Stolen contract phone: what Orange don't tell you!

Savvy_Sue

had my phone nicked the other day, blocked it promptly but thought there was an outside chance of getting it back so didn't rush to replace it.

When I first phoned to report it, Orange immediately said that I would have to pay to replace the handset but that I would be able to keep my number. I thought "I haven't paid* for a new phone in five years, I'd sooner get a new number than start now!"

Passing Carphone Warehouse, I popped in to talk through my options with them, and they said that I could buy just a new SIM through Orange, keep my contract going, and upgrade my phone in April, after I would have had the old one for a year if it hadn't 'walked'.

Today I accepted that the phone wouldn't be coming back so phoned Orange to sort things out. Two options were rattled off to me so fast I had to ask for them to be repeated: buy a new phone for £30 but pay £5 pm for a year to insure it, or buy a new phone without insurance for £70. So that's £90 with insurance or £70 without.

I said "My sister's replacing her phone this Christmas and I can have her old handset. Can't I have just a SIM?" Yes of course I can and that's only £15 + VAT and I get to keep my old number. But I have to give them the IMEI of the handset the SIM is going into.

Got the IMEI, phoned them back and the SIM card should be with me by Wednesday - I've got until then to register it anyway or it will be reported lost and I'll have to start all over again!

So, if you don't ask any questions Orange will charge you at least £50 more than you actually have to pay if you lose your phone! Grrr.

_{*I know I'm paying for my new phones through the contract, but I'm happy with that arrangement. When I upgrade, one of my sons gets my old phone so we've only ever had to buy SIM cards for them. This wouldn't suit every MSE, but it suits me!}

scheming_gypsy

go onto the Orange website and see how much it'd cost to upgrade your phone now.
Pretty sure i upgraded my phone after about 8 or 9 months and didn't have to pay anything.

Woby_Tide

Orange charge for upgrades prior to 18 months nowadays by their policy, of course it's always up for negotiation depending on spend levels etc.

scheming_gypsy

when did they change it to 18months? when i last upgraded it wasn't even 12 months and they didn't charge.
Saying that, my bills are usually around the 50 - 100 mark each month

Savvy_Sue

when did they change it to 18months? when i last upgraded it wasn't even 12 months and they didn't charge.
Saying that, my bills are usually around the 50 - 100 mark each month

My bills aren't that much, and when I wandered into Carphone Warehouse (usually upgrade through them): they told me I'd be able to upgrade in April which is a year since the last one. Not in a rush to upgrade if the hand me down is halfway decent: have only done it every year because there's been a boy angling for a better handset ... Have been using a couple of REALLY old phones on PAYG in the meantime, found them frighteningly inconvenient to use! Wot, no predictive text? ??? No alarm or reminders? ??? And they weigh a ton! ;D