The O2 Saga

In my November round up post, I noted how efficient and helpful British Gas had been. Well, I'd like to note my recent dealings with another big company: O₂. Unfortunately, it didn't go as smoothly as my experience with British Gas.

Do you remember my post from early last year when I talked about getting a new mobile phone? A lovely phone, a great deal, all was fine on that front (apart from the lousy reception in parts of this house). But one day in late October, I got my nice Samsung U600 from my bag to send a text, and what did I find? The screen was black - not a flat black, but a sort of 'glowy' black. The touch buttons were lit up bright white - they're not normally lit up at all. Hmmm. I tried to use it but it didn't want to play. I took the battery out, put it back in again ... nothing. I put it on charge - the bright white light just got a bit brighter. The screen remained black. Oh dear: The lights were on, but there was definitely no telephonic features at home.

I called O₂ - the first person to whom I spoke suggested I took it to an O₂ shop. There isn't one anywhere near where I live, and I didn't get the phone from an O₂ shop in the first place. The next person to whom I spoke asked me to return the phone to a specific address, which I did. A week later I got a call to say it was deader than a dead thing, and they couldn't offer me a 'like for like' replacement since they had no more U600s. I was given the choice of 3 other phones: I knew nothing about any of them, so googled a bit, which just resulted in my getting even more confused. I went into our local Carphone Warehouse where I spoke to a very helpful chap. He told me (in his professional opinion) not to touch one choice as it was always being returned to them, that another choice was a good solid phone; and that the third choice was 'great fun'.

Given those three options, what would you do? I plumped for the fun, and eagerly awaited the arrival of my new phone. Fast forward 4 days and it still hadn't arrived. I checked on the O₂ website under the function 'track my order', to find they had marked it 'delivered' ... only trouble was they delivered it to our old address (even though they knew our new address!) How frustrating is that? I called O₂, who apologised for keeping me on hold for 10 minutes whilst they tried to locate the phone, but didn't apologise for delivering it to the wrong address in the first place!

When it did get delivered the next day BY AN O₂ COURIER (remember that bit - it's important), it was apparent that it wasn't a new phone. It wasn't in its 'proper' box, had no software, no leads, no earphones and no manual. O₂ told me they always replace faulty handsets with reconditioned ones, and as I was 10 months into the contract, I guess I couldn't really complain. I had to download the software direct from the Interweb, and found an online manual (just as well, as I couldn't work out how to switch it on :-O *blush* ).

Anyway, there I was with my reconditioned Samsung Tocco F480:

It's a touchscreen phone, which I slowly got used to, and is very pretty. I managed to use the Bluetooth to transfer a picture of a sock monkey as my wallpaper, and to put some ringtones on there. All ok and feeling very much like 'my' new phone. Or so I thought.

When the first person I talked to commented that it was a shockingly bad line, I thought little of it. When the second person said 'what on earth's that awful noise?' I began to wonder. However, subsequent calls were all the same - I could hear, but the person to whom I was talking heard horrible loud crackly noises, and could hardly hear me at all. It didn't matter if I was indoors or out, or where I was - it was always the same. Now call me strange, but the main thing I want my mobile phone to do is to allow me to communicate telephonically with others.

I called O₂ from the handset. "It's a dreadful line!" they said. I said no, it wasn't, that was what this phone 'did'. I was told they didn't have anything else in stock to offer me - could I call back 48 hours later? I did. I called from the handset again, and once more they commented on the background noise. They said they still had nothing in stock to offer me as a replacement, so they transferred me to the Returns Department. They didn't have anything in stock to offer me either, so could I please call back 48 hours later and see what they had then? Bear in mind, this was now over 2 weeks since my original phone (still in warranty) malfunctioned. I called back 48 hours later - this time the O₂ operative told me it was such a terrible racket he couldn't hear me. Would I please call from a landline? I did. I was told they still had nothing in stock to offer me - could I call back 3 days' later?

I wasn't a happy bunny. I called Trading Standards and on the telling of my story was given a reference number. If TS give you a number, you have a case. The guy I spoke to then advised me what to say - in writing - to O₂. Apparently if you use certain language it is clear that Trading Standards are involved, and the company with whom you are dealing tend to take more notice. I posted off my letter by recorded delivery the next day. I also copied it in an email to their Customer Service Department.

Within 2 hours I had received an email in response:

Unfortunately, we were unable to arrange a replacement handset for you because the address you claim to live at is invalid. This will either be because it is a business address, or it is not registered.

The address you supplied is:

{{{insert my home address}}}

Please note: {{***}} (the couriers we use) are an independent courier service who will deliver to valid residential addresses only.

Please contact us on **** *** **** and supply us with a valid residential address for your handset to be sent to.

Thank You

So ... the address to which they had delivered the faulty handset a week earlier, using their own courier, was now an 'invalid' address and their courier couldn't come here. How bizarre is that? I responded to the effect that it was neither a business address nor an invalid one, but was a house to which they had already delivered! But no - they wouldn't have it. They insisted I return the faulty Tocco, and on receipt of that, they would send me another replacement Tocco - but only to a 'valid' address - ie. not mine. I had to give them my mum's address in the end.

I returned the faulty phone and within 48 hours another was delivered to mum's house. Like the first Tocco it wasn't in a 'proper' box, or with cables, software or manual, but it did work. I'm now used to the touch screen, and am gradually finding my way round the user interface. It's a great little phone, and I recommend it to anyone considering upgrading their current handset.

About 10 days later, I had a call from a chap called Andy in the O₂ Complaints Department. He was very nice, but then I guess it's his job to be very nice. He said all the right things - apologised for the c*ck-ups and said he couldn't understand the mix-up over my address being 'invalid'. And then he gave me a hefty credit on my account by way of compensation. Previously, I have always found O₂ an excellent company with whom to deal - they've put right what went wrong, and you can't do more than that, can you? But crikey, it was a bit frustrating in the middle of it all. Let's hope it was a one-off, eh?

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