Batter down your annual mobile costs article Discussion Area

Venusflytrap

Been with orange for over 7 years now. In 2008/09 I had a £30 per month contract offering around 200 mins and texts but towards the end of my contract I threatened to leave and was passed on to customer retentions. With the loyalty points I had amassed over the years (unknown to me) I got some discounts that meant that I got free unlimited landline calls added, my mins doubled, plus a free phone for £15 per month (18 months contract). In 2011 I also renegotiated and got the same deal (400 mins, unlimited landline calls, 200 texts) plus free 250MB internet and a free phone for £10.50 per month on an 18 month contract.

My contract is ending in a month again so i'll try my haggling skills yet again and let you know how I get on!

gazzeruk

After months of horrendous customer service from Vodafone, I complained and asked that they terminate my contract (even though it was four months short of an 18 month contract) Surprisingly they agreed to it and I'm now living happily ever after with giffgaff. Giffgaff have a wonderful service and is way cheaper for people who are not on contracts. Try it for yourself!

grumbler

gazzeruk wrote: »

...Giffgaff have a wonderful service...

I thought that 'service' was what they lacked actually.

lcparkinson

500 mins, unlimited txt, 500MB data deal with Orange for £10/month.

I left Orange, after attempting to haggle with them 20 months into a 24 month contract on iPhone which had become unusable due to poor battery life. They refused any concession, or indeed any future concession at the point of upgrade. I asked to leave at the end of my contract and for this to be recorded on my file with them. I bought a new iPhone from Apple (with the appropriate insurance) and vowed not to use Orange again.

Phoned up last week to ensure contract cancelled, had appauling customer service with 4 times put on hold and transferred to another person. I was told my contract had not been cancelled and I'd be charged up until the end of my 30 day notice period. I demanded my PAC code immediately and said I would refuse to pay for any further days at all, as I'd given notice 4 months ago.

I complained by email. I filled out their customer service feedback forms and phone questionnaires. And lo and behold, within 24 hrs I have a grovelling senior customer service manager from Orange offering me the world on a plate as I've been such a valued customer for the last 11 yrs.

I now have a new sim only plan with them for £10 per month including 500MB data, unlimited texts, magic numbers and 500 free cross network minutes per month. Better than the £12.50 I was going to pay to Tesco. And the direct number and email address of the aforementioned customer service manager should I have any further issues.

Congratulations to Orange for doing something right in the end.

bigash87

hi,
I am eligable for an upgrade on 3 next week. I have been looking around at what offers are out there and have found a couple more appealing offers than what 3 has.
My question is, is it best to ring the call center or can you haggle just as effectively in store? I would rather go in store so that I can collect the phone there and then but if it means that I would not be able to negotiate then I would ring them up.

Also is it worth going to someone like carphone warehouse to see what they can offer?

Thanks in Advance

Ash

grumbler

bigash87 wrote: »

hi,
I am eligable for an upgrade on 3 next week. I have been looking around at what offers are out there and have found a couple more appealing offers than what 3 has.
My question is, is it best to ring the call center or can you haggle just as effectively in store?

You cannot haggle while your minimum term is not over. If it is, request a PAC and wait for the retentions department to call you with the offers.

I would rather go in store so that I can collect the phone there and then but if it means that I would not be able to negotiate then I would ring them up.

Also is it worth going to someone like carphone warehouse to see what they can offer?

Usually you can get a better deal as a new customer, then port your old number it two steps. I think online you have much better choice than in-store and cashback opportunities.

bigash87

grumbler wrote: »

You cannot haggle while your minimum term is not over. If it is, request a PAC and wait for the retentions department to call you with the offers.
Usually you can get a better deal as a new customer, then port your old number it two steps. I think online you have much better choice than in-store and cashback opportunities.

Thanks...
So would the staff in store be able to match online offers, or have they not got the authority to do so?

thanks
ash

Venusflytrap

Venusflytrap wrote: »

My contract is ending in a month again so i'll try my haggling skills yet again and let you know how I get on!

So I called Orange yesterday (3rd attempt as previous two weren't very successful) to renegotiate and finally got offered:

400 mins
300 texts
unlimited landline calls
250 MB internet
Blackberry curve 9360 - but i have to pay £80 towards phone
Inclusive of BBM services
£15 per month on 18 month contract.

I have looked at other options like buying the phone outright (costs between £200-£250) and getting a BB SIM only plan (looked at GiffGaff, Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone) but Orange's offer still works out cheaper over 18 months.

The agent was very helpful in saying that I should hold off committing now and if the phone's price goes down in the next few weeks then I may be able to get the same offer (or better) and the phone for free or half price (£40).

I am currently on a £25 monthly plan which I have gotten discounted to £10 (for the last 36 months) and expires end of Sept, so not looking to go up by too much (gotten used to the loyalty treatment ).

What do you guys reckon? Any other way to get a BBM for free for £15 per month or even better? Or am I drunk in la-la land?

bye_bye_band_G

My daughter has found a deal from Carphone Warehouse which gives 250 mins, 5000 texts, 500MB data, 24 month contract, for £7.50/mth. We know very little about handsets, this is for a HTC Wildfire S, is this a reasonable handset? Also it's with Talkmobile, are they OK in terms of coverage, customer services etc? Any feedback on this deal would be much appreciated.

grumbler

In terms of the coverage [STRIKE]T-mobile[/STRIKE] Talkmobile=Vodafone.
Wildfire S is one of the most basic HTC smartphones that cost about £100 on PAYG, so generally it's a decent deal.

The same deal with a refurbished handset is available with £115 cashback by redemptions from Mobiles.co.uk, i.e. for £3.12p.m. effectively.

I think for both CPW and mobiles.co.uk some cashback is available through tcb/quidco.