O2 Pay As You Go Original > Reviews (8)

Hello everyone,
This being my first review I thought let me write about something which has irritated me the most up to now.
Let's start with the lucrative figure and facts by which 02 rips people like me and you off.
O2 has so called three offers in pay as you go.
1) Pay & go
2) Pay and go Talkalot
3) Pay and go Talkalotmore

1) Pay & go AND Pay & go Talkalot

This both offers are same and offer everything same.

Standard O2 numbers Calls: 25p for the first 3 minutes/day than 5p/min for the rest of the day.

Evening (Mon-Fri): 25p for the first 3 minutes/day than 5p/min for the rest of the day.
Weekends:

Other Network Mobiles: 40p/min 24/7 & 365 days a year.
SMS: 10p Anytime
MMS: 25p Anytime
Voicemail: 10p per message
Customer Service: 39p/min Anytime
Directory Enquiries 65p Anytime
International Calls From UK£1.50 anytime

2) Pay and go Talkalot

This has almost same prices as the above plan but few minor changes are
150 evening and weekend minutes (150 minute allowance) to call standard UK fixed-lines and UK mobile numbers from the UK every month, provided you have topped-up between £15 and £29 in the previous month; OR
300 evening and weekend minutes to call standard UK fixed-lines and UK mobile numbers from the UK every month, provided you have topped-up at least £30 in the previous month

Free Package

5MB GRPS WAP
1 O2 Photocard
1 O2 Ringtone up to £2.50
1 O2 Game up to £2.50
5 Picture Messages
2 O2 videos up to £2.50 each

They also have other Bolt-ons which we will talk about later in the review.

Rip Offs

The 25p/min charges the hidden rip off in this offer is if your call lasts for 1:55 minutes they will only count 1 minute. So You still need to talk for another full two minutes in order to get the 5p/min rate or 2p/min on weekends.
So, if you just keep making small calls under 1 minute than you wont be finishing your 3 minutes hurdle all day and keep paying 25p/min charge.

They also charge 39p/min anytime for calling to customer service (Yes, O2 has Customer Service).

Many people would say I don't mind paying as long as I get the service. But On top of highly ridiculous rates to call customer service, they also have major problems in they lines. It's really hard to hear other person clearly (They are same or worse than 3g lines). Just because of that I lost few job offers (Recruiters thought I can't speak English or I have some disability in talking).
Another unusual problem I faced in the nights was when you talk they don't take money out of your account. So you think it must be cheap that I don't realize that money is being taken out of my account and in the morning when you check all the money from your account is gone! If you call customer service (39p/min) after topping up your mobile next morning. They will ask you several questions and than tell you that they don't know where all the money has gone and you keep loosing money while calling them as well.

Free package which they provide is almost of no use. 5 free picture messages is the only package I liked.

About the bolt ons, Some of them are good but poor lines and customer service really puts 02 off.

I used 02 for 3 months and I couldn't take anymore and decided to change. I am spending the same amount of money with much more better quality and excellent customer service. I will write a review on the network I am currently on as soon as I get time.
My girlfriend had O2 line rental which was one of the reason I bought 02 PAYG. When once when she didn't receive the bill for 3 months because of poor billing system and had pay over a grand with all the extra charges which she wasn't supposed to pay. She ditched O2 as well.
In short,
O2 is a combination of poor customer service with lucrative unrealistic and fake prices. I wouldn't personally recommend anyone to use o2. I would personally prefer not to have phone rather than having O2.
I hope this will help people not choosing O2. 
Cheers.