Hoorah – O2 is upping the limits on the number of minutes and txts included each month. Basically, the base tariff goes from 200 mins & txts to 600 mins and 500 txts a month. Existing users get transferred onto the new levels automatically.

The only thing I did notice was that on O2’s page for existing customers , there’s now an asterisk next to the bit about data which says “subject to excessive usage policy”. Now, if I recall correctly (which I do), the iPhone was a special case which had no fair use limits. Will try to find out more about this.

UPDATE: Have phoned O2, and I was told:

• There is now an “excessive usage limit” whereas there wasn’t before.
• All tariffs (not just the iPhone) are now on this new limit, whereas before they were on a “fair use” limit. Not sure what the difference is.
• This new limit is so large that I won’t notice there’s a limit – in essence it’s unlimited (me: “so it’s unlimited, but there’s a limit?” O2: “Errr, yes, but….”).
• Obviously, they can’t tell me what this new limit is yet, although it’s “gigabytes and gigabytes” – although strangely I was promised that they would publish full details, including the exact cap, when the tariffs come into force on Feb 1st. We’ll see.
• They will always contact a user to tell them that their usage is getting a bit too much, rather than just charge them or cut them off.