Batter down your annual mobile costs article Discussion Area

[Deleted User]

PeeJayJay wrote: »

I just have to write this as it happens …. Do I laugh or cry? Despite two visits to two different Orange shops, several painful phone calls and being held in a queue (don’t you just love “press 1 to wait for 60 minutes, press 2 to wait for an hour, press 3 for further frustration. We are getting an exceptional level of calls [as they always do no matter what time of the day I call]“).
I am aghast that Orange effectively refuse to help.
My current Sony-Ericsson handset has been brilliant, much used and now drops calls frequently. I need a new phone. I’ve spent £thousands with orange (I added up my bills for the past six years). I am not entitled to upgrade until September, it is now June. How do I get a new phone? I am happy to pay. Orange’s response? “You can’t – why don’t you buy a PAYG phone and use the existing SIM in that?”
“Can’t I pay for a new phone?” No.
Can’t I have a new 24 month contract ? No
Long story short, I agreed to pay an exit fee of about £136 and have been given a pac code to allow me to keep my phone number.
“So I can have a new contract with Orange then and keep my number?”
“No, you can only keep your number with another provider.”
“So you actually aren’t allowing me to stay with Orange, pay some money to terminate current contract, pay some more money for a new one and keep my number?”
“That’s right.”
So despite being a customer of Orange for six years, paying £thousands as a heavy user, offering more business they have thwarted all my attempts to give them more money so I can get a new phone that works.
Dumbfounded? That’s one way of putting it!

I don't get why you couldn't just buy a PAYG Orange phone/an unlocked handset and use that? How old was your SE anyway?

wizzardmr42

I called up Three yesterday on behalf of my wife to try this and I was thoroughly disgusted. They actually lied to me several times about various things and tried to charge more per month than they would do for the same deal for a new customer no matter how much I tried to haggle. I'm very tempted to report them to OFCOM for some of the rubbish they tried telling me. I've posted a blog post about it if anyone wants to read it in full... post is at rainstorms.me.uk/blog/2011/07/07/four-lies-from-three/

Superdooper_2

I have come to the end of my CPW/O2 sim-only contract and I am looking for the Samsung-S2 phone as part of new deal.

I was psyching myself up for the CPW Retentions bartering game (which I have had some fun and success with in the past) but....no, they are not interested anymore. Want to leave?....O2....OK.

Seems CPW are happily returning all their O2-contract customers to O2, or anywhere else they would like to go.

Phew! So, how am I going to get a good deal on the SS/S2?

One thing that the CPW chap suggested was to shift over to an O2 SIM-only rolling month deal, to use for just 1month, and then I would be an O2-loyalty customer rather than a CPW-loyalty customer. (Doesn't matter if been with them a month or 8yrs - same nice treatment, apparently.) He said that O2 have all the deals that they(CPW) used to be able to offer, so when --after the 1month at O2 ends-- being an 'O2-proper' loyalty customer, I should be able to barter in the old-fashioned way with O2, like I did with CPW. {which caused a flutter of excitement within me.:j}

Well, it is a finesse-move, as once I shift to the O2-1month SIM, I am gone from CPW, and can't come back. But I guess there is nothing lost there anyway. However, there does seem to be some logical sense amid this craziness. So I'll give it a go. Another 4wks waiting, though.

I will know more in a few weeks, but wanted to mention it here as a way of opening up (maybe) some extra bartering for CPW(O2) customers, looking for the next deal.

---

If that falls through, it looks like a switch to Mobiles.co.uk(CPW), or Vodafone direct for a best of what's available.

(All so complicated.)

stefano

I am coming to the end of my sim-only contract too, and fancy dipping my toes into the iphone thing. I have found Tesco Mobile to be the best value, so far, with a £25 a month, 24 month contract and 250mins, 5000 sms and 1 GB of data, with the phone costing £235.
I know Tesco Mobile is using the O2 network, but will that mean that the network coverage will be the same as O2?

grumbler

stefano wrote: »

...
I know Tesco Mobile is using the O2 network, but will that mean that the network coverage will be the same as O2?

Yes

However, do you realize that the real cost of the airtime is just £10 (see giffgaff) without a long contract, i.e. you a paying £235+24x£15=£595:eek: for the toy? I don't find this to be the best value.

stefano

grumbler wrote: »

Yes

However, do you realize that the real cost of the airtime is just £10 (see giffgaff) without a long contract, i.e. you a paying £235+24x£15=£595:eek: for the toy? I don't find this to be the best value.

What would you suggest then?

grumbler

I don't know, but the most obvious alternative is iP for £510 from Apple plus giffgaff sim.

For £8 p.m. you can have 300+1000+0.5Gb with talkmobile (vodafione)
For £10 - 600+500+unltd/0.5Gb with chitter-chatter (t-mobile)
For £10 - 500+5000+0.5 with tesco

chappie1331

It works got a great deal on HTC desire S from Virgin 600 mins 3000 texts 1gb browsing 24 month deal free phone free delivery for £20.53, the guy from Virgin was terrific couldn't have been more helpfull, just need to figure out all this apps nonsense which will be fun. Thanks to MSE and Virgin :j

everready_2

I was very happy with Virgin, on an £18.56 150 mins, 300 texts, U/L browsing contract with a Nokia 5800. Recently, I have relocated with work and my first bill was over £100, due to my increased phone contact with home. I called Virgin to cancel my contract as I could go with a 3 SIM only deal (my partner's on 3) with 3000 3 to 3 minutes for £15/mth and was asked if I would accept an increase to 500mins, U/L texts and U/L browsing for £10/mth. I refused and Virgin then stated that they were joining with Orange in two weeks and if I moved to a rolling monthly contract with them with the deal above, they would reduce the tariff to £5/mth if I kept my phone. I accepted and they chaged the contract immediately! That is an annual cost of £60!:j

mikeymikeyb

Just called O2 requesting to cancel and get my PAK code. I had a 12 month SIM only plan which expired 6 months ago.

Instantly got £5 off a tariff, and half price on a data bolt on.

Success