Orange to start charging for calls to 0500/0800/0808 Freephone Numbers.

2ax

If you want a contract with Orange, have one. If you don't, then don't.

But don't give us pseudo-moralistic arguments about breach of contracts that you intend to re-apply for. Orange could refuse the second contract if they were aware of this.

charlie12

2ax wrote:

On another thread, not far away, someone has been surcharged for ending the contract early. Cancelling on the grounds of spending a bit more on a couple of 0800 numbers is hardly worth the risk of a £120 bill, whatever the arguments or chances of success in the latter case.

If it's the same thread I'm thinking of, the poster's cancellation terms was confirmed by a customer service rep. It was hardly a written confirmation of cancellation stating no further money would be owed.

As I mentioned earlier I recommend pursuing this issue by post, and to get confirmation in writing. The risk of further charges is much lower then, IMO.

charlie12

2ax wrote:

If you want a contract with Orange, have one. If you don't, then don't.

But don't give us pseudo-moralistic arguments about breach of contracts that you intend to re-apply for. Orange could refuse the second contract if they were aware of this.

I don't plan to cancel my contract personally, even if I could, and I therefore don't plan to reapply for another Orange contract after cancelling.

As I say i'm just making conversation as I find it interesting.

narol

2ax wrote:

two birds with one stone - let's ask them if they can put 0800 numbers on - good chance that Pre-dial 0200 number will get clobbered soon

they are!! :beer:
taken from https://www.simplyfone.com


UK (01 & 02)
UK (020)
UK BAND FREE (e,g, 0800)
UK BAND L (0845)
UK BAND NATIONAL (0870)

although i emailed simplyfobne & they told me that 0800's only included from next Monday morning

digp

2ax wrote:

If you want a contract with Orange, have one. If you don't, then don't.

But don't give us pseudo-moralistic arguments about breach of contracts that you intend to re-apply for. Orange could refuse the second contract if they were aware of this.

you're talking twaddle.

do you work for orange?

thelawnet

2ax wrote:

Why do I keep reading posts on several threads about people wanting to close down contracts, based on flimsy reasoning?

I'm sorry to argue, charlie12, but if you manage to cancel a contract with Orange on these grounds, then it is hypocritical to then apply for another.

If I sign a contract with you and you breach it by increasing your prices I can repudiate the contract. You are in breach, you lose.

That doesn't mean that we can't make a new contract. If you then break that I will repudiate that one as well.

It is nothing to do with being angry with Orange and cancelling for that reason, and then going back to the company you are angry with, it is purely about breach of contract. Orange have increased their prices in breach of the contract, and rather than lose out customers are getting the sweeteners from a new contract. It is a legal issue and hypocrisy is totally irrelevant.

Silly troll.

Davey_s2

I remember the good old days when orange used to to full page adverts in the national press making a big deal about freefone numbers being free when on orange. Problem is orange are now the biggest and their network is not up to handling all the calls it needs to, so I guess it's an easy way of getting the cost concious people off the network, whilst keeping the big spenders.

Steve_xx

Davey_s2 wrote:

I remember the good old days when orange used to to full page adverts in the national press making a big deal about freefone numbers being free when on orange. Problem is orange are now the biggest and their network is not up to handling all the calls it needs to, so I guess it's an easy way of getting the cost concious people off the network, whilst keeping the big spenders.

No,I don't think this has anything to do with network capacity at all. Rather, it is Orange trying to recover revenue that it sees as being lost to it in the first place. As you say, Orange, and Orange alone have always offered freephone numbers free on it's network, even on pay as you go too in the early days.

In some ways now might be an appropriate time for OFCOM to look at this issue. Since it is in charge of the National Numbering Scheme I feel that it should closely examine this issue and it should conclude that 0800/0808 is an internationally recognised freephone number and that as such the mobile telcos ought to be forced to allow connections to be made free of charge. This would open up competition further in the UK.

I suspect that both OFTEL and OFCOM in the past have viewed the mobile networks as relatively new and therefore they have been allowed to invest heavily in their infrastructure and so they have avoided much regulation as a result. I think that these network are possibly mature enough now to be regulated in such a way as to open up competition further. The imposition of 0800 as free to dial on these networks would certainly do that, but of course the mobile telcos would argue that this would totally upset their business model. I believe that the mobie telcos at the moment are enjoying a rather cosy cartel arrangement and it woldn't harm for OFCOM to interfere with that a little.

bbb_uk

Steve_xx wrote:

..In some ways now might be an appropriate time for OFCOM to look at this issue. Since it is in charge of the National Numbering Scheme I feel that it should closely examine this issue and it should conclude that 0800/0808 is an internationally recognised freephone number and that as such the mobile telcos ought to be forced to allow connections to be made free of charge. This would open up competition further in the UK...

The problem is that these calls aren't free to the mobile networks so they charge for it. I'm not sure how much it costs for mobile networks to carry the call (I don't mean on their own network) but the terminating cost they pay to BT, etc.

One thing you have to remember and that is if Ofcom did (but they won't) force the networks to carry the calls free then the networks would still incur costs for carrying the call and they would then pass cost on in an increase to either handset prices/tariffs, etc.

Don't you remember when the networks were forced by ofcom to lower the termination costs (for calls ending on their network) they did this under a fight and in turn increased the cost to handsets and text messages.

Like I said I don't know the whole cost issue involved for the networks in carrying this type of call but they could probably charge normal geographical costs for the freephone.

Similar thing about 0845/0870 calls that costs upto about 40ppm obviously these don't cost the network that much but high prices in this area (0845/0870) means lower prices in geographical calls and probably handset prices.

haveagoade

In my opinion the telco industry is asking for trouble, premium line scams, txt scams ,0845's 0870's, charging for freephones.........they'd better watch out, cos we're on to em all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!