Is it a good deal?

qyzge88

Hi all,

I'm a complete beginner with money saving matters, as I've only just stumbled upon Martin's book and this excellent website. I've started my money saving quest with my mobile phone, which at times has been very expensive, your talking £100's!

I have been on Orange Everyday50 (£15/month) for nearly 8 years. I've never upgraded my phone so I didnt have a contract with them for most of the time. As I said the bills have been sky high at times. Anyhow, I thought it's about time for me to sort out the mess, so read up everything on this site on cutting down mobile phone costs.

I called Orange up last Sunday and used the match me with E3 tariff or I'm gone, I based it on 600minutes cross network and 1000txt for £15/month. They immediately offered me 500minutes cross network and 500txt plus the new SE W810i phone for £25/month.

I tried to push for a better deal mentioning that I have been a long term customer, never upgraded my phone.....etc. They would not budge on that offer. I even went as far as saying ok go ahead and disconnect me, to my surprise they said ok thats fine you will be disconnected within 30days. Was expecting them to offer me a better deal! So much for that! Anyhow, called them back the next day and I accepted the original offer.

What are your thoughts everyone? Is this a good deal or you reckon I could have got a better deal by holding out?

Mobile_Mole

Are you saying that you completed the minimum term of a 12 month contract and have then just let it run for a further 7 years?

If that's the best deal they have offered you after all that time with no upgrade then I suggest you leave. Request your PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) and take your number to another network.

Let me know your requirements (handset, network, monthly allowance, cashback / non-cashback) and I'll help you find a deal.

Cheers
Mark

qyzge88

Yes I let it run for 7 years.

I'm looking for best deal out there, the more cross network minutes per month the better has to be any time. 500txt is plenty.

I have never upgraded my phone, so its still using the early nokia phones.

I want to pay around £15/month.

Not so sure what you mean by cashback deal?

Plus, already told them to go ahead......new tariff should kick in today, also phone should be with me today. Do I have so many days to see if I like contract????

shareef

You already stated you've excepted their deal they offered you, so unless you cancel it within 7 days, your stuck with that for the next 12 months.

qyzge88

Any suggestions on what I can do? Is it worth a try calling them up and demanding a better deal? If I request PAC how many days do I have until I'm off the network?

shareef

You caved in way to easily. Have a look around for better deals, try e2save.com. Cashback deals are where you pay your line rental, but the retailers who you bought the contract from refund you back some or all of that rental after a certain period of time depending on the deal.

Mobile_Mole

As you have now upgraded, and thus started another contract with a minimum term, they are unlikely to budge on what they have offered you.

As shareef says you would have to cancel the upgrade if you wanted to renegotiate. If this is the route you want to take you will need to contact Orange. As the handset has yet to arrive the simplest way would be to refuse delivery of the handset when it arrives. However, it can take a while for the handset to get back to them and for the upgrade to be cancelled.

You will be unable to request a PAC until the upgrade is cancelled.


A cashback deal involves buying a contract from a third party retailer, not direct from the network. Retailers earn huge commissions from the networks when they connect new customers and a proportion is passed back to the consumer as cashback. The amount of cashback varies depending on the tariff selected and the handset chosen. There are numerous cashback deals with free handsets and free 12 months line rental. The cashback is claimed by returning network bills to the retailer at specific intervals.


The offer that Orange have given you is not that bad, it's just not particularly good given how long you have been with them without upgrading.

Cheers
Mark

qyzge88

Ok, thank you both for the info.

In hindsight I think I accepted their offer way too fast, feel like they've had one over me!

Whats the best thing for me to do?

The phone has arrived as whoever was in the house has signed the delivery......

Do you reckon I can get a free bluetooth headset for the phone?

Is it worthwhile canceling the deal and returning the phone to renegotiate?

This is a real learning curve for me, but I'm learning fast!

maniac886

Ring them up and try your best to get more from them....however if you do leave orange I dont think any other company will give you the same kind of tariff as a new customer for £25 a month..please correct me if I am wrong

jnm21

Last month T-mobile had the flext35 with 25% off which was a better deal. I think the OP would be best to sit tight now (you'll have this experience to draw on next year). Just think what you have saved with the new tariff & look forward to saving more next year.

yas247

Has Orange gone down the drain, i ve been with orange for 8+ years and they used to be great for sorting out deals at end of your term but since the 241 film offer started they dont seem to give you any decent offers.

For years i used the "disconnect me" line to get the best deal but now they seem happy to let me go.