O2 hits back at excessive data rate claims

O2 has rebuffed claims by broadband comparison website Broadband Expert about its excess charges, after the publication criticised the network operator’s "hugely expensive" data rates.

The website claims that O2 charges 19.6p per megabyte when going over the 3GB inclusive data agreement. That compares to Vodafone and Orange’s price of 1.46p per megabyte, and T-Mobile, which does not charge at all.

Speaking to Mobile Today, Broadband Expert’s commercial director, Rob Webber, said that O2 policies were "excessively expensive for users who may unwittingly exceed their download limit".

But O2’s head of postpay marketing Jonathan Earle told the publication: "There is no average on O2 pay and go packages launched in December, and this is the fastest growing area of the market. For the vast majority of customers, 3GB is more than enough data."