|
|
|
| Disappointed in Orange. |
|---|
| message from Geoff Harrison on 27 Jun 2005 |
I don't really know why I'm posting this as I don't really want to vent
my spleen, but with the other comments I've been reading lately from
Orange, it really does seem that they aren't the best anymore. (not for
me anyway).
I rang Orange yesterday to see if there was anything they can do as my
monthly bill is £200+ every month. Sometimes as high as £400
I've been with Orange since 1995.
The OVP doesn't cover three, which I'd expect, but also doesn't cover
all of the packages on T-mobile, etc.
I can't believe there's absolutely nothing - not even close. They just
gave me a PAC code and let me go.
I'm not after anyting for nothing, I was just hoping they'd be able to
match or come close to some of the other offers. It's a financial thing
- I obviously don't want to pay more than others available.
Up to this point, I've always been impressed with Orange and recommended
them to everyone for being so helpful and a genuine competitor in the
mobile business. Paying a little bit more is fine if you get a good
service. You can't pay too much more though as it wouldn't make sense.
The unfortunate thing is, now I've looked at all the tarif's, I will be
moving all my companies' mobiles away from Orange too (this was my
personal phone) as I know they can't match it.
I hope this is an isolated case, with just my particular circumstances,
but if not, I believe Orange will seriously suffer with all the deals
now out on the market.
Geoff
|
| Jet Morgan replied to Geoff Harrison on 27 Jun 2005 |
Orange have been pretty bad for some years now. They stood out from
the rest up until about mid-2000 at the latest. Now, they're "just
another phone company".
I too had been with them since 1995, but I told them to p* off after
they kept losing payments and messing my diverts up. Then they started
imposing a no-direct-debit penalty. I pointed out to them that the
wise persun says not to neglect the cubs even when new ones were
born. They couldn't be bothered. I just said "bye bye" and left
the remaining bill unpaid. I was paying around £55 a month, and they
didn't want to keep me.
Richard [in PE12]
|
| top5kit.com replied to Jet Morgan on 27 Jun 2005 |
Orange were like a breath of fresh air when they came along, well compared to
the other phone companies. I've been with them since '98, I'm due for an upgrade
and I think I'm about to call it a day. Their upgrade prices on handsets are
ridiculous. Do they want to keep their customers or what?
|
| Jon replied to top5kit.com on 27 Jun 2005 |
The prices are the same as for new customers, which have traditionally
been cheaper in the past.
Are you a low user?
How much is your line rental?
|
| Steve Christie replied to top5kit.com on 27 Jun 2005 |
Maybe they're filling their boots before they leave the market for paid
calls and concentrate on technology development...or something....
|
| Wireless Reader replied to Geoff Harrison on 27 Jun 2005 |
If you analyse your call traffic what sort of calls do you mainly make?
Do you ever call Premium rate numbers from your mobile?
International? etc.
There are some specific tricks - but these are best discussed when your
call traffic is known. These may well apply on non-Orange networks - I
note you have received your PAC.
|
| Tony replied to Geoff Harrison on 27 Jun 2005 |
How do you manage to generate such a bill in a month?
You oviously need to stop using the mobile so much. Unbelievable.
All I can say is you must be on good money if you feel you can spend that
sort of money on a mobile phone bill in a month.
|
| Wireless Reader replied to Tony on 27 Jun 2005 |
That makes two of us generating such bills in a month. And yes I am on
good money - but can't see how I can easily reduce the bill given the
number of calls, data and roaming I undertake. Still it only equates to
a couple of hours work so I have other priorities and creating more
billable hours is a month is one.
|
| Geoff Harrison replied to Tony on 27 Jun 2005 |
I'm a contracted independent medical support engineer. No landlines on
the roads, in a lot of open spaces or on the water. All sorts of places
I need to go.
I'll remember those comments when the electronics have gone down in a
machine you may rely on to save you or your family's life. Do you think
I have time to look for a phone sometimes, or even sort out which is the
company phone or my own? These are quite often emergency situations,
as that is when the systems are used.
Get real and think about other peoples circumstances.
|
| Steve Christie replied to Geoff Harrison on 27 Jun 2005 |
I'd rather die than live in a world run by snooty paramedics
only kidding, please resuscitate me
|
| Marc replied to Geoff Harrison on 27 Jun 2005 |
Well said! If you're out on the road then I'm surprised Orange ever had
enough signal to spend all that! - where I live unless you're in the
town centre Orange are hopeless.
Vodafone and O2 are best for overall signal, as far as i know.
|
| Tony replied to Geoff Harrison on 27 Jun 2005 |
No need to snap my head off Geoff, I was only asking the question.
You obviously do a very good job, but the cost of your bill took me by
surprise. I generally try and spend 10 pounds a month on my mobile and no
more. I sometimes don't even spend that much!
All the mobile phone networks are legalised robbers IMO, and I use my mobile
as little as possible (unlike yourself I only use mine for social calls and
not for work calls), but I understand your situation 'now' being constantly
on the go and 'out in the field' as you will be.. Heavy users like yourself
should be given special deals from these companies, but in a dog-eat-dog
world like this, theres not much chance of that I doubt.
I would have thought about your circumstances, had I have known about them.
Keep up the good work, I hope someone is able to help you reduce your bill.
|
| Geoff Harrison replied to Tony on 27 Jun 2005 |
Snip
Thanks for the kind words Tony, my mis-interpretation - I thought you
were having a go at me being stupid using the mobile too much. It's
quite obvious to me now that you didn't know the situation, but at the
time, the comment hurt me a bit as I spend my own money helping people!
Didn't really mean to bite your head off, it was my immediate reaction
to what [I interpreted] as an unreasonable comment. Just give me a slap
if you ever see me.
I've been through every price plan [on Orange] and even they said they
can't match three, (which I don't really want). It was 2000 at £75. I
saw a T-Mobile contract on the web on Friday and kicking myself now as I
can't find it. I remember looking through the Orange comparison and they
didn't list it. It was nested down very deeply.
It gave a 3000 minute to any network. Off to look some more - I think it
was an 18month contract but I'm not bothered about either really
providing it's reliable.
I'm on a 2000 talk plan at the mo and still use more minutes.
As a rough breakdown, I call landlines 50%, Orange mobiles 30% and other
networks 20%.)
Good idea Clueless, but how is it in operation? I know this sounds mad,
but in some situations time is absolutely vital and I just pick up and
dial - which is why I often get the phones mixed up. I have a child with
a long term illness so don't want to leave my personal phone at home.
(Can you believe they are even different sizes, but when you have it in
your hand, you just tend to make the call.)
The point I was making really is that there are other networks out there
with better deals, and I remember when Orange used to value their long
term customers and at least do their best to come close. Obviously, in
this case it's not financially viable so they say goodbye. Bear in mind
that I've spent around £30000 with Orange personally over the years
(family phones come out of my pocket too!), not including the business
side of things.
|
| Steve Terry replied to Geoff Harrison on 28 Jun 2005 |
<snip>
You don't fancy using a Calling Card like 18866 to make those calls
to landlines cheaply then on a Orange YP tariff, YP has free 0800.
Which also saves all your inc mins for calling mobiles
a SE phone like a T610 which has Calling Card prefixing
before the number is ideal for using with a Calling Card
Steve Terry
|
| Jon replied to Tony on 27 Jun 2005 |
Why?
No-one is forcing him to be a heavy mobile phone user, he simply does so
out of convenience.
|
| Geoff Harrison replied to Jon on 28 Jun 2005 |
Convenience? Hardly.
Circumstances dictate. We've been through this one.....
Although I agree there's no need for a special deal, there just nothing
much in the higher end.
|
| Jon replied to Geoff Harrison on 28 Jun 2005 |
So what would have been done in days gone by when mobile phones didn't
exist?
|
| Clueless replied to Jon on 28 Jun 2005 |
Er, the equipment didnt exist too maybe?
S. Althaf
|
| chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco replied to Jon on 28 Jun 2005 |
Lots of people have built businesses based on using their mobile phones.
Don't the mobile companies appreciate that?
|
| Steve replied to Tony on 27 Jun 2005 |
My bill will regularily top £1500 a month.
Im told that complaints get made if it goes over £3000
Steve
|
| Michael Hoffman replied to Steve on 27 Jun 2005 |
Why, your money isn't good enough for them?
|
| mobileshoporg replied to Michael Hoffman on 29 Jun 2005 |
I suspect it isn't his money he's spending.
|
| Steve replied to Geoff Harrison on 27 Jun 2005 |
Are you a registered business?
Call the business dept of o2 (who i beleive cater more for business than
others) and see what they can do.
Steve
|
| Marc replied to Steve on 27 Jun 2005 |
02
wow, just like the advert ;)
|
| Clueless replied to Geoff Harrison on 27 Jun 2005 |
Just buy a few Select 750 contracts off people, I had 2 originally & have
bought 2 more just to cover this eventuality. So one standard incoming
number, calls made from any of the 4 numbers using a multisim.
S. Althaf
|
| Stuart Moore replied to Geoff Harrison on 29 Jun 2005 |
I've never done this myself, so maybe this won't help you, but IIRC if
you have a "line 2" contract with orange, the minutes from both get
pooled for outgoing calls. Would having 2 lines, both on their top
tarrifs help at all?
Stuart Moore
|
| Jon replied to Stuart Moore on 29 Jun 2005 |
The minutes do not get pooled, the user has to manually control which
outgoing line the calls are made from.
|
| Jet Morgan replied to Jon on 29 Jun 2005 |
I used to get pooled minutes, using what they called TalkShare between
the L1 and L2 numbers. Don't know if they still do it.
Richard [in PE12]
|
|
