Mobile Advice NLC

bertieduff · Post by **bertieduff** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:12 pm

Just been on to Orange as my handset is about to give up the ghost (vintage nokia 3310

).

All I want is a handset that works, nowt fancy like.

B'stards want £150 upgrade fee before they even talk about handsets because I'm still in contract with them. Not moving on this- guess my negotiating skills ain't what they were

Would have thought as a customer of 8 years on a monthly plan they'd want to keep me happy (or at least with a working phone

)....

Bit baffled...is this the way it should work? Would rather not have to change (I'm assuming you can't take your number with you?) but if that's the bottom line I'll be talking with my feet rather than Orange methinks... as I know FA about this stuff any words of wisdom anyone?

BiggestNizzy · Post by **BiggestNizzy** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:27 pm

How long have you had the contract your on ? I'm guessing a while as your handset is "not very modern" if your still under contract you can give your months notics to cancel move yiur contract to the cheapest monthly contract available and get a new phone on a new contract

Sanjøy · Post by **Sanjøy** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:33 pm

Mr Richardwill be along in a minute and sort you out good and proper like.

bertieduff · Post by **bertieduff** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:48 pm

BiggestNizzy wrote:"not very modern"

Very diplomatically put....

Dunno- it's been that long i've forgotten now, been with em 8 years, but moved from VirginEQ to Racoon30 (WTF!

) plan about a year ago- dunno if this constitutes a new contract or not.

Niz, do I loose the number if I do this? (use it for work, bummer to change)

What your're suggesting was pretty much what she seemed to be saying...seems a bit mad though- I'd have thought they'd want to hang onto custom rather than encourage you to cancel and potentially find a better deal elsewhere?

Sanj, Didn't like to bother Rich as thought he was too busy restructuring the company

Skyenet · Post by **Skyenet** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:46 pm

If all you want is a phone that works then how about just picking up a PAYG Orange phone and putting your Monthly Contract SIM card into it. Means you can keep your phone number fine.

I am still on a VirginEQ tarrif with Orange (despite them trying to get me off it) as it suits me fine and only works out at a couple of quid a month

In fact I have two sim cards on my monthly Orange VirginEQ and they work fine in any of the ORANGE PAYG phones I have.

Orange PAYG phones can be picked up cheaply and are often on offers at Argos, Woolworths and Asda. Motorola V3 was on offer for less than £40 recently. Next door neighbour got a cracking Motorola Orange PAYG phone for less than £10 at the weekend from ASDA.

Rich will have more knowledge though so await his recommendations

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:55 pm

Not quite...

Sounds like they have you in an 18 month contract (5 months to go at £30 per month = £150?)

If you don't give a toss about the features, best bet is a pay as you go handset, either an orange one or an O2 (As they are not locked to the network) they start at about £15 but you have to buy a top up for it for £10 as well. failing that find someone with an old handset that will las you the rest of the contract, then tell them to get stuffed.

As for your number its yours to keep basically. If you buy your way out of the contract or if you get another phone and then leave Orange ask for the Port Authorization Code (PAC)

I would suggest getting a second hand phone and waiting for the end of your contract, then tell them straight what you want. I got a new Nokia 6300 and I pay £13 per month for 200mins and 100 txts, 18 month contract and 18 month warranty (Watch that one, 18 month contract and a 12 month manufacturers warranty is very cheeky

)

rambling and I've had a row in between about the washing up, so incoherent but drop me a line if you need anything more coherently....

Rich

bertieduff · Post by **bertieduff** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:14 pm

Cheers!

Has got a bit more complicted since I last did this.

The only feature my last phone had was that you could use it to kill someone with one blow

Jamie84 · Post by **Jamie84** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:22 pm

got an nokia n95 for sale £150 if anyones interested , one tiny scuff on corner of phone , bar that its brand new . comes with all leads etc . PM if interested ...been lying arund for a while might aswell try and get rid of !

Skyenet · Post by **Skyenet** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:20 pm

RICHARDHUMBLE wrote:
As for your number its yours to keep basically. If you buy your way out of the contract or if you get another phone and then leave Orange ask for the Port Authorization Code (PAC)

I was careful in my choice of phone numbers when getting EasyMobile £10 credit sim cards (none of which cost me anything) and when they folded I was able to transfer them free onto Fresh Sim Cards (again £10 Free each) giving me three consectutive numbers. All in must have got nearly £100 of free credit between EasyMobile and Fresh and still have some left.

I also had another EasyMobile number which was very similar to my home number and replaced one of my Orange VirginEQ numbers with it for nothing. Makes filling forms in for home and mobile numbers very easy

Rag_It · Post by **Rag_It** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:24 am

I don't understand how you still have a 3310 which is ancient, yet still locked into a contract?

Unless you upgraded, and then sold the handset they gave you, or they upgraded you and didn't give you a new phone. These are the lines of enquiry i dont think anyone has picked up on so far that i would be looking at.

If they have simply changed your tariff then you should be pointing out that you never got a new phone at the time, and there has been no cost to them by you upgrading to a new handset. By upgrading your handset and you paying little or nothing for it, this is where they occur their costs, so lock you into a deal for 12 or 18months when you upgrade to get pay back on that handset.

If you genuinely haven't had a new handset, or last year whenever you upgraded they gave you a Nokia 3310 then i would be smashing the nearest respective phone providers shop into pieces...

Rag_It · Post by **Rag_It** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:31 am

ANother thought having reread the whole post, phone up ask to speak with disconnections department straight away, these guys are specially trained to keep your custom, and have a little more authority (Rich will confirm this is still the case or not!) but when fighting with Networks on behalf of disgruntled customers, i always found these guys paid slightly more attention and i usually got what i was after.

I would like to know if you have had a new handset or not, and if not then you have a pretty good case for getting a new one!

Dave

bertieduff · Post by **bertieduff** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:36 am

Rag_It wrote:ANother thought having reread the whole post, phone up ask to speak with disconnections department straight away, these guys are specially trained to keep your custom, and have a little more authority (Rich will confirm this is still the case or not!) but when fighting with Networks on behalf of disgruntled customers, i always found these guys paid slightly more attention and i usually got what i was after.

I would like to know if you have had a new handset or not, and if not then you have a pretty good case for getting a new one!

Dave

Cheers.

Reckon I'm being had

Never been upgraded since the 3310, and I had to pay for that

Actually just realised my contract expires next month, so for the sake of a few weeks the last thing I want is to have to buy a new handset.

Think I need to moan at them a bit more

Rag_It · Post by **Rag_It** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:48 am

Moan a bit more, go through to disconnections and say you are truely appauled at how you have been treated, you have been with Orange for 8 years and point out to them that you have cost them nothing as you have had the same Nokia brick for ever!

It is customers like yourself that they should be striving to keep as churn within the mobile market is huge, you have been an awesome, albeit not high spender on your tariff, but probably caused them little expense!

Tell them you would like your PAC code, see what they come up with, as at this point i think they have the ability to save you from leaving. You would be better speaking to Rich or doing some research on Carphone Warehouse and seeing what deals are to be had as they will give you a decent phone and tariff, or they will simply give you your PAC code, which unless you do something with then you carry on with Orange as usual!

HTH,

Dave

bertieduff · Post by **bertieduff** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:19 am

Update....disconnection dept 'can't help' as I'm just outside the 30 days before contract renewal.

Pointed out all of the stuff mentioned above...

Requested PAC. Costing me £40-odd quid to buy out

Oh well, guess I'm looking for a new network. Bit of a PITA. Won't be back with Orange even if they offer free naked dancing girls. (that's a lie

)

Cheers for advice

Rag_It · Post by **Rag_It** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:32 am

Well you are being sent your PAC so they know your serious, but if you would rather stay with Orange, then hang fire until you are in that 30 day window, then try and play ball with them.

Dave