To think mobile phone companies TOTALLY take the piss???

[StirlingWork]

Last month I made a HUGE effort NOT to buy any additional add on data to my monthly phone package. Normally I buy A LOT each month as I don't have any home broadband. However, in these straitened lockdown times I've been more restrained in my data usage and last month was the first month for eons I didn't buy any add on data. However, compared to what I thought the standard tarriff was - 02 seemed to have sneaked on an extra cheeky few pounds to the bill compared to previous months - no doubt they've clocked this complete turn around in danger use!! Thieving fuckers!!!

That seems like a really expensive tariff

I’d have thought you would be cheaper getting broadband, rather than using data add ons?

It also sounds like you have the wrong phone package. You need one with a generous data allowance.

When your contract is up, shop around for a better deal.

So you haven't had a new phone since 2017 but you're still paying £32 a month?

Can you ditch the contract and switch to giffgaff? It runs on the O2 network so you won't need to get your phone unlocked, and it's so much cheaper

Just get a better contract.

But no it is not a 'coincidence' that the tariff increased the month you didn't buy bolt ons. It is an actual coincidence - because you didn't buy bolt ons in the month most providers up their tariffs as its the start of a new tax year.

OmgThereAreNoPlanesAboveMeNow - no doesn't include add ons just my standard data included in my monthly tariff which I used to run out of within about 2 days of the 11th of the month when my tarriff started again.

O2 now has offers for ridiculous amount of data for less than 32.

I am curious about how much data is in this £32 a month contrwct

Also, phone companies love people like you - you should have switched to sim-only as soon as your contract for paying off the phone ran out. Instead you're paying £32 for virtually nothing.

See if you can pay to get out of your contract, and move your number to a sim only deal. Far better value to pay for a phone out right (or in monthly installments) and pay for a sim separately. I use giffgaff and pay £8 a month for unlimited texts, calls and I think it's 2gb of data. Which is more than I need, but you can get more by paying more obviously. If you wanted data always on its £25. I mainly just use WiFi though and only use data when out of the house and if I can't get onto a WiFi connection.

I think you need to go back to broadband. I have a sim only contract and pay £10 a month and I can put it in any phone and use the WiFi when at home and reserve data for emergencies eg in a WiFi-free zone

Actually - just to clarify - I'm well out of contract!!!!

Are you out of contract yet? You must be soon if you took it out in 2017. If you are out of contract now, go online, have a look at the sim only tariffs and change to one of those. You can get 100gb for £20 with Disney+ focus for 6 months. If you are in contract change your tariff to something more appropriate for the remainder of your contract then change to sim only.
You can do it yourself online.
If you don't know what the extra charges are that you've incurred, ring and ask. They don't just bung random amounts on people bills to rob them.

£8 is too big an increase for it to be the annual increase from RPI or whatever, that's normally pence rather than pounds. If it's not showing as an extra on your bill, are you perhaps at the end of a 12 month deal?

FWIW, I was with O2 since they took over BT Cellnet until last month (because virgin media can go fuck themselves) and not once did they ever randomly add money to my bill...

You could just call them and ask?

Then just go sim only contract. £20 in o2 gives you unlimited texts and calls plus 100gb of data a month.
You need to change your contract and you will save money. It’ll take you 20 mins to do over the phone and changes the same day. Only buy a phone outright not on contract.

£32 is a lot?

What is the cheapest home broadband in comparison

Well if you are out of contract, ring them up, press the ivr for cancellations, tell them you've seen better deals and you want to cancel you'll get it even cheaper. They have retention offers that only the retention team can use to save customers. Might be a queue at the moment though. Most of them are WFH at the moment.

You are chucking money at them, they've no reason to try to wrangle more! I've got unlimited texts minutes, social media data and about 12gb data for 10 quid a month!

Sorry 8gb

This is bizarre. I'm on a sim-only with Virgin that costs less than £7 a month, and during coronavirus they've given me unlimited data (I assume there's a 'fair use' clause somewhere).

My broadband is £26 a month for the fastest available in this remote area (I don't have a TV package, but do have a phoneline). I think you might benefit from looking on uswitch or some other comparison site. There must be a cheaper way to get what you want.

@woodhill something like 24 a month where I am. So if you get that and cheap contract because there is then no need for big data it works out cheaper than contract and add ons

My phone (owned) monthly contract is only just over £6.

My broadband is another matter

You can get 100gb of data, unlimted calls/texts on o2 for £30 a month. How are you needing additional bolt ons?

Thanks I need to revise my tariff. ChristmasFluff - that's excellent they gave you unlimited data.

I pay £21 for Plusnet, and £8 a month for ultd texts, calls and something like 30gb data with Three (sim only). Also got £40 cashback on the SIM