What is TELEFONICA on my bank statement?

TELEFONICA UK is the registered company name for O2 in the UK. O2 is owned by the Spanish telecoms giant Telefónica, which is why your monthly O2 mobile bill appears as TELEFONICA or TELEFONICA UK on your bank statement rather than O2.

What is the O2 charge on my statement for?

The O2 charge covers your monthly plan — either a handset contract (which includes a phone and airtime), a SIM only plan, or a mobile broadband plan. It may also include bolt-ons, roaming charges, or charges for going over your data allowance.

Why is my O2 bill higher than usual?

Your O2 bill may be higher due to roaming charges from using your phone abroad, exceeding your data allowance, annual price increases (O2 raises prices each April), or a one-off device or add-on charge. Log into My O2 app to see the itemised breakdown.

O2 Priority is a free rewards scheme for O2 customers — it gives early access to concert tickets, restaurant offers, and other perks. There is no charge for O2 Priority; it's included with any O2 plan at no extra cost.

DecodeMyCharge Bank statement decoder

Mobile & broadband

What is TELEFONICA or O2 on my bank statement?

Q: How do I cancel my O2 contract?

Call O2 on 202 (from your O2 phone) or 0344 809 0202 to cancel. You can leave without penalty once your minimum term ends. Cancelling early will result in an early termination fee covering the remaining contract months.

This is your monthly O2 mobile bill — O2 is owned by Telefónica, which is why the charge appears under that name on your statement.

O2 (Telefónica UK) — Mobile

✓ Legitimate charge

TELEFONICA UK on your bank statement is your monthly O2 mobile bill. O2 is the UK's second-largest mobile network, owned by the Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica. Because the registered billing entity is Telefónica UK Limited, your bank statement shows TELEFONICA rather than O2 — which catches a lot of people off guard.

The charge covers your monthly plan: a handset contract (device + airtime), SIM only plan, mobile broadband dongle, or tablet SIM. It will also include any bolt-ons you've added, roaming charges from using your phone abroad outside your plan's included roaming, or charges for going over your data or call allowance.

O2 applies an annual price increase each April, typically linked to inflation. If your bill is suddenly higher than last month and you're in April, this is likely the reason. You'll have been notified by text and email in advance — check your O2 inbox if you missed it.

Company

O2 / Telefónica UK

Type

Mobile network

Recurring?

Yes — monthly

Country

What to do Log into My O2 app or o2.co.uk to see your full bill breakdown. If you're unsure why the amount changed, check for roaming charges or a recent price rise. To speak to billing, call 202 free from your O2 phone or 0344 809 0202.

Got a different charge?

Paste any bank statement charge and get an instant plain-English explanation.

Decode a charge →

Frequently asked

Questions about O2 charges

Why does my O2 bill say TELEFONICA?

O2 is owned by Telefónica — a large Spanish multinational telecoms company. The UK operation is registered as Telefónica UK Limited, so your bank statement shows the legal company name TELEFONICA UK rather than the consumer brand O2. It's the same company and the same bill.

Why is my O2 bill more than expected?

Common reasons for a higher O2 bill: roaming charges from using your phone abroad, exceeding your data allowance, O2's annual April price increase, a newly added bolt-on, or a one-off charge. Log into the My O2 app and go to Bills to see a full itemised breakdown including any extras charged.

How do I dispute an O2 charge?

Call O2 on 202 (free from an O2 mobile) and ask to speak to billing. Explain the specific charge you're questioning. O2 can provide an itemised bill and will waive genuine errors. If you're unhappy with their response, you can escalate to the Communications Ombudsman after eight weeks.

How do I cancel my O2 contract?

Call 202 from your O2 phone (free) to give notice. You can leave without paying a penalty fee once your minimum contract term has ended. If you leave early, O2 charges an early termination fee — usually the remaining monthly payments left on the contract. Check when your contract ends in the My O2 app under My Plan.

I'm not an O2 customer — why is TELEFONICA on my statement?

If you don't have an O2 contract, contact O2 on 0344 809 0202 and your bank immediately. Someone may have opened a contract in your name using your personal details — this is a known form of fraud. Your bank can dispute the charge and prevent further payments while an investigation takes place.

What is TELEFONICA or O2 on my bank statement?

O2 (Telefónica UK) — Mobile

Got a different charge?

Questions about O2 charges

Other mobile & broadband charges