 wants to charge you extra on top of what you're already paying just to tether your iPhone occasionally, or else pay 1 cent per KB? That's like €10 for a single megabyte.

Wow. I foresee a lot of people making the switch to Vodafone in March unless they don't change that or Vodafone don't decide to do the same. Classic paddy tax if ever I've seen it!

philiporeilly

Waiting for clarification from Daryll (O2 Rep on their forums) but it looks like you might also have to extend contract 18mths if taking addon.

Also

Daryll on O2.ie Forums wrote:

Tethering uses the open.internet Broadband APN the data that you are using with your included bundle is mobile data travelling through the internet APN.

If you want to use tethering when it becomes active you can only use the open.internet APN and if you don't have a bundle you will incur the 1c per MB charge.

OI

Looking at the forum there it looks like many are now ready to leave once their present contracts expire. I wanted to register my disgust and state my intention of leaving aswell but I'm not registered yet.

I really hope that the implication of people leaving them will make them revise this outrageous decision, pure scum.

gleep

Could this be considered a change in the terms of your contract? If so they must give you a min. notice period, and you can cancel your contract WITHOUT CHARGE within this period. Tis the law (have used it when 3 changed their roaming rates)

guil

gleep wrote: »

Could this be considered a change in the terms of your contract? If so they must give you a min. notice period, and you can cancel your contract WITHOUT CHARGE within this period. Tis the law (have used it when 3 changed their roaming rates)

i hope so

Mitch Buchannon

Right guys... Im a dumbass.. what is tethering and how is it going to affect me ? I have no idea of this broadband APN stuff..

I have an Iphone 3gs that I got last July. Im with O2 on the €45.00 contract (if that helps)

Tom Dunne

How can the network differentiate between data being accessed via the iPhone vs. data being accessed via tethering?

Mitch Buchannon wrote: »

Right guys... Im a dumbass.. what is tethering and how is it going to affect me ? I have no idea of this broadband APN stuff..

It's hooking your laptop up to the iPhone and using the iPhone as a modem to access the internet.

blaz

Tom Dunne wrote: »

How can the network differentiate between data being accessed via the iPhone vs. data being accessed via tethering?

The iPhone has separate APNs for mobile internet access and tethering. I presume they will send out a configuration bundle through iTunes that will configure a different APN for tethering. Of course if you jailbreak your phone you should be able to change it back to the standard "internet" APN and use your inclusive traffic, as you could already do now. Also, I've seen claims that iPhone OS 3.1.3 disables the configuration bundle signing, so you can update your APN settings by uploading your own configuration bundle even without jailbreaking.

Liamario

Why has tethering become an issue for them all of a sudden. I mean what difference does it make if you use your iphone's broadband connection via the iphone or via your computer?

mlmcelligott

move to meteor and get a htc hero instead. Root your phone (takes 20 minutes or less) and get an app called "Wireless tether for root users". it works great and I gave back my o2 mobile dongle because using my phone is cheaper.

JimsAlterEgo

Liamario wrote: »

Why has tethering become an issue for them all of a sudden. I mean what difference does it make if you use your iphone's broadband connection via the iphone or via your computer?

would imagine more people would come closer to using their full allowance

Liamario

Surely then they are breaching their own contract. They can't just decide to change the rules all of a sudden

Tom Dunne

Liamario wrote: »

Why has tethering become an issue for them all of a sudden. I mean what difference does it make if you use your iphone's broadband connection via the iphone or via your computer?

The cynic in me says it is yet another way to squeeze money out of customers.

However, I think this is a step too far. I'd love to see figures about how many iPhone users actually use their full 1Gb monthly allowance.

whiterebel

Liamario wrote: »

Surely then they are breaching their own contract. They can't just decide to change the rules all of a sudden

Have you not heard of O2?:p

Royally screwing their customers is nothing new to that shower. They have ripped off the iPhone customers from the start with the 18 month contracts, special tariffs and conditions, etc. Now they are trying to rip every last drop from it before they lose exclusivity.
Mind you, the customers helped them. If we had stood back, and told them to shove it up their ass it might have been a different story, and we haven't learned because they are going like lemmings over a cliff to get the VF ones now on an 18 month contract as well, again with a terrible tariff. Sometimes we get what we deserve.

philiporeilly

Nothing better to solve this than the obligatory "I will NOT pay...." facebook fan page!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-will-NOT-Pay-O2-over-1250-per-month-to-use-my-phone-like-a-90s-brick/10150221186695001

I will NOT Pay O2 over €12.50 per month to use my phone like a 90s brick

rabbitinlights

I've been tethering for months...... this is awful news.

philiporeilly

rabbitinlights wrote: »

I've been tethering for months...... this is awful news.

And according to O2 if you are on the Wrong APN you could be charged up to e20,000 per Gb. Looks like they also want you to sign 18mth contract to avail.

I very much doubt though they will have the time or staff to enforce against non official tethering.

Onearmedbandit

My contract is up in April and they tried to switch me to their new Iphone plan, basically I was getting €5 back per month unlimited GB data and a few more calls/texts that I never used and they wanted another 18months? I refused after I saw the offer for the HTC Hero. When I rang up I expected to be coaxed back to O2 with a new phone but they dont give a sh*t. It will be the last time I go on O2 and this tethering nonsense really tops it off.

Stuxnet

this is what happens in a small island economy, fookin rob the eye out your head, and the govt will laugh at you

philiporeilly

BOBBY wrote: »

this is what happens in a small island economy, fookin rob the eye out your head, and the govt will laugh at you

Not only are O2 ripping us off but they think we should be delighted with it!

Red Alert

20,000/Gb if you're on the wrong APN??? that's scary - I wonder have they something like a Transparent proxy with User Agent detection going?

philiporeilly

Red Alert wrote: »

20,000/Gb if you're on the wrong APN??? that's scary - I wonder have they something like a Transparent proxy with User Agent detection going?

According to Daryll on O2 Forums it can cost up to 2c per Kb if you have the wrong APN settings in your iPhone.

Funnily enough they suggested switching them a few months back when customers had problems so this might get interesting.

O2_Daryll

Guys there has been a lack of information on the pricing. I have tried to clear it up here.

http://forums.o2online.ie/forums/showpost.php?p=96330&postcount=735

Owen

Funny you have the Nokia 2110i there Philip - I used to tether mine to a laptop back in 1998, and there were no extra charges. Mind you, it was the same price to SMS a number in Ireland as it was to SMS in Europe back then too.

Now the operators are just into mass rape of their consumers without lube -without realising that if they give us things like tethering, and standard European SMS pricing, we'd actually be loyal to them, and stick with them when it comes to renewing our contracts.

Very short sighted business thinking on o2's part - they should just make it free and reap the benefits of long term loyalty. That's what happens when Accountants get a hold of any business.

philiporeilly

Talk2O2: Daryll wrote: »

Guys there has been a lack of information on the pricing. I have tried to clear it up here.

http://forums.o2online.ie/forums/showpost.php?p=96330&postcount=735

Thanks for the update Daryll.

Lucky I didnt switch to the new contract as they will still be caught for a minimum €12.50 extra per month just to tether 1 Gb.

Pity its not free 1Gb for everyone and charge addons for over that. fairest solution for all!

Nonoperational

Ha this is absolutely brilliant. Get people to sign new 18 month contracts with the carrot of unlimited data (which you would only ever use if tethering), but then stick a 12.50 a month charge on them if they want to tether yet the people on the old contracts can tether away!
They definitely have some diabolical genius thinking up plans to catch customers at every possible opportunity!

Panda Moanium

I agreed to the new 18 month contract and its in place as far as I know but i never signed anything. I wonder am I legally tied in to it now?

Really hacked off with O2 about this as I specifically brought up the issue of tethering with the O2 guy who called me about the new contract, he fobbed me off saying he knew nothing about it, while now it is clear these new contracts are all part of their devious plan to screw more money out of us.

Nonoperational

Panda Moanium wrote: »

I agreed to the new 18 month contract and its in place as far as I know but i never signed anything. I wonder am I legally tied in to it now?

Really hacked off with O2 about this as I specifically brought up the issue of tethering with the O2 guy who called me about the new contract, he fobbed me off saying he knew nothing about it, while now it is clear these new contracts are all part of their devious plan to screw more money out of us.

I'd guess you are.

hmmm

I thought the 3G & 3GS releases were customer service fiascos, but a third fiasco? What's the extension of that line about one being misfortune & two being carelessness.

I've read close to 10 pages tonight of the O2 thread and as far as I can figure out, the situation is this:
- if you signed up for a new contract recently, you will be charged either 10,000 or 20,000 a gigabyte if you tether without a tethering addon.
- if you didn't sign up for a new contract, you will be charged either 10,000 or 20,000 if you tether the "wrong way" i.e. by using the wrong APN. Do 99% of O2s customers know what an APN is or where it is set? Not a hope, I look forward to O2 trying to enforce this.
- If you didn't sign up for a new contract, you can use your 1gb allowance to tether. Maybe. Using some APN that, if you get it wrong, will cost you 10,000 or 20,000 euros.
- O2 have announced these prices because of a rush to get tethering out, a hugely complicated affair which involves massive technical changes and discussions with Apple, the UN and the Sultan of Brunei. The changes have been rushed through in a speedy response to the 2 year call by customers for tethering. O2 will be revising the prices very soon. Or something. But they are doing this for our benefit. The latest prices. Which will change. Or maybe not. Or you could be using the wrong APN anyway and it wouldn't matter. The situation is very fluid and is changing by the minute.

I'm afraid to touch my phone tonight in case I bankrupt myself. Of course I could be using the wrong APN anyway and I'll bankrupt myself by not touching my phone.

The Big Gig

hmmm wrote: »

I thought the 3G & 3GS releases were customer service fiascos, but a third fiasco? What's the extension of that line about one being misfortune & two being carelessness.

I've read close to 10 pages tonight of the O2 thread and as far as I can figure out, the situation is this:
- if you signed up for a new contract recently, you will be charged either 10,000 or 20,000 a gigabyte if you tether without a tethering addon.
- if you didn't sign up for a new contract, you will be charged either 10,000 or 20,000 if you tether the "wrong way" i.e. by using the wrong APN. Do 99% of O2s customers know what an APN is or where it is set? Not a hope, I look forward to O2 trying to enforce this.
- If you didn't sign up for a new contract, you can use your 1gb allowance to tether. Maybe. Using some APN that, if you get it wrong, will cost you 10,000 or 20,000 euros.
- O2 have announced these prices because of a rush to get tethering out, a hugely complicated affair which involves massive technical changes and discussions with Apple, the UN and the Sultan of Brunei. The changes have been rushed through in a speedy response to the 2 year call by customers for tethering. O2 will be revising the prices very soon. Or something. But they are doing this for our benefit. The latest prices. Which will change. Or maybe not. Or you could be using the wrong APN anyway and it wouldn't matter. The situation is very fluid and is changing by the minute.

I'm afraid to touch my phone tonight in case I bankrupt myself. Of course I could be using the wrong APN anyway and I'll bankrupt myself by not touching my phone.

Excellent post.
I can see a lot of people moving to vodafone as a result of this mess.

Lenny

I tool out an iPhone in Dec, for65 pm with 1gb. I rang up in jan an they nicely put me on the new tarrif, no extension needed and it was5e cheaper. And unlimited download(capped at 3gb) so can anyone clear up do I have tethering now for free? My extra budle is free texts to any network.
How do I check what apn setting is it?

musiknonstop

My O2 contract is up in a few weeks. I won't be renewing because of the tethering policy and 18 month contract.

copacetic

philiporeilly wrote: »

Thanks for the update Daryll.

Lucky I didnt switch to the new contract as they will still be caught for a minimum €12.50 extra per month just to tether 1 Gb.

Pity its not free 1Gb for everyone and charge addons for over that. fairest solution for all!

agreed, those new contracts look to have been launched to try and catch people out. Sorry to say that the advice to not trust O2 about treating you well if you are signed up to a new 18 month contract was right on the nose.

Interesting about the apn also, O2 can't get away with advising people to move to it because their systems are incredibly unreliable and then charge people a fortune if they acutally use them exactly as designed.

good review of the situation above!
It's funny to read just how much O2 can feck things up given half a chance!

hmmm wrote: »

I thought the 3G & 3GS releases were customer service fiascos, but a third fiasco? What's the extension of that line about one being misfortune & two being carelessness.

I've read close to 10 pages tonight of the O2 thread and as far as I can figure out, the situation is this:
- if you signed up for a new contract recently, you will be charged either 10,000 or 20,000 a gigabyte if you tether without a tethering addon.
- if you didn't sign up for a new contract, you will be charged either 10,000 or 20,000 if you tether the "wrong way" i.e. by using the wrong APN. Do 99% of O2s customers know what an APN is or where it is set? Not a hope, I look forward to O2 trying to enforce this.
- If you didn't sign up for a new contract, you can use your 1gb allowance to tether. Maybe. Using some APN that, if you get it wrong, will cost you 10,000 or 20,000 euros.
- O2 have announced these prices because of a rush to get tethering out, a hugely complicated affair which involves massive technical changes and discussions with Apple, the UN and the Sultan of Brunei. The changes have been rushed through in a speedy response to the 2 year call by customers for tethering. O2 will be revising the prices very soon. Or something. But they are doing this for our benefit. The latest prices. Which will change. Or maybe not. Or you could be using the wrong APN anyway and it wouldn't matter. The situation is very fluid and is changing by the minute.

I'm afraid to touch my phone tonight in case I bankrupt myself. Of course I could be using the wrong APN anyway and I'll bankrupt myself by not touching my phone.

Bluefoam

Sounds like 02 are scum... 18 month contracts, more expensive contracts just to have an iphone and now fooling their customers into these crazy new contracts... in a way that strikes me as devious...

I realise how popular the jesus phone is, but at this stage there are plenty of viable alternatives... BTW I'm on meteor and only pay €40 for my calls with 10gb of data for my android phone, with tethering.... my advice is to leave 02 behind...

Bluefoam

mlmcelligott wrote: »

move to meteor and get a htc hero instead. Root your phone (takes 20 minutes or less) and get an app called "Wireless tether for root users". it works great and I gave back my o2 mobile dongle because using my phone is cheaper.

No need to root, there's a free tethering app. In the market. Pda net.

Valentia

AS I said before, but a bit more politely, mobile phone companies are the scum of the earth!! This is absolutely pathetic carry on by O2.

copacetic

Valentia wrote: »

AS I said before, but a bit more politely, mobile phone companies are the scum of the earth!! This is absolutely pathetic carry on by O2.

the problem is that they are all pretty much the same. it's trying to pick the feckers who will shaft you the least, a lottery at best.

whiterebel

The Big Gig wrote: »

Excellent post.
I can see a lot of people moving to vodafone as a result of this mess.

I don't know if VF will be a lot better. They can't even get their website working correctly in over 6 months..........

Stuxnet

Valentia wrote: »

AS I said before, but a bit more politely, mobile phone companies are the scum of the earth!! This is absolutely pathetic carry on by O2.

just in this country, vf in oz were fantastic value when i lived there, just 02 and vf have it sown up here, so will ride us up the ass at every opportunity, fact
in this country you get punished financially for wanting to own a cutting edge iphone

Tazzle

Panda Moanium wrote: »

I agreed to the new 18 month contract and its in place as far as I know but i never signed anything. I wonder am I legally tied in to it now?

Really hacked off with O2 about this as I specifically brought up the issue of tethering with the O2 guy who called me about the new contract, he fobbed me off saying he knew nothing about it, while now it is clear these new contracts are all part of their devious plan to screw more money out of us.

Is there not a cooling off period in contracts whereby you can change your mind?

philiporeilly

Tazzle wrote: »

Is there not a cooling off period in contracts whereby you can change your mind?

Unsure about that one but a customer on the O2 forums said he changed his mind and didnt want to start new contract over the tethering issue. They switched him back as I dont think his current bill period finished.

Lenny

Lenny wrote: »

I tool out an iPhone in Dec, for65 pm with 1gb. I rang up in jan an they nicely put me on the new tarrif, no extension needed and it was5e cheaper. And unlimited download(capped at 3gb) so can anyone clear up do I have tethering now for free? My extra budle is free texts to any network.

Did you read the o2 forum thread posted here ?

No you don't have free tethering.

philiporeilly

Lenny wrote: »

I tool out an iPhone in Dec, for65 pm with 1gb. I rang up in jan an they nicely put me on the new tarrif, no extension needed and it was5e cheaper. And unlimited download(capped at 3gb) so can anyone clear up do I have tethering now for free? My extra budle is free texts to any network.
How do I check what apn setting is it?

You would have had free tethering if you remained on old plan. You must pay a minimum of €12.50 for a bundle otherwise be caught for a massive bill!

Lenny

Yea I notice that now..
updated my phone there yesterday or something.. didn't read up or anything and tethered on it.. I litterly turned it on, went to speedtest.net and did a speedtest and loaded the boards.ie front page...
did 3.16MB and I have a charge of €26.50, whoopsie,
they really should send EVERYONE a text message with a iphone to let them know about the plans, because when I changed over there a month ago I changed over to the "unlimited" plan, like data is still data, right?
I will not be using the tethering again, and I wouldn't really have the need for it only for if I was going away for the weekend it'd be nicer if ya could pay the €12.50 for a download allounce and use that up instead of paying it monthly

hmmm

Lenny wrote: »

I litterly turned it on, went to speedtest.net and did a speedtest and loaded the boards.ie front page...
did 3.16MB and I have a charge of €26.50, whoopsie,

That's outrageous. Someone is almost inevitably going to inadvertently get a mind boggling bill from o2 (in the thousands). I can see a scenario where someone gets their new phone, is playing with the settings and switches on tethering and then connects to test it, without being aware of the requirement to purchase a plan to not incur massive charges.

O2 are being idiots in allowing this situation. If I buy a new phone, I shouldn't have to understand the minutiae of their terms and conditions to avoid racking up huge bills e.g. international roaming is disabled by default to prevent this.

And you know what, that person won't have to pay it because the rules have been such a disgrace.

They'll be let off with it and rightly so, so run up the bills all you like, the terms and conditions are so bloody misleading, I'd refuse to pay it.

lrandc

hmmm wrote: »

That's outrageous. Someone is almost inevitably going to inadvertently get a mind boggling bill from o2 (in the thousands). I can see a scenario where someone gets their new phone, is playing with the settings and switches on tethering and then connects to test it, without being aware of the requirement to purchase a plan to not incur massive charges.

O2 are being idiots in allowing this situation. If I buy a new phone, I shouldn't have to understand the minutiae of their terms and conditions to avoid racking up huge bills e.g. international roaming is disabled by default to prevent this.

I got charged €186 to read the Irish Times and a few other news sites and receive a few emails. Total 22mb of data. I was testing the tethering malarkey on the train and assumed that it was part of my data usage. Just checked my details online. I think need a drink!

I spoke to a few robots in O2 who said I basically have to lie back and enjoy the fact that they are screwing me with me pants on! I verbally agreed to another contract a week before and would be liable to a cancellation charge if I broke the terms... otherwise, I'd be knocking on vodaphone's door.

With hind sight, I know it's naive to think that O2 wouldn't charge extra for something like this. They are a multinational company after all. But to be screwed like this is still sore. Lack of a warning here too is pretty underhanded.

I'm off to light up a Cuban with a €100 note and snort cocaine off the butt of the supermodel that's just cleaned me Bentley.

O2, you are a shower of shiny sh1tes!!!!

Matt Bauer

lrandc, the situation you describe appears to be part and parcel of o2 Ireland's new business model. If I were you, I'd get onto Rod Coleman, head of customer service at o2 ireland:

http://ie.linkedin.com/pub/rod-coleman/4/487/78b

As Rod himself says:
"The use of social media has ensured that any company not living the Customer Experience will be exposed with brutal honesty. PR is less about spin and more about delivery, because the ownership of it has migrated to the Customer. Now, more than ever, you are what you do."