Terminating Orange Contract Early

ukthomas

Hi,

Bit of a dilemma here, I'm currently a year into a two year long contract with Orange and up til now I've had no complaints whatsoever. For the last two months though I've been constantly losing signal mid call where it can often drop from 3 bars to none at all without me moving an inch. As my phone is unlocked I have tested a friends o2 sim in the phone - no problems whatsoever!

To top this off, I have changed my direct debit details with orange twice now, yet they keep taking the payments from my old, empty account. Luckily my bank are understanding and have reversed any bank charges. Oh and despite the fact my account is £33 in credit they have still charged me this month for a £27 bill.
Also fairly sure they have miscalculated my inclusive minutes on a number of occassions.

I came across this change in terms (which technically means I have an excuse to terminate my contract?) but the T&C's say I must inform them within a month of them telling me about it - they haven't told me yet!

help.orange.co .uk/orangeuk/support/personal/545647

Long (first!) thread I know but in dire need of help, do not want to be in Orange for another year with this terrible signal.

Thanks muchly :money:

ukthomas

Any ideas?

grumbler

Orange change call charges for calling abroad

Buzby

OK in order - Orange do not have to provide you with a signal (read your contract) you are given 14 days to ensure it works where you need it, after that you are locked in, so at this stage you will not be able to use this as a lever to arrange a no-cost disconnection. The fact your phone works with a different SIM is of no surprise, as O2 is a different network, and probably has a base station closer to you.

As to the DD's - you should have cancelld the old DD with your bank to ensure Orange could not reactivate the DD without your explicit permission. I siggest you call them NOW, saying no further DDs from Orange should be permitted on your account.

You cannot terminate simply because they change their terms - it would have to be detrimental to you, and they are the arbiter of this. You've not said what term has changed to make this a viable option.

A good get-out is to find a family member who wants to take on the remainder of your contract at the price you paid, this will release you from the burdem. Alternatively, there are websites where users can be matched with buyers wanting short term contracts, so check them out.

grumbler

Buzby wrote: »

OK in order - Orange do not have to provide you with a signal (read your contract) you are given 14 days to ensure it works where you need it, after that you are locked in, so at this stage you will not be able to use this as a lever to arrange a no-cost disconnection.

I have to disagree.
The signal can get worse after 14 days as a result of some changes implemented by the network. The signal was good originally. The OP started experiencing problems 8 months later. Generally, this can be a reason for demanding termination. It's not that I am saying that this can be done easily.

The fact your phone works with a different SIM is of no surprise, as O2 is a different network, and probably has a base station closer to you.

This point makes no sense really. The fact that the phone works with a different sim proves that something wrong is with the network, not the phone.

I agree that the problems with DD don't constitute any case for demanding cancellation. However (if you check the link), the OP simply complained about this and in fact asked if a "secret" increase in international call prices can be used as a formal excuse for terminating the contract.

Brodiebobs

I'd be pretty interested in hearing the outcome to this, i'm a year into a two year deal and a few weeks ago got a txt saying they were also using t-mobile signal, that i didnt need to do anything and it would result in better signal strength. Since this txt i've had no signal at all at my workplace. I have to walk out side and about 100yards down the road then my phone gets all the txts/voicemails that have been sent!! contacted CS and after holding for 20 mins hung up!

gjchester

Brodiebobs wrote: »

I'd be pretty interested in hearing the outcome to this, i'm a year into a two year deal and a few weeks ago got a txt saying they were also using t-mobile signal, that i didnt need to do anything and it would result in better signal strength. Since this txt i've had no signal at all at my workplace. I have to walk out side and about 100yards down the road then my phone gets all the txts/voicemails that have been sent!! contacted CS and after holding for 20 mins hung up!

Did you check network coverage of work BEFORE you signed the contract? How good or bad was the dignal before the text?

Secondly no network guarantees coverage expecially inside buildings, commercial buildings are usually quite metally in there walls all work well to shield a mobile, if you on an industrial estate you may have a few black spots.

Very little can be done about it now, no company can change the laws of physics, and short of another mast being installed closer to you you have very little chance of a resolution.

Unfortunaltly many people fail to realise that one side of the merger would be cost cutting, where TM and O have duplicate masts in one location then one will more than likely be shutdown to save money

baldelectrician

I'm with Orange and I am also having problems with singal issues

The problem boils down to lots of customers on facebook, twitter and internet on the phone clogging up the network.

T-Mobile has a lot of spare capacity on thier network and it will help somewhat (in some, but not all locations)

From the middle of April the 3g network share will be kicking in (I have been informed), this will help and make things flow better- the phones will pop in and out of each network seamlessly

Brodiebobs
Try HERE to see what mast is closest when you are at work, and whether it's 3g (UTMS) or 2g (GSM).
You can manually select what network (Orange or Orange-Tmobile) .
I you had no problems with Orange i would assume you had a decent Orange 2g signal close

Thomas
Much the same as above- try changing to a manual roam and selecting one or other network

Time will tell - roll on middle of April

diamonds

^ thw sitefinder is not up to date, Orange are decommissioning sites, the rest are being upgraded with sister company T-Mob & the 50% partner of co-owned MBNL with 3UK

Hammyman

Oh joy. Its already carp here on 3G and looks set to get worse then unless they actually roam on Threes network. I can feel another long time being spent on the phone complaining.

ukthomas

Thanks for the advice guys, very interesting.

I understand why my network coverage may have dropped as a result of works between T-Mobile and Orange but tbh it's to an unacceptable level. I also find the data congestion on Orange's network dreadful everywhere else I go, texts can sometimes take forever to come through.

I do understand that you are given a 14 day cooling off period but I had PAYG Orange for a year prior to my contract with no problems whatsoever and indeed the next 8 months were problem free.

When I pay the amount I do (Dolphin 35 but with a £10 discount!) I do expect to at least have a full phone call without my signal dropping, sometimes it'll go from full signal to nothing without me moving. To be fair to Orange though, their signal in rural Yorkshire is excellent

Edit: as for manually change the network, I've done that and selected T-Mobile (no Orange T-Mobile named network) and have experienced similar problems - lots of signal then no signal.