O2 deactivating voicemail ?

murrmurr

I received this msg today via O2

"Hi, we notice you don't use voicemail. This service will be deactivated from
24 May. To keep voicemail active or to reactivate at any time, dial 171. From O2"

I do check my voicemail but usually from a landline. Does this mean that my answering machine will not work after this date?

Is this legal? It's like pressuring me to buy credit. I rarely buy credit, more to receive calls.

Has anyone come across this?

Random

Not heard of those texts .. bit odd but then I use VM...

Would suggest ringing them up and asking them to ensure VM remains active and explaining you do not wish to spend the 15c to "keep it active". I don't see how they could have a problem - assuming you do actually use your phone on a regular enough basis?

murrmurr

Yes I receive calls, send 'call me txts', send lots of webtexts and receive lots of texts. Every day! As I mentioned, not the biggest purchaser of credit, I'm probably down on their database as a non-earner.

It's just a moneymaking ploy, quite aggressive in fact. If they don't
agree to disregard the sms I will simply change providers.

Davy

Its definitely a weird one. Normally people are requesting to deactivate voicemail. Like what random said ring them and let them know that you use it. Just because your not dialing 171 doesn't mean you are not using voicemail, they should know this. I wonder was it a mistake

murrmurr

That's what I thought, every few days I dial in via 0865xxxxxxx etc..
Their computers must pick up that I've listened to my mail.

I've just emailed comreg to see what they think, I have till Sunday to top up! Maybe it's just an empty threat.

Random

Why in gods name would you email comreg before contacting O2? Making a mountain out of a molehill IMO.

Davy

Daryll from o2 is on here, he might be able to give you some more info on it.

murrmurr

Random wrote: »

Why in gods name would you email comreg before contacting O2? Making a mountain out of a molehill IMO.

Because it is my right to inquire from the telecommunications regulator what a company is allowed / not allowed to send customers. So before I ring O2, I want to know where I stand if it's company policy and legal and they can enforce this procedure.

So rather then ring O2, then contact comreg, and then ring O2 again.

Not all companies operate morally. And besides, I don't like to receive such a sms.

Daryll from o2 is on here, he might be able to give you some more info on it.

Great

Brianb8802

Ah man, a 30 second phone call will sort it out. Ring the freephone number 1909

It'll go something like this;

"Hi O2 person, I use my voicemail, will you make sure its not turned off"

"No problem Mr. Murrmurr, have a good night"

O2_Daryll

All you need to do is call 171, wait for the hello and then hang up. We clean up any unused mailbox numbers from time to time but to keep it active you just need to do the above every 4 months.

murrmurr

Talk2O2: Daryll wrote: »

All you need to do is call 171, wait for the hello and then hang up. We clean up any unused mailbox numbers from time to time but to keep it active you just need to do the above every 4 months.

All I need to do? every 4 months?

i'm not paying a minimum of 5 euros for such rubbish. I've never had to ring 171 within a 4 month time frame before. And believe me some times i've gone for up to 12 months without dialing 171 or topping up credit.

O2_Daryll

Where did 5 euros come from?

Yes you can go 12 months without going into voicemail but you are moved into the deactivation group after 4 months of non activity. You are sent a text to warn you that we will be doing a mass deactivation of unused mailboxes and it is up to you then to use the mailbox before it is deactivated to pull yourself from the group.

murrmurr

I use my phone everyday, now how could that be non-activity? Last time I checked it costs money to ring 171 from my phone, therefore I have to top up!

I receive lots of calls, receive lots of texts and send lots via webtext.
This is the first time I've received such message.

O2_Daryll

Yes but as you said yourself you don't use the voicemail on your account and if you don't use it is deactivated. You have to top up to make your phonecalls and your call to reactivate your voicemail will cost you 5c in total. If you want I will credit this 5c to your account so you can make the call.

Random

I can see the logic in O2 deactivating inactive mailboxes to save resources and cut down on costs. That's fair enough.

I guess O2's method is sound enough as well. My problem would be that they're now "forcing" the OP to spend credit to let them know he's still using voicemail. O2 could solve this by simply crediting his account 15c and letting him ring voicemail once to keep it alive.

OP, are you aware that you need to make a chargable action on your account (i.e. Anything that changes your credit balance) once every 6 months to keep your account active?


+ edit
Daryll beat me to it with his offer of putting the credit on your account for you so the call doesn't cost you money and will take you a couple of seconds. This seems pretty reasonable to me.

murrmurr

Talk2O2: Daryll wrote: »

Yes but as you said yourself you don't use the voicemail on your account and if you don't use it is deactivated. You have to top up to make your phonecalls and your call to reactivate your voicemail will cost you 5c in total. If you want I will credit this 5c to your account so you can make the call.

where did I say I don't use voicemail?

I use voicemail every few days at least.. I just ring in from a landline instead, so i don't have to pay 5 euros to ring via 171.

Surely 'o2 computers' detect i've just used my voicemail, or do they disregard it because I didn't give them money to buy credit to check voicemail.

Just o2's way of fooling people into buying more credit, even if they use voicemail.

I rang o2 anyways and the lady deleted the action, and she was puzzled as to why I got the sms because she said I have activity on my account.

I appreciate the offer - thanks.

O2_Daryll

Well if it is sorted it is sorted there is nothing else I can do then.

murrmurr

Another question,

Do Vodafone and Meteor charge people to listen to their voicemails?

thanks

O2_Daryll

On Meteor its free but its 15c on Vodafone.