o2 breaks new ground. The third in the league of the large German mobile phone providers has launched a tariff that is a real unique selling point. For Vodafone and Telekom, this example could be the way out of trouble. Now o2 has revised the offer again: It will be more expensive, but there is no longer any talk of an end.
Update from August 9, 2022: o2 Grow isn’t over anytime soon. Originally, the tariff, which grows with its tasks, should only be bookable until September 6, 2022 – at least for new customers. But the provider has changed his mind: There is no longer any talk of a final sale. Instead, you adjust the price. Until October 4th, o2 Grow will be available under the previous conditions (more on this below in the article). After that, the monthly price increases to 34.99 euros.
But there is still 40 GB of data volume per month, which increases by 10 GB annually – at no extra charge. In addition, a connection price of 39.99 euros will apply from October 4th. This makes the offer much more expensive, but if you want to stay longer, you still get a lot for the money: the annual increase in data volume only ends at 240 GB.
o2 has one this week new tariff highlight presented, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary. It can convince with a decent inclusive data volume alone: 40 GB is available for the price of 29.99 per month, for existing customers 19.99 euros. A maximum of 300 Mbit/s is available for download.
New tariff: o2 Grow grows with its tasks
Actually, it doesn’t really matter, but the special feature of the appropriately named tariff o2 Grow. Because he grows with his tasks. The data volume will increased by 10 GB every year, the monthly price remains the same. If you conclude the contract for 2 years, you will have 60 GB available per month at the end of the contract.
Anyone who relies on a lot of data volume but does not want to pay the steep prices for tariffs with unlimited data volume will hardly find a better offer at the moment. According to o2 one wants with the increasing volume of data meet the usage habits of customers. The average data volume consumed has been increasing continuously for years thanks to better and better networks and, for example, HD streaming on the move.
What is behind the Telefónica/o2 offer
o2 has some good reasons for such a tariff. On the one hand, there is the promise of more and more data volume great way to keep customers engaged. After the Telecommunications Act was revised last year, contracts can no longer be tacitly renewed year after year after the end of the negotiated term. If you sign a two-year mobile contract today, you will automatically be subject to a monthly notice period starting in month 25.
So it’s no wonder that they want to keep you longer with o2 Grow. On the other hand, o2 is of course right: Many consumers are using more and more data volume. In a way, o2 is taking exactly the step that consumer advocates had hoped for from the change in the law: Better offers for mobile customers – but this only applies if you really need that much data volume. If not, you are better off with cheaper offers.
o2 shows Telekom and Vodafone the way to the future
o2 also shows the competition where to go: Telekom and Vodafone have just suffered a severe defeat with their so-called zero rating options. The Federal Network Agency has banned StreamOn from Telekom and the Giga Passes from Vodafone. This allowed customers to use certain services such as Instagram or Netflix on the go without using up data volume.
Anyone who has kept consumption down with this up to now will soon be faced with an unpleasant surprise. If you watch a lot of videos on your cell phone, it could be easy double the previous data volume or even more – and that costs money.
If you don’t use o2 Grow, it’s important to cancel your mobile phone contract regularly:
The providers know that too. Vodafone has already reacted, renaming tariffs and increasing data volume, at the same price as before. In addition, unused data volume can still be carried over to the following month via the app. but in contrast to o2 Grow, these are one-off effects. It remains to be seen whether they will suffice for customers.
With its offer, o2 paves the way for Telekom and Vodafone to a certain extent. Further offers from competitors are to be expected soon. At the latest when the end of June is the end of zero ratings for new customers. And then again when at the end of March 2023 existing customers can no longer benefit from it either. We are excited to see what surprises the tariff jungle has in store for us in the coming months.