Batter down your mobile contract cost

System

>:(Hi everyone,

Well I gave Orange a ring to try and get a better deal. I had been thinking about doing it because it seemed to me that I was being ripped off and the tip from Martin just encouraged me to give it a go.

I had absolutely no luck. I’ve been with Orange now for 12 months and contract has just expired. I am getting 200 Xnet anytime minutes and 120 texts for £30 a month (well they tell you £30 a month but don’t tell you (well not that I recall) that there’s another £5 tax still to pay on top) as well as paying £5 insurance a month. A £30 tariff soon mounts up to £40.

Anyway Orange are now offering 200 Xnet anytime minutes with 500 texts for £30 on their internet site. So naturally I felt a little annoyed at this so first thing I asked was could I upgrade to this deal. So this is how the conversation went:

Orange - “No, we’re not doing a deal like that at the minute”
Me - “Yes you are it says so on your internet site”
Orange – “oh yeah we are but that’s only for new customers, I haven’t actually been on the site myself lately”
Me – “Why can’t I take out a new contract on this deal”
Orange – “Because the deal is designed to attract new customers to orange”
Me – “So Orange value their new customers more than their existing customers”
Orange –“We would hope that our service would ensure our existing customers are kept happy”
Me – “So I would have to cancel my contract with you then sign up again to get the 500 texts deal”
Orange – “Yes but you wouldn’t be able to keep your existing number, which to me anyway would be more important than having 500 texts, most people wouldn’t use anywhere near 500 texts anyway”
Me – Well, can you not transfer your number between contracts?
Orange – “you can transfer your number between network providers but not within the same network provider”
Me –“So I could change onto 3, keep my existing number and get a new phone and 750 Xnet anytime minutes for what works out at £22.50 a month after the cashback they’re offering?”
Orange –“Well you could, yes”
Me – “So you cant match that kind of deal or even improve upon my present deal”
Orange – “No”
Orange –“3 are making huge losses and if we were to match that kind of tariff we would go bankrupt”
Me – “I don’t really care if 3 are making losses, I just want a better deal than what I’m getting now and I just thought that I would give you a chance to keep me as a customer before I start to look around for new contract.
Orange –“Sorry I can’t help you, You should be happy with the contract that you have, you are getting 60 free texts, most people on your tariff only receive 60 texts, you signed up to an offer which got you an extra 60 free.
Me –“Yeah but new customers are getting 500 texts for the same as what I’m paying”
Orange – “That’s the way offers work, If you went into a supermarket and bought a can of beans and then the next day they were reduced to half price you couldn’t swap the cans of beans.” (I worked in a clothes shop and if an item is reduced the day after and a customer spots it they are totally within their rights to get a full refund on the item and then buy it again at half price. Obviously the shop isn’t too happy to do it but can’t really stop them as long as they have their receipt.) So that was a bad analogy by orange.
Me- “So you can’t help me”
Orange – “No”
Me – “Thanks for your time, bye”

I couldn’t believe that orange were willing to give up an existing customer so eas >:(y. Maybe I just got put through to a not so generous customer service rep. I have been happy with the service from orange but at the end of the day they are not giving me the most for my money. I’m very disappointed.

Rob_Parker_2

I've been with Orange for over 10 years and have been on their old Talk 60 plan giving 60 minutes to phones on the Orange network and landlines but no texts for £17.50 per month. As most of my calls and texts are X network to Vodaphone my bills have been mounting up.

I also needed a replacement phone as my Noia 6310i was looking a bit tatty. Initially I went into an Orange shop and asked if they could offer me a better tariff and give me a free 6310i. Sure they could give me a better tariff BUT for quite a bit more money and I would have to pay £49.99 for a new phone. I asked if I could transfer to the Your Plan 120 which was being offered to new customers and they said it wasn't possible. It was only to attract new customers.

So, I rang Orange and said I was leaving to get a better deal with T-Mobile. Initially they matched the T-Mobile deal (which was £21) under the OVP scheme. I said I would think about it but would probably leave to get a free phone.

10 minutes later I received a text offering me the Your Plan 120 with 120 X Network minutes, 30 free texts per month and a free 6310i - all for £15 per month, a saving of £2.50 on my basic package plus all the extra paid for X network calls and texts.

For me, this is a good deal and I have signed up with Orange for another year.

System

was paying £22 per month for 100 everyone(cross netw'k) minutes(contract) with T mobile, asked to switch to PAYG so I could cut back on excess calls and budget better. I was told I had to go on a 'everyone mix it' plan, which is part contract part PAYG.

I called 2 days later requesting my 'pack number' so I could go to another network and retain my number, I was transfered to a smoothtalking negotiater who offered me 100 everyone minutes on the mix it option for £14 with no upgrade for 12 months or 100 everyone minutes on the mix it plan with an upgrade to the value of £60 for £21/month.

As I had been on contract for over 18 months I insisted I was entitled to a better deal on the upgrade.

I dug my heals in and was offered 100 everyone minutes for £14/month plus an upgrade to the value of £130.

System

Hi, I've been an orange contract customer for about 7 years, called customer services yesterday requesting the deal that Martin started in this thread. I was told by the operator that Orange "do not match 3 or Virgin tarrifs". My current years contract is up in August. I did not use the "i'm going to leave then" trump card as i'm presuming that the "disconnect dept" will not be available until after the bank holiday.

I plan to call them again during the week and am hoping that if i am not offered the 3 deal I will be put through to the disconnect dept.

Q. If I ask for my PAC code from orange is that the same as actually canceling my contract or not?

pennymakespounds

darwin,,,, definitely try again .
I rang last week to cancel a contract and they were more than wiling to give the 3 deal on 500 or 750 mins a month.

System

I've been with Orange for over 10 years and have been on their old Talk 60 plan giving 60 minutes to phones on the Orange network and landlines but no texts for £17.50 per month.  As most of my calls and texts are X network to Vodaphone my bills have been mounting up.

I also needed a replacement phone as my Noia 6310i was looking a bit tatty.  Initially I went into an Orange shop and asked if they could offer me a better tariff and give me a free 6310i.  Sure they could give me a better tariff BUT for quite a bit more money and I would have to pay £49.99 for a new phone.  I asked if I could transfer to the Your Plan 120 which was being offered to new customers and they said it wasn't possible.  It was only to attract new customers.

So, I rang Orange and said I was leaving to get a better deal with T-Mobile.  Initially they matched the T-Mobile deal (which was £21) under the OVP scheme.  I said I would think about it but would probably leave to get a free phone.

10 minutes later I received a text offering me the Your Plan 120 with 120 X Network minutes, 30 free texts per month and a free 6310i - all for £15 per month, a saving of £2.50 on my basic package plus all the extra paid for X network calls and texts.

For me, this is a good deal and I have signed up with Orange for another year.

What they offered you is the deal that is available on the Internet to new users - and I wish I'd known this a month ago as I've just signed up to a new contract to get the better deal (losing the phone number I was fond of)

needtosave_4

Reply to above: needtosave

You`ve done very well - Who did you speak to because I`ve been really fobbed off !!

sorry gazman...been away. no idea who i spoke to - the first girl in customer services wasn't great but she asked me if i was considering leaving ornage if they didn't match the 3 offer and when i said yes she passed me straight over to their 'lets keep our customers' department! the guy there was really helpful - although i did stay very calm and friendly throughout....if you feel you're being fobbed off tell them nicely that you'll go elsewhere and see what happens...good luck.

mishca

THANK YOU i just got my new tiny camera phone which i really LOVE and 500 (can you believe that) cross network mins. AND 60 free texts a month all for £25 which i am paying now anyway for just 120 mins and no texts. just did what you said no problem at all. just had to sign up for another year but i would have stayed with orange anyway so brillaint deal. thanks again.
x

System

greetings - orange take your average bill over the last 3 mths and if it comes to > £25-30 they will do anything to keep you.

However, if like me you have Orange everyday 50 for £15pm and NEVER make a chargeable call, they will gladly wish goodbye to you as they would love to get you off this discontinued tarrif. btw this tarrif is 50mins offpeak per day and includes 0870 numbers so i use it call abroad via JustDial - yup, free mins to call usa, canada.

ps - the reason i never make a chargeable call is because i run a second vodafone sim which cost me £50 PER YEAR (repeat - one off payment of 50.00) and i get 200mins x network calls per month - unbeatable SIM only deal...details at http://www.mercurymobiles.com/

i called the special disconnections dept and have been quoted £59.99 to upgrade to a 6230i if i want to keep my current contract.

thx 2 every1 for their info and apologires if i have repeated prev posts.

;D

nedlog

My current contract with Orange is up on 4th July. So I did as Martin said and Oraneg said they would match 3's 500xnet mins for £25/month which is great.
As far as a handset goes I was offered some Nokia 3 series phones (3100,3650 I think) for free but they don't appeal to me. He also mentioned some nifty Motorola camera phone - anyone know which model this is as I have always had Nokias.
Nokia 6100 was £19.99
Nokia 6600 was £149
What handset did other people go for?