Orange Are Ripping Me Off! - Help

gdully · 17 February 2009 at 9:49AM

I've just received a bill from Orange for downloading 454Mb of data, (Less than 1 650Mb CD), via my mobile phone and they are charging me £1353.11.:eek: Apparently my contract allows me 3Mb a month and they charge the nut crushing rate of £1640.00 per 650Mb of data unless you ring them first for a thing called a "Bolt-on".Where I could have had 2.25 times what I used (1Gb) for £17.
This must be blatent unfair pricing - I have never seen an advert from them saying that they charge this amount. In fact they currently advertise one day unlimited browsing for £1 at the bottom of the Carphone Warehouse page (but the print is so small that I had to get my son to read it) - I've done the usual - rang, written (Still waiting for a reply) and the last guy at Orange said that because I "admitted" to using the phone as a modem - the charge still stands and it will not be reconsidered. They even told me to default on my Direct Debit to attract a different departments attention so that I can escalate my concern. I cancelled the Direct Debit, but paid what I feel was a "Fair" amount for the download of £30. I also commented that it might be covered under the unfair contracts legislation, but the operator told me that as I'm a business customer I don't have normal consumer protection.
Okay - if this is my battle with the big bad company, (We all have at least 1 in our lifetime), can anyone advise me of what to do, say, write? I'm willing to do TV interviews and press releases to highlight this obscene price racketeering practice.

sporedude · 17 February 2009 at 10:24AM

The charges would have been advised in a pack recieved when the contract was taken out along with the Terms and Conditions. Its not really unfair if you used the handset as a modem, As modems generate alot of data while being used.

mymatebob · 17 February 2009 at 10:35AM

Have you had a look at the T & C to see if what they are charging fits in with this?
If it does I fear you have no come-back.
You signed up for their service at a price you agreed to (even if you did not read all the small print) and if you used the phone as per their T & C then you have to pay. Sorry about that.

sporedude · 17 February 2009 at 10:49AM

and Orange might take it to a DCA, If it goes unpaid.

MRC_2 · 17 February 2009 at 10:58AM

It says on Orange's website that it's £3 per meg. You don't really have any rights because it will also be printed in your terms and conditions...

Unfortunantly, it'll have to be paid. You may get lucky and they reduce the cost as a good will gesture - Orange though, doubtful.

grimlea · 17 February 2009 at 12:56PM

I have had customers with these problems passed onto me. It amazes me that people have the knowledge to connect their mobile to computer to use as a modem - yet they don't have knowledge that internet they access when they use their computer is different to mobile internet & files they download on mobile internet are smaller than standard internet.

It isn't a price racketeering practice, there terms & conditions & pricing policies can be found in a number places. I don't work for orange, but was able to find out that orange charge £3 per mb in about 2 minutes. Sorry, I'm afraid you don't have a leg to stand on. You have used your mobile to access this data & you should by rights have to pay for it.

My advice would be to talk to orange, be polite, friendly, approachable, explain that it was a genuine mistake & they may help you out. Losing your temper with them will only lead to a refusal to help. When I look at these things I always look at the customers notes. If customer has been abusive to any member of staff then I would not help them with goodwill gesture.

If customer has been a good long standing customer who always pays bills on time & has not been a "problem" customer & I feel it was a genuine mistake then I probably would help - but I work for a different company I don't know how orange work or what Oranges core business ethics are

[Deleted User] · 17 February 2009 at 1:17PM

gdully wrote: »

I've just received a bill from Orange for downloading 454Mb of data, (Less than 1 650Mb CD), via my mobile phone and they are charging me £1353.11.:eek: Apparently my contract allows me 3Mb a month and they charge the nut crushing rate of £1640.00 per 650Mb of data unless you ring them first for a thing called a "Bolt-on".Where I could have had 2.25 times what I used (1Gb) for £17.
This must be blatent unfair pricing - I have never seen an advert from them saying that they charge this amount. In fact they currently advertise one day unlimited browsing for £1 at the bottom of the Carphone Warehouse page (but the print is so small that I had to get my son to read it) - I've done the usual - rang, written (Still waiting for a reply) and the last guy at Orange said that because I "admitted" to using the phone as a modem - the charge still stands and it will not be reconsidered. They even told me to default on my Direct Debit to attract a different departments attention so that I can escalate my concern. I cancelled the Direct Debit, but paid what I feel was a "Fair" amount for the download of £30. I also commented that it might be covered under the unfair contracts legislation, but the operator told me that as I'm a business customer I don't have normal consumer protection.
Okay - if this is my battle with the big bad company, (We all have at least 1 in our lifetime), can anyone advise me of what to do, say, write? I'm willing to do TV interviews and press releases to highlight this obscene price racketeering practice.

So didnt you check how much it would cost before you used it?

Aspiring · 17 February 2009 at 1:45PM

gdully wrote: »

I've just received a bill from Orange for downloading 454Mb of data, (Less than 1 650Mb CD), via my mobile phone and they are charging me £1353.11.:eek: Apparently my contract allows me 3Mb a month and they charge the nut crushing rate of £1640.00 per 650Mb of data unless you ring them first for a thing called a "Bolt-on".Where I could have had 2.25 times what I used (1Gb) for £17.
This must be blatent unfair pricing - I have never seen an advert from them saying that they charge this amount. In fact they currently advertise one day unlimited browsing for £1 at the bottom of the Carphone Warehouse page (but the print is so small that I had to get my son to read it) - I've done the usual - rang, written (Still waiting for a reply) and the last guy at Orange said that because I "admitted" to using the phone as a modem - the charge still stands and it will not be reconsidered. They even told me to default on my Direct Debit to attract a different departments attention so that I can escalate my concern. I cancelled the Direct Debit, but paid what I feel was a "Fair" amount for the download of £30. I also commented that it might be covered under the unfair contracts legislation, but the operator told me that as I'm a business customer I don't have normal consumer protection.
Okay - if this is my battle with the big bad company, (We all have at least 1 in our lifetime), can anyone advise me of what to do, say, write? I'm willing to do TV interviews and press releases to highlight this obscene price racketeering practice.

Put it down to experience and write it off as a business expense?

chris_spackman · 17 February 2009 at 6:38PM

Why don't you get a Mobile Broadband Dongle, they even chuck in a Laptop for Business users too?

Orange Are Ripping Me Off! - Help

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