Batter down your annual mobile costs article Discussion Area

grumbler

gph73 wrote: »

I'm in the process of trying to upgrade my phone. I currently have a couple of months left on my current contract with Orange. The best deal that I've seen so far for the phone and tariff that I want is on the Dialaphone website, but this is only for new connections. When I spoke to their upgrade team, they said this was only an option if I cancelled my current contract, and started a new contract through them. This would mean I would lose my current number. Is this right?

No.

1. Call Orange and ask them to switch you to PAYG. If you want this to be done before the min term expires they will charge you the Early Termination Fee. Otherwise give them a notice 30 days before the min term ends.
2. Buy a new contract.
3. When your old number is on PAYG ask Orange to transfer it to the new contract.

can I keep my number and tariff on PAYG when I get a new phone and new SIM card?

In the worse case scenario you can port your number in two steps via another network PAYG sim card, but I think this can be done simpler at Orange

dan_johnse

Hello,

Apologies if this has been asked/discussed before.

Do you believe that it's worth calling and haggling with both a network, such as o2, and a store, such as Carphone Warehouse?

If so, what's the best way round to proceed?

Try the store then the network, or?

Hope that makes sense! ha

Miche84

Hi, I'm not sure if anyone can help or anything I can do, but I'm in a contract with orange, which doesn't end till sept 2012, however they are charging me every month for Internet usage that aim not using. I have a samsung galaxy phone and they have said that I must been downloading films, it is my word against theirs, but I have never done this, I do not use the Internet on my phone ever now due to ridiculous phone bills, but before that I only used to occasionally check my emails, but that was rarely as I have a computer access at work and home to check emails. I have continued to pay my agreed monthly contract price, but have now stopped paying the Internet charges as I know I haven't used it, they are now threatening to cut me off and make me pay the outstanding contract. I feel this is unfair, but they are in a great position. Is there anything I can do?
Thank you

Michelle


ha

inch71 wrote: »

I think Orange are getting wise to this method.
I've been with Orange for about 5/6 years on contract, and at around 11 1/2 months I've always rang them and told them I have been offered a better deal with another network. (quote who you like ie: O2, Vodafone etc.)
They have always backed down and gave me the phone I wanted for free, on a new 12 month contract. Which I was happy with. This year I tried the same again. I wanted the new Nokia N70. I was told the upgrade price was £279.99. I knew I would probably have to pay something for this phone as it is the latest model with 3G, but that seemed a bit extreme. When I told them O2 had the phone on offer at £49.99, they just said well thats our upgrade price, there's nothing more we can do.
I was paying £17 a month with Orange and getting 30 anytime xnet mins and 30 texts.
The O2 deal was £19 a month 100 anytime xnet mins and 50 texts.
Ater checking the Orange website I noticed that you could get the same phone for £49.99 if you were a new customer.
I rang them back a couple of days later to see if I could get anywhere with them. I told them I didn't want to leave, but felt I had no option if they couldn't match the deal. Still they refused. When I told them about the deal on their website for new customers, they said "yes thats right, for new customers". I challenged them with the fact that they are going to lose an existing customer, just because they wouldn't match O2's offer. They said that they didn't want to lose me, but the offer still stands at £279.99.
I told them there and then to give me my PAC Code,(to port my existing number to another network) as I was leaving and going to O2.
I am now with O2, enjoying more minutes and more texts, for only £2 a month more, with a top of the range phone for only £49.99.
I was also told by a work colleague, that a friend of his has always been with Orange, and he swore by them. They did the same with him regarding a new deal, and he has since left them aswell.
If this is how Orange are going to treat their loyal existing customers, I think they might find they will lose a few more.
I can see it becoming like the Gas/Electric, Phone and credit card companies, where every year we will be shopping around for the best deal. We will all become mobile phone tarts!!!

grumbler

Miche84 wrote: »

Hi, I'm not sure if anyone can help or anything I can do, but I'm in a contract with orange, which doesn't end till sept 2012, however they are charging me every month for Internet usage that aim not using. I have a samsung galaxy phone and they have said that I must been downloading films, it is my word against theirs, but I have never done this, I do not use the Internet on my phone ever now due to ridiculous phone bills, but before that I only used to occasionally check my emails, but that was rarely as I have a computer access at work and home to check emails. I have continued to pay my agreed monthly contract price, but have now stopped paying the Internet charges as I know I haven't used it, they are now threatening to cut me off and make me pay the outstanding contract. I feel this is unfair, but they are in a great position. Is there anything I can do?

You should have solved this problem when it appeared. Not paying doesn't help you and only makes things worse. I think you already have late payment marks in your credit files. Finally you'll have a default, a cut line and soon debt collectors knocking on your door.

What tariff are you on?
What amount of data have you allegedly used?
Have you requested detailed bills for the data?
Why have you not installed a data counting app yet?

Unfortunately, all smartphones are known to consume data without asking you and it is your responsibility to control them by changing the settings if you want to keep using internet occasionally. Otherwise just disable mobile data permanently in your phone settings or ask Orange to disable it on their side. However, it doesn't make much sense to own Galaxy and not to us internet.

jncweb

Rang up O2 with intention of leaving quoted GiffGaff's 250 minutes, unlimited internet and texts for £10 and received £8.50 a month simplicity with 300 minutes and unlimited texts and 100mb, £5 off compared to normal contract (tied into a 12 month contract though). Excellent!

Incidently I notices that this £5 off a month is currently offered to anyone but only for the first 6 months, I have it for 12 months.

golddustmedia

I'm currently most of the way through a 24M Orange contract at £25 per month which was sim only. I normally just get a 2nd hand phone on ebay so am not fussy!

However when I changed my job I was given a company mobile and am permitted to use it for personal calls. This means I don't really need my own mobile on a contract for making calls.

However, I do need my personal mobile for INCOMING calls and a very small amount of outgoing (less than 50 mins per month).

Keeping my number is important to me so I'm a bit concerned about going "Pay As You Go" in case I neglect to top up, or even if I have to top up £10 a month I can get a contract for less.

Are there any options around really low usage contracts?

alli73

I'm at the end of a 2 year contract with three, ive been with them for 3 and a half years now. ive called them twice and got nowhere. they will only offer me the same deals advertised on their website. my friend renewed his contract with them last year, they gave him the one plan for £26, he insisted on a 18 month contract and got the top SE Xperia. what am i doing wrong??? lol i threatened to leave so he said he will sort out the pac code! im going to have one last try tomorrow . . . . . . .

grumbler

alli73 wrote: »

I'm at the end of a 2 year contract with three, ive been with them for 3 and a half years now. ive called them twice and got nowhere. they will only offer me the same deals advertised on their website. my friend renewed his contract with them last year, they gave him the one plan for £26, he insisted on a 18 month contract and got the top SE Xperia. what am i doing wrong??? lol i threatened to leave so he said he will sort out the pac code! im going to have one last try tomorrow . . . . . . .

Get the PAC and if they don't call you with a good offer port the number elsewhere to PAYG.
If you want to stay with '3' join as a new customer via TCB with £110 cashback.
SE Arc on the One plan is 24x£29. Port your number back.

24*£29-£110=£586. It's 24 months, but cheaper than your friend's 24*£26=£624 over the same term.

alli73

grumbler wrote: »

Get the PAC and if they don't call you with a good offer port the number elsewhere to PAYG.
If you want to stay with '3' join as a new customer via TCB with £110 cashback.
SE Arc on the One plan is 24x£29. Port your number back.

24*£29-£110=£586. It's 24 months, but cheaper than your friend's 24*£26=£624 over the same term.

i was just looking at PAYG and monthly offers, thought that would give me some more time to have a think. im paying £30 for 750 mins/3k txts/unltd data when i never use more than 500mins/500txts/100mb.

thats a great suggestion grumbler, but wont they see that ive been a customer with them before?

grumbler

alli73 wrote: »

i never use more than 500mins/500txts/100mb.

Why do you want the One plan then?
I see 500+5000+1G available with Arc for 24x£17
Some other networks have similar deals too.

but wont they see that ive been a customer with them before?

They won't, but cashback is never 100% guaranteed.