News - O2 abandons unlimited mobile data pricing

[crossy]

Funny i read this on the same day i speak to my rep in the Three store, and get told that as of next month the 500mb limit on my "unlimited" internet contract is being upped to 2gig as Three have found Android users are struggling with a 500mb limit. O2 lose out, Three wins...

Well that's a turn up for the books - when I was speaking to one of the local Three guys (two weeks ago) and said that I'd heard that limits were being increased, his response was "no they're being decreased - but I've got a 1GB data plan ... haa haa! " (actually I made up that "haa haa" - if he'd done that then I probably would have decked the greasy oik )

As you say - 500MB/month isn't usable (imho) for any smartphone, 2GB/month on the other hand I could live with - especially on an Android phone which, I'm told, is clever enough to be able to switch from "home" (Wifi) to "away" (3G) pretty seamlessly.

Hmm, looks like I might have a Desire or X10 in my near future after all.

Bob

[Defiant]

So they are going to change the existing contracts for the 3gs and previous models??? If so surely that's a major change to my contract with O2 and a contract breaker since they are changing the terms of agreement I signed. I know that other changes to contracts of prices have invalidated mobile contracts before.
But what's for sure is that I WONT be buying the iPhone 4 from O2 on release or when my 3GS contract is up. I don't want a data limited plan, it's why I joined O2 for unlimited service. Well Im off to a new network for sure when the currenty contract ends or when they breach the contract terms. Nice way go loss customers O2, cya

[Rob_B]

Its a bad mve but people seem to be forgetting there are very few other networks that ever offered 'unlimited' so jumping ship isn't exactly going to get you very far especially considering each network has its own 'issues' (3 - customer service anyone?)

[Spud1]

So they are going to change the existing contracts for the 3gs and previous models??? If so surely that's a major change to my contract with O2 and a contract breaker since they are changing the terms of agreement I signed. I know that other changes to contracts of prices have invalidated mobile contracts before.
But what's for sure is that I WONT be buying the iPhone 4 from O2 on release or when my 3GS contract is up. I don't want a data limited plan, it's why I joined O2 for unlimited service. Well Im off to a new network for sure when the currenty contract ends or when they breach the contract terms. Nice way go loss customers O2, cya

As far as I can tell, existing customers who already have an unlimited plan will be "grandfathered" going forwards - so we can keep our unlimited plan as long as we don't upgrade.

As an interesting sidenote if you do want an iPhone 4 - you can get £250 for a 16GB 3Gs on the phone recycling sites (mazuma/envirofone etc) so that could make a PAYG model affordable pending on those prices..and you could use that with your current unlimited contract

This still sucks though, o2 have been growing better and better over the past few years, and now they go and take a huge backwards step like this At least they still have Visual Voicemail and unlimited Wifi as 2 "edges" over the other networks!

[Rob_B]

As an interesting sidenote if you do want an iPhone 4 - you can get £250 for a 16GB 3Gs on the phone recycling sites (mazuma/envirofone etc) so that could make a PAYG model affordable pending on those prices..and you could use that with your current unlimited contract

..or well over £250 from ebay/private sales

[Spud1]

True, didn't realise they were going for £350 or so on ebay still (!!) I suggested the phone trade-in sites as they are generally less hassle..but then again ebay may be worth it for that extra £100

[amjedm]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I was looking to get the HTC Desire on a T-Mobile or O2 contract as they both have (or O2 had) unlimited data.

Vodafone and Orange as most are aware cap at 500MB.

[Defiant]

http://news.o2.co.uk/Press-Releases/...model-2a3.aspx

[DeludedGuy]

I used 80mb last month, I thought it would have been more, but i guess web browsing on my blackberry is not a joyous experience.

[Defiant]

Lol I find Blackberries are a 'joyous' experience full stop. Also the link says existing contract users won't see a change. I imagine they know it's breach of contract on their side if they do. So now to work out if there is a way just to buy a iPhone 4 out of contract and use the existing contract.

[miniyazz]

Based on current usage patterns, 97% of O2 smartphone customers would not need to buy additional data allowances, as the lowest bundle (500MB) provides at least 2.5 times the average O2 customer’s current use.

Does the 'average' (doesn't state which average) O2 customer even have a smartphone?

Existing customers will continue under their present terms, unlimited data usage with an Excessive Use Policy.

Looks like I'm sticking with O2 after all.

[TooNice]

Didn't Hexus report "Existing O2 customers will continue to get their unlimited data until 1 October."?

[miniyazz]

Didn't Hexus report "Existing O2 customers will continue to get their unlimited data until 1 October."?

Yup.. which I suppose begs the question, is it a misinterpretation by Hexus (since new customers will get the unlimited internet until 1 October as a promotion) or a misrepresentation by that O2 News link? I'm in favour of the former being true

[Biscuit]

bandwidth demands of the internet become higher, usage of the internet as a daily tool become more and more promenant yet restrictions on allowances become tighter and tighter. Our society blows

[SiM]

bandwidth demands of the internet become higher, usage of the internet as a daily tool become more and more promenant yet restrictions on allowances become tighter and tighter. Our society blows

Do you think it is becoming tighter just for fun? Capacity is fixed in the medium term, so when it was only used by a few they could go wild as no other users are affected. TBH, I would prefer to be with a provider with a 500mb cap and super fast speeds rather than one with no cap and slow speeds because everyone uses 2gb+

[Hicks12]

I couldnt agree more Sim. If you guys look at t-mobile, they arent really that great either due to the 33KB/s speed cap they have for all users no matter the connection, so basically you will never get full 3g or HSDPA speeds but you do get a nice usage cap.

Im with Virgin and they tail off the t mobile network, didnt know about the throttling until i bought my phone but tbh having 2gb usage and its still pretty good for browsing web pages. Fortunately after complaining to virgin mobile my signal has gone to a damn good HSPDA 90% across plymouth ... still barely a connection in my home though >.<.