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Suggestion to O2 regarding the option of buying a prepaid card online as a foreign resident

Dear O2, I was not able, like many others in this forum to activate a prepaid card that I ordered online. I understand that you have chosen to work with Postident, and this makes impossible the ID identification process for a not negligible number of foreign passport holders. Working with Postident is a choice you have made and I know now one can just buy the card in an O2 shop. I get it, but you have at least, let's say "the moral" obligation of informing your potential customers in a transparent way in your website at the time of ordering a prepaid card that not all the passports are valid for the online identification process. A list of the countries whose passport are able to be used for the online identification would be extremely helpful. Although this would not make the uncomfortable sensation that the situation is not fare at all go away, at least it would save time and avoid the irritation of realizing that you have got a card that is useless and you were not informed in a transparent way in advance of it. Thanks for your time, I hope in the near future a solution to this issue that benefits both the company and the customer can be found.
Hi @x2 customer,



thanks for your message.



I regret the inconveniences that you have in order to verify your prepaid-card.



Did you already try the video-identification instead of the post-identification?



If both processes do not work out, please go to a shop in order to order another prepaid-card. I know that you will have to pay again a certain fee.



But I like to offer you the following solution: In the shop your prepaid-card will be activated at once. The fee that you have paid for your prepaid-card that you ordered online will be transferred as a credit on your new prepaid-card after activation of your new prepaid-card.



I am certain that with this solution you will have at the end a new activated prepaid-card that you can use normally. Please send us again a message here in our English community after you have received a prepaid-card in one of our shops.



Thanks a lot for your understanding.



Loving greetings,

Tobias
Dear Tobias:

Thanks for the kind reply, I really appreciate it. I already tried the video identification. My passport (along with a lot of others from different nationalities) does not go into the scan at the post office and it does not work either with the video identification, which it makes sense since both services have the same basis: a document database that only supports selected nationalities.



I did already what you suggested. I went to one O2 shop (the one at the ELBE Einkaufszentrum), they did not have prepaid cards at the moment. I was told that they would not have in 2 to 3 weeks. Summing the time spent with the activation issue of the card I ordered online, plus 2 to 3 weeks more waiting, and not willing to go to another o2 shop (there is no way at least that I know, to know beforehand if they would have prepaid cards, just to save a trip in vain), it was kind of a hassle the situation and I just wanted a card.

Sorry, but Vodafone shop was right around the corner of O2 shop, and they did have prepaids there, so, I got one with them.

I appreciate you tried to find a solution for me, but that was not, let's say, the purpose of my post, that is why I called it "Suggestion to O2 regarding the option of buying a prepaid card online as a foreign resident". I posted my review as a general comment on something that you can and I hope you improve in the near future.

Thanks again for your reply.

Greetings, Sandra
o2 has no influence on the documents that Deutsche Post accepts for PostIdent, and in the shops they accept all valid passports. Since around two years ago the PostIdent system does not allow post office staff to enter the passport details manually if the passport doesn't scan and certain passports are not accepted because they lack certain features. This is mainly due to stringent requirements in the financial sector.
Dear bs0:

Thanks for adding your input to the debate. What you say is completely right, but O2 (my personal opinion) have let's say the "moral obligation" in their website before ordering a card, of properly inform their potential customers that they use a third party (Postident) that does not accept all potential ids. If you see my original post that is my main point. I am just making the suggestion to properly inform customers before the online order to avoid hassles. Just a note saying something like, please check before ordering if your document is valid for the online identification, otherwise please go in person to a shop, would do the trick. It is not that hard I believe, and it would save people get upset

Greetings, Sandra
Yes, that would certainly be useful information. You know that you can cancel the SIM ordered online within 14 days and get a refund?



There is actually no real reason why a SIM purchased online should not be able to be activated in a shop, but o2 appear not to provide this option.
bs0, I did not know, thanks for the info! You have raised other important point, I also tried them to get the SIM I ordered online activated at the store, but they make a clear distinction between both ways of purchase: online and at the store.

My particular problem is now solved since I got a card with another provider. I just wanted to raise more awareness of this issue, that can be avoided by just providing straight forward information to the customers.

Greetings, Sandra
Hi @x2 customer,



thanks a lot for your feedback.



Loving greetings,

Tobias

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