Best O2 Deals

O2 Pay Monthly Tariffs

O2 offer Pay Monthly tariffs in two broad categories: Phone Included tariffs that include a SIM, selected monthly allowances and a new phone, and SIM only tariffs which include only a SIM card and selected monthly allowances. With the exception of the cheapest two brackets in each category, all O2 contracts include unlimited texts.

A feature unique to O2 is their system of contract “Bolt Ons”. These are additional services can be selected to personalise plans in exchange for an extra monthly charge. Available Bolt Ons include Multimedia Messaging, phone insurance, additional mobile data, and international calling plans, among others.

Phone Included

O2 offer contracts including a phone with 12, 18 or 24 month durations. 18 month contracts range from £15.50 for 50 minutes and 250 texts to £62 per month for unlimited calls and texts. 12 month contracts from O2 have the same monthly cost as their 18 month equivalents, but are available only to upgrading customers.

24 month contracts are generally £5 per month cheaper than equivalent 12 or 18 month contracts and range from £10.50 for 50 minutes and 250 texts to £57 per month for unlimited calls and texts. A range of 24 month contracts offering an additional £5 per month saving on selected phones are available, ranging from £21 per month for 300 minutes and unlimited texts to £36 per month for 1200 minutes and unlimited texts.

Mobile data on O2 is provided through “Bolt Ons”. With Bolt Ons, customers pay an additional monthly charge depending on how much data is required. O2 offer three data Bolt On options: “The Basics” is 100 MB per month for £3; “The All Rounder” is 500 MB per month for £6; and “The Works” is 1 GB per month for £10.

Depending on the phone and contract selected, customers may be required to pay an additional one-off fee at the beginning of the contract as a contribution towards the cost of the handset.

O2 SIM Only Tariffs

O2’s SIM only deals are known as ‘O2 Simplicity’ contracts. These are available as either 12 month fixed duration contracts or 1 month rolling contracts. Because the monthly contract costs do not include any part of the cost of a new phone, O2 SIM only deals consistently cost less per month than equivalent Phone Included contracts.

All SIM only contracts from O2 include unlimited text messages and extra free minutes to O2 numbers. 1 month rolling contracts from O2 begin at £10.50 for 100 any network minutes and 100 O2 minutes, and range up to £46 per month for unlimited minutes. 12 month contracts begin at £15.50 for 600 any network minutes and 300 O2 minutes, and range up to £41 per month for unlimited minutes. In general, 12 month rolling contracts are around £5 per month cheaper than equivalent rolling monthly contracts.

As with ´phone included´ contracts, data on Simplicity contracts is provided through Bolt Ons.

O2 Pay As You Go (PAYG) Tariffs

O2 offer a number of different tariffs for Pay As You Go customers, referred to as “Pay & Go” tariffs. Each tariff confers an additional benefit when topped up with a given amount of credit. Benefits are applied the month after the top up.

The range of PAYG tariffs offered by O2 is quite wide and so most customers should be able to find a tariff that suits their usual type of mobile use. Options include tariffs with internet data allowances, free O2 to O2 calls, and free international minutes, among others. Visit our O2 Pay As You Go page for more details on available tariffs.

O2 also offer additional “Bolt Ons” to all their Pay & Go tariffs. These Bolt Ons add additional services to tariffs for a fee that’s deducted from customers’ credit each month. Available Bolt Ons include various mobile data options, extra free minutes to selected numbers, BlackBerry internet services, international calling options and extra free text messages.

Once you’ve selected a new contract from O2, you will be issued with a new mobile number. If you are currently with a different provider in the UK, it is possible to transfer your old mobile number to the O2 network. To do this, you need to obtain a PAC number from your current network. ‘PAC’ stands for ‘Porting Authorisation Code’ and is an identifying code that informs O2 that you’ve requested and been given permission to move your number onto their network.

To obtain a PAC, you should only have to contact your current provider and request one. According to Ofcom, the body which regulates UK communications industries, it is the right of customers to take their number with them when they switch networks. Ofcom’s guidelines state that PAC codes should be issued either immediately over the phone when requested, or within two hours via text message.

Once you have received your PAC code, contact O2 either by phone or through their website and inform them that you wish to transfer your old number. Once you’ve given them your PAC code, the transfer will ordinarily be completed within one or two working days. PAC codes are valid for 30 days after the date of issue so if you don’t pass your code on to O2 within this time, you’ll need to request a new code.

See network contact details.

Contract & SIM Only

Benefit	Cost	Description	Type
O2 Priority Tickets	Service free, tickets at standard cost	O2 customers who register for O2 Priority get access to tickets for gigs and events at the O2 arena and a number of O2 Academy venues up to 48 hours before other customers.	All
O2 Priority Moments	Free	O2 customers can register to receive exclusive special offers and discount vouchers from businesses local to them through O2’s Priority Moments service.	All
O2 Rewards - Pay Monthly	Free, higher spenders receive further rewards.	O2 Pay Monthly customers are eligible to receive O2 Rewards, including early upgrades and discounted home broadband. Customers with higher 12 month spends receive better rewards.	Contract & SIM Only
O2 Rewards - PayG	Free	O2 Pay As You Go customers are eligible to receive O2 Rewards. Customers who joined O2 before July 2010 can claim credit equal to 10% of their top ups every 3 months. New customers can claim back 5%. Rewards can also be used for discounts to gig tickets, High Street vouchers or new mobiles.	PAYG

Mobile data is provided to O2 customers through O2’s system of contract “Bolt Ons”. These data options are available to both Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go customers. Pay Monthly customers pay the cost of the Bolt On as an additional charge on their contracts, while the charge is taken out of call credit each month for Pay As You Go customers. Three data options are available: “The Basics”, “The All Rounder”, and “The Works”.

“The Basics” costs £3 per month and includes 100 MB of mobile data. This option is intended for those who are light users of mobile internet.

“The All Rounder” costs £6 per month and includes 500 MB of mobile data, unlimited Wi-Fi through BT’s Openzone and The Cloud, and 20 multimedia messages. This option is intended for moderate mobile internet users and is a good choice for most.

“The Works” costs £10 per month and includes 1 GB of mobile data, unlimited Wi-Fi through BT’s Openzone and The Cloud, and 50 multimedia messages. This option is intended for heavier mobile internet users.

O2 also offer Extra Data Bolt Ons which allow users to top up their mobile data allowance at £3 for 100 MB, £6 for 500 MB or £10 for 1GB.

Customers who do not add a data allowance Bolt On to their tariff can still access the internet through O2’s network on a ‘pay as you browse’ basis. Customers are charged a maximum of £1 per day for internet access, and have a limit of 50 MB each day they use this service.

Below is a table that shows you how far your data will stretch:

Table represents approximate values.