Orange Price changes ?

emmamc1

Hi,

called orange firstly about an hour ago, no luck, put me on hold for 7/8 mins to look at my monthly usage and to see if i was eligible to disconnect, came back said i was not able to cancel because i hadnt gone over on my mins and that it wouldnt affect me.

called back 10 mins later got through to a woman who went and checked my account said i had gone over but the changes wouldnt really affect me i asked if i could disconnect she did it

I read some of the posts on here and people were saying they were told they had cancelled the contract but nothing had happened and was worried they had just fobbed me off. called back to ask for pac code and confirmation will be disconnected monday 10th

Thing is ive seen an amazing contract with orange where you get 310 cashback etc
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE IF I COULD GO BACK WITH ORANGE???

Thanx, Emma

CG19a

I'm trying to cancel another handset on my account and now getting hassle around this doesn't affect me etc. Surprising thing is, this phone that I am trying to cancel is the only phone that has ever been used for phoning 08 numbers. I'm on hold again to try with another agent.

CG19a

OK that was a bit weird. Phoned back up and got the number cancelled this time as of midnight Monday however the phone I cancelled last week, I received a letter for it stating that it won't be cancelled until 11/09/09. Its as if they randomly make up the termination dates.

JimmyDeemo

Hi all i would just like to tell you my experience of getting my contract cancelled.

I phoned up today and spoke to someone about cancelling my contract because of the new charges. The operator explained to me and my past usage indicated that I wouldn't really be affected by them as its only when I went over my minutes. I said that my usage could go up at a later date and I would be penalised for it.

We went back and forth quite a bit with him trying to convince me that i had a good deal and that i wouldn't get it anywhere else. I believe that he thought I was trying to get money off my bill, and i felt his persistent arguments about how I'm putting myself out of pocket were quite unprofessional. I think he was trying to out me for getting money off or something. Basically the discussion moved onto cost and with my areguement being I can get a SIM only contract for less. But my phone is locked (see below).

In the end as he was just trying to keep me so i said the following;

Me: Ok i understand your arguments and your opinion that i could be worst off by moving my contract, so let me ask you a straight question. Am i within my rights to cancel the contract because of these charges?'

Operator: Yes.

Me: Then I would please like to do that and request a PAC code.

After that he put me on hold to issue the PAC code i was told it would arrive in the post in a few days.

HOWEVER some things for you to think about;


1. The person on the other end of the phones job is to keep you on board, done be annoyed if they are persistent as they are just going their job. If you really want to leave you need to be assertive. In my case it was arguing the points that I wouldn't be better off going else where. I believe that factoring everything in (new tariff, cash back etc.) i would be better off.

2. He did not offer me a discount, at any point, but i believe he thought that's what i was after. This could be due to me already maximising my loyalty discounts, other customers may have some leeway here.

3. If you request a PAC code and can't find a better deal. Just let the PAC code expire and nothing will change (i didn't realise this before, but that's what he was hinting that he thought i was doing just that). I believe that this is what happens when you request a PAC code anyway, but don't quote me on that.

4. If you want to get an unlock code (usually at a charge) for your phone, there is a minimum period. Orange is 3 months, another reason he though i was bluffing was that i was only 3 months into my contract. NOT TRUE - See below. One thing he asked was 'What are you going to do for 3 months without a phone?', a valid point but cheeky in the sense that its none of his business! Update: I called back about the time period, and its only 3 months for orange. Guess what? I was three months in TO THE DAY! Result, unlock code ordered! o2 SIM only + £100 quidco cash back here i come!

5. If you are positive you want to sever your ties with orange (i.e not interested in discount) then you simply need to ask if, regardless of cost comparison, you are within your rights to leave early because of the charges? I'm pretty sure that they can't say no to this.


6. To phone companies, cancelling and requesting a PAC code is two different things. Cancelling means you are definitely leaving, a PAC code means you will leave ONLY if you use the code with another operator.


I hope this helps others out, I can put this in a new thread if people with. Cheers.

Ilovethiswebsite

I'd just like to say thanks for bringing this thread to my attention! I saw this thread by chance and thought i'd give it a go!

I've been with Orange 10/11 months. Never had a single bill within my Dolphin 30 tariff. Usually £35-40, with max being £70 (none of additional cost in last 3 months have been on calls, mainly mobile internet) Spoke to an adviser after calling 150 from my orange handset. He told me he needed to check my account then kept me on hold for a few minutes, then confimed i could cancel. I thought about requesting a PAC code, however, i was told i could be liable for up the next 30 days of the contract (thought about it but i'm not that fussed on keeping it so didn't bother)

My advice is if you're thinking of cancelling it's definately worth a try, just think, you're not even paying for the phone call! Surely that's worth a try? Even if you're not wanting to leave, ask them for a better deal?

The worse that can happen is that you're in the same position u started in!

Now where is that o2 cashback deal thread.....? ; )

Good luck and thanks fellow MSEs! =D

Vespesianus

Ok, my experience. It is all to do with the person on the other end of the line. If there person on the end of the line is an !!!!!!! and is refusing to listen to you, thank him for his time and hang up and call again until you get someone better, it is NOT worth arguing with someone who is not going to budge an inch. Don't be disheartened. I had to call twice.
The second person checked my account, saw that I used premium numbers and agreed to let me go with no fuss. Bring up the premium number issue if they are not receptive to the exhausting your minutes argument (this will work even better if you actually have premium numbers on your record).
The boat has not left! You can still get out, just don't give up, be polite, plan what you are going to say before you call, and be confident.

Good luck all!

JimmyDeemo

In case anybody read my long post above. Please see the update.

CassieL

Would that it were true - after another call they are sticking with the "you have to have used 08xx numbers in every one of the last 3 bill cycles that add more than 2.5% to your bill", and Orange now say because I've called 150 and asked to cancel without success, my account is flagged so every time I call I'll be told the same thing. The guy even said not to bother calling back as I'll be wasting their time. Sheesh! Mentioned the Ofcom 9.3 guideline and they said it doesn't apply as I'm going to be agreeing to the new terms "automatically" before the new charges kick in.

"Automatically?"

"Yes, we've notified you so you've accepted the changes"

I asked "what if I don't accept them?" and the guy said I had - that somehow (and I can't find where) the contract allows Orange to force people to accept any changes they want to impose, and there's no concept of "not" agreeing to them. If you get the text, you've accepted the prices, end of story.

Went a little ballistic at this point, but the guy insisted he was reading off a screen and Orange was allowed to do this, and the thing in Ofcom's rules about allowing the customer to cancel was "wrong". Guess I'm on the phone to Ofcom on Monday, but I'm not a happy bunny!

FYI I apparently called enough 08x's during June/July, but because I didn't call any in May I have no chance of cancelling. I asked if I rang back when the August bill came would that make a difference, but he said they're only looking at May-July (before the texts started).

Vespesianus wrote: »

The boat has not left! You can still get out, just don't give up, be polite, plan what you are going to say before you call, and be confident.

Good luck all!

elizabeth1965_2

emmamc1 wrote: »

Hi,

called orange firstly about an hour ago, no luck, put me on hold for 7/8 mins to look at my monthly usage and to see if i was eligible to disconnect, came back said i was not able to cancel because i hadnt gone over on my mins and that it wouldnt affect me.

called back 10 mins later got through to a woman who went and checked my account said i had gone over but the changes wouldnt really affect me i asked if i could disconnect she did it

I read some of the posts on here and people were saying they were told they had cancelled the contract but nothing had happened and was worried they had just fobbed me off. called back to ask for pac code and confirmation will be disconnected monday 10th

Thing is ive seen an amazing contract with orange where you get 310 cashback etc
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE IF I COULD GO BACK WITH ORANGE???

Thanx, Emma

i cancelled with orange on thurs n signed up with orange on the same deal yesterday......no problems

Vespesianus

CassieL wrote: »

Would that it were true - after another call they are sticking with the "you have to have used 08xx numbers in every one of the last 3 bill cycles that add more than 2.5% to your bill", and Orange now say because I've called 150 and asked to cancel without success, my account is flagged so every time I call I'll be told the same thing. The guy even said not to bother calling back as I'll be wasting their time. Sheesh! Mentioned the Ofcom 9.3 guideline and they said it doesn't apply as I'm going to be agreeing to the new terms "automatically" before the new charges kick in.

"Automatically?"

"Yes, we've notified you so you've accepted the changes"

I asked "what if I don't accept them?" and the guy said I had - that somehow (and I can't find where) the contract allows Orange to force people to accept any changes they want to impose, and there's no concept of "not" agreeing to them. If you get the text, you've accepted the prices, end of story.

Went a little ballistic at this point, but the guy insisted he was reading off a screen and Orange was allowed to do this, and the thing in Ofcom's rules about allowing the customer to cancel was "wrong". Guess I'm on the phone to Ofcom on Monday, but I'm not a happy bunny!

FYI I apparently called enough 08x's during June/July, but because I didn't call any in May I have no chance of cancelling. I asked if I rang back when the August bill came would that make a difference, but he said they're only looking at May-July (before the texts started).

That's absolute rubbish, you just got a bad person on the other end. My person looked at my records, even acknowledged that I had made no premium number calls in July, but saw that I had made premium number calls back in June and used this as basis for freeing me. I have no idea what your guy was talking about with the 2.5% thing for the last 3 bill cycles. My advice is to call again, keep calling until you get someone better. It seems as if some customer service people will not let you go no matter what and others are willing to let you go. I wouldn't read too much into the whole flagging thing, many people have had to call multiple times.