O2 looks to change perceptions in the mobile broadband industry with the refresh of its customer proposition

31 October 2008: New research revealed today shows that over one in ten mobile broadband users feel that they were mis-sold on what it offered. The main source of irritation is that consumers feel that they were deceived on the cost of the service with nearly a third complaining that the ongoing cost was higher than expected. One-fifth were also upset that they were unable to use mobile broadband where they wanted it despite being told by providers that there would be coverage. Another 13 per cent were frustrated that there was no returns guarantee if the service wasn’t right for them and around half wanted inclusive Wi-Fi as standard.1

On the back of this, O2 today announces a total refresh of its mobile broadband offering, laying the foundations to reinstate customer confidence in the market by providing simple, honest advice to help consumers understand the best solution for them.

The refresh includes making it easier for customers to be certain of their ongoing spend including a price reduction on core mobile broadband tariffs, the launch of a new coverage checker and a 50-day Happiness Guarantee set to turn the market on its head and offer a superior customer experience. These elements will help reinforce O2 as a highly competitive provider of mobile broadband and allow its customers to stay connected whether at home or out and about.

The first of these is making it easier for customers to be certain of their spend. The biggest issue in the market at the moment is the cost of using data abroad.

To help save what could be an unexpected surprise on their bill, international roaming will not be automatically enabled for all new O2 Mobile Broadband customers. New customers will need to contact O2 Customer Service to have roaming activated so that O2 can explain the likely costs.

For heavy Mobile Broadband users, O2 is also introducing a new 10GB package for £30 per month on a two year tariff and is also the only provider to offer all its customers unlimited Wi-Fi through any of the 6,100 hotspots through an exclusive partnership with The Cloud.

In addition, O2 is reducing the price of its core Mobile Broadband tariffs, with 3GB packages costing just £15 per month. Customers purchasing an 18-month or 24-month contract will also receive a free USB modem (or £99.99 on a rolling monthly contract).

Another key improvement to the sales process is the launch of an improved coverage checker. Available in all O2 stores as well as online and through O2 Customer Service, the coverage checker gives an honest assessment of the likely coverage customers will receive at their postcode, and helps the customer make an informed decision as to whether mobile broadband is the right proposition for them. However, in the unlikely event that this is still not the case and they are unhappy with the service an industry leading Happiness Guarantee allows customers, who purchased directly from O2, to return the device to O2 within 50 days of purchase with no termination fees being charged and any costs for purchasing the device being refunded.

“Across the industry there are too many customers whose mobile broadband expectations have been set too high and have then been disappointed, which is a terrible shame given there are loads of people who are having a great time with mobile broadband,” said Peter Rampling, Marketing Director, O2. “We want to continue to try to set the right expectation so all our mobile broadband customers know what sort of service they are going to get. And rather than just say it, we are underwriting this commitment with our unique 50 day happiness guarantee.”

Customers can purchase O2 Mobile Broadband in any O2 retail store, online at www.O2.co.uk, Carphone Warehouse, PC World, Phones 4U or by calling O2 customer service on 08705 214000.