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MSE News: Orange to raise monthly mobile costs

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Comments

  • Guys_Dad
    Guys_Dad Posts: 11,025 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    ashyb wrote: »
    I'm only a newbie, but just a thought, surely if you got your contract from carphone warehouse, the contract lies with them. if its £30/month written, then it stays at £30/month unless carphone warehouse inform you in accordance with their t's and c's?

    Incorrect.
  • Guys_Dad
    Guys_Dad Posts: 11,025 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Mhadf wrote: »
    Well a quick check of the T&C of all the major networks (o2,vodafone,three, and T-mobile)reveals one major difference between them and Orange..... They clearly state that they may raise prices by giving it a section to itself. O2's even has it written in the summary of terms at the beginning.

    So yes they all do have the terms stating increasing charges in their T&C. However they are also clear about them.

    So the question is, do you want an upfront company or a weasely one?

    Very informative and helpful, but it needs to be broken down a bit.

    The complaints on here are less about where in the t&c the network states that it has the right to increase its rates than the fact that most contributors believe that there should be no increases during a contract period.

    What you are saying is that ALL the networks have an escalation clause in their contracts. That being the case, then all those threatening to depart Orange could be rushing into the arms of another network who could do the same thing in a couple of months.

    Now all the networks employ lawyers and I find it absolutely incredible that they all have "illegal" terms in their contracts.

    I also find it a complete waste of the country's money if an organisation like OFCOM is unable to deal with this situation if, indeed, Orange has unenforceable terms in its contracts. What the devil are they there for if not to regulate??? This situation is hardly an individual action is it when Orange have informed ALL their customers of their decision to raise charges. And it can not have escaped OFCOM's sight that if all the networks have similar clauses, then they need to step in.

    Don't get me wrong - I have no problem with an extra couple of quid per month and have no desire to go into battle with a company who is raising its prices because of higher costs - such as staff.

    But what is the point of £millions being spent on regulators if they only give verbal opinions to people and won't tackle the networks if, indeed, they have broken the regulations.

    Finally, the only difference I can see between Orange and the other networks is that Orange have been the first to invoke the escalation clause that they all have in their t&c.
  • Ste_C
    Ste_C Posts: 676 Forumite
    If this applied to all new tariffs then I could understand it. But inflation is nothing new so they should therefore set their prices to take into account future inflation. It's not fair that they can offer someone a 24 month contract and then increase the price after it has been agreed.

    They are relying on customer inertia/apathy here. Regardless of how legal it might be, it stinks and it's a major kick in the balls in terms of publicity for them so people should make sure Orange know how they feel.
  • Some people have suggested that because it is in their terms and conditions it is legal.

    I disagree.

    All it says in their terms and conditions is that they don't believe you have a right to cancel the contract if they increase the charges, not that they have a right to increase the charges. It is for Ofcom to decide whether the increase in charges is to customers' "material detriment", not Orange. So complain to Ofcom to force them to investigate.

    I'd also point out that I didn't get a reference to the terms till after I agreed the contract. And I don't see how a web page can form part of the contract since they could change it whenever they liked!
  • baggy13
    baggy13 Posts: 17 Forumite
    I thought I'd ring today to see what they said and blow me there still blaming the government lol
  • Guys_Dad
    Guys_Dad Posts: 11,025 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Steve__M wrote: »
    Some people have suggested that because it is in their terms and conditions it is legal.

    I disagree.

    All it says in their terms and conditions is that they don't believe you have a right to cancel the contract if they increase the charges, not that they have a right to increase the charges. It is for Ofcom to decide whether the increase in charges is to customers' "material detriment", not Orange. So complain to Ofcom to force them to investigate.

    I'd also point out that I didn't get a reference to the terms till after I agreed the contract. And I don't see how a web page can form part of the contract since they could change it whenever they liked!

    Glad you are so definite in your opinion. Even happier if you are legally qualified.

    Maybe you have an opportunity of lucrative employment as Which? legal experts seem to believe, on balance, that Orange are probably behaving legally, although they are not 100% certain . see http://conversation.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/orange-pay-monthly-price-rise-cancel-contract/
    "Is Orange playing by the letter of the law?
    I’m getting deja-vu from the T-Mobile saga, where that mobile network slashed the data allowance for its existing customers. How can it be right that a company can change the payment terms of your contract when you’re already signed up?

    Is Orange behaving legally? It seems that it probably is. Our lawyer Peter McCarthy told us that Orange’s T&Cs would stand unless it could be successfully challenged as ‘unfair’."
  • john-306
    john-306 Posts: 745 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Surely the thickos at the top of the Orange tree should have made this easier on themselves by just increasing anyone starting new contracts, and not infuriating the rest of us that are already x months into a contract.
    Seems to me they can write anything into the T&C and get away with it.
  • No I'm not a lawyer. But I think the Which lawyer is saying the same thing - that Ofcom could declare this to be unlawful.

    Again, though, has the lawyer thought about whether the terms of the contract have been provided to the customer in a proper manner.

    The point of posting though is to give my armchair opinion that people have grounds for not taking this lying down. Either this is a "Hoover" moment where Orange is permanently damaged, or it is the moment where from now on consumers will be forced into long term contracts in all areas of their life that have costly hidden terms because companies think they can get away with it.
  • syco1
    syco1 Posts: 119 Forumite
    simax wrote: »
    You DO know you can move to one of the newer plans, don't you?

    Personally that was my first thought, I only use a fraction of my minutes/texts/internet, but moving to a less expensive plan doesn't work because I currently pay £28.08 for Panther 30, but dropping to a £26 plan gives me either hardly any minutes or hardly any internet.
    They have me over a barrel anyway as I currently also get free home broadband from Orange, but having ignored me over my defective Nokia X6 foir the past 18 months, I will have to leave on a matter of principle. Next time I will buy my own phone and have a sim only plan with someone like Tesco.
  • just rang orange and my contract is now cancelled without charge, ofcom rules still apply whatever your terms and conditions say
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