Platinum Priority List confusion from O2 as iPhone customers fume

Get more when you stay with us

As an O2 Priority List platinum customer, if you're on an 18- or 24-month contract you can get a new phone six months early, or you can choose from:

* One of our 30-day or 12-month simplicity tariffs, which offer the most minutes and texts from £10 a month, or
* A credit on your bill if you don't need a new phone

And when you do renew, you can take your pick of the same offers that our new customers get. We call it Fair Deal.

Nothing here about how much you have to spend before you become eligible for the 'priority' treatment, but then again being underhand seems to be a company trait as far as O2 goes. And they call it 'Fair Deal'.

Some, Steve Alder at O2 to be precise, have said iPhone customers want to be treated differently to everyone else, but going by the above it is O2 that seems to be discriminating against their iPhone customers after luring us in with the in-contract deals on the 3G handset.

Apple - free the iPhone from carrier exclusivity

Another petition - this time against exclusivity.

We the undersigned petition Apple Inc. to Apple, ditch @O2 and find a fairer network for iPhone in the UK #O2fail

O2 are taking the biscuit with their current iPhone 3Gs upgrade pricing and policy. They have rubbish network coverage anyway, in my opinion, and Apple need to realise that they've stuck it to their beloved parent company BT, who frankly are a treasure, even if their monopoly on telephone lines is making Tiscali brick it daily. Look, just go with Orange or Vodaphone as well. Bring the competition back so we can find a fair deal. #o2fail

http://twitition.com/q76uj

A reply of 'understanding' from O2 customer service on iPhone 3GS outrage

I spoke to someone called Any at the Customer Service call centre in Glasgow this morning who initially claimed because the new iPhone hasn't been released yet they do not have an upgrade policy. They don't seem to have briefed their staff on this one. I felt a bit sorry for him when I started quoting back at him the musings of his general manager Steve Alder who provided further 'explanation' of their policy to TechRadar yesterday. Andy says a manager will be ringing me back within 24 hours.

See below the letter, full of understanding, that I received from O2 this morning:

Good Morning Gary

Thanks for emailing us to find out if you can upgrade to the iPhone 3G S.

I'm happy to know that you're interested in the latest iPhone 3G S. This phone will be launched on 19 June 2009.

I've checked your account and you're right, your contract will end on 11 January 2010. Hence you'll be eligible to upgrade one month before your contract end date, which would be on or after 11 December 2009.

Gary, in this case we're unable to offer you an early upgrade. I do understand your excitement in experiencing the new iPhone 3G S and you don't mind taking a 24 months contract along with the iPhone £45 tariff. We do appreciate this.

Your contract began on 11 July 2008. I can understand that you've covered the charges of your phone, as you've completed 11 months of your contract with us. However, the remaining months of your contract term needs to be completed only then you can be offered the iPhone 3G S, as an upgrade.

You'll be happy to know the Apple is also going to launch new iPhone OS 3.0 software on 17 June 2009 for 2G/3G iPhone customers. This will allow our existing customers who aren't eligible to upgrade to experience the renewed features which would be available on the iPhone 3G S on their current iPhone 3G.

I can see that you have an iPhone I would like to tell you that the latest software allows you to use over 100 new features on your existing iPhone 3G/2G. Isn't that exciting? The iPhone 3.0 OS software introduces 100 new features including:

1. Cut. Copy. Paste.  Move text, numbers and email addresses between apps
2. Search  Find contacts, apps, phone numbers, email addresses and more. Anywhere on the iPhone. Fast.
3. Landscape - Read and write texts, emails and picture messages holding the iPhone sideways.
4. Longer battery life

So, with your existing iPhone 2G/3G, you can avail the benefits of over 100 new features that will come with the new iPhone OS 3.0 software. Isn't that exciting!

To download this software, you'll need the latest version of iTunes, which is version 8.2. If you don't have the latest iTunes version, no worries you can download it by using the link below:

http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

Here's the link where you can view more information about the new iPhone OS 3.0 software:

http://shop.o2.co.uk/update/steps.html

You can also check your options available as an upgrade once you become eligible. You can upgrade online by clicking on the link below:

https://upgrades.o2.co.uk/index.htm#getMPN

Alternatively, you can speak to our upgrades team on 8001 313 136 from your O2 Pay Monthly phone. You can also contact our upgrades team from a fixed line by dialling 08001 313 136. Lines are open:

- Monday to Sunday between 8am and 8pm.

Calls made to the above numbers are free of charge from your O2 Pay Monthly mobile phone and fixed lines. Calls made to this number from any other UK mobiles will be charged at your Service Provider's published rates.

If you choose to downgrade your tariff, you can get to the next lowest tariff, which is the iPhone 35 tariff. This tariff will offer you an inclusive of 600 minutes and 500 free text messages along with free Unlimited Web and Wi-Fi service.

Please let us know if you require a change in tariff and we'll help you.

I hope I've clearly explained this for you. Have a nice day.

Important - When you email us please provide: your date of birth, postcode and mobile number as it helps us answer your query faster.

Kind regards

Sharin D'souza
O2 Customer Service

Getting your query right the first time you email us is very important to us. If your query has not been resolved this time, please reply to this email with the words 'Need More Help' in the subject field.

Telefonica O2 UK Limited, Registered in England No 1743099. Registered Office: 260 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4DX.

O2 greed makes Italian unlocked iPhone 3GS attractive for UK customers

O2 - you are losing customers because of your greed. See below:

Was running 1st gen iPhone, unlocked, on Vodafone, bought June 07.

When iPhone 3G, came out, was getting tired of the Jailbreak / Unlock cat and mouse game, gave old iPhone to my daughter and switched to O2 for new 3G.

O2 have announced a tethered data price that's, at 3 gb per month limit twice the cost of Vodafone's unlimited data plan, which is rather annoying.

Have now ordered an Unlocked Italian 3GS. It's not much different in price to the PAYG UK O2 iPhone cost and in 6 months time, will allow me to cancel O2 and move back to Vodafone (or try Orange / T-Mobile if I wish).

From fruitbear at macrumors