Hi Carol
Yes, this is where I've had to concede. I didn't want a locked or
branded
phone, I've never gone down that route. But when the chap yesterday
offered
me a fourth generation 32GB iPhone and keeping my Simplicity tariff
except
an extra fiver for the unlimited data, I felt it was too good an offer to
refuse. It is locked to O2, and I knew that even if I took them to
court,
the likelihood of getting them to hand over an unlocked iPhone was very
slim
as it wouldn't have been like-for-like that got lost in the first place.
So, in answer to your question, you can buy an unlocked iPhone, but they
cost a lot of money. Mine is tied to O2, but my pay plan is SIM only,
which
means I can opt out after a year anyway, or upgrade - as he was very
quick
to point out - when the new phone comes out in the summer.
For now, I'm sticking with what I have off them. My son has an iPhone
with
O2, and his tariff and pay plan is far more expensive than mine. You can
go
to Vodafone, but they'll likely offer you something tied to them.
I hope that helps.
Kind Regards,
Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability
jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of
Carol Pearson
Sent: 24 February 2011 12:08
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: An O2 story with lessons to be learned
Well done, Jackie, for your perseverance.
A question springs from your account, which maybe others can answer if
you
can't.
If I am offered an IPhone 4 as an upgrade by O2, is the IPhone in any way
branded/changed for O2 which would limit any future use with another
phone
provider, should I ever go down that route?
I hope this isn't considered too much of a hypothetical question but,
while
I get the point that Nokia phones are branded/unbranded, I'm not sure
what
happens with regard to IPhones in this respect. As they're all Apple,
I'm
thinking that this is where things differ. No doubt someone will put me
straight! <Smiles>
--
Carol P
---- Original Message ----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2011 9:23 AM
Subject: [access-uk] An O2 story with lessons to be learned
I hope the moderator will forgive a long post, though I will try to
make it as brief as possible given it is a complex story that requires
the major points only for this purpose.
In December, I switched from Vodafone to O2 because I get a better
signal with O2 over here. I was reluctant to do so as I had been with
Voda for many years, but I got a decent Simplicity tariff from O2, and
that was fine.
Unfortunately, however, when I went to replace a SIM card in my N82,
the holder in which it sits came off in my hand, and I was unable to
put it back, so therefore couldn't get the card to lie in its slot so
it could connect.
I took the phone to my nearest O2 dealer, explained what had happened,
and specifically requested they did not touch the software on it,
merely repaired the SIM card holder. They knew it was an unlocked and
unbranded phone. Now this is a very important point.
One week or so later, their Repair Centre rang to say that the phone
could be fixed if I was willing to pay £28.81. I asked if the SIM
card holder had been fixed, and that everything else on the phone was
as I had left it, that is, Talks etc. They said it was, so I paid the
fee.
When the phone came back a week later, I was shocked to discover an
N86, locked and branded to O2, sitting in a flimsy box. I contacted
the store and Repair Centre at this point. I was told that O2 do not
accept unlocked and unbranded phones for repair, and that mine had
either been lost, destroyed, or flashed, meaning my software had been
wiped.
A very long and drawn out period then ensued. The Store Manager, who
had been initially very helpful, suddenly went on leave following a
bereavement, and his Area Manager took over, a less helpful person. I
refused to accept the N86 given it was locked, branded and
refurbished, and didn't even come with a charger which is different to
that on an N82 anyway.
I sought legal advice, and that got things going in my favour.
Yesterday, the Area Manager received the letter I had been advised to
write and copy to various departments of O2, so they were willing to
listen to reason. Glenn Tookey at S and S had given them costings for
an N82 that he still has a few of, plus putting Talks onto a phone
etc, but they weren't really interested.
During a conversation I had with the Area Manager yesterday, where I
advised him he had to settle the dispute within 14 days, he said he
wished he could give me any handset, but was limited in what he could
offer.
He happened to say: "I'd give you an iPhone, Blackberry, anything if
it was helpful to you". When he said iPhone, I decided instantly that
it would be my best route. I've always resisted going down that road,
and am happy with my iPod Touch. But when he offered me an iPhone
fourth generation 32GB, with my current Simplicity tariff plus an
extra five quid for an unlimited data plan, I took it.
He didn't know about VoiceOver, and wondered how a blind person would
use an iPhone, which is why he'd never offered me one in the
beginning. I explained how it works, and that Apple has a commitment
to accessibility.
So everyone, the moral of this story is that if you have problems with
an existing Nokia phone which contains your Talks or K-Reader
software, don't assume it will go to Nokia to be repaired as I did.
Don't also assume that a carrier like O2 will accept an unlocked or
unbranded handset, because they don't. And be prepared for a
run-around if it goes wrong.
I am not keeping too well at the moment with my back, and this took a
lot of energy and stress to deal with. But I made O2 give me
something suitable in the end. I could have stuck with the
refurbished N86, but I already have an N86. I felt that taking the
iPhone for £20 a month on my current tariff with the inclusion of
unlimited WiFi and Hotspots, 600 minutes and unlimited texts on a SIM
only contract was the best I could get.
So, as my iPhone is coming within the next few days, I'm going to join
those of you who are working your way through the steep learning curve
to use it. An iPod Touch is one thing, but an iPhone is a bit more
than that, so I'll certainly welcome any help if I shout for it.
Sorry for such a long rant, but there are things worth noting as I've
discovered over recent weeks.
Kind Regards,
Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability
jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
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