All you need is your mobile

Charge to Mobile is the easy way to buy digital content. So when you're downloading a new app, ebook or movie, you don't have to spend ages finding your credit or debit card and typing your details in. All you need is your mobile.

So how are you charged? Well, if you're on Pay Monthly, the cost just goes on your monthly bill. And if you're on Pay As You Go, it comes out of your mobile credit. We only work with sellers we trust. We spot-check services to make sure they meet industry standards.

Where can I use Charge to Mobile?

FAQs

How do I set up Charge to Mobile?

On Android:

  1. Choose what you want to buy on Google Play and go to buy.
  2. Go to the ‘Payment Methods’ window. It should appear automatically. If not, go back to the window with the ‘Buy’ button and open the dropdown menu by tapping the arrow next to the price.
  3. Choose ‘Use O2 Billing’, follow the steps and then enter your details and save as your payment method.

On iPhone:

  1. Go to the App Store.
  2. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and tap your Apple ID.
  3. Tap ‘View Apple ID’ and sign in.
  4. Go to ‘Payment Information’.
  5. Select ‘Mobile Phone’.
  6. Tap ‘Use This Mobile Number’.

Is Charge to Mobile safe?

Yes. We only work with sellers we trust. And we check services to make sure they meet industry standards.

We only share your mobile number with our partners so we can process your payment. And they only share it with approved sellers if they get your permission. Or if they need to send things you've bought straight to your phone. We won’t share any other details with our partners.

If there’s a charge you don’t recognise, tap on the “i” next to the charge on your bill to see the name of the provider you’ve been charged by. You can then use our handy premium service checker to get their contact details should you want to get in touch. They’ll be able to help with your query and stop any recurring charges in the future.

Buying through your mobile is simple and quick. If you don’t recognise a charge, it could be that you’ve bought something whilst browsing on your phone. Phone paid services are heavily regulated and we constantly review providers to make sure they’re doing enough to let customers know before they buy something. Before a charge is added to your bill, the companies in question will display:

  1. An initial payment page including the charge cost and subscription details, if applicable, as well as a link to the terms and conditions. To continue to the next page you need to click on a button saying Subscribe/Buy now.
  2. On the second payment page you need to click on a further button to confirm the charge to your mobile. The purchase is then confirmed.

This is known as a two-step verification process and by clicking on both buttons, the charge is added to your mobile bill.

In addition to our two-step customer verification process, we’ve recently introduced an extra layer of protection for our customers in the form of a pin that’s sent to your device, or a text which you need to respond to before any purchase is processed. From 11 May 2019 this is now required any time you buy a charge to mobile service accessed through an online banner or advert.


Is there a limit to how much I can spend on Charge to Mobile?

You should only buy what you can afford to pay for.

If you're on Pay As You Go, you can spend up to the limit of your credit. If you're on Pay Monthly, anything you buy will be added to your monthly bill. The amount you can spend depends on how long you've been a customer, how much you normally spend and if you pay your bill on time.

You should only spend what you can afford.

If you are not the bill payer, you should seek their permission first. Every time you buy something, you’ll receive a free receipt confirming your purchase.

Purchases will be added to your monthly bill, the amount you can spend will depend on how long you’ve been a customer and how much you normally spend. What you spend is also dependant on the sellers own limit, which they can set themselves.

If you are unsure about your spend then you can ask the seller to directly block you from their services. Alternatively you can speak with our customer service team who can add a Charge to Mobile bar on your account. 
 

Some sellers set their own spending limits too.


Are there any safeguards to stop me getting an unexpectedly high bill from Charge to Mobile?

Yes. Every time you buy something the 3rd party provider of the Charge to Mobile service will always contact you to let you know of any charges. These messages aren't spam – so don’t delete them. They’ll tell you what you’ve bought, how often you’ll be charged and how to stop them if you’ve changed your mind.

If you are unsure about your spend then you can ask the seller to directly block you from their services. Alternative you can speak with our customer service team who can add a Charge to Mobile bar on your account. 

You can also keep track of your spending by checking recent charges on My O2 or texting the word BALANCE to 21202. Everything you've bought will show up within 48 hours in the 'Things you've bought' section on your online mobile bill, so don't forget to regularly check that too.


I pay the bill for someone else. Can they use Charge to Mobile?

Yes. If you pay someone else’s bill, you might not see the text receipts the company in question sends when they buy something with charge to mobile, but you can still check what they’re spending on your online bill. Anything they have bought will show up within 48 hours. You’ll find this in the “Things I have bought” section of My O2.

It works in the same way as data and call usage. If you don’t want the Charge to Mobile facility on your phone we can add a bar to stop the service.

If your child’s using Charge to Mobile on their own phone, make sure they know what they're getting and how much it costs. Find out more about unexpected charges

And if you don't want your child or the person you pay the bill for to use Charge for Mobile at all, get in touch and we'll switch it off.


I can’t find the details of the company I purchased from.

You can find the sellers info in the text you will have initially received when subscribing to the service/product.


Have an issue/dispute with the service/product purchased?

If you have a  query or issue with your purchase you should contact the seller directly to resolve the query or to seek a refund. 

Google may ask for your transaction ID. This is the email address that is linked to the Google account. For further information about Charge to Mobile or to see what you have been charged for please go to: Premium Service Checker