A question about : Cheap o2 Broadband: 20 Mbps Unlimited package for Ј5.17/month
20 April 2009
What's the deal?
It's possible for anyone with a BT line, living near an o2-laden exchange, to get unlimited download broadband for Ј5.17 a month, or even less if you are an existing o2 customer.
O2's now undercut its own cheapest unlimited broadband deal, by offering 3 months free on its premium package, bringing the price down to an effective Ј11/month (its standard package is Ј12.23/month). It's even cheaper for existing customers, at an effective Ј7.34/month (standard package also Ј7.34/month).
The premium package offers download speeds of up to 20Mbps (expect far less, but it should still be very fast), a free wireless router, and quite impressively, a full McAfee security package with a license for use on up to 3 computers. Customer feedback is also positive.
Get it uber-cheap with a cashback offer.
A special cashback site's offering Ј70 back to anybody that signs up for any O2 home broadband package, which over the year's contract effectively reduces the cost to just Ј5.17 a month, or Ј1.50 a month for existing customers.
How the cashback works
Specialist cashback sites list retailers and product providers and get paid by the retailers if you click through to them, but importantly, if you're registered the then give some or all of this cash to you. For a full explanation read the Top Cashback Sites guide.
How to get the cash
Step one. Get a cashback account
Lots of sites offer cashback, but only Quidco is offering the full Ј70 (always check that's the amount you get, it can change). If you don't already then its free, but Quidco takes the first Ј5 you earn each year as its admin charge. So if this is the only cashback you earn all year, the total will be Ј65.
Step two. Sign up for an o2 broadband contract
Next, sign up clicking through Quidco for the unlimited download contract. You'll be asked for your BT phone number so a quick check can be made to see if O2's broadband service is available in your area - if not you may be only be offered O2's 'access' package, which runs to just over Ј17/mth, making this an easily beatable deal even with cashback. If that's the case, read the full Cheap Broadband article for other options.
Plus, don't forget to add your o2 mobile number when asked, if you have one, to get the extra discount.
Step three. Check the transaction has tracked, then wait
Once you're all signed up, leave it a couple of days, and then log in and check that the cashback has 'tracked' - that is, that the transaction appears on the cashback site.
One of the conditions of this offer is that you'll wait 60 days (so you don't try and cancel early to nab the cash) before you receive any payment, but you should nonetheless be able to see the transaction.
If there's no sign of it you may need to get in touch with the cashback site, but read the full Cashback Sites article first.
WARNING! Cashback sites payouts aren't 100% guaranteed
As cashback sites rely on the retailers paying them, its never a sure thing until it's in your bank account. And occassionally there are tracking problems too.
Yet Quidco knows we're including this deal in the weekly email so there's nothing to suggest it won't work for the vast majority of people. And as it is the cheapest of its breed anyway, the downside risk is small.
If you're a first time cashback site user, please do read the full Best Cashback Sites article for a full explanation of the pros and cons. Plus to see how the different sites' payouts compare use the Cashback Sites Maximiser.
What does 'unlimited downloads' mean?
Most broadband packages have a monthly download limit c. 1Gb or 2Gb, which means you're only allowed to use a certain amount of data. For most e-mailers or web surfers this is fine, yet if you watch web TV (e.g. BBC iplayer), download music or play online games, you can use it up pretty quickly.
The O2 deal is unlimited, but like almost all other domestic packages, applies a 'fair usage' policy. The vast majority of people won't ever breach that but really heavy downloaders, and especially those using BitTorrents and other file sharing services may have their speeds throttled at peak times, or even receive a warning for excessive downloading.
Non-o2 customers can get the customer offer with some legwork.
You can save by simply getting a Free o2 Sim and crediting it before taking up the broadband package, even without using any calls as then you count as an o2 customer.
Yet you have to top it up every 3 months with Ј10 so the overall savings if you don't use the calls would be an extra Ј20/year (Ј1.66/month).
Note: Thanks to all MoneySavers who spotted various incarnations of this deal. This post has been started to provide detailed explanation and focus on this specific version of the deal.
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Best answers:
- Thank you Martin .
Im already with o2, at £ 7.50 a month for 8 Meg unlimited.
I would recommend o2 , they are simply brilliant, faultless customer service , and all calls are free phone incuding the technical helpline . - Talking to O2 Retentions at the time of renewing a mobile contract, it's possible to be offered O2 landline broadband for Ј2.50 a month
- erm weren't O2 Bt anyway....
:rolleyes: - I have signed up with quidco followed the links but on o2 site on starting sign up for broadband it says Ј17 a month have I done something wrong?
- My o2 broadband is free for a year 8meg line and unlimited usage. Switched to them after it was offered with my last o2 upgrade. Only been with them for a couple of weeks, but connection is good and wireless signal strength is better than the BT homehub we had before, definately quicker.
- Im Currently With Orange Broadband And My 18 Month Contract Ends In April. Will I Be Charged If I Cancel My Contract?
- i switched to 02 for broadband after endless problems with BT and pay Ј7.50 pm and they are very good! and they are always quick to answer calls
- This offer only works in certain areas ;-( I am live outside it so cannot get the offer
Search for cheaper broadband continues - Martin wrote
It's possible for anyone with a BT line to get unlimited download broadband for Ј6.40 a month or even less if you are an existing o2 customer.
No - only if you live in London or one of the other exchanges where O2 has its own equipment the rest of us get charged Ј17-50 for a limited service - Really want to go for this but am tied in to my Orange contract for another 2 or 3 months. I would be happy to pay the Ј30 and move to o2 now but how can I do it? Would I need to ring orange to cancel or get my mac code? I am guessing I would be without broadband for a while too?
- Even if I'm not at the end of my contract? I wasn't sure I would be able to do this. Just want to give them my money and get the MAC code!
- I've just started the process of changing from Talk Talk as my BB and landline supplier. Arranged for BT to take over the line again and that will happen on 16th Jan - this offer ends on 9th Jan so would I be able to apply, as until 16th Jan my landline will still be with TT?
Thanks,
CC x - so can you do this deal if you have a Mac Key?
- As a very long standing o2 Home Broadband subscriber, just wanted to help people as a few bits of finger trouble seem to have crept into the original article.
o2's cheapest home broadband subscription is an UPTO 8Mbps service provided using the latest ADSL2+ technology, called/priced thus:
o2 Standard @ Ј12.23/month, reduced to Ј7.34/month for o2 mobile contract/PAYG customers (not sure where the Ј7.20 came from)
It's available at about 1,200 Phone Exchanges where o2 and their sister Telefonica company Be (aka Be Un limited & BeThere) broadband have their own equipment.
At those exchanges o2 also offer faster/higher spec packages called Premium and Pro at higher costs but with their current sale (which began 26 Dec) you can get the first 3 months free! The highest Pro package even includes the latest/fastest spec 'n' standard wireless modem/router. No indication of how long the 3m free Sale offer will be available until.
At most other exchanges you have to make do with the o2 Access package, which is just an o2 rebranding/reselling of the "generic/industry standard" BTwholesale ADSL/ADSLmax service offering upto 8Mbps, but possibly far, far lower depending on where you live. (As o2 are buying in the service from BTw the price is as high as their own Pro package.)
Quidco have in the last few minutes updated their website to clarify:
"Ј70 for Standard, Premium or Pro home broadband (Does not include Mobile or Business Broadband Packages)"
So would appear that o2 ACCESS subscribers will NOT get any cashback.
More details/ideas of issues re the actual service (rather than the cashback deliberations) in a features/comparison document I regularly update at
https://cid-99aa6cf1226facfe.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/o2%20Broadband%...
(leads to folder containing the latest Adobe PDF document - c170KB size) .
For those wondering: o2 accept migrations in via MAC to all their packages, and you don't have to have the MAC to hand when you are completing the online form. As with all Quidco offers you need to make sure you do the right things with cookies etc etc.
(As some have mentioned o2 Mobile sometimes offer (loyal) subscribers a deal, occasionally a very good deal, on o2 Home Broadband in an effort to keep them.)
MKD
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