5 Weeks Until Upgrade, Phone Broken, Orange Won't Upgrade For Free

Confessoress

Hi everyone,

Hopefully someone will be able to advise the best action for me to take. Any help would be appreciated.

I have a 18 month contract with Orange. My current phone (Nokia Xpress Music) has been up the creak for a couple of months. The screen distorts when I lock and unlock it, sometimes I have to turn it off and back on in order for it to work. And in the last 2 weeks I have to bash the speaker in order to hear anybody (that doesn't always work). I'm due an upgrade in only 5 weeks, and my contact ends in August. I spend on average £50 a month.

Basically given the above I thought as a loyal long term customer (was on pay as you go for years, and contract for 2 years) that they would upgrade my phone for free (it is only 5 weeks after all). When I called them they told me I would have to pay £75 to buy myself out of the contract, then they would upgrade my phone early. I think as a loyal customer that is utterly ridiculous for the sake of 5 weeks.

I had been juggling thinking of moving to another network as Orange's wap charges are ridiculous.

I ideally want an iphone with about 400 mins, unlimited texts and some sort of WAP bundle for a MAX of £40 a month.

I REFUSE to pay £75. So the question is, what can I do to get Orange to FAIRLY upgrade me early? If they don't do this, I will 100% move to another network in August. Frankly, that might be my best option anyway.

Any thoughts, advice I'd be really grateful for.

:j

Fire_Fox

Is the handset still in warranty? Or was the handset still in warranty when you first reported the problems to Orange? Can you borrow a handset from a mate/ relative/ colleague? Have you tried a formal (in writing by recorded delivery) complaint instead of dealing with telephone operatives who have no way of 'bending the rules'?

The fact is Orange do not have to give you an upgrade, you are tied into the contract so they get their money whatever happens. PAYG does not count as loyalty, sorry. If you are spending £50 a month are you on the right tariff for your usage patterns?

I just defected from Orange to Tesco to get an iPhone, and so far very happy with the service (in store) and prices. Best thing to do IMO would be to hold out until June when new iPhone should be released, drop your tariff to the minimum allowed (maybe over a couple of months) with Orange, overlap with a contract with Tesco for a 3GS which should be cheaper than now. Dropping your tariff will also make buying out cheaper if you would rather do that than let your contract run.

Jon_01

Listen to Mr Fox (he's fantastic ! sorry, I just had to do that)...

The new iPhone g4 (or HD, what ever) will be here June/July, the 3GS will drop a price band and will be a lot better value.

Buy a cheap payg Orange phone and use that, you can get them in Argos and such places for 10 to 20 qiud then you'll have a spare if you even need one. . .

lechat

can't you argue the sale of goods act if the phone isnt that old, the merchant should replace it? google it

Guys_Dad

Taking Vodafone, for example You can get a 12-month sim only giving 900 minutes, 3000 texts and 500mb data for £20. T-Mob have a deal at £15 that might do you.

Your Nokia was a pretty standard phone and if you are happy with a similar but more reliable one, then £50 should see you with a decent one from CPW that is unlocked.

Do the maths and ask "Am I buying a service to contact my friends or a lifestyle enhancement with an upmarket device?" You pays your money (sometimes a great deal of money one way or another) and takes your choice.

[Deleted User]

Try this link:

http://www.nokia.co.uk/A4767801?c=1

Some nokia's have 2 year warranty, so might get fixed free.

nick247

It looks like this is a really old thread, but just in case anyone looks...Orange are much better about this sort of thing now, I just ugraded my phone 3 weeks early without having to pay an upgrade charge (did pay a tiny bit for the phone because it's hyper-new, but not for the upgrade). They would have let me upgrade for free a couple of months ago - they just add on the extra to the end of the new contract.

Also, Orange's WAP charges were ridiculous, but with my new contract I've got unlimited browsing, I think it depends what phone you get (I just got an HTC Desire).

Just thought I'd drop that in

drbesty

Really old thread? It was started yesterday

Tony5101

drbesty wrote: »

Really old thread? It was started yesterday

I was confused by that too....

Confessoress

Thank you all for your advice and feedback.

I've decided to just wait until I can get upgraded, then in August leave Orange. I think if they can't make the effort to help a loyal customer that spends a fair bit of money with them when they need it, I can't be bothered with being loyal to them either. Works both ways doesn't it ;-)

gjchester

Confessoress wrote: »

Thank you all for your advice and feedback.

I've decided to just wait until I can get upgraded, then in August leave Orange.

First 3 years is not a loyal customer there days. Loyalty does not count for much though soend per month is the key.

Not sure what you mean with the dates though, the thread started with you due an upgrade in 5 weeks, so thats June time. If you upgrade in June then you won't be able to leave in August as the upgrade will be a new contract with a new minimum term.