charges for 07744 simply-fone/merged

vish28

I have been using simply fone 077.... for months on Orange OVP200 and has been inclusive - until last week that is.

However, having received a whopping bill I called up customer services today (21/April) and they didn't have a clue why I had been charged. After being put on hold to see if they could find out why, they came back and said they are crediting the money back :-()

The guy at the other end did say that it should be inclusive and I should call back next month if I am charged again - then they will investigate further - no doubt I won't be calling back!!!

I guess it depends who you get on the other end, but the way I see it they have started charging for a service without warning (for 1 week) and you should be refunded for that. Fair enough there is now a warning and I won't be using it. Premium rate at 50p/min inc. VAT is what they are charging.

Raz_1606

seaniboy wrote:

indeed, regardless of what the number offers (excluding data calls) Ofcom state its a mobile number, and thus it should be from your inclusive minutes!

Complain to the body Ofcom state in the above email, Orange may have the right stop you using another telco from a short code, but from a regulatory body(Ofcom) stating this is a mobile number its not on really is it!

Can you please give a link as to were this information can be found on the ofcom website, so I can quote it to Orange.

Thanks

andy88_2

Raz_1606 wrote:

Can you please give a link as to were this information can be found on the ofcom website, so I can quote it to Orange.

Thanks

Ofcom and Simply-Fone will tell you that Orange's charges are a matter between you and Orange; both have been quoted already.

Complain to Orange as you wish, but you cannot tell Orange that Ofcom instruct that the call should be free or included, as you would be lying.

All phone companies (and all other companies) review their charges from time to time - including as we read on MSE often - BT, One-tel, Talktalk, 18866, 1899 and loads of others. Terms and conditions provide for such changes, down as well as up. New mobile contract tariff variations seem to be launched almost every week.

Perhaps the people endlessly whingeing about Orange would do well to remember some of these facts. There is a case that the introduction of the tariff warning was not handled according to their usual standards, but everything else here is dressed up opinion.

Spilt milk; move on

Raz_1606

I don’t think anyone is disputing the fact that Orange like other companies has the right to review their charges. The complaint as far as I am concerned is the manner in which they have slapped on the charges and in particular the period of 6th April to 15th April.

Prior to the 6th April there were no charges when using 07744 numbers if you had minutes left over as part of your plan, once April 14th/15th approached they announced when dialling a 07744 number that these numbers were premium rate numbers, which is fine. It’s the period in between when they gave no warning but charged that I find unsatisfactory.

Now before anyone says that is their prerogative, I have another Orange line which allows me to dial to 0800 number which I use for One–Tel etc when they catch on to these 0800 numbers they give a warning to the users so the user can decide if they wish to precede, they do not back date charges or keep silent as they have done with 07744 charges i.e. there is inconsistency in their approach and behaviour.

Finally there is nothing wrong with whinging/complaining as far as I can see we as consumers don’t whinge enough and this allows countless companies to walk all over us.

andy88_2

Their internal info was that the charge announcement would have been announced sooner. I checked on Tues 12 and was told the calls were mobile calls.

They refunded charges for 3 calls on Sat 9 as promised before the bill came, and one on Mon 11 that I mentioned this evening.

mrs_3

andy88 wrote:

Their internal info was that the charge announcement would have been announced sooner. I checked on Tues 12 and was told the calls were mobile calls.

They refunded charges for 3 calls on Sat 9 as promised before the bill came, and one on Mon 11 that I mentioned this evening.

Hi Andy, I called the CS team and the representative says the charges stand. How could you convince them?

blinker

i also called cust service & after saying i'm leaving they credited my calls too.

Actually I did leave anyway [end of contract nearly!] and went to O2 & i'm back makin free International calls with using this 07744 974 363 number again - brill!

:beer: :rotfl: :T

g33za

I have to agree that orange customer service is absolute rubbish, i manage the mobile phone contract for the company I work for and orange were simply not interested when we told them we were going to move to another operator. Getting pac numbers was a pain and they werent even interested in sending a sales person to review our business needs.

Suffice to say O2 customer service is excellent although a bit patchy at times but much better.

drek

funnily now i'm on 02 - i think recpetion in london actually better than orange.

most impressive CS i've experienced in telecom's gotta the s-fone guys. amazing! fast response/knowlegable/helpful & no lying!!

anyway bottom line i'm happy & i'm using 07744974 363 again [long may it last]

pgibby

Vodaphone customers beware
I started to use the 0774 system to call overseas as I have 1000 cross network minutes on my phone. Despite seeing a Vodaphone rep as well as many calls to them they still charged me 30p a minute. This was followed with a phone bill in excess of £700.00 for 2 months,Check first