3-Gee What a Disaster! PDF Print E-mail (will not be published)

So, how do you take a "halo" product, a feel good techno-marvel that inspires happy thoughts and turn it into something that makes the veins on your neck stick out and makes you want to pull the ears of little bunny rabbits?!?   For the answer just ask O2.  In a unrivalled display of incompetence the UK mobile operator got it wrong on a huge scale this morning as their site crashed less than 2 hours after the release of the iPhone 3G. 

Tens of thousands of people have been left disappointed as the site sold out of phones.  We've no idea how though because for hours we were unable to complete a transaction with session after session bombing out before being finalised...

At one stage an 0800 number appeared requesting you to phone it for help.  When you eventually got through the nice lady there told you that their website was down and to keep trying.  YES WE KNOW THAT, we've been trying for the last four hours!!  Total waste of time.

The site was a mess of confusion, showing two different interfaces, one requiring a confirmation text sent to be sent to your phone (we got this EIGHTEEN times, but weren't able to complete a single time).

O2's reputation, especially amongst those it's trying to switch from other networks, has suffered in their awful handling of today's pre-order launch. 

We await their explanation, apology and what action they are going to take to appease their customers.

o2.co.uk/iphone :  Apple.com/iPhone