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O2

United Kingdom Broadband & mobile

O2 customer service and complaints

Mobile, broadband and insurance

Provisional entry Checked 3 Nov 2026 Telefónica UK Limited
202 Support site

O2 is a mobile network run by Virgin Media O2, also selling home broadband and device insurance. Customers on O2 can dial 202 free; everyone else uses 0344 809 0202. Complaints are handled under Ofcom's eight-week rules with access to an approved ADR scheme.

Step one

Ways to contact O2

Customer service Primary

202

Free from an O2 mobile.

Call

Customer service from any phone

0344 809 0202

Standard UK rate.

Call

Contact and complaints

O2 contact page

Choose the complaint route for your issue.

Open

Step two

How to complain about O2

Work through the stages in order. Each one creates the paper trail the next stage needs.

  1. 1

    Stage 1

    Contact O2 customer service

    Same day

    Call 0344 809 0202 or use O2 live chat. Explain the fault or billing problem and ask for a complaint reference if the call does not resolve it.

    Record the date, adviser name and reference.

    Follow up in writing so there is a record of what was promised.

  2. 2

    Stage 2

    Raise a formal complaint with O2

    Within 8 weeks of the issue

    Use the O2 complaints page. State your account number, what went wrong, the dates and the remedy you want.

    Ask for written acknowledgement and a complaint reference.

    Attach bills, screenshots, speed tests or photos that support the timeline.

  3. 3

    Stage 3

    Wait for the eight-week window

    Up to 8 weeks

    Ofcom gives O2 up to eight weeks to resolve a formal complaint. Keep a written timeline and ask for progress updates.

    Get any agreed credit, repair or cancellation confirmed in writing.

    The eight weeks run from the formal complaint, not the first support call.

  4. 4

    Stage 4

    Ask for a deadlock letter

    Anytime before 8 weeks

    If O2 will not resolve the complaint sooner, ask for a deadlock letter. This lets an ADR scheme review the case without waiting the full eight weeks.

    Keep the deadlock letter or email.

    The letter names the ADR scheme that covers your provider.

  5. 5

    Stage 5

    Escalate to the ADR scheme

    Promptly - schemes set their own time limits

    Contact the scheme named in the deadlock letter: the Communications Ombudsman or Ombudsman Services: Communications. Submit your evidence and the outcome you want.

    Accept or reject the decision within the scheme deadline.

    ADR is free for consumers, and the provider must comply with a decision you accept.

Step three

Formal complaint letter template

Formal complaint letter template (UK telecom). Copy it, fill in the bracketed fields and keep a dated copy.

Template
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Your email]
[Your phone]

[Date]

O2
Customer Complaints Team

Account number: [account number]
Service address: [service address]

Dear Complaints Team,

I am writing to make a formal complaint about [broadband / mobile / home phone] at the above address.

What happened

[Explain the issue and give dates. Include what you were promised, what went wrong, and any reference numbers from previous contacts.]

What I want

[State the resolution you want: repair, refund, account credit, release from contract, or compensation.]

I contacted you on [dates] and the issue remains unresolved. Please treat this as a formal complaint and respond within eight weeks.

If we cannot resolve this, I intend to request a deadlock letter and escalate the complaint to the relevant communications ombudsman.

Yours faithfully,

[Your name]

Send it by a method you can prove — email with read receipt, or tracked post — and keep the reference number.

If it is not fixed

Escalate to the regulator

Use these routes only after the provider has had a fair chance to respond, or if they have breached a published deadline.

Ofcom Office of Communications UK — communications Ofcom is the UK regulator for communications, covering broadband, mobile, landline, television, radio and the postal service. It sets the rules that… Make a complaint Details
CO Communications Ombudsman UK — telecom The Communications Ombudsman is one of the two approved dispute-resolution schemes for UK telecoms. It is free for consumers and covers broadband, mo… Make a complaint Details
OS Ombudsman Services: Communications UK — telecom Ombudsman Services: Communications is the other approved dispute-resolution scheme for UK telecoms. Like the Communications Ombudsman, it is free to… Make a complaint Details

Questions

O2 FAQ

How do I contact O2 customer service?

Call 0344 809 0202, or use O2 live chat. Dial 202 free from an O2 mobile. Pay as you go customers also use 4445.

How do I make a formal complaint to O2?

Use the O2 complaints page. Include your account number, what happened, key dates and the outcome you want. Ask for a complaint reference and written acknowledgement.

How long does O2 have to resolve a complaint?

Up to eight weeks from the formal complaint. If it is resolved sooner, ask for the remedy in writing. If not, ask for a deadlock letter so an ADR scheme can take the case.

Which ombudsman handles a O2 complaint?

The deadlock letter names the scheme. Ofcom approves two ADR providers for telecoms: the Communications Ombudsman and Ombudsman Services: Communications. Which one applies depends on O2's membership.

How long does a UK broadband complaint take?

Most complaints are resolved within a few weeks. If the provider has not fixed the issue after eight weeks, you can ask for a deadlock letter and take it to an ombudsman. The ombudsman usually aims to decide within 90 days.

Which ombudsman handles my broadband or mobile provider?

It depends on the provider. The two schemes are the Communications Ombudsman and Ombudsman Services: Communications. Your provider must tell you which one it belongs to, and the name is usually on its complaints page.

Can I escalate to the ombudsman before eight weeks?

Usually only if the provider issues a deadlock letter or makes a final offer you reject. Otherwise, wait eight weeks from the formal complaint. Some providers agree to early escalation, so ask in writing if the case is straightforward.

Sources

Where this information comes from

Provisional entry

Compiled from official provider and regulator pages, last checked 3 Nov 2026. Contact details change — confirm on the official page before relying on them.

How we verify pages

Keep going

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202 Steps Letter