O2 disappoint me too
The iPhone 3G. I want one, that’s no secret. I’m already on O2 so it should be possible for me to upgrade, right? After all, the O2 website stated that exisiting non-iphone customers would be able to upgrade early. Sounds good, right?
Wrong!
The O2 website originally stated that people who bought their original phone / contract online would only be able to upgrade online. The O2 website states today that the iphone will only be available in stores for the forseeable future.
I’ve just spent the last hour trawling the help section of the O2 site, trying to see if I’ll be able to upgrade or not. Going to an O2 store wouldn’t be a problem for me; after all, they’re everywhere. I couldn’t find the answer to my question on the O2 site, so I clicked their “email us” button and wrote a short email which says:
Hi, I’m after a bit of clarification if possible.
A few weeks ago the O2 website stated that existing pay monthly customers would be able to upgrade to the iphone if they agreed to starting a new 18 month contract. The O2 site also stated that “online” customers (meaning people who signed up to an online contract) would only be able to upgrade online.
Today the O2 site is saying that iphones will only be available in stores for the forseeable future. This makes me think that it’s not going to be possible for me to upgrade.
I’m currently on the “online35″ tariff with an LG Viewty. I’m very keen to switch to an iphone if it’s possible - the only reason I went for the LG Viewty first time round was because the iphone didn’t have the 3G feature.
I’m also willing to go to an O2 store to try and do the upgrade, but I’m not sure if that’s possible because of what the O2 website has said.
So, I’m just really after some clarification.
1) Is it possible for me to upgrade / switch to an iphone, or do I have to wait until May 2009 when my contract runs out?
2) If it *is* possible for me to upgrade / switch to an iphone, will it ever be possible to do it via the O2 website, or will I need to go to an O2 store? (Either option works fine from my view)
3) Would it be possible for me to go to an Apple store and buy an iphone, and transfer my existing sim, so I could get an iphone that way?
Best regards,
Rachael .
Upon submitting this form I got a big red error which said my message was too long and that I need to shorten it. However, O2 doesn’t say what the length limit is, so I have no idea how much I need to shorten it by. Can I just reduce the number of paragraphs, or do I need to shrink it right down to “upgrade me, bee-atches” ? I have no idea.
What’s even crazier is that I’ve found a page on the O2 site where I can switch to an iphone tariff. That would be great for me - I just need to get my hands on an iphone. I don’t particularly want to hike all the way over to MK though to try and buy an iphone from Apple if it’s not going to work. I also don’t want to go to an O2 store and try to upgrade if I’m just going to make a fool of myself.
I’m so confused. O2, you’re great, but please… make a little bit more sense? I love you very much and I’m happy to pay you £35 a month and extend my contract and be a loyal customer and recommend people to you and everything, but… help me get an iphone. Please?
Edit: Managed to shrink my message enough for it to go through to O2. They got back to me (on a sunday night, very nice) and explained that I won’t be able to upgrade to the iPhone until April 23rd, 2009. Bum. Still, at least now I know.
6 lovely people have commented
Why would you want one of those over priced under performing things? They’re locked down and around, they only have a tiny amount of storage, it’s a rediculous price, they lock the thing from other developers so you have to use their crappy software.
You can’t change the battery so you can’t have a spare in you bag ready for when you’re away from home etc, or change it when it dies. You have pay them to change it for you!
As far as I know it doesn’t support 3g, but I might be wrong. No flash or java, which might actually be a good thing? It runs Safari not of Firefox (remember you can’t run third party apps)! It assumes you want iTunes an it’s DRM’d, use it they way we want you too music.
Mmm.. I guess I don’t like em!
Reply: The basic iPhone has 6 times the storage of my current phone, I’ve not once needed to change a battery in any phone I’ve had, it does support 3G (After all, the new version is called the “iPhone 3G”), and you can run 3rd party apps. There’s a whole appstore where you can download 3rd party applications. Using iTunes won’t be a problem - I already have an iPod and all my music is in my iTunes library. You get a hell of a lot of phone for £99. 
Now Rachael, come on. Style over dodgy substance? I thought you were better than that!
For the proper gadget geek (and you have been watching the Gadget Show, haven’t you?) you should surely be updating to a Nokia N95?
Oh, and it will be £99 cheaper than an iPhone. And you can change the battery. Yadda yadda yadda.
Admittedly, it looks like something you’d want to be buried in, but sometimes you have to sacrifice looks for all-out geek tech. The story of my life really.
Reply: See, I’ve had Nokias in the past and I’ve never really liked them. They kind of bug me, to be honest. Maybe I am just an Apple fangirl, but… I still want an iPhone.
I want an iPhone too, but knowing me, I would drown it in pop. >:( I don’t use my phone much anyway.
Is there anyway you could cancel your contract with O2, pay the penalty, and get a new contract on an iPhone? :\
Reply: Oh, I can pay off my contract early, but… add up £35 a month till next April, and then work out how long it’d take me to save up that much. 
Well, I spent a good 2 hours on the phone with iPhone trying to come to the conclusion whether I could upgrade or not. It wasn’t until later that I found out that I cannot upgrade until May. Sucks 
Now that the iPhone has 3G, it is more appealing, but seeing as the only network that carries it here is a very crappy one that has a very crappy data plan, I won’t be getting one. Besides, I have an iPod touch and it’s essentially an iPhone minus the phone.
That is a shame you can’t get one right now, but at least you got through to them.
Vasili said:
I would prefer an iPod Touch rather than an iPhone because I don’t use my cell phone too much to begin with and I wouldn’t have to pay every month for an iPod.
WTF!? Why would you limit a person to the number of words, letters or whatever when email you? It just doesn’t make any sense. Hope that everything turns out well and that you get your iPhone.
Reply: I already pay O2 £35 a month so that wouldn’t be a problem, and I already have an iPod for the music features. I mainly want an iPhone for the web features and for the other features that my Viewty doesn’t have.