Need help please :(

danjames20

Hi everyone,

Can someone help me please? i feel like i'm tied to the current broadband and phone provider (Orange) because elsewhere has problems with where i live (little village)

Currently paying for unlimited 8mb broadband, line rental, free evening and weekend calls - £25 a month

Live near the following post code, DY7 6HB if that helps for searching etc

Anyone know any way this could be reduced please? really could do with help

thanks in advance

danjames20

just checked bill, actually this month is a whopping £41! (including the £24 service) our talk time seems really high, is there any company that offers better?

Merlinexcalibur

I really would be extremely careful about giving out any part of a postcode near or otherwise. I mean that helpfully BTW.

So, are you asking for a downgrade? Or to change providers? You already know this but you cannot switch providers when in a contract with another company. Orange, particularly. Then there's the MAC code issue. So, I am afraid you will not be able to switch until your contract expires. You could, but you would be liable for the rest of the contract period AND you will be messed about over the MAC code. There are a few forums about Orange out there which, like MSE, are concerned with this and these issues.

I think the only way you are going to reduce the cost is simply to cut down on calls. Because obviously someone is making a lot of calls somewhere that isn't covered ie non-geographical 0845, 0870, and so on which aren't free nor inclusive of your package. And use your internet phone to make the 'free' and your landline for other calls. You pay more BTW on using the internet phone for non-geographical than landline. Just thought to mention that.

Apart from substandard customer service I will not touch a thing with Orange again. Not 'anti' just fed up of apallingly dreadful customer service. And which you pay through the nose to be at their mercy, too. At the most basic level.

I would also advise on this, too. Because your phoneline is with Orange, on a special BT subsidy I can't remember the name of, now you may find your line cut off if you develop any problems over contracts. Particularly, if you try and change. As it's all part of the same package. That's the same for any provider. So, if you are serious about ditching them I'd transfer the line back to BT. Because you will lost your landline if not. That will not solve, however, your broadband problem. I am afraid you are stuck with them for the time being. Sorry I can't be more helpful but this is the reality.

danjames20

thanks

the contract is about to expire actually hence im looking into other providers etc, i've worked a small system to save £114 a year roughly by getting my dad to switch networks and a few other tweaks, but still seems really high, the main problem is being in a small village that has very few providers in the exchange

Merlinexcalibur

Good. My advice would now be: get the hell away from them and never look back. I use 3 mobile broadband. Which is excellent. You may have found the 'evils of the Livebox' I imagine? This dongle I have is fantastic, no need for MAC codes. And, IMHO, it is far faster than Orange's alleged faster than light broadband. And I am currently on one bar online. Even on that meager connection it's faster than the Livebox was. And, yes, I know the perils of living in a secluded, out of the way area.

Check the 3 mobile thing out. You may be able to get it in your area. It's not 24/7 but it's plug/play. I have 5 GB for the moment which I can get about 5 hours per day out of the allowance if I don't download.

danjames20

to be honest we've not had a problem with them or the livebox lucky ones i guess. i'm going to give it a month or two to trim down the useage and hopefully that'll help a lot, lookin at it i think i have 3 months maybe on the contract.

I dont really want the mobile broadband as i know i use more than 5 or 6gb a month and having orange as my contract provider i can squeeze £7 discount a month from them, just wish Sky had unbundled the exchange, would be so much cheaper then to tie all to them

Ice_2

can you get a landline if so try Tiscali, all calls up to 8mb unlimited broadband and line rental included, free in some area's or £8 if not, I have just gone with them and totally fantastic, you have to ring once if the free wireless router doesn't play ball but once you have put in afew more figures then the internet runs fine, and all for an amazing £28 amonth discounted to £23 for the first 3 months, can't be bad.

danjames20

Ice wrote: »

can you get a landline if so try Tiscali, all calls up to 8mb unlimited broadband and line rental included, free in some area's or £8 if not, I have just gone with them and totally fantastic, you have to ring once if the free wireless router doesn't play ball but once you have put in afew more figures then the internet runs fine, and all for an amazing £28 amonth discounted to £23 for the first 3 months, can't be bad.

hmmmmm just looked into it, although saving a lot overall initially, the mobile costs are sky high i hate to admit it, but i like the way talk talk have their phone set up even though i wouldnt touch them with a barge pole, as they allow a calling circle to give you discounts to certain numbers. See we only call maybe 3 mobiles but those are called a few times a week and it mounts up, any mobile solution suggestions ?

thanks everyone