MSE News: Orange to raise monthly mobile costs

molley

And now BT are at it as well
Just got this
"We're making some changes to the prices of our products and services from 3 December 2011. We're putting up standard monthly line rental by 70p, removing the paper-free discount, and changing some call charges, as well as changing the prices for broadband and some other services. You'll find all the details HERE "

LindaandNicole

http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/News/13349/Orange_pay_monthly_price_hike_could_breach_Ofcom_regulations.aspx

marktiddy

Also annoyed at Orange I phoned them up.

First I spoke to someone in accounts who basically said tough...the message played before the call was answered effectively said the same thing.

So I asked to speak to someone about leaving.

The second person was very nice and explained that the cost increase was because the government won't allow them to offset the inflation anymore but that they were offering all customers 5% discount and that a letter would be going out next month. I did point out that hacking off your customers for a month for no reason seemed like very strange business practice.

I enquired about leaving early and was told it would cost me.

I accepted the 5% discount and hung up

Ten mins later I tried again and asked for a PAC code and finished up on a monthly rolling sim contract £15 cheaper than my current contract and with only 300 minutes left which effectively ends my contract in January not February

The key seemed to be to ask for a PAC code.

I have also complained to Ofcom because I think this clause that allows companies to put up the contract prices mid-contract is unacceptable...if enough people complain they'll investigate!

Finally for more detail on my discussion with Orange I've wrote a blog if you google my username you should find my website at the top and it's on there. Hope it's useful to people

drbesty

borojonesy wrote: »

Thanks DrBesty, you clearly understand inflation very well. In real terms people's spending power is decreasing rapidly. Maybe I can say to my employer tomorrow, if you can afford to pay me £x you can afford to pay me £x + 4%

Totally inexcusable, they're trying to rake back the falls in profits caused by the merger. The answer to this is to avoid Orange/T-Mobile altogether, I certainly shall when my T-Mobile contract ends. Any of the other operators prepared to LOWER their costs would clean up, but hmmm it's a Cartel is it not?

You don't seem to understand inflation yourself, in fact you missed the entire point of my post which is that in real terms having a mobile phone is cheaper than ever.

As an example I got my first contract in 1998, it was £30 a month, I got a crappy Nokia phone, 50 minutes of calls and 50 texts, because 50 minutes of calls and 50 texts didn't really get you very far my bills regularly topped £100.

Now I get a HTC Desire S, 400 minutes of calls, unlimited texts and 1.5gb of internet for £7.50 a month, by looking at those two deals side by side can you work out that owning a mobile is a lot cheaper than it once was?

I'd expect price rises from the other operators in the near future, after all they have 4g mobile spectrum and kit to pay for

laura16_2

What's a PAC code?

molley

laura16 wrote: »

What's a PAC code?

It's a code you need when you want to move providers .You give your new provider the code the current provider supplies to you when you apply to them ...you keep your current mobile number .

alexrose1uk

I've been keeping my eye on this thread and bits and pieces since elsewhere when I learnt about the change; as Orange haven't even bothered to contact me yet, which is dissapointing as I've been with them about 5 years now.

Whilst the rise isn't staggering, it's hard to argue that any price increase isn't detrimental to the customer to any degree, and I'm not particularly amused by the change; not so much the amount but on the principle, especially as the move, whilst within the contract terms, does seem to go against Ofcom code on contractual changes. Seems a bit of a joke to change the price of the contract (as regardless of what it states in contract, people DO sign up to X for X months contract commitments) and not offer some sort of at least reduced rate exit.

Go back a year or two and I was absolutely fine with Orange, but not been hugely happy since the whole merger kicked in, service coverage seems to have got worse over the last year or two, and I've not been that impressed the last couple of times I've had to call through due to issues, and recently I've noticed my Sim doesn't seem to be working properly with the whole Orange/T-Mobile roaming I'm suppose to be active on.

I'm certainly not eager to renew this time round, and will likely be moving to O2/Giffgaff next time round,rather than Orange/T-Mobile.

Makeandsave

drbesty wrote: »

You don't seem to understand inflation yourself, in fact you missed the entire point of my post which is that in real terms having a mobile phone is cheaper than ever.

As an example I got my first contract in 1998, it was £30 a month, I got a crappy Nokia phone, 50 minutes of calls and 50 texts, because 50 minutes of calls and 50 texts didn't really get you very far my bills regularly topped £100.

Now I get a HTC Desire S, 400 minutes of calls, unlimited texts and 1.5gb of internet for £7.50 a month, by looking at those two deals side by side can you work out that owning a mobile is a lot cheaper than it once was?

I'd expect price rises from the other operators in the near future, after all they have 4g mobile spectrum and kit to pay for

Orange was my first mobile, I pre paid £89 for 15 months that got me 10 mins off peak and free answer phone. I got a big phone MR30 i think. This was before any paid as you go was out and it was very trendy lol.

I have to say people that dont mind the price increase, If orange get away with this then where will it stop? you landline? Sky? or anythinge else you have a contract with.

jb66

I'd rather they too 4% of allowances of me

drbesty

My landline and broadband provider (Virgin Media) and also Sky have hiked their prices fairly recently, as have my gas and electric supplier, my home and car insurance provider, my water rates have gone up, I'm paying alot more for food and petrol, the interest rate on my credit card has increased, but this 20p a month rise in my mobile contract is just too much