O2 Shop / O2 Online

[Rob_B]

Hi All,

I currently have an O2 online contract which I have had for about 16months now. After seeing that the XDAIIs are £150 cheaper in O2 stores than online I decided to change my contract to an O2 store type and cancel the online contract and port my existing number accross from online to the new one.

After calling round lots of O2 stores to be told that they have none left in stock, I found a shop with 1 left so hurried along to buy. The girl in the shop though told me that they can port number across from other networks, but not between the online and shop flavours of O2 because they are the same company. Funny that when I go into a shop with a problem on my online contract they tell me that they are different companies and can't do anything !! grr. Needless to say, I didn't buy the XDAII.

Does anyone know if this is truely the case because I do need to keep my existing number and also don't really fancy paying £349 from the online store when they are selling £150 cheaper just down the road. !

Thanks for any info.

Rgds,
Rob.

[Pete]

Hi

That's absolutely pants that is. That is exactly what I did. I had an online contract and bought an XDA2 from the retail side & kept my online number! They can do it, you just need to push them. Once you do they are actually quite helpful.

Have fun! Be assertive!

[Rob_B]

Thanks for the reply Pete. I didn't think that it was impossible to do.

I'll be back there tomorrow wearing my angry face :)

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks,
Rob.

[xda-rocks]

I had a similar problem, they said that I couldn't port an O2 number to O2 (this is in effect an upgrade) only from other networks. I pushed them and they said it could be done - I signed a new contract, got a temporary number (which was no use to me as I didn't want to give my many contacts a temporary number) so I put my old SIM in the XDAII until they ported the number - it took them over a month to finally port the number, but they did give me 4 months free line rental as compensation.

[Pete]

Well done m8. Just show what can be done when you push! I also ended up with several months free line rental. They ended up moving the new contract to my old sim card. A 'Migration' they call it!

Don't give up just keep pushin.

Good luck!

[u05rdh]

You need to get your PAC code from online o2 and then take it to the shop.

The XDA2 is going to be £299 in shops from the 1st of March

[scwheeler]

Has it gone up! Was £199 in o2 stores. Hope not as I haven't been able to get one anywhere, have emailed o2 ceo as i'm so pissed off.

Unless thats £299 offline..... I wish :)

[u05rdh]

They were only 199 for febuary back to 299 now onwards.

Sorry people.

Staff got theres for 150 sim free.

8)

[Shadamehr]

Can a new user, onto his second post, dare correct you all (but do so on the basis that he had exactly this, and it lead to a full investigation from the then OFTEL)?

Sorry to say it folks, but whilst SOME Service Providers, or even individual staff themselves, will let you 'port' from one Service Provider on the same network to another SP on the same network, there is ABSOLUTELY NO LEGAL OBLIGATION FOR THEM TO DO THIS.

I know this from huge problems I had with Singlepoint as SP for O2, Porting into them a number from O2 (then BT Mobile SP).

So I took my case to OFTEL.

And guess waht - the reason for this is clear.

Legislation provides for Porting numbers, and places a legal obligation on Networks and SP's to do exactly this.

BUT...

Going from one service provider to a different one, but within the same network, is not covered. Becuase it ISN'T a PORT - it is a MIGRATION.

Only if the networks are different, does a PORT ensue.

And ONLY a Port is bound by Oftel (at the time - now OFCOM) regulations.

So many of you MIGHT manage this (in the end Singlepoint did for me, after all the hoo-ha).

But there is absolutely no compulsion for them to do this, and nothing you can do in law to force them, if they refuse.

Please don't think I am making this up - a simple call to OFCOM will answer your query.

BUT, bear in mind this was a while back, and the case investigator from OFTEL told me at that time that plans were afoot to change this in future to cover migrations too. So it might be worth that call to OFCOM...

Hope this helps folks.

[u05rdh]

Are you saying you had a problem with singlepoint giving you the PAC code?

They should give it to you no matter where you say the number is going?

Richard

[Shadamehr]

Are you saying you had a problem with singlepoint giving you the PAC code?

They should give it to you no matter where you say the number is going?

Richard

I'm gonna sound rude here, but no thats completely what i am not saying, as my post should indicate.

I was going FROM O2 (with O2/BT Cellnet/Mobile as the Service Provider) TO Singlepoint (O2).

And what Singlepoint would not do, is ACCEPT my PAC code.

Hence why I went to OFTEL.

Only to find that Singlepoint were well within their rights not to accept the PAC code, and transfer IN my number, as it wasn't a PORT at all (PAC = Port Authorisation Code - hint!)

Becuase only if there is a change of networks, does it amount to a PORT. If it is inter network, but different services providers, it is a MIGRATION, which has no legal obligation (or at least didn't at that time).

So what my post was clearly warning, is that UNLESS THERE IS A CHANGE OF NETWORK, it is not a PORT< but instead, a migration.

And for migrations, Service Providers have no compulsion or legal obligation to let you bring your number over - it is entirely at their own discretion.

Only a PORT (which as I said, needs a change of network), has legal obligation to it on the part of a Servie Provider.

I hope that clarifies. :wink:

[Rob_B]

I spoke to a guy from O2 (the customer care line I think) and when I queried him about being about to migrate numbers from O2 Online to O2 Shop, he was saying I couldn't, but also sounding uncertain. As if he wanted to tell me something but couldn't. In the end he said that O2 are not obliged to migrate the number across because of the administration charge that they incur. As he was sounding strange, I said 'Are you trying to tell me that I should be able to get my number migrated across if I keep on at them, but you are not allowed to tell me that' To which he replied 'Yes' :)

Rgds,
Rob.

[Shadamehr]

I spoke to a guy from O2 (the customer care line I think) and when I queried him about being about to migrate numbers from O2 Online to O2 Shop, he was saying I couldn't, but also sounding uncertain. As if he wanted to tell me something but couldn't. In the end he said that O2 are not obliged to migrate the number across because of the administration charge that they incur. As he was sounding strange, I said 'Are you trying to tell me that I should be able to get my number migrated across if I keep on at them, but you are not allowed to tell me that' To which he replied 'Yes' :)

Rgds,
Rob.

In my experience (after the case I had with OFTEL), the ONLY people willing to allow a number transfer on a migration rather than a port, is O2 Online and O2 (O2 Proper, with themselves as the serive provider - not a third party like Singlepoint).

Which fits with what you have said. BUT like you mention - its at their discretion - so sound nce, and keep plugging if they first say no.

Singlepoint will NOT allow you to bring in your existing number, from another provider, if the network remains the same - i.e they will not allow number transfers with a migration - but instead ONLY with a PORT, which they are legally obliged to anyhow.

[Shadamehr]

And maybe I should clarify the Network's logic for this...

If you go from one network, TO another, then the network you have left LOSES a customer/number/statistic/figure, when it comes to reporting year end customer numbers.

On the other hand, the network you are going to, gains a new customer/number/statistic, to include in their year end report of number base/connects.

Thus the new network is happy to do this, and subsidise handsets etc etc.

On the other hand, if all you are changing is Service Providers, then the NETWORK gains absolutely nothing - as they lose one customer to in effect gain another.

Thus absolutely no incentive or financial reason for them to promote this.

And I took the liberty to check, and alas, there has still been no change with OFCOM in terms of the law - ONLY a number PORT (which means a complete change of NETWORK), is legally enforceable in terms of them accepting a number port.

A MIGRATION (chenge of Service Provider, but remaining on the same Network), still has no legal obligation.

Hope this helps.

[lummac]

Like said before in this thread, the louder you shout, the more you get heard, and the more you push, the more succesfull you will be. Nice people don't get anything, just high bills

[Shadamehr]

Like said before in this thread, the louder you shout, the more you get heard, and the more you push, the more succesfull you will be. Nice people don't get anything, just high bills

IF YOU SAY SO! :wink:

Was that loud enough for you :lol:

[onedazz]

hello everyone

this is my first post, and i will admit straight away that i work for one of the big "independent retailers" so have no problem/loyalty with any network..........

i know from previous posts that i may be teaching some of you to suck eggs....that is not my intention!

in the 80's under the then uk government the first 2 networks where ordered to split there "networks" into service providers{billing companies)
that was O2 and VODA by the monopolies commision....several years later the next networks where allowed to sell there own airtime(orange and tmob) .....hence if you are with o2 or voda you could have a contract with up to anyone of 100+ service providers any of which will charge a different amount to upgrade to an xdaII..... you will always have the oppurtunity to upgrade(stay with your service provider,,,if you are a large monthly spend ....negotiate!) but you will also (and use this!) have the oppurtunity to switch within your network (MIGRATION- ie you stay with O2 but are billed by a new company..but are recognised as a new consumer....ie better deal) or switch to a new network....ie voda,orange ..(who are shortly to offer the xda........) who will bend over backwards to get you!!!!!!
either way your best tool is to ask for a PAC code (porting authorisation code) wether migrating or porting.......as this lets the network/service provider you are with know you are not only serious about leaving them....but serious about joining another network/service provider and they will negotaite...if not switch network!!!! normally same handset but better offer!

probably no use and wrong forum
but hey i am new to this!

[Shadamehr]

@ onedaz...

Er, thanks for the heads up, but ain't you read this post at all mate?

The bit about history was both true and helpful.

But "...get a PAC code and do a migrate" ?

Haven't you read my posts at all? You CAN'T do a number port on a MIGRATION inter-network. You can only do a PORT if it is cross network.

(And by 'CAN'T' what I mean, as explained in my post, is compel, by law, a Service Provider, to accept your number - some DO so this by choice, but most do not. Those that do not CANNOT be compelled to accept a PAC code, for a MIGRATION, as this has no legal power behind it through OFCOM. Only a true PORT carries legal weight.).

But thanks for the rest of the info though.

[firstbuddha]

Just to quickly throw flames on the fire and run.....

I am currently with Orange and will be moving over to O2 when my contract expires and I get the new XDA II on a business contract.

Point I want to raise is that ORANGE told me that to get best deal and offer on an upgrade (take out the fact that I want the XDA II) is to MOVE TO ANOTHER OPERATOR - so the above is totally true that migration is at discretion of company, porting (i.e. leaving network) is legal right.