Re: O2 - usage

Pun Krocker wrote:
> Hi,
> Is there a number you can dial with O2 to tell you how many free
> minutes and texts you have left when you are on a contract?
> Online billing is not much help and has quite a few days lag.
> Cheers

Dial 100p1p2 and that will get you through to CS. You have to ask how
many minutes remaining and they always say it is about 48 hours behind.
Funny how PAYG give "instant" updated info but contract struggles. Never
understood that.

"©®" <news@kidsnews.au.org> wrote in message
news:ra-dnSh-I5hUptzYnZ2dnUVZ8q6dnZ2d@pipex.net
> Pun Krocker wrote:
> > Hi,
> > Is there a number you can dial with O2 to tell you how
> > many free minutes and texts you have left when you are
> > on a contract? Online billing is not much help and has
> > quite a few days lag. Cheers
>
> Dial 100p1p2 and that will get you through to CS. You
> have to ask how many minutes remaining and they always
> say it is about 48 hours behind. Funny how PAYG give
> "instant" updated info but contract struggles. Never
> understood that.

As I understand it, it's because the contract billing systems run in batch
mode, so they are unable to give instantaneous responses to queries.

Why this is, I'm not sure, but someone will be along shortly I expect..!


Ivor

"Ivor Jones" <ivor@despammed.invalid> wrote in message
news:4qcv1oFm9tq6U1@individual.net...
>> Dial 100p1p2 and that will get you through to CS. You
>> have to ask how many minutes remaining and they always
>> say it is about 48 hours behind. Funny how PAYG give
>> "instant" updated info but contract struggles. Never
>> understood that.
>
> As I understand it, it's because the contract billing systems run in batch
> mode, so they are unable to give instantaneous responses to queries.
>
> Why this is, I'm not sure, but someone will be along shortly I expect..!

Done in batch overnight, off-peak, midnight to 6:30am. Pretty stupid, as
they often fail, and need user intervention. This is for o2 mind you, I'm
sure vodafone's is constantly done in batches throughout the day.

On Thu, 26 Oct 2006 23:50:10 +0100, "©®" <news@kidsnews.au.org> wrote:

>Funny how PAYG give "instant" updated info but contract struggles. Never
>understood that.

That's easy to explain. PAYG billing is done in real time so they can
cut you off when the credit runs out. For contract phones, there's no
need. They can sting you for the dosh at a later date. And as real
time costs more to do, why bother?

--

Iain
the out-of-date hairydog guide to mobile phones
http://www.hairydog.co.uk/cell1.html
Browse now while stocks last!