Leaving O2
Help and support
Leaving O2: What you need to know – Help and Support | O2
Leaving O2
We’re sorry you’re thinking of leaving. Sign in to My O2 to see our latest offers and give us a call or pop into an O2 store if you’d like to chat about your options.
- How do I end my O2 contract?
If you decide to leave us, you’ll need to give 30 days’ notice. You can cancel your contract from your My O2 account or call 202 free from your O2 phone.
Before you leave us, you’ll need to pay any outstanding charges on your account. Your contract will end 30 days after we receive your request to leave. If you’re on Pay As You Go, and you have any credit or outstanding allowance when you complete your switch, you can request to receive a refund either via bank transfer or via a cheque. Please get in touch to process your refund.
I’m switching to another network and want to keep my number- You’ll need to request a PAC code (Porting Authorisation Code). Just text PAC to 65075 – you’ll receive your code within 60 seconds.
I’m switching to another network and don’t want to keep my number
- You’ll need to request a STAC code (Service Termination Authorisation Code). Just text STAC to 75075 – you’ll receive your code within 60 seconds.
I’m not switching to another network, and I don’t want to keep my number
- If you’re looking to end your contract but not switching to another network and don’t want to keep your number, you’ll need to contact us.
Please note that your O2 contract will remain active until you switch over to another network provider. You’re free to change your mind at any time during your 30-day notice period. Just get in touch with us and we’ll restore your contract.
- How do I keep my O2 mobile number?
If you’re switching to another mobile network, you’ll need to request a PAC code (Porting Authorisation Code) if you want to keep your phone number. To get your code, just text PAC to 65075. You’ll receive it within 60 seconds.
If you’ve already switched networks, you can request a PAC code by popping into an O2 store or getting in touch. You have up to 30 days from when you leave O2 to request a PAC code from us, and it will be valid for 30 days from the date of issue.
- What do I do if my phone is locked to O2?
You can find out whether your phone is currently locked to O2 and how you can unlock it by going to the help with unlocking your phone page.
- What happens if I’m on a sharer or Multisave plan?
If you’re on one of our sharer plans, you’ll need to let others in the plan know you’re leaving, as it‘ll affect their data allowance. They may want to get in touch with us. Take a look at our sharer plan terms and conditions.
If you’re part of a Multisave plan, you’ll need to let others in the plan know you’re leaving, as it could affect their discount. Take a look at our Multisave plan terms and conditions.
- What happens with my O2 Insure?
If you have O2 Insure, you need to give us 30 days’ notice to cancel and it’ll be charged on your final bill. Take a look at our O2 Insure terms and conditions.
- Can I still use my Apple Watch if I leave O2?
When you connect to your new network, you’ll be able to pair your Apple Watch to your iPhone via the Apple Watch app. This will only be possible if:
- Your new network supports cellular Apple Watch connections
- You take out an eligible contract with that network for your Apple Watch and paired iPhone
- Your Apple Watch is capable of having a cellular connection
- You have an eligible iPhone to pair the Apple Watch with.
Next steps after you’ve disconnected
You’ll get your final bill 14 days after you’re disconnected.
You can check your final bill online via My O2, but not in the My O2 app, as it’ll stop working once you’re disconnected.
- What’s included in my Pay Monthly final bill?
On your final bill you’ll be charged for line rental from your last bill date up to your disconnection date.
You may also see a credit for the line rental paid in advance from your last regular bill.
Plus, other charges including:
- Any early termination charges
- Any amounts still owing under your Device Plan credit agreement, if you’re on O2 Refresh
- Charges relating to the management of your account, including itemised paper bills and late payment fees
- Any Out-of-bundle charges, Spend Cap charges, insurance costs, Bolt Ons you’ve opted into, charity donations made from your phone, Charge to Mobile costs (buying things like digital content and apps from your phone), and Charges for third party services (our access fees for these services).
- What should I do about my Direct Debit?
If you’re on a Pay Monthly plan, make sure you don’t cancel your Direct Debit until after your final bill has been paid. We’ll take the money from your account as normal. If you’ve cancelled your Direct Debit already then, you’ll need to call us to pay your final bill.
If you have a Pay As You Go plan with a Direct Debit for Auto Top-Up, you’ll need to cancel it by getting in touch with your bank.
- My final bill shows I’m in credit, what can I do?
You’ve received your final bill and you’re in credit. Here’s what you need to do:
If your final bill is in credit, we’ll refund you automatically within the next 30 days to the account or card you usually pay your bill from. We'll send you a cheque if we don’t have your account or card details.
- What happens if it takes longer to switch?
We’re committed to ensuring you experience the smoothest possible switching journey from the moment you request your PAC/STAC code or Switching Info until the successful completion of your switch.
If we can’t switch you on the day that we told you we would, you’ll be entitled to compensation. You don’t need to do anything, and we’ll contact you within 30 days of the completion of the switch to notify you of the compensation.
If something goes wrong and we haven’t been in touch, you may be able to claim compensation by contacting us. You can find our details here. If you’re registered for our Access for You service, you can contact us here.
You’ll have up to 60 days from the issue date to claim your compensation.- I still have credit on my Pay As You Go account. What can I do?
If you have any credit or outstanding allowance when you complete your switch, you can request a refund via bank transfer or cheque. Please pop into an O2 store or get in touch to process your refund.
Early termination charges
If you cancel your contract before the end of your minimum term, early termination charges (ETCs) may apply. ETCs include the entire balance of any Device Plans.
O2 Refresh contracts
If you're on an O2 Refresh contract and leave, you won't pay ETCs on your Airtime Plan. You will need to pay any outstanding amount on the Device Plan. How this works depends on when you took out your contract.
For customers who took out an O2 Refresh contract before 17 December 2021
If you cancel your Airtime Plan and there's an outstanding amount left on your Device Plan, you must pay this in full when you end your contract.
For customers who took out an O2 Refresh contract on or after 17 December 2021
If you decide to end your Airtime Plan within the first 24 months of the Device Plan, you’ll need to pay off your Device Plan in full when you end your contract.
If you're cancelling after 24 months but still within the minimum term of your Device Plan, your Airtime and Device Plans are unlinked. This means you can either; (i) continue paying for your Device Plan in instalments, or (ii) pay off your Device Plan in full.
Sim only contracts
If you took out an O2 sim only contract and decide to leave early, you will need to pay an ETC. This will be calculated using your monthly tariff cost, multiplied by the number of months remaining in your Minimum Period, minus 4%.
Standard Plan contracts
A small proportion of our contracts are combined device and airtime contracts. This means the amount you pay is in one consolidated amount and works differently from O2 Refresh tariffs.
You'll need to pay an ETC if you have one of these tariffs. Like SIM-only tariffs, this will be calculated using your monthly tariff cost, multiplied by the number of months remaining in your Minimum Period, minus 4%.
The way ETCs are calculated for both sim only and Standard Plan contracts is explained in more detail below.
- Will there be any charges if I’m on an O2 Refresh contract?
If you’re on O2 Refresh, you won’t be charged early termination charges for your airtime contract.
Your estimated remaining charges will include whatever’s left on your Device Plan (including VAT) but is only an estimate and may not include everything.
You’ll find your airtime and other charges on your final bill. Your final bill will include any out-of-bundle charges you’ve incurred before termination and, if you terminate your airtime contract before paying off your Device Plan in full, your final bill will also include the lump sum you still owe under your relevant Device Plan credit agreement(s).
- Will there be any charges if I’m not on an O2 Refresh contract?
If you’re on Pay Monthly but not on O2 Refresh, or have joined us through a third party, your contract lasts for 1, 12, 18 or 24 months. Find out when your contract ends in My O2.
Your estimated remaining charges will include early termination charges.
Your final bill will include any out-of-bundle charges you’ve incurred before termination and, if you cancel your contract before the end of your minimum term, your final bill will also include early termination charges.
- How can I find out what it might cost me to leave O2?
If you’re thinking of switching from O2, you can find out whether you'll have early termination charges to pay or what your current credit balance is if you’re on Pay As You Go. You can get an estimate of any charges or credit by going to My O2 or texting INFO to 85075.
If you're still unclear on any potential charges, please pop into an O2 store or get in touch.
The information we give you will be as accurate as possible at the time we provide it but could change.
- How does O2 calculate early termination charges?
We add together all agreed monthly airtime tariff charges for the remainder of your minimum term, including any regular recurring discounts you’re entitled to. This includes the VAT at the usual rate.
We then take off 4% for early receipt of payment to get the final charge you owe us.
Here are some examples to help illustrate this:
Example 1:
You’re on a 12-month contract costing £21 a month (incl. VAT) and decide to disconnect after six months. This means you’ll pay an early termination charge covering the last six months of your contract.
Your early termination charge is calculated as 6 x £21, which gives an early termination charge of £126.
We then take off 4% of that figure – making the final early termination charge £120.96.
Example 2:
You’re on a 12-month contract costing £20 a month (incl. VAT) and decide to disconnect after nine months. This means you’ll pay an early termination charge covering the last three months of your contract.
You also have a £5 monthly discount applied to your contract which means you pay £15 a month (incl. VAT).
You early termination charge is calculated as 3 x £20, minus 3 x £5. This gives an early termination charge of £45.
We then take off 4% of that figure, making the final early termination charge £43.20.
Need more help?
If you're still unsure, or having second thoughts about leaving O2, pop into an O2 store, chat to us online or get in touch and we'll do our best to help.
Are you a VIP customer?
We’re sorry you’re thinking of switching. We’re here if you’d like to discuss your options or hear about any offers. Just give your VIP personal Customer Service team a call.
- How do I check if there’s anything to pay on my account?
Please contact your VIP personal Customer Service team if you’d like to know whether there’d be anything to pay if you switched. Depending on what type of plan you’re on, you may incur early termination charges.
- How do I get a PAC or STAC code?
If you decide to switch to another network, you’ll need to request a PAC code if you want to keep your phone number, or a STAC code (Service Termination Authorisation Code) if you’d like a new number.
You can request your code by calling your VIP personal Customer Service team, signing in to My O2, or:- Texting PAC to 65075 for free, if you want to keep your phone number
- Texting STAC to 75075 for free, if you don’t want to keep your phone number.
You should receive your PAC or STAC code within 60 seconds.
If you have multiple numbers on your account, you won’t be able to use the text service. You’ll need to contact your VIP personal Customer Service team or go to My O2.
If you've already switched or left O2, you can request a PAC code by calling your personal Customer Service team. You have up to 30 days from when you leave O2 to request a PAC code from us, and it will be valid for an additional 30 days from the date of issue.