O2 service?

Lounge
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I’ve only got a 4G phone.

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Long time O2 (business) user; service level has slipped in recent years - maybe coincided with change of ownership.

This year, asked for four changes - every one has not been done at first attempt. Only when complaints department has been involved has matters been addressed. Long wait for call centre, but snail mail does get a response / action.

@JimDog O2 and a couple of other providers do have something called a boost box - Sagem here.
It works well, connects (hard wired) to internet router/modem, range not great depending on property, so request the more powerful box.

Couple of things to bear in mind to use a boost box

  • phone must have 3g or better

  • the call made / received must be connected to the box - you cannot connect to the box mid call

  • numbers are programmed by the mobile provider - requires a call to the call centre; a friend on same network cannot role up and connect - each number has to be pre advised - limit is 30 iirc!

  • for the number to be registered, it has to be on same network

For wifi calling, not all operators provide SMS text via wifi calling (O2 do not) - this can be avoided with iPhone to iPhone users, who use iMessage, but not with any interaction with non iPhone (the boost box does transmit text - but you have to be in contact with the box.)
Otherwise text may be delayed or not received / sent.

edit - for poor signal areas, a landline is essential to receive verification numbers for on-line purchases. Some c/card issuers offer a choice, some only send to a mobile number it seems.

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This is a good point and something that I didn’t know.

Fortunately Talkmobile do allow both calls and texts through WiFi calling.

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See

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I’ve been using GiffGaff for more years than I can remember and it works absolutely fine.

Coverage by all providers used to be patchy at a previous house but that was easily fixed by using WhatsApp mobile phone calls.

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I’ve been with O2 for years. In terms of service I’ve always found the easiest approach is to actually go in to a store if you need anything amended.

As others have said, use wifi calling at home

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Update on my earlier post 22 re O2.

Boostbox failed earlier this week. Efforts to reboot failed so discussion with O2.
Version I have had for c10yrs, was one of the earlier Alcatel boxes (not as I originally posted).

Couple of informative conversations with O2, which may be useful for some peps.

First sms text, O2 are discussing internally providing text via wifi calling. At present possibily the only operator in UK that does not do this.

Second, the current version boost box. This is ok for slightly older phones, since it uses 3G to transmit locally. Apparently no good for recent iPhones in particular, from which Apple have I’m told, dropped 3G. The current boost boxes are not yet licensed for 4G - there seems to be no info forthcoming from O2 as to when/if this will change. (The web site is slightly misleading because it mentions 4G on the boostbox page. Wifi calling is a replacement?)

So after a decade with a boostbox, I’m back to no text; relying only on wifi calling while at home. No better coverage from the alternatives.

Worth mentioning, the boostbox transmits a very low power 3G, connected to the internet.
Not to be confused with 3/4G transmitted from the network masts.

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My daughter and I found the same recently in Edinburgh with O2 - just ridiculously slow

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Odd isn’t it - they did this a few years ago and then stopped. I had o2 WiFi calling working fine on a personal contract and then switched to a business contract. Have to get someone there to switch WiFi calling on for my account. After an hour online with someone who told me they had sorted it I can’t face calling them ever again…

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Tim, it seems if anything changes on a contract - i’m on business as well - for some obscure reason, the settings at their end all seem to get changed or removed. After experiencing delays in getting answered, when they don’t fix first time, I simply write, snail mail, as a complaint. Several letters this year for different things - to their ultimate credit, positive action results. Pity it can’t be done initially. Using a shop is not an option for business contracts, as you may know.
If you get wifi calling eventually set up by O2, if on iOS, then it requires resets and restarts before it becomes effective.

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