O2 UK customers blocked from using BT Openzone WiFi hotspots

O2 customers in the UK will be blocked from using BT Openzone WiFi hotspots from July 1.

The perk was part of customers' contract deals but a four-year agreement between the two companies is coming to an end and isn't being renewed.

O2 has emailed customers telling them of the move and saying they'll now be restricted to O2's own network of 8,000 hotspots.

BT Openzone claims to have five million hotspots, although O2 says only 4.200 were made available.

"From 1 July 2013, we will no longer offer access to BT Openzone wi-fi hotspots to our customers," said O2 in a statement.

"We'll continue to extend the reach and scale of O2 wi-fi through exciting partnerships with venues including O2 shops, restaurants, retail outlets and outdoor and indoor locations across the UK."

Don't you just love the "exciting partnerships" PR-speak.

It isn't known if the change will mean O2 customers can claim the move is a substantial change to their contracts and argue for early termination.