O2 call credit change?

Normally when I run our of call credit I just buy a new phone with "free call credit", pay €69 for phone plus around €80 call credit, credited in 8 monthly instalments of €10. However I just noticed that 02 seem to have changed the way call credit is applied with prepay phones, you now only get "bonus call credit".

Now to qualify for the bonus credit of €10 you have to have paid for €20 credit in the previous month, so its no longer free, or indeed good value for those who use their phones very little, €80 all credit could easily last me a year.

Is this a new change? Don't seem to remember it being in place when buying a phone about 3 months ago.

Seems to me a good incentive to look elsewhere, do Meteor, or Tesco allow you to buy a phone with "Free" call credit that doesn't expire after 6 months. With Vodafone I believe any credit must be used within 6 months.

Looks like they've realised that they are making a loss on customers like you! What do you do with the used phones? Do you keep the same number?

Maread said:

Looks like they've realised that they are making a loss on customers like you! What do you do with the used phones? Do you keep the same number?

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Mobile operators often offer pay as you go phones only (no SIM) bundled with "free" credit which can be used with an existing SIM (on their network).

DaveD said:

Is this a new change? Don't seem to remember it being in place when buying a phone about 3 months ago.

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It seems to have happened in the last couple of weeks. It coincided with a drop in the price of some of their phones so I suspect they copped on to those of us that were buying the cheap phones just for the credit.

I'm currently with 02 on the night owl plan and am planning to buy a new mobile. I dont use my mobile very much and make use of FREE texts on the web and oversea's FREE texts on the web which is great. I was thinking of switching to Tesco but I wouldnt want to loose the web FREE texts. As I say I hardly use the phone and I would never top it up every month by €20 which of course is what they want. I'll probably buy a new 02 phone and not bother topping up and loosing all that credit but I dont really want a €180 credit or whatever on my phone. Any idea's?

I reckon I'll stay with 02 or maybe switch to Three.