O2’s goal is to turn its mobile phone customers into broadband, home phone and mobile broadband users as well. With 22.2million UK mobile customers and 800,000 broadband customers at the end of 2011, you can see why.
Existing mobile customers get £5/month off any package, though if you're on Pay & Go you must top-up with a £10 minimum every three months to keep your discount, and you must have broadband to get the phone service.
O2 home broadband is rated by communications regulator Ofcom as the fastest consistent copper-based service of any DSL carrier, with the lowest latency and packet loss. It also boasts a UK-based customer service team, and in 2011 Ofcom found that 82 per cent of O2 customers surveyed were satisfied with its customer service - more than any other mobile phone provider.
Phone packages on O2 are only available with broadband, with pay-as-you-call, weekends-and-evenings or anytime call options that are on a par with the market, but it’s as a package that O2 stacks up against BT in particular.
Mobile broadband uses the latest HSPA+ technology so it’s competitive on speed, but there’s only one choice of dongle and the data tariffs are expensive across both pay-and-go and pay-monthly. However, 02 has 3G spectrum at both the 2100MHz frequencies used by most operators, which give high speeds but limited coverage, and at around 900MHz, where there’s much better coverage at slightly lower speeds.
They’re also trialling 4G/LTE next-generation mobile broadband among a small number of users, and expecting to launch commercial services from 2013. The 4G standard can reach peak speeds of 100Mbps, of which users can expect to get around 20Mbps.
All of O2’s services also come with the Happiness Guarantee - if you don’t like it then you can cancel the service within 30 days.
Home broadband from O2 is available to everyone, but it’s even better if you’re already an O2 mobile customer - every package is £5 cheaper per month. Non-O2 customers also have to pay a £25.53 connection fee.
O2 broadband packages are sold on a 12-month contract, but 30-day rolling contracts are available with a £30.63 connection fee. If you want to get set-up and going straight away, O2 customers can buy an O2 Broadband Takeaway pack online or from O2 shops for £30, which gives you everything you need to get online, with a £30 credit against your first broadband bill when you’ve picked a subscription.
O2 uses the same network as BE and offers ADSL2+ at all exchanges which have been upgraded by BT, allowing speeds of up to 24Mpbs downstream and squeezing an above-average 1.3Mbps upstream average.
Ofcom’s 2011 broadband speeds report found that O2 broadband was faster than any other ADSL2+ service, and averaged a higher speed during peak time (10.1-11.7Mbps) and experienced the least slowdown, while burst speeds came closest to the maximum speed. O2’s The Works also had the best average upload speeds of ADSL2+ providers, at 1.1Mbps, and the lowest latency of any provider, including cable and fibre services.
In the package
All of O2’s broadband packages come with an O2 wireless box, which is an ADSL2+ modem with WiFi and either one or four Ethernet ports, depending on the package. McAfee security software is provided for one or more computers covering antivirus and spyware protection (to wipe out bugs), spam filters, firewall and parental control settings to keep kids safe, and there’s 24-hour free UK-based customer support. You also get 100 web texts, webmail with 10 email addresses, and O2 contacts to back up your names and numbers.
Packages
The basic package is, appropriately, The Basics, which costs £8.50/month or £19/month with line rental. This has a 20GB download allowance per month, the standard single-port wireless B/G modem and security software for just one computer.
The All-Rounder package gives you unlimited downloads, security software for three computers and a four-port wireless N modem for £12.50/month (£23 with line rental). The Works costs £21/month (£31.50 with line rental) with unlimited downloads and up to 5Mbps upload speed, security software for five computers and a four-port wireless N modem. The wireless N modem also has a USB port for adding network storage.
Static IP addresses for gaming and servers cost £5.11/month, but are free with The Works.
An O2 home broadband service is essential to get its home phone packages, but line rental adds £10.50 to O2 broadband, making it one of the cheapest line rentals available.
There are no calls included with line rental, but there’s a flat rate of 4.6p/min for all calls to UK landlines, plus a 12.8p connection fee on each call. 0845 and 0870 numbers are 4.1p/min daytime or 1.1p/min evenings, and UK mobiles cost 12.2p/min daytime or 7.2p/min evenings.
Line Rental also includes the call features (AKA ‘Bolt-ons’) Hide My Number (141), Always Hide My Number, Show My Number (1470), Last Caller (1471), and Last Number Delete (1475).
The £2.50/month Evening & Weekends package makes UK landline calls free from 6pm to 6am weekdays, and 6pm Friday to 6am Monday (that’s 01, 02 and 03 numbers for up to 60 minutes).
The Anytime package is £6/month and includes all UK landline calls and 0845/0870 numbers, with 25 per cent off calls to mobiles and free calls to 20 international destinations.
If you want other Bolt Ons, voicemail costs £1.02/month, and call waiting, caller ID and call barring are £1.79/month each.
O2 will install new landlines or switch you over from other providers if required. There's an £86.81 charge for a new line if you take the Basics package or a £43 charge if you take the All Rounder or the Works package.
O2 User Reviews
"I have never had so much trouble on any other isp provider`s as i am having on o2. It seem`s to think picture`s are something to totally give a wide berth to. Screen freeze`s more time`s than i take a deep breath. Called them, said i was getting 5mbps, It show`s 100 mbps on the status link. My computer is faultless, Guaranteed. So what now, How do i deal with the devil within?. And yet so many people say no problem. Been on here since febuary, wont be on here next feb, that`s for sure. And the worst thing was, it was brilliant for the first 30 day`s."
0
"Excellent - never had any problems except the old router dying, replaced FOC next day by courier. Fast,reliable and surprisingly cheap. No outages, great customer service and they don't mither you, just let you get on with it. Tried the rest, sticking with the best!"
5
"Pretty good value for a strong service. Occasionally in the evenings it just cuts out for a few minutes, or perhaps its just the router needing a reset, but I don't think that should be required. However, it's almost always reliable."
4
"Hit and miss. Been w/O2 for a few years. Originally 5 star, fast, reliable both w/the BB and customer service and a fantastic price. In last yr or so though, both declined. Fault fixing poor, notifications poor, online customer service erratic, missold contract, wasn't notofied of router upd, that then broke the router, cashback not sent etc.. So, if things work for you I would still give 5 stars, but beware that they are erratic...."
2.5
"Hit and miss. Been w/O2 for a few years. Originally 5 star, fast, reliable both w/the BB and customer service and a fantastic price. In last yr or so though, both declined. Fault fixing poor, notifications poor, online customer service erratic, missold contract, wasn't notofied of router upd, that then broke the router, cashback not sent etc.. So, if things work for you I would still give 5 stars, but beware that they are erratic...."
2.5
"Used to (and though it was best) be on ZEN internet and actually just went to O2 for a cost saving deal. But my speeds are faster and my broadband is always working. I am VERY VERY VERY satisfied!!!!"
5
"excellent service..great connection. fast and reliable. hasn't let me down yet and v happy with it so far"
4
"Top customer service. Never drops connection (yet). Fast and reliable with no traffic shaping. Latest router also includes USB slot for media streaming."
5
"I have been with O2 for several years now and although speeds are slightly slower than when I was with Pipex. There and many, many, many, many, many, less headaches. I have called their help centre a couple of times and I have found them to be incredibly helpful and understandable."
3.5
"Cheap, reliable and good speed, what more can you want."
4
"10/10 Very Good Service at a NICE PRICE . Had the 6 months free deal."
5
"I have mobile , home phone and broadband with O2 and I am quite happy with the overall pricing and customer service quality. Not very happy with the broadband speeds though as it can be very slow at times and I have also experienced dropped connections a number of times in recent past."
3
"Mobile customer service from O2 is awesome, and I've had no issues after three years of using them as mobile provider for my iPhone. They may not have the fastest mobile broadband, but it's good enough for the iPhone and have negotiated a fantastic tariff on coming out of my normal contract (I buy my phones outright). Fixed line broadband is similarly well-serviced; responsive, intelligent UK call centres, good technical support and AMAZING retention deals (I'm paying for 3 months in 12 following a '9 month free' renewal deal on a year's contract). BUT... speeds are as poor as BT's, so if you're far from an Exchange, the quality of your connection will be average at best. Next year I'll have to weigh up the £45 O2 would charge me for a 3mbp/s line vs the £300 BT would charge for a 22mb/ps BT Infinity line. It's a tough call."
4
"I use o2 broadband and it is truly excellent. It just works, no need to power cycle as it doesn't get hung up. the upload speed is around 1 meg with download around 10meg. The price is also brilliant. I guess they can sell it inexpensively becasue they don't need people fixing it every two minutes."
5
"I have been with O2 for years. You get a £5 saving if you have an O2 mobile, which makes the pricing very competitive for an unlimited download service. I also recently received the free upgrade to the O2wirelessbox5, which seems to have greatly improved wifi strength. The downside for me, is that I am only getting 4-5mb download - my local exchange has just upgraded to provide fibre services - so I'd be interested to see O2's offering when that becomes available!"
4
"First class service, good speed and reliable. Really good friendly customer service who called back following day to check that I had no further problems."
0.5
"have mobile, broadband and landline from O2 - good package price, good reliability and speeds, great service; so glad to have got rid of BT which had appalling customer service"
5
"I have been an o2 customer for several years, but am now in the process of switching away, since moving home my broadband speed has gone from 7mb to 1.2mb, despite many calls, o2 are unable to help. I'm moving to Three for my mobile phone, as o2 don't seem interested in investing in thier network to provide adequate 3G coverage outside of cities, and like to charge a premium for the minimum of mobile date £10 for 1gb with o2 vs £10 unlimited with Three!! In the current market Telefonica via o2 just can't compete at the prices they are charging for such poor services."
1
"speed is a little slow in the area i am, but the service is good at a very good cost."
2.5
"I am with O2. They are cheap when you have a mobile with them, and in terms of service I have been happy. I feel my broadband is slow, and not sure if that is related, or my location etc. I think I would stay with them on balance."
4
"My experience with O2 has been a mixed picture. I am currently a university student and got O2 broadband because they offered a cheap deal (most important factor on a student budget) for existing customers. I have to say on the price front they have definitely been worth it. In terms of the connection quality you cant complain for about £7 a month. Its quick enough for my daily youtube escapades and I can skype home easily....what more do i need? If you are an avid online gamer maybe O2 may not be your cup of tea but for my day to day needs...O2 is like my oxygen (science nerd with little creative flair). For this reason I will probably stay with O2 for at least another two years (when my degree ends) or if a cheaper option comes along (I cant resist a good deal)!"
4
"Very pleased with the speed and unlimited broadband. We left a service which was more personal and helpful but much more expensive. Have had no real problems and I'm sure there are faster deals out there but O2 has been reliable and good value for money so far."
3.5
"I moved house recently and it was actually pretty painless. As I was going to be without Broadband for a couple of weeks they sent me a 3G dongle to tied me over. The customer services (and the installer) got some technical stuff wrong, which was a shame as it was the incorrect info that made the move feel inconvenient when, actually, it wasn't"
3.5
"My experience has not been tso great. they make offers but then do not comply with their promise, this has happened to me on more than one ocassion."
2.5
"Great service, never goes down, quite fast - cheap price (especially if you have an O2 pay and go sim that you top up every 3 months!)"
4
"Transferred from AOL to O2 approximately 2 years ago as they were offering a much cheaper deal/ Always found them to be extremely helpful and no problems whatsoever. Theunlimited broadband suits us and download speeds are superb."
4.5
"Quick broadbrand connection speed and fairly competitive price for the unlimited broadband package. I'm a happy customer."
4
"I have generally found the service from O2 to be reliable and great value for money. They have a UK based customer service centre, and on the rare occasions I've needed to contact them about my broadband, they've been excellent. A recent problem turned out to be BT's fault and O2 even bothered to call me to check the work had been done, with the intention of chasing it up for me if it hadn't (it had). The only reason I've not given them the full five stars is because their more recent contract deals have higher prices and usage limits which are not quite as good value as the unlimited deal that I have as a customer who signed up before the limits were brought in. The new deals aren't bad though - just not quite as good."
4
"I have been with O2 Broadband for years & I have to say I have never had any problems with them. In the past I have used several other providers and have had issues which in the end were never solved. I would recommend O2 to everyone, their customer service is top quality too"
5
"A good value option for fast speeds and generous downloads"
3
"I've just switched to O2 from BT, speed has improved, the wireless router doesn't drop out as much as the old BT Homehub did. I save £5 a month through being a customer with O2 for my mobile phone. All in all a great deal for the money."
4.5
"Been a customer for almost 5 years. Decent Broadband speed & stability. Billing often confusing (even for O2 staff!). Customer service via email - poor, via telephone - average.
Good landline rental/call packages.
Mobile phone service/reception - average
Mobile data speed/stability - below average"
3.5
"I have been an o2 user for approximately 5 years and on the whole it has been excellent. About 6 months ago I started to experience anomalies with my bills and eventually they agreed to 6 months free service in restitution. My broadband now seems to run slower and I get disconnects on a regular basis. At first they blamed my pc but I am now using another laptop and it is still happening. My 6 months are coming to an end so I am waiting to see whether my service miraculously improves, if not I will decide whether to move providers."
0
"I can't fault the Broadband service at all - I have consistently fast speeds from the LLU'd local exchange and can't remember a broadband outage in the 3 years I've been with them. There is a UK call centre with a very knowledgable and helpful team. I had to call them once to try and improve my upload speed - which they did. After a year or so I also added their home phone package and get all inclusive UK calls along with inclusive International calls to a whole host of countries for a very reasonable rate which compares very favourable against BT.
It was with trepidation that I moved from BT to O2 but I haven't looked back, the service is excellent in both execution and also when the need arises, customer service."
5
"Always used O2 in the past and since buying my shiny new HTC DESIRE S I have been using Giffgaff which is absolutely brilliant Giffgaff is a mobile phone service based in the United Kingdom. It operates as a mobile virtual network operator using the O2 network. It is owned by O2 and launched on 25 November 2009.[1]
Giffgaff differs from conventional mobile phone operators in that the users of the service may also participate in certain aspects of the company's operation, e.g. sales, customer service and marketing. In return for this activity, the user receives remuneration through a system called "Payback"
Giffgaff highly recommended"
5
"Good broadband for a fair price"
3
"really good quick unlimited wireless broadband never had to call them in so far 3-4 years half price if you use there mobile service which i don't anymore but still unlimited broadband seams twice as much as what im paying so im not swapping anytime soon :)"
4.5
"Broadband - quick, fast and cheap. I would recommend them, dropped to 9* because when I experienced a problem I found it difficult to get through to a "broadband technician" rather than a "call-center script-reader"."
An O2 home broadband service is essential to get its home phone packages, but line rental adds £10.50 to O2 broadband, making it one of the cheapest line rentals available.