Now this is a bit good. As you know I’ve been giving o2 a leeeeeeeeetle bit of a kicking for quite a while about their Unlimited Data plans (or lack thereof) and when they introduced the 200mb unlimited option, well, I just rolled my eyes.
I was so downright disappointed, I took to naming o2 customers, affectionately, as ‘chumps’. (Here’s a list of SMS Text News posts featuring coverage of o2 chumps).
But there’s life, Jim!
Oh yes, there’s life!
I talked with o2 this morning and I got this quote from Sally Cowdry, o2’s Marketing Director about the news that they’re scrapping the 200mb limit for iPhone data usage and making it properly unlimited:
“When we announced our new iPhone tariffs back in September we broke new ground for O2, introducing unlimited use of mobile data services and The Cloud’s public Wi-Fi network. The iPhone offers the best internet on mobile experience in the market and we want customers to enjoy this without limit or worries about being charged a penny more.
To avoid abuse of this offering, a fair use policy was set in place at an amount that’s miles beyond expected average use. This policy was intended to prevent commercial exploitation or using the iPhone as a modem, both of which would put everyone else’s experience at risk.
We now appreciate that having set limits as part of the fair use policy conflicted with our objective of encouraging internet usage on the iPhone. People don’t speak in megabites and customer feedback has been that if we say unlimited, it should be unlimited.
We have listened to our customers and will be lifting these limits so that our original intention – for you to use your iPhone to your heart’s content – is what it’s all about with no confusion or distraction.
We look forward to our customers enjoying the fantastic internet experience on their iPhone when it goes on sale this Friday.”
That’s fantastic. Absolutely fantastic news.
a) It demonstrates proof-of-life at o2 headquarters
b) Most people won’t be using anywhere near 200mb+ of data; it’s just nice to know that, as long as you don’t take the mickey, you won’t be nailed by o2. This brings o2 into closer alignment with 3UK and T-Mobile.
c) I confess I’m surprised and delighted at the warm language used by Marketing Director, Sally Cowdry. It almost makes me want to go out and buy an iPhone right now. I’ve felt that personal connection — the fact that there are actually people at o2 who actually care about your experience — had been missing for quite a while.
It’s important to be clear that this news relates to o2 iPhone users only at the moment. I’ll need to get the status for standard o2 users.
But it’s a momentous change that will, no doubt, attract keen attention from other UK operators who’re sat in no small amount of panic as iPhone day approaches.
Wow….. ! I hope its not some joke of some kind !!
At last, life at O2…. !!
I hope they make this change throughout their range of phones as I’m sure they realise that it’s just something that has to happen.
The IPhone is really only 2.5 G mostly anyway (I know it has edge too but I can’t remember what the speeds are for that) but it shows a new way of thinking…. So good suff from O2.
I can’t wait to get my IPhone…
Mark
“Proof of life” – love it
Could you call Sally back to ask when this new enlightened attitude will be extended to their normal mobile internet users?
And how much they’ll have to pay for truly unlimited data?
Standby…
From what I’ve been told, you can’t use your iPhone as a modem anyway…
In answer to Heavylight’s questions, we are currently reviewing the fair use policies on our other unlimited data offerings and hope to be able to provide more information here shortly. The principle with all of our unlimited data tariffs remains the same – we want to encourage, not hinder mobile data use. The fair use policies are intended to stop commercial abuse, not personal use.
Hope that helps.
Nick Wilkins, O2
@Nick — I welcome the stated principle and O2’s review of the FUP.
It’s essential for the development of the mobile internet that O2 (and all the other operators) get across to ‘normal’ mobile users that they’ll have to download literally enormous quantities of data before it’s even noticed.
And I’d suggest you then flag them for a call from CS to discuss their usage — I suspect that you’ll probably only need to restrict a handful of mickey-taking accounts per month.
Thanks for taking the time to respond and good luck for Friday!
Can I ask a question please. I swapped over one of my old O2 accounts for my new iPhone, but am disapointed to find that the signal on the iPhone is poor compared to the old Nokia it was in.
Will O2 know (or care) if I use the iPhone sim in my N95 or E90?
Kev
I doubt they’d care, Kev