Batter down your annual mobile costs article Discussion Area

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  • ncrossland
    ncrossland Posts: 45 Forumite
    I had been meaning to phone O2 to switch away for a while, since they changed my tariff and my bills shot up hugely - there's much better deals around.

    They've now switched me from paying around £30 a month, to £20 for the whole year including more than enough minutes and texts to cover my usage. :money:

    Now if only I had asked for a new phone at the same time :mad: - I'll know for next time...
  • rappius
    rappius Posts: 26 Forumite
    I have a 50 minutes a day off peak free with Orange which costs £14.99 pm but I have been unable to find a better deal. Orange would love me to change to another tariff and I need a new phone as the one I have has a damaged front. When I talk to other service providers they cannot compete with the 50mins a day. We make loads of calls after 7pm and only a few during the peak period. Anyone got any ideas please?
  • djsban
    djsban Posts: 14 Forumite
    I work for in a retail store for a major mobile network....each day that I work I deal with at least 10 people that are loosing hundreds of £'s a year...How....By upgrading!!!!!!

    1st - NEVER upgrade instore.....we have very little power to offer you discounted tariffs...if you phone up you WILL be able to haggle a lot more!! Threatening to leave the network in a store has no effect to them!! You need to speak to the 'Saves' department.....they have alot of freedom on what they can offer you!!

    2nd - Always get the BEST handset you can get for free on your upgrade!!! Even if you are only going to sell it on E-bay and then buy a cheaper handset!!!

    Cheers
  • I was going to cancel my contract with Carphone Warehouse last year, so I rang through to the 'thinking of ending your contract' option and immediately got six months half-price. I did the same again this year.

    That option on the menu also always seems to get you attended to quickly, so I use it whenever I ring.
  • inch71
    inch71 Posts: 14 Forumite
    I think Orange are getting wise to this method.
    I've been with Orange for about 5/6 years on contract, and at around 11 1/2 months I've always rang them and told them I have been offered a better deal with another network. (quote who you like ie: O2, Vodafone etc.)
    They have always backed down and gave me the phone I wanted for free, on a new 12 month contract. Which I was happy with. This year I tried the same again. I wanted the new Nokia N70. I was told the upgrade price was £279.99. I knew I would probably have to pay something for this phone as it is the latest model with 3G, but that seemed a bit extreme. When I told them O2 had the phone on offer at £49.99, they just said well thats our upgrade price, there's nothing more we can do.
    I was paying £17 a month with Orange and getting 30 anytime xnet mins and 30 texts.
    The O2 deal was £19 a month 100 anytime xnet mins and 50 texts.
    Ater checking the Orange website I noticed that you could get the same phone for £49.99 if you were a new customer.
    I rang them back a couple of days later to see if I could get anywhere with them. I told them I didn't want to leave, but felt I had no option if they couldn't match the deal. Still they refused. When I told them about the deal on their website for new customers, they said "yes thats right, for new customers". I challenged them with the fact that they are going to lose an existing customer, just because they wouldn't match O2's offer. They said that they didn't want to lose me, but the offer still stands at £279.99.
    I told them there and then to give me my PAC Code,(to port my existing number to another network) as I was leaving and going to O2.
    I am now with O2, enjoying more minutes and more texts, for only £2 a month more, with a top of the range phone for only £49.99.
    I was also told by a work colleague, that a friend of his has always been with Orange, and he swore by them. They did the same with him regarding a new deal, and he has since left them aswell.
    If this is how Orange are going to treat their loyal existing customers, I think they might find they will lose a few more.
    I can see it becoming like the Gas/Electric, Phone and credit card companies, where every year we will be shopping around for the best deal. We will all become mobile phone tarts!!!
    A shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist.

    A young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent,
    the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.
  • I've just had the same reaction. I've been with orange since they started, 11 years and I've just tried to get them to come close to what T-Mobile are offering in terms of tariff and phone. They haven't been able to come close. I don't know if this retentions department even exists any more, as I wasn't put through to anyone after the initial operator. Bit disappointed.
  • fredy34
    fredy34 Posts: 245 Forumite
    I had a good reaction from orange for once! Got through to disconnections then told then i could get a better deal at t mobile or with three. The guy asked me what i wanted i said money off. He said how does 240mins 500 texts 30mms and insurance for £25 sound. I said pretty good but what about a new phone he said no probs what do u want so i asked for a w800!

    Not bad as i was paying £35 for that previously (the insurance bumps it up by a fiver)

    good advice from the money saving expert people!

    thanks
  • inch71
    inch71 Posts: 14 Forumite
    In reply to coggsy.
    Yes the retentions department does still exsist. I was put nthrough to them both times I rang. Or at least I think I was, as it was an autmated phone line. Press 1 for this 3 for that and so on. Maybe thats how they get you now. You used to ring customer services and they put you through to the old disconnections department, and they were the ones with the power to give you what you asked for.
    Hmmm!! its got me wondering now.
    A shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist.

    A young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent,
    the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.
  • I have been with T mobile for more than three years with 750 minutes weekends and evening plus 50 texts for 16 pounds. After martin's tips I have tried my luck to bargain them and now paying only 3.99 a month!
  • Tried to negotiate a better deal, but they won't even match the deal they offer on the web to new customers, but said I was welcome to sign up for it if I changed my number.
    Not very good customer service, I shall now look at other networks.
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