Why all the anger??

All of the other MNO's have been doing this for years..!

Did everybody really delude themselves into thinking o2 were the last bastion of consumer friendliness who would continue taking the hit where other MNO's were making money?

Jesus, that's a scary attitude.

I cancelled mine 2 weeks ago

I tried to send a letter through online form but it was too big so i sent it to the CEO of o2 - Peter Erskine to deal with. low and behold the following day I get a call from someone in his office who says they looked into my details and they see I have used the numbers before and I am entitled to cancel and will get a PAC code for me.

I also had an issue with a letter I got with my order mentioning I was getting £100 cashback for returning to o2 which i never received so i stuck that in the letter too for good measure. after faxing the representative this letter I received. I got a call back later that week with my pac code.. and he agreed to credit my account with the £100 and after I asked to go on to the Simplicity rolling contract as I have not had time to look at phone deals he agreed to sort that for me...

so I have now got out of my 18 month contract online 40 with my XDA ORBIT PHONE... and am now on an online 25 sim only rolling deal from my next billing date.. with the 100 cash back meaning Im getting a few minutes less for 15 a motnh less buit 4 months free with the credit back. so it gives me till xmas to look for a new deal.

the direct link for emails to customer services is: mycarewebform@o2mail.co.uk

or if you have had issues then you may want to go to the top like I did and contact the CEO at Peter.Erskine@o2.com

my letter I sent for your help is below if you want help / advice

Dear Sir(s)

It is with regret that I inform of my request to cancel my mobile contract with you. Your recent change in terms and conditions has become the reason for this, and under clause 10.3 of our contract terms I am fully able to break our contractual agreement. I also received a letter when I made my purchase of the new contract that I would get a £100 cash back onto my account for returning to o2. This I never received.

Unfortunately now that you will start charging for 0845 and 0870 numbers I have been put at a large disadvantage. You will find this comes under clause 11.3 of my terms. Hence I am within my right not to be charged for ending our agreement, to which I hope you honour.

It is unfortunate that I have to break our agreement, but unfortunately due to this recent change it has become necessary due to the large inconvenience that this will cause to me.

Many Thanks for providing this service to me. Please inform me if I need to do more than this to fulfil my cancellation.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr **** ***************

O2 Number: 07*** ******

O2 Username: **************

Terms and Conditions cut outs from o2 website:

http://www.o2.co.uk/termsconditions/yourairtimecontract

10.3 A Termination Notice may be given to O2 under the circumstances set out in Clause 19.2 at any time by the Customer and the Agreement terminated 30 days thereafter, if O2 increases its prices or tariffs in respect of Airtime or Equipment to the Customer's material disadvantage or substantially varies these terms to the Customer's material disadvantage other than where such increases in prices or tariffs or change to these terms arises as a consequence of a change in prices, tariffs, terms or otherwise made or requested by third party manufacturers or suppliers, or a regulatory body.

11.1 Subject to clause 11.4 below we may increase or decrease our Charges at any time (including the introduction of charges for aspects of the Service previously provided free). Where we increase the Charges for the elements of the Service you are using we will notify you before the changes become effective. Notification will be via text message or by email (if you have registered your email address with us).

11.2 We reserve the right to change our terms and conditions of Service from time to time. We will notify you of any changes to these terms by posting them on our website at www.o2.co.uk/terms . In addition to this we may also notify you by messages on our IVR top-up system, messages via the Service (such as voicemail, text or media message) by means of national advertising campaigns or by email.

11.3 If we vary any of the Charges or change the terms and conditions to your disadvantage, you may stop using the Service.

19.2 In the event that O2 changes its prices and tariffs within the O2 Price List such variations or changes will be published at http://www.O2.co.ukat least 28 days before any such changes take place and come into effect, and in the event that O2 changes the terms of this Agreement O2 will provide the Customer with 28 days notice of such change or, in either case, as much notice as is reasonably practicable where such change arises as a consequence of changes imposed by third party manufacturers or suppliers, or a regulatory body.

Got a good offer. And an immediate cancellation.

The T-Mobile MDA Vario IIIs impending release means I have a very sound alterior motive (other than my principles) to escape from my o2 contract. Phone companies are all crooks, it's well known and strangely well accepted so I feel no remorse over taking advantage of this opportunity.

I sent a cancellation email to o2 support (not the email listed in these comments) before calling them. The call resulted in my contract being reduced from £40 to £15 due to my relatively minimal usage... not bad at all. However, the email resulted in immediate calculation with no further questions asked. The latter is obviously preferable as I'll start my T-Mobile contract at the end of October and even £15 extra a month would make my other half frown.

It was clearly meant to happen, just a shame that T-Mobile in reality are just another crook suckering me in with promises of a shiny, shiny PDA phone.