How to Cancel O2 Mobile in the UK (PAC Code, Contract Exit & Device Plans)

Quick Answer

Text PAC to 65075 from your O2 phone. You'll get a 9-character PAC code by text within 60 seconds. Give that code to your new mobile provider. They'll switch your number and cancel O2 automatically within 1 working day. If you're in contract, O2 will bill you for early termination fees.

If you want to cancel without switching (and lose your number), contact O2 directly via 202 from your O2 phone or 0344 809 0202 from any phone.

Understanding O2 Mobile Contracts

O2 offers three main contract types:

• Pay Monthly — Phone + plan bundled together. One monthly payment. Usually 24 or 36 months.
• O2 Refresh — Phone (device plan) and airtime (data/minutes plan) are split. Two separate payments. You can upgrade or leave when the device plan finishes.
• SIM Only — No phone. Just data, minutes, and texts. Usually 1 or 12 months. No early exit fee if you're on a 30-day rolling contract.

Pay As You Go (PAYG) has no contract. Top up when you want. No cancellation needed — just stop topping up.

How to Cancel O2 Mobile (Step-by-Step)

1. Get Your PAC Code (To Keep Your Number)

A PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) lets you keep your phone number when you switch to a new provider.

How to get it:

1. Text PAC to 65075 from your O2 phone
2. You'll receive a 9-character code (e.g., ABC123456) within 60 seconds
3. The code is valid for 30 days

Alternatively:

• Call 202 from your O2 phone (or 0344 809 0202 from any phone)
• Log in to My O2 → Tariff & bolt-ons → Get your PAC code

Important: Requesting a PAC code does not cancel your O2 contract. You remain an O2 customer until you give the code to another provider.

2. Give Your PAC Code to Your New Provider

Once you have your PAC code:

1. Sign up with your new mobile provider (EE, Vodafone, Three, Sky Mobile, etc.)
2. Give them your PAC code and O2 mobile number
3. Tell them when you want to switch (you can choose a date up to 30 days away)
4. Your new provider handles everything — they contact O2 and transfer your number

The switch happens on the date you choose. Your O2 SIM stops working. Your new SIM starts working with your old number. Takes about 2 hours on the day.

O2 is automatically cancelled when the switch completes.

3. Pay Any Early Exit Fees

If you're cancelling before your minimum term ends, you'll be charged:

• Remaining airtime payments — All the months left on your contract
• Remaining device plan balance (O2 Refresh only) — What you still owe on the phone

O2 will send a final bill within 2–4 weeks of cancellation. This bill includes your early termination fees and any outstanding charges.

To check your early exit fee before cancelling:

1. Log in to My O2
2. Go to Tariff & bolt-ons
3. Select What it costs to leave early
4. You'll see your exact termination fee

4. Cancel O2 Without Switching (Lose Your Number)

If you don't want to keep your number:

1. Call 202 from your O2 phone (or 0344 809 0202 from any phone)
2. Say you want to cancel your contract
3. O2 will give you 30 days' notice
4. Your service ends after 30 days
5. You'll receive a final bill with any early exit fees

You cannot cancel O2 online or via the My O2 app if you want to disconnect without porting. You must call.

O2 Refresh: Device Plan vs Airtime Plan

O2 Refresh splits your monthly bill into two parts:

• Device Plan — The cost of your phone, spread over 24 or 36 months. Fixed amount. Never changes.
• Airtime Plan — Your data, minutes, and texts. This can change or be upgraded without affecting the device plan.

Example: You pay £18/month for the phone (device plan) + £25/month for 50GB data (airtime plan) = £43/month total.

Can you cancel one and keep the other?

Yes, sort of.

• Finish the device plan early: Pay off the remaining device balance in My O2. Once paid, you can switch your airtime to SIM Only, downgrade, or cancel completely.
• Cancel the airtime plan: You must keep paying the device plan until it's finished or paid off. You can switch the airtime to another provider using a PAC code, but you still owe O2 for the phone.

To pay off your device plan early:

1. Log in to My O2
2. Go to Your Refresh device plan
3. Select Pay off now
4. You'll see the outstanding balance
5. Pay it in full

Once paid, the device plan stops. You keep the phone. You can then cancel or change your airtime plan without penalty.

How Much Does It Cost to Cancel O2 Early?

Early termination fees depend on your contract type and how many months you have left.

Pay Monthly (Standard Contract)

You pay the remaining months of your contract at your current monthly rate.

Example: You're 12 months into a 24-month contract. You pay £30/month. Early exit fee = 12 months × £30 = £360.

O2 Refresh

You pay:

• Remaining airtime payments (data/minutes plan)
• + Remaining device plan balance (phone cost)

Example: You have 8 months left. Airtime is £25/month. Device plan is £20/month. Early exit fee = (8 × £25) + (8 × £20) = £200 + £160 = £360.

SIM Only (30-Day Rolling)

£0. You can cancel anytime with 30 days' notice. No early exit fee.

SIM Only (12-Month Contract)

You pay the remaining months at your current rate. Same as Pay Monthly.

Can I Cancel O2 and Keep My Phone?

Yes. Your phone is yours.

• If you're on O2 Refresh, you must pay off the device plan balance when you cancel. Once paid, the phone is yours to keep, sell, or use with another provider.
• If you're on Pay Monthly (not Refresh), the phone cost was built into your monthly payments. Once the contract ends (or you pay the early exit fee), the phone is fully paid for.

O2 does not ask for the phone back. There's no equipment return like with broadband routers.

Common Issues When Cancelling O2 Mobile

PAC code not arriving

If you don't receive your PAC code within 5 minutes:

• Make sure you texted PAC (not "pac code" or anything else) to 65075
• Check your signal — you need coverage to receive texts
• Try calling 202 and asking for it verbally
• Log in to My O2 and request it there

O2 won't let me cancel online

O2 does not let you cancel directly online unless you're using a PAC code to switch to another provider. If you want to disconnect completely, you must call 202.

Final bill is higher than expected

Your final bill includes:

• Early termination fees (if you cancelled in contract)
• Pro-rated charges for the days you used the service after your last monthly bill
• Any unpaid bolt-ons, roaming charges, or out-of-bundle calls

Check My O2 → Bills for a full breakdown. If it's wrong, call 202 within 30 days to dispute it.

Can I cancel O2 if I'm in debt?

Yes, but you still owe the money. O2 will send the outstanding balance to a debt collection agency if you don't pay. Your credit score will be affected.

If you're struggling to pay, contact O2 before cancelling. They may offer a payment plan or reduction.

Alternatives to Cancelling O2

If you're cancelling because your bill is too high:

• Downgrade your tariff. Log in to My O2 → Change tariff. Choose a cheaper data plan. Available once you're out of your minimum term.
• Remove bolt-ons. International minutes, extra data, or premium add-ons can often be removed mid-contract without penalty.
• Pay off your device plan early (O2 Refresh only). Once the phone is paid off, switch to SIM Only. Saves £15–25/month.
• Switch to O2 Pay As You Go. If you're out of contract, you can keep your number, keep O2, but stop paying monthly. Top up only when you need credit.

O2 does not offer contract pauses or payment holidays in the way Sky or Virgin Media do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel O2 without a PAC code?

Yes, but you will lose your phone number. Call 202 and ask to disconnect. O2 will give you 30 days' notice. Your number will be permanently lost unless you request a PAC code before disconnecting.

How much does it cost to cancel O2 early?

You pay the remaining months of your airtime plan, plus any outstanding device plan balance if you have O2 Refresh. SIM Only 30-day contracts have no early exit fee. Check My O2 for your exact termination cost.

Can I cancel O2 and keep my phone?

Yes. Your phone is yours. If you're on O2 Refresh, you must pay off the device plan balance when you cancel. If not, the phone is already fully paid for as part of your monthly payments.

Do I have to give 30 days' notice to cancel O2?

Only if you're cancelling without a PAC code. If you use a PAC code to switch to another provider, the switch happens on the date you choose (within 30 days). If you call O2 directly to disconnect, they give you 30 days' notice, and you keep paying for those 30 days.

Can I cancel O2 if I'm still paying for my phone?

Yes, but you must pay off the remaining device balance. O2 Refresh customers can see this in My O2 → Your Refresh device plan. Standard Pay Monthly customers pay it as part of their early termination fee.

What happens to O2 Priority if I cancel?

You lose it. O2 Priority (free coffees, cinema tickets, early event access) is only for active O2 customers. When you cancel, you lose access immediately on the day your service ends.

Can I cancel O2 mid-month and get a refund?

No. O2 does not refund pro-rata for unused days if you cancel mid-month using a PAC code. You keep service until the switch completes, but you don't get money back for the rest of the month.

Can I get my O2 number back after cancelling?

No. Once your number is disconnected (not ported, but actually disconnected because you didn't use a PAC code), it's gone permanently. O2 cannot retrieve it.

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