O2 in denial about network coverage

[Geronimo1]

I seem to be in a pretty hopeless situation in which I face paying £35.00 per month for the next 20 months for a service I cannot use.

 

In February I moved to Scotland to start a new job and whilst staying with a friend until I found my own house, I took out a mobile contract with O2.

 

I knew that I would be moving to one of several houses nearby and because it is a rural area checked on the O2 website for the coverage for my friend's postcode - it stated that the network coverage for the area was 'Standard', i.e. their website describes this as Voice/SMS/MMS/Music/O2 Active (I have a screen grab to verify this).

 

When the phone arrived at my friend's house, the signal was low but mainly usable. However, when I moved to my own house in April, about half a kilometre away, there was barely a trace of a signal - even though their coverage map states that it should be 'Standard'. Most of the time there is a 'No Service' message. If there is ever a signal and my phone happens to ring, the signal is lost as soon as I touch the phone. To send a text message, I must compose the message then move around my house pausing in various places waiting to see if I get a signal for long enough to send the message.

 

I barely touch my monthly usage allowance because the only time I can use the phone is when I am at work.

 

I contacted O2 many times over a month or so - either from work or, more recently, from my landline at home. They acknowledged the problem and went through a number of tests over the phone. I tried the SIM in a different phone and they sent me a new SIM - none of these measures made any difference. I was referred to the Network Coverage section and was told that they would contact me within 28 days.

 

I heard nothing so after six weeks I called back only to be told that they had called me on my mobile but couldn't get through to me. I was then told to e-mail mycare@o2.co.uk - which I did (explaining the whole saga) - only to receive an apparently automated reply telling me to phone the Network Coverage section.

 

I called O2 again and was told that when the Network Coverage section failed to reach me they closed the case. However, the O2 operative I spoke to contacted the Network Coverage team whilst I was talking to them (on my land line). My mobile phone rang for about half a second but stopped as soon as I picked it up. The person came back on the phone to me and stated that the Network Coverage section had tried to phone me, my phone had rung and that they had concluded that there was no problem with the network coverage. At this I felt exasperated and quite sick.

 

I had to pay £175.00 for the phone (an iPhone) plus a £150.00 deposit because I had no credit history at my friend's address. I have made three monthly payments of £35.00 and face the prospect of making another 20 payments of £35.00 (£700.00) for a service which I cannot use - even though O2 claim I can, simply because their Network Coverage section says I can!

 

I feel quite sick and desperate because I thought I had taken every precaution to make sure I was going to be taking out a contract with a company whose network provided ample coverage for where I would be living.

 

I would be extremely grateful for any advice.

[locutus]

Unfortunately, even with no coverage the contract is valid. No network offers a service guarantee.

[Human Writes]

Coverage maps are computer simulations of predicted coverage, they are not a guarentee of service, they are estimates. 02's website states this about the map:

 

The levels of service represented on the Current and Future Coverage maps are computer predictions of the current operational cellular service. The levels are indicative of where it should be possible, in a variety of circumstances and to certain company standards, to make and receive calls on the O2 network. Where 'Very Good' service is predicted it should be possible, in most circumstances, to use a mobile in a vehicle and, depending on the structure, within certain buildings. 'Variable' coverage is shown as a guide of where the strength of the cellular signal may fluctuate and hence affect the level of service experienced.

As with any terrestrial based radio system, the strength of the cellular signal that a mobile relies on to operate may be affected by vehicle and building structures, atmospheric conditions and topographical features (such as tunnels, cuttings etc).

[jacktheband]

An idea is to see if O2 do a call divert service which you can use when you're at home to divert all incoming calls to your landline (usually the amount of minutes diverted comes out of your regular monthly outgoing minutes allowance - best to check about this though!). Therefore, whenever you are heading home you can switch the divert on and have all your incoming calls come to your landline.

[Geronimo1]

Just an update to say that I complained to Otelo (now Ombudsman Services, I believe). I put together a pretty well documented case and they found in my favour.

 

O2 appealed and Otelo upheld their original decision.

 

O2 appealed again and Otelo made a slight amendment to the award they made.

 

I was pretty angry that O2 had obfuscated for several months and that I was still paying £35 per month whilst they did so.

 

When O2 finally acquiesced, they even started making their own interpretation of Otelo's decision - so Otelo had to be consulted.

 

Finally, my contract was terminated without charge. I was refunded the cost of my iPhone and paid £65 in compensation (or good will).

 

But I still feel short changed because of O2's messing around and appeals - I was originally awarded a package which was about £200 more than I got. I was just relieved not to be paying £35 per month for nothing!

 

And I finally got to make a phone call from home when I transferred to 3.