Orange not cancelling contract when asked

ford_prefect_3

I recently left Orange for all but one phone which still has an extensive contract period.

I wanted to port one number to Vodafone and disconnect the other two, one of which was a rolling monthly and the other a mobile broadband dongle.

So the letter arrives with the same PAC code for all three numbers as I couldnt have a PAC generated for the one line I wanted to move it had to be all three, I proceeded to use the PAC to move my primary number and waited for the disconnection that didnt come.

I then had the conversation with "customer services" where they told me that if you port one number you must port all of them you cant do a mix of cancellation and porting etc etc etc I asked how I could port a mobile broadband dongle (you cant it appears and why would you!) and after being put through various layers of idiots in what can only be referred to as a club sandwich of the educationally subnormal I got through to a guy in retentions who had a brain and could read!

Magically, he cut off the other two numbers on the spot and issued a credit for the line rentals that had been overcharged.

The letter with the PAC code acknowledges you have requested to leave and have given notice under the terms of the contract, the part that says if you dont use it means you want to stay is called "implied consent" and as the law has shown implied consent isnt enough and you must have explicit consent for anything as important as the removal of money from your bank account for a service.

I doubt Orange would want there PAC system scam tested in court so the threat of an action for breach of contract would likely get them to refund the £20 after all, the cost of dealing with letter before action would cost them more.