Activation

When you connect your iPhone to your Mac or PC using the USB cable provided, iTunes will activate your device and start connection to the O2 network. To complete the activation process, you'll need to provide:

• Your name and address
• Your email address (it is important to use a valid email address as we'll send you your mobile bill by email)
• Your previous address, if you've lived at your present address for less than three years
• Bank account details for your tariff bill
• Credit or debit card details for your iTunes Music Store account
• If you're an existing O2 customer and you wish to retain your existing number, you'll need to provide your current mobile telephone number.
  • Please ensure you have your existing mobile with you and switched on, as we'll send you a text message containing a 4-digit security PIN code. You'll need to type this PIN code into iTunes to confirm the migration
• If you wish to migrate your mobile number from another network provider, or if you're an O2 customer billed by Carphone Warehouse, you'll need to provide a "PAC code". You'll need to get this from your existing service provider.

During the activation process you'll be provided with an O2 username and password, we strongly suggest that you write these details down, as you'll need them in the future to be able to access your mobile phone bill via the online functionality.

You'll need the latest version of iTunes to activate your iPhone. This is available for Mac and Windows PC platforms from Apple [link opens in a new window]

O2 carries out a "credit check" as part of the activation process and depending on the credit check results, you may be asked to pay a deposit in order to activate your iPhone. This deposit will be retained by O2 for three months and then returned, provided all your bills are paid on time.

Unfortunately, if you fail the credit check you'll not be able to activate your iPhone. Please return the iPhone in as new condition with all original packaging and accessories to the original point of purchase, together with a valid till receipt or other proof of purchase and your e-mail confirming activation failure, within 14 days for a full refund. Please note, for your security refunds will only be made to the debit or credit card used to purchase iPhone. No cash refunds will be available.

You activate your iPhone via iTunes. All you need to do is plug in your iPhone and, once it's recognised, you'll be taken through the activation process. It's designed to ensure your iPhone setup and network connection take place at the same time and that your iPhone is ready to go.

Activation time may vary. It can be instantaneous or if a lot of people are trying to activate at the same time, it could take a few hours.

You'll activate the iPhone in the comfort of your own home using your Mac or PC and iTunes.

When you sign up to an iPhone tariff, you can transfer your existing number when you activate your new SIM. You'll need to ensure that you have already transferred your contacts to your address book and listened to any voicemails before activating your iPhone account as they will be deleted from your old SIM when your new number is transferred.

Find out how to transfer your contacts

Following your completion of the activation process, we'll text you to let you know the date when you existing number will transfer to the iPhone. Business and corporate customers will be notified by email. Please note number transfers from other networks can take up to 5 working days.

Find out what happens on the day of your number transfer

Existing Consumer Customers

If you're an existing O2 consumer customer billed directly by O2 or on Pay & Go, you'll be asked as part of the activation process if you want to keep your mobile number. This process can take up to 5 working days, but don't worry, we'll provide you with a temporary number so you can start enjoying your iPhone straight away following activation.

If you're an O2 customer who is billed by Carphone Warehouse, then you will need to contact them to obtain a PAC code to transfer your number.

New Customers

If you are a non O2 customer, you'll need to contact your currect network provider, to obtain a PAC code enabling you to transfer your number to O2. The PAC code will be used to initiate your number transfer as part of the iPhone activation process.

Existing Business & Corporate Customers

iPhone is currently only available with 18 month Pay Monthly consumer agreements on one of our exclusive O2 tariffs for iPhone and is not yet available with business contracts on business tariffs.

You can still buy an iPhone but you'll need to take out a new 18 month Pay Monthly consumer agreement on an O2 tariff for iPhone. You can transfer your mobile number, provided the decision maker on the account permits this. As a business or corporate customer, there may be a few extra bits we need to check with you before the transfer can take place. If this is the case, follow the onscreen instructions within the activation process.

You'll need a broadband connection to activate your iPhone as you also need to set up an iTunes account, which requires a broadband connection.

No, your contract will stay exactly the same, all you need to do is transfer your SIM as detailed here.

Yes –- all they need to do is either go to an O2 Retail store and ask for a new PostPay O2 SIM card (free of charge), or simply use the SIM card that comes with the 16GB iPhone. They then place the new SIM card into the 8GB iPhone and activate through iTunes just as you did. They will need to sign-up to a new 18-month contract.

Customers who have purchased an 8GB device within the last 14 days can return them in line with standard O2 / Apple returns policies.

Please note – customers who purchased their iPhone through The Carphone Warehouse can only return their iPhone within seven days of purchase, and only if the device has not been activated.

Just follow the instructions below:

• Step 1
  Connect your 'old' iPhone to your PC
  
  
• Step 2
  Go to your iTunes account and sync as you always do. This will ensure everything is up to date.
  (You may also need to have your iTunes log in details to hand for later!)
  
  
• Step 3
  Now change over your SIM card from your existing iPhone to your new iPhone. This will enable you to activate your new device onto your existing account.
  
  
  
  
  
• Step 4
  Connect your 'new' iPhone to your PC and go to your iTunes account to start the activation
  
  
• Step 5
  Select 'Existing Customer' and enter your mobile number. (iTunes may ask you for your iTunes account log in details here)
  
  
• Step 6
  You will be told that your new iPhone is activating
  
  
• Step 7
  Contact O2 Customer Services on 2302 to reset your MAC address to enable you to use Wi-Fi on your new iPhone.
  
  
• Step 8
  Your new 16GB iPhone is ready to be used. Enjoy!!
  

• Connect your 'new' iPhone to your PC and your iTunes account to start the activation process
  
  
• Select 'Existing Customer' and enter your mobile number
  
  
• A PIN number will be sent to your 'old' device
  
  
• iTunes may ask you for your iTunes account log in details here
  
  
• You will be told that the device is activating
  
  
• Your iPhone will sync with iTunes and activate fully
  
  
• Contact Customer Services on 2302 to reset your MAC address to enable you to use WiFi on your new iPhone
  

If you're having trouble activating your iPhone and can't find the help you need online, please call O2's specialist iPhone Activation Support team on 0870 607 2302, or 2302 from your O2 mobile, and choose option 2 for activation support.