O2 Mobile Phone & Sim Free Deals

When it comes to finding a network provider, O2 is a long-standing name that has a history, and a solid reputation in the UK. You will find that pretty much every handset is offered by every provider, and you can end up feeling dazed and confused by the sheer number of deals on offer. It, therefore, helps to know something about each one so you can make an informed choice. O2 has a commercial arm as well as a general customer arm so you can also get great deals on business mobiles. 

Sim Only deals are popular if you have a handset you love and want to keep, or if you are transitioning from pay-as-you-go for the first time. They have a range of pay monthly Sim Only deals which give you the freedom to choose something that works for you. They have a variety of contracts, some of which are 5G ready so it could be wise to get one of those if you have a 5G enabled handset or are planning to change to one in the near future. The contracts will last for a fixed period and can be purchased for 30 days, 12 months or 18 months, with the more extended contracts offering the best prices. 

O2 offers a range of extra benefits to pay monthly customers, you can sign up to one extra for free, and should you wish to add any others you will be charged the full subscription price. The extras are subject to change over time but currently include a subscription to Apple Music, a Prime subscription, an Audible subscription, a Cafeyn subscription which is a magazine channel, international calling from 1p a minute, MelodyVR or a subscription to the app Calm which is for mindfulness and meditation. Once your contract is up and running, you should be able to log in and choose one, but if you have any issues, there are customer service reps on hand to help.

Like most providers, O2 has a coverage checker on their website, and it can be found by following this link https://www.o2.co.uk/coveragechecker. Being one of the biggest providers, it is fair to say their coverage is good in urban areas. There is a possibility that any network will struggle in more rural locations so if you are living in one of those it is worth checking the maps and comparing to see who can offer you the best service. There is also a lot of information on the site about 5G, 4G and other considerations to help you make the best choice. 

O2 offers various solutions for those who need international calling. For users who need to travel in the Europe Zone, there is no change in any way. Your handset and allocations will work in exactly the same way as they do in the UK. If you are needing to use your phone outside of the Europe Zone, they offer O2 trade which gives you reasonable charges while abroad. The full details are available on their website, and you can also take advantage of the O2 extra that offers international calling from 1p a minute if you know you are going to be travelling extensively and want to use your phone without racking up excessive charges. 

O2 has a good level of customer service, including a well-stocked website that has loads of self-help information. There is an excellent chat service, and this seems to be the method they prefer you to use. You can call in free from your mobile by dialling 202, and this will connect you to a member of staff. The team seems to be knowledgeable and efficient and answer queries well, problems are resolved quickly, and there is a sense that they do care about their customers. 

O2 has a range of tariffs and promise to be flexible, they offer contracts up to 36 months if that makes it more accessible, and the longer you sign up for, the cheaper it becomes, but be wary as you are then stuck with the handset for the duration even if something newer comes along. In order to bring more choice, they have introduced O2 Refresh which is a way to split your bill into two halves, the cost of the device and the cost of the airtime plan which is your actual data, talk time and texts. 

At any point, you can trade-in your old phone and whatever it is worth can be used to pay off the device plan. Once that is clear, you can upgrade with no upfront costs. They also offer unlimited data packages which means you do not need to worry about how much data you are using, as they have you covered. 

If you find yourself in a situation where you have no signal, you can use wifi calling instead. You can also use 4G calling giving you access to crystal clear calls if your signal lets you down. When you are on the one, you can still send emails and check your socials at the same time making this a really handy service that they offer. 

Conversely, if you find yourself without wifi, you can use your phone as a mobile hotspot. However, this does use a lot of data and is not recommended for long term usage. But if you need a temporary solution simply head to your menu and find the personal hotspot toggle and switch it on. 

You can then connect other devices like a laptop so that they can access the internet. Remember that data is the expensive part of any phone contract, and if you go over your data allowance, you can rack up charges without realising it. Generally, all phones will keep working, but your bill will start to creep up, so take care when it comes to doing things that are heavy on the data.