Batter down your mobile contract cost

System

Wanted to bump this thread and tell you of my own experience.

After a bad experience with o2 and their ropey insurance, I went back to Orange.

I wanted to upgrade with Orange this time but obviously thought the chance of getting a good deal would be slim.

I noticed this thread last month and thought I would wait until the 12 months were up.

By luck rather than skill two weeks had passed when i recieved a call from orange offering a credit on my bill of £4 per month as a reward for being a loyal customer.

As i accepted it I mentioned that I would be moving to 3 mobile to take advantage of a free phone and their tariffs. They couldnt do anything as they don`t match their tariff but said I should mention it at disconnection.

After doing a bit of research , on the phone i would like i then called Orange and asked for my PAC number as per this thread.

When asked about the reason I was moving they then caved in and offered me the 3 tariff Iwanted 35 quid for 750 xmins and a new phone.

As they were running the final total I then said "of course I will still get my credit and after amin they confirmed this to be the case."

My old bill was anything between 50-100 a month.

Hopefully save about £20 a month.

May be worth waiting to get the extra credit off the bill if upgrading.

System

Wanted to bump this thread and tell you of my own experience.

After a bad experience with o2 and their ropey insurance, I went back to Orange.

I wanted to upgrade with Orange this time but obviously thought the chance of getting a good deal would be slim.

I noticed this thread last month and thought I would wait until the 12 months were up.

By luck rather than skill two weeks had passed when i recieved a call from orange offering a credit on my bill of £4 per month as a reward for being a loyal customer.

As i accepted it I mentioned that I would bve moving to 3 mobile to take advantage of a free phone and their tariffs. They couldnt do anything as they don`t match their tariff but said I should mention it at disconnection.

After doing a bit of research , on the phone i would like i then called Orange and asked for my PAC number as per this thread.

When asked about the reason I was moving they then caved in and offered me the 3 tariff Iwanted 35 quid for 750 xmins and a new phone.

As they wre running the final total I then said "of course I will still get my credit and after amin they confirmed this to be the case."

My old bill was anything between 50-100 a month.

Hopefully save about £20 a month.

May be worth waiting to get the extra credit off the bill if upgrading.

Beef

Love it!

Called Orange to upgrade, and they wanted £30 to upgrade to a Motorola V600.

Thought while I was at it I'd give this a go...

Got through to 'Customer Relations' and gave them the sob story about 3 being better, and that I wanted 500 x network minutes and a new phone for £25/month.

The V600 was still £30 to upgrade, and they wouldn't budge on free texts (I use about 30/month)

In the end we compromised for 200 xnetwork minutes (I only use 150 month anyway) and 50 free texts for £30 month with a free V600 and they threw in a free Bluetooth earpiece worth £79.99.

This was my bill will never be more than £30, and I got the free phone and earpiece - well worth the 5 minutes of hold music ;D. They said if I didn't like the phone I could send it back in 7 days to try another one!

Cheers for this Martin! (And my 0% BT Barclaycard for 9months came through this morning). Liek I said at the top - I Love it !

Chucked

Perhaps the reason 02 are reluctant to do deals is as they know they have about the best network coverage?? Others have to barter to keep customers... and have large rooms full of people taking calls from unhappy customers? I hate paying top rates, but Im never without service.

Just my humble opinion......

matrix999

I would agree with you Chucked!!

I think O2 does have the best network coverage. I'm never without a signal either and the call quality is excellent.

beefyburt

O2 may have the best coverage, but it must have the worst so called Customer Service dept EVER! I have just upgraded to a o2 x3, very nice, but i cant get the internet. My first call to o2 took 25 mins, they emailed me some settings that didnt work so i tried their online help section, which didint help, and despite using the dredded Cancel word, they they havnt got back to me to reslove the problem. The tarrif i have is the old BT Genie one, giving 600 texts, unlimited internet and 100 anytime minutes, all for £20/month. They keep wanting me to change tarrif(suprise suprise) but im happy with this one, as my bills are rarely above £25.00 as i text alot. If they got their act together i reckon they would be unbeatable.

hollie.weimeraner

O2 may have the best coverage, but it must have the worst so called Customer Service dept EVER!  

Totally agree - I've just spent two weeks and numerous telephone calls trying to change bank details for direct debit. Fortunately the O2 freephone number still works (0800 005005) otherwise it would have cost me a fortune. The online details facility isn't updating and even o2 customer services haven't been able to change the details!!!!! I have spoken to an O2 supervisor less than 5 minutes ago and she told me that they are having serious problems changing or setting up direct debits. She actually stated "thousands of them".

Coverage is good though, the O2 phones in our house get a signal all the time, the virgin PAYG's don't get a signal until we get out of the immediate vicinity of the house.

bungeedood

Hi guys, just registered but have received tips for over a year.
This one caught my eye but I had no luck. I have been an Orange customer since April and the operator I spoke to would not budge. This is because I am still contracted until April 2005 and the threat of me leaving the network did not bother her at all. In fact she said 'we have a broad enough customer base already' and went on to say in so many words that losing my business would not bother them. I bit my tongue and can safley say I will change networks next year.
Bunge

Han_naH

I had a similar conversation with Orange last week. I too derived a new phone and double talk time and double text messages for 3 months. How?

My strategy was to ask for a PAC code. This is the special number that allows you to change networks and keep your existing phone number.

I said I want THIS PHONE (only available on O2). By having a SPECIFIC phone and NETWORK in mind, they knew I was ready to leave. It doesn't help being vague.
They go away and check your spending over the last year or so and then come back with an offer.

The conclusion is this: after your 12 month contract expires, ring them up and upgrade your phone BECAUSE YOU CAN. You can also wangle free minutes and texts into the bargain, as above!

Can I add that I intended to keep my previous phone for a spare, and not pay the insurance on the new one. Except that Orange will not reissue a SIM card, should it go with the stolen/loat/broken phone. You have to pay £70, and you get a phone. The answer is to sell your previous phone on Ebay, for £70!

For those people who say "I'm happy with my phone and provider, even if the contract has expired", I say: "Fools".

Quinny_2

I'm currently on a tariff on Vodafone which gives me 1000 off peak free minutes for only £11.99 per month.

I've been on this tariff for about 4 years,and my contract expired in April of this year.This tariff is no longer available at this rate.

I phoned Vodafone at the time and asked for a Motorola V525 or V600,and they refused,and offered me a Nokia 1100 instead.I still have my Nokia 3410.

As I fancy a camera phone with Bluetooth,how can I get them to budge,especially as I'm an HGV driver,and the Bluetooth will keep me legal?

I only stay on Vodafone because my Wife and 2 daughters are also,albeit on PAYG,and all have my previous phones once I had upgraded.It would be too expensive to change networks,as that would involve getting my family new sim cards.