Orange charging for 'free' internet?

elisebutt65

I bought my son a new mobile as a present for excelling and exceeding his school targets this year - he's just been entered to do his Statistics paper in Maths (higher) this year - he's only Yr 9:eek:

I bought it cos I've got a contract Mobile and wanted to put him on my Magic number list and also because of the offer on free Facebook/Bebo/MySpace.

So I get him set up on the Dolphin - 300 texts with £10/month top up and get a £1 for registering - also due to get another £10 for PACing his old number over.

Anyway I set his account up online so we can monitor his useage and he's had a go on Facebook on Friday and there's a £1.75 internet useage charge already - he hasn't even made a call or text on it yet and it's down to £7.27? There are other charges visible but shouldn't £11 - 1.75 = 9.25? Where has the other £2.00 gone? I can't ring them right now as he has gone out with the phone.

He was only on Facebook for about 5 minutes and they charged him £1.75 depite the fact that the website states "300 free texts plus free mobile access to Facebook, Bebo and MySpace"

Anyone had this problem?

Jon_01

Billing system lag behind real time by between 24 to 48 hours which is why the numbers don't add up.

When they give you the free access do you have to access in a certain way ? I.e. through Orange World or through gprs rather than 3g/internet ??

elisebutt65

I had a look at his phone and it's all preset - you can only get to the sites via Orange World - unless there's a sneakier way that I haven't found in the manual yet.

He just went via OW to the preset bookmarks

sandman112

i had a very similar problem on mine .... set up on dolphin and ended up on camel, so lost a few quid on bebo or something and was charged for some texts, anyway ... apparently there was a problem their end when i set it up, but it was all refunded eventually .... but what i have found out since is that when you top up by your tenner a month or whatever it is then you dont get the free access straight away, can take a few hours to go thru ... call 443 from your PAYG phone and listen to the balance then press 1 and if you have the free access it will tell you in there. otherwise get onto orange and make your on the right package (website said i was on dolphin when i was on camel)

jon_r_2

Well done your Son getting his Maths.I did check out Orange Tariffs as i understand they have merged with Vodaphone signal wise which should give better nationwide coverage?

That aside i did also read on Dial-a-phone website that the free internet deal is for first 2 months and between 7pm and 7am on your particular deal. Hope that helps

Crazy_Jamie

Is it anytime internet of just off peak internet? I know of the deal but am not familiar with the intricacies. Best thing to do would be to ring Orange about it.

proplusplus

generally the top-up incentive is activated within 72hrs of 1st qualifying top-up.

you should get an sms confirming this. The £1 top-up (free) is a multibundle and won't appear in your credit balance, other than under the multibundle option.

proplusplus

Stephen_Webber

Jon_01 wrote: »

Billing system lag behind real time by between 24 to 48 hours which is why the numbers don't add up.

Billing system on PAYG is real time (I used to support it, although I don't work for Orange any more). It may be that the correct account settings have not been applied to his account or have been delayed. You could give customer services a call on 450 and have them check.