Cancelling Orange contract due to poor EDGE service

docj0nes

Hi,

First time on the forums so please, be gentle

My reason for joining is to find out whether or not any of you know if I can cancel my Orange contract. My story starts by getting a decent deal through phones4U where I'm paying £30 a month rather than the advertised £35 plus getting the blackberry curve 8900 with the full blackberry service included. Great! Loved the phone and was happy with the price. My initial usage was at home and at work with wifi access for both. In the phones4U shop I specifically asked that the phone was capable of decent network. Coming from previous handsets that support EDGE and not 3G I was happy that providing I had EDGE I would be able to use the service sufficiently.
Not over the last month I've required access to the service on the go and have noticed that in only 2 spots in and around central london I can find that the Orange EDGE service is available. This is not good enough. I had requested that it needed at least EDGE and although the phone supports this the operator does not... or might as well not! I've called and complained about this and on the 3rd call was told to send a letter to head office stating my issues.
I explain in my letter how I had specifically requested the minimum of the EDGE service and that as Orange cannot supply that I would like another handset that either supports 3G, as Orange has a wide coverage for this technology or reduce my price plan... the first option the best for me. I find it frustrating to be locked into a contract now for 16 months when I am not happy about the service... and sold something that I was not fully aware of not being supported.
I get a reply back from Orange explaining they cannot do anything and possibly go back to phones4U for help. they explain their coverage is great in my area... but this does not include EDGE speed!

I'd like some options here please. I don't know what I can do going into phones4U and asking for what... a new handset? They would laugh in my face right? I also had my daughter bite my phone which has left a scratch on the top plastic so there is another excuse for them to turn me away.

All in all I feel cheated and frustrated by not being told the whole truth and being declined any help from Orange.

Any suggestions on what to do?

Thanks,
docj0nes

DarkConvict

Operators for obvious reasons cannot guarantee coverage everywhere, thus you are only allowed to cancel for lack of coverage at the place you specify you use the phone most (when purchased, so if you move home, the new home doesn't count) , i.e. Home or Work. You can't just state the majority of London, it would need to be a specific place (yes i know its meant to be a mobile), but these would be potential grounds for cancellation so needs a specific point otherwise everyone could cancel as we all loose our signal somewhere.

If you specified to Phones4U you need EDGE in a specific location (given a street address/post code), but it was not there and Orange will not improve the services, you may have grounds under the sale of goods and services that the service is not being provided, and the contract cancelled.

The phone and contract are separate, just in case your wondering, the phone i given for free on the condition you sign up to the contract. The phone is not part of the airtime service agreement.

Might be worth seeking advice from consumer direct and others here, before going back to the Phones4U shop, as your statutory right to cancel has long since expired, there is limited options you can take.