[access-uk] Re: An O2 story with lessons to be learned
- From: Tristram Llewellyn <tristram.llewellyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "'access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:55:09 +0000
The iPhones when provided by a wireless carrier are not necessarily branded but
may have provider specific applications on them as a convenience. They are
however usually locked which means you would have to pay to unlock it (going
rate about £50) once expiry of minimum contract takes place. The iPhones you
buy instore are notionally locked to the main UK carriers that support the
iPhone. There are such things as factor unlocked phones available from outlets
like Expansys which are usually even more expensive than going the Apple Store
route. For the most part the latter are academic as in the UK the deals are
actually really very good especially if you have a SIM only contract and
prepared to pay the upfront cost of the iPhone.
Regards.
Tristram Llewellyn
Sight and Sound Technology
Technical Support
www.sightandsound.co.uk
Mail:
Tristram: tristram.llewellyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Technical: Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
General – info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Phone:
Support line: 0845 634 7979
Sight and Sound Technology Limited is a company registered in England and
Wales, with company number 1408275.
Sight and Sound Technology
Welton House North Wing
Summerhouse Road
Moulton Park
Northampton
NN3 6WD
VAT Number – GB 860 2121 66.
-----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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