Unlimited internet... now means 200mb/month!

[Spinal]

I quite like O2... I've been with them almost 9 years now and never really had a complaint... until now...

As part of my contract, I got offered an "Unlimited Web Bolt on"; great I though - I could use my XDA for most of my work when moving around!

Then I read the small print... subject to fair use of course; as much as I hate that term, I'm getting used to it.

"Fair use" and "unlimited web" to O2 seems to mean 200mb per month!

Surely unlimited cannot be limited? and even if so... 200mb is nothing if you do anything more than emails!

Additionally, the following are "forbiden":
1. Use with Data Cards or Modems;
2. Instant Messaging,
3. IP Telephony,
4. Point 2 Point file sharing and file transfer,
5. VoIP (e.g. Skype™),
6. Video and TV streaming,
7. Slingboxes; and
8. Use in conjunction with routers.

bah... time to get a three sim I think...

M.

p.s. it's early, I didn't sleep and am grumpy... might be visible...

 

[wemorgan]

That sounds truly rubbish to me.
Time for a call to: The Office of Fair Trading: making markets work well for consumers

 

[Deleted member 6183]

T Mobile have been good for me.

Their fair use policy is 3gig but they will not charge if exceeded.

I've used my mobile as a modem in the past with no issues.

 

[Gollom]

Can the older members amongst us believe that we are actually debating this? I still recall my 300/1200 split speed modem. Would have been lucky to download 1MB a month, never mind 200MB!! And the phone bill! (I remember the ex Mrs. Gollom giving me SEVERE grief over one particular phone bill )

The days (allegedly) of awaiting the Pamela Anderson video to download....

** The two events above are mutually exclusive. **

 

[Sp!ke]

The days (allegedly) of awaiting the Pamela Anderson video to download....

ahh fond memories of compiling from alt.binaries

Not so fond memories of surfing before the internet existed using BBS.

 

[scooter]

Pamela Anderson movie was good worth the download it is a pity Tommylee was there and not (ME)

 

[Spinal]

I started on 33.6k so I'm a youngster still

I still think that nowadays 200mb is nothing... a few maps off google maps and poof, you're over!

 

[Beetnik]

Just bought an Orange 'dongle' on an 18 month contract @ £9.79 a month for 1GB per month. Got £100 cashback so less than £80 for 18 months.

 

[stats007]

Am just about to bin my Virgin contract - am I better off going with a mobile dongle or anyone got better suggestions? Have a desktop, laptop and printer that all work wirelessly at the moment.

 

[oldcro]

I started on 33.6k so I'm a youngster still

I still think that nowadays 200mb is nothing... a few maps off google maps and poof, you're over!

Talking about maps, try Microsoft's Virtual Earth either direct or via BING. Areas I've checked have much more recent images than Google maps.

 

[Spinal]

Am just about to bin my Virgin contract - am I better off going with a mobile dongle or anyone got better suggestions? Have a desktop, laptop and printer that all work wirelessly at the moment.

Virgin as in virgin broadband?

If so, stick with wired broadband... the largest data any orovider gives (that I know of) is 3; and they give you 15GB for £15 a month... you still wont get the 50mb speeds you can get with virgin...

 

[Dryce]

"Fair use" and "unlimited web" to O2 seems to mean 200mb per month!

Sanity check .....

No it doesn't. At least for the standard Unlimited Web bolt-on. (If you try and navigate through the Ts & Cs then you'll see that they classify PAYG, Business, and private monthly differently and there are seprate conditions for Blackberry and iPhone.

Data Bolt On Terms

• The Web Bolt On allows you unlimited use of Telefónica O2 UK Limited's Edge/GPRS/ 3G networks (as applicable to your handset), for personal internet use via your mobile phone. All usage must be for your private, personal and non-commercial purposes. You may not use your SIM Card:
  • in, or connected to, any other device including modems;
  • to allow the continuous streaming of any audio / video content, enable Voice over Internet (Voip), P2P or file sharing; or
  • in such a way that adversely impacts the service to other O2 customers.

If O2 reasonably suspects you are not acting in accordance with this policy O2 reserves the right to impose further charges, impose network protection controls which may reduce your speed of transmission, remove the Web Bolt On from your account or disconnect your tariff at any time, having attempted to contact you first.

So no streaming, no large files, it's not mobile broadband.


It's for browsing/email with your phone.


They reserve the right to kick you off if they feel you're using it for something else.


If they didn't do this then WhyTF should they offer a mobile broadband product? Unless you've got an iPhone then you could just hook your phone up to a your laptop or computer and use it as the equivalent of dongle with an unlimited mobile broadband contract for a fraction of the price.

 

[Spinal]

O2 Web - O2

The O2 Web Bolt On can only be used for web browsing on your phone and a fair use policy applies. But if your usage exceeds that of other users, which is normally expected to be below 200MB a month, you'll be charged standard rates for additional browsing. We'll send you a warning text message advising you to limit your usage before this happens, and a text message to let you know when you're being charged.

I've been using my XDA as a modem for years...it's the easiest way to get internet anywhere you are. Also, if you don't use bluetooth and go the usb route, it charges your phone at the same time

Going to send a letter to ASA today and an official complaint to O2....

M.

 

[Dryce]

O2 Web - O2

Same argument applies. Why sell a genuinely unlimited data product as a cheap add-on to PAYG when you have a separate set of data packages.

However I agree that the term is misleading - though for this product the Ts and Cs are a bit less hidden (deliberately less hidden perhaps!).

 

[Spinal]

Same argument applies. Why sell a genuinely unlimited data product as a cheap add-on to PAYG when you have a separate set of data packages.

However I agree that the term is misleading - though for this product the Ts and Cs are a bit less hidden (deliberately less hidden perhaps!).

The bolt on is the same for PAYG and PAYM - it just happened that the PAYG one came up first on google

The argument is the same for conventional ISPs. You can get a "free" internet package that gives you 20GB per month + £xx per GB or you can pay £30 and get unlimited data transfer... it's down to the client to choose...

Essentially what this means is that instead of using O2's data connection, I need to buy another sim card from 3 just for data... not the tidiest solution imo...

M.

 

[GRAV888]

How do you 'tether' the iphone 3gs to a lappy anyway?

 

[Dryce]

The bolt on is the same for PAYG and PAYM - it just happened that the PAYG one came up first on google

OK. I'm confused now. I quoted the Monthly version above. No reference to 200MB.

So where have they hidden the alleged current 200MB limit? Bear in mind that they have several layers of Ts & Cs depending on product, iPhone/Blackberry, and date of contract. And AIUI there was a 200MB limit on the pay-monthly web bolt on a couple of years back - but no longer.

 

[Dryce]

How do you 'tether' the iphone 3gs to a lappy anyway?

Officially: You pay that nice Mr O2 some extra money and use Bluetooth or a USB cable.

Unofficially - I'm guessing you can jailbreak the phone and just go ahead and do it.

 

[masqueraid]

Interesting - I'm on an Unlimited Web Bolt On with O2 on my HTC and and regularly clocking up GB's per month over 3G for my measly £30. Should I expect a "knock on the door" or is this coimng out in the mail to me? I've had no notification so is this a case of "brand new customers only" being affected by the cap or are they only going to write when your usage really does interfere with other customers?

 

[stats007]

Virgin as in virgin broadband?

If so, stick with wired broadband... the largest data any orovider gives (that I know of) is 3; and they give you 15GB for £15 a month... you still wont get the 50mb speeds you can get with virgin...

Via ADSL - so 2Mb download in reality.

If you have a dongle - can other devices connect to the internet through it simultaneously?