I have slightly bad credit and applied for a mobile phone on the o2 website and got rejected.
Does anyone know if i go into the store they wont be as tough on the credit check? Im only asking as i know some companys are like this if you go in store.
I recently sorted out a contract with O2 for my son, because he didn't have any credit history they wanted £100 up front.
ooooh don't want to be paying big money out.
If i pay £100 i may as well stay on PAYG and just buy a new phone.
A credit check is a credit check, their scoring system see's you as too much of a risk im afraid, so you won't have any more luck by going into a store and trying - just embarrasment if anything. It also does not look good on your credit record if you try for credit twice in quick succession with the same company, and also if you get rejected twice.
The easiest network to get a phone on if you have a bad history, is supposedly Orange.
On a sidenote, the £100 is a deposit, that is refunded after 3 or 6 months, to ensure you pay your bills - just like when you pay a deposit to rent a house etc... I also doubt you would get a contract-standard phone for £100 on PAYG, nevermind free, not to mention on contract you have the massive advantage of inclusive minutes, text and web etc...
Also, be careful what price plan and phone you are trying to obtain, as you have said you have a bad credit record, you can't be looking to take the latest and greatest iPhone on a £50 a month contract, because all networks would say no to that (even moreso on an iPhone due to the revenue they are contracted to pay to Apple). Go for a low contract and a lesser phone to begin with.
Im not sure if sim-only contracts have a different credit scoring points system.
Depending on who you want to be with, and what you want to pay we've always been led to believe that "Three" will basically pass anyone who can provide them with a credit card for ID (amazingly even the pre-paid ones), the theory being (so I'm told) that if a bank will give you a card, you're credit worthy.
If it is the iPhone you're after then Tesco seem to be the easiest one to get, similar idea on the credit card thing and either FREE (depending on Tariff) if you want the 8GB or 16GB or £79 fee for the 32GB S. Tariff is £45 a month for unlimited calls/texts/internet for 24month (other tariffs are available).
Don't go trying 101 different places to try and get it, every credit search is marked up and everytime somebody does a search they will see how many you have done recently (they can't see if you passed or not).
Maybe the rolling tariff would work for you, the £x per month and you get all the deals, but it's only a month contract, depends if you want a phone or not and what type you're after.
"Three" will basically pass anyone
Long gone are them days im afraid, Three have had their fingers burnt far too much through leniency, and their now a competitor, no longer a new kid on the block, so are not fussed about getting any and all customers - that is aside from the fact that their current range of handsets has been dire for over a year.
Most peeps on the MSE forums who get rejected by Voda/o2/TM/3 usually get accepted by Orange if they try with them, hence their scoring system seems to be a lot more lenient than other companies.
Yeah i thourt i was right, they didn't approve me online but they did in store. I got my Blackberry today.