Orange Mobile Network coverage reduced in NI

BigAl94

arkonite_babe wrote: »

I too have had issues with orange over the past 2 weeks. I spent over 2 hours today in the orange shop. The staff were very good, pity about the tech support team on the phone
Tech support have admitted the mast in my area has been switched off which means I'm now lucky if I get one bar of signal at home, never mind 3G

Here's what the tech support supervisor offered me on the phone today as compensation:
A reduced price tarriff - yea fine still doesn't help my signal issues
My iphone to be unlocked immediately so I can use another network sim - hmmm but I'm stil going to have to pay you for my non-existant signal aren't I?

shop manager spoke to cs guy again and he agreed then that he would contact me via email after he'd spoken to a manager. (I had asked to speak to a manager after speaking to cs rep initially, I got a supervisor) cs guy comes back on the phone to me and then proceeds to ask me what time he can call me at to discuss my problem. WTH????? Didn't I just spend ages on the phone with you outlining the fact I have no signal at home and my phone is useless?????????

As of 5pm I still have no email from cs dept so im now off to phone them again. As BigAl outlined in his reply from OfCom, Orange certainly didn't inform me that the mast switch off in my area would affect me, nor have they been able to offer a satifactory resolution to my issues with signal.

Will update here with what happens!

Can I suggest you also report this to OFCOM, the more people who do - the better. They won't take up individual cases but it will help them see the bigger picture.

arkonite_babe

arkonite_babe wrote: »

I too have had issues with orange over the past 2 weeks. I spent over 2 hours today in the orange shop. The staff were very good, pity about the tech support team on the phone
Tech support have admitted the mast in my area has been switched off which means I'm now lucky if I get one bar of signal at home, never mind 3G

arkonite_babe wrote: »

Here's what the tech support supervisor offered me on the phone today as compensation
A reduced price tarriff - yea fine still doesn't help my signal issues
My iphone to be unlocked immediately so I can use another network sim - hmmm but I'm stil going to have to pay you for my non-existant signal aren't I?

shop manager spoke to cs guy again and he agreed then that he would contact me via email after he'd spoken to a manager. (I had asked to speak to a manager after speaking to cs rep initially, I got a supervisor) cs guy comes back on the phone to me and then proceeds to ask me what time he can call me at to discuss my problem. WTH????? Didn't I just spend ages on the phone with you outlining the fact I have no signal at home and my phone is useless?????????

As of 5pm I still have no email from cs dept so im now off to phone them again. As BigAl outlined in his reply from OfCom, Orange certainly didn't inform me that the mast switch off in my area would affect me, nor have they been able to offer a satifactory resolution to my issues with signal.

Will update here with what happens!

As of 5pm tonight I had no email from Orange so I got on the phone again. After speaking to 2 foreign call centre staff I was re-directed to a very helpful chap in the UK call centre. The moment I said I was calling from Northern Ireland, he knew straight away what my problem was going to be. He then re-directed my call to a department set up especially for all the issues surrounding customers losing signal with the T-Mobile switch off, ( Recantion department for anyone who wants it)

First offer - 25% discount on contract for 6 months
Refused as not solving issue of no signal in my home area

Second Offer - 50% discount for 6 months
Refused as above

Third offer - samsung Galaxy S2 so I can use UMA to hook into wireless and boost signal
Refused, stated I don't like the phone and if I'd wanted one would have taken it out as my original contract.

Final offer - Option to terminate my contract due to Orange not being able to fulfil their contractual agreement to provide signal at my address

Accepted with PAC code for my existing number!
Admitted to cs guy it was really not what I was expecting but he said that as Orange couldn't fulfil contract I had every right to terminate.

So if you are having signalling issues, it is certainly worth persevering until you get a result. I'm glad I did!

Total time spent on phone calls today 3 hours, though to be fair Orange did a call back to my home number this evening. This morning was using an Orange store phone. Time spent in Orange store this morning 2 hours!!!!

Following Big Als lead, I will be reporting this to OfCom and as an aside, it is well worth quoting this to Orange CS staff
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/telecoms/ga/cvogc300710.pdf

Section 9.2 F&G

(f) any applicable compensation and/or refund arrangements which

will apply if contracted quality service levels are not met; and
(g) the method of initiating procedures for settlement of disputes in
respect of the contract.

Oh and I printed off the letter Big Al had received and quoted off to the cs dept this section in particular -

Ofcom understands thatEverything Everywhere (Orange and T-Mobile) recently announced some networkinvestment in Northern Ireland. As part of this network consolidation, most o fthe legacy T-Mobile sites are being turned off during April 2012. We also understand from Everything Everywhere that they are contacting customers who are likely to be impacted. These customers are being offered alternative solutions, or theability to terminate their contracts.

I shall watch this thread with interest to see how any other affected Orange customers get on

BigAl94

Glad you got a good result - well done!

Unfortunately I'm not in such an easy position as it is not the billing address where coverage is an issue. I have read 12 pages of Orange terms and conditions http://www1.orange.co.uk/terms.html/pdfs/PAYM-terms-and-conditions-for-the-supply-of-Orange-Network-Services-20110215.pdf and nowhere can I find reference to only guaranteeing coverage at the billing address.
I will persevere though! Still waiting for a full response from the office of Olaaf Swantee, CEO of Everything Everywhere!

BigAl94

Here is the response from the CEO's office just received.


Dear xxxxxxxxxxxx

Further to my previous email, please accept my apologiesfor the delay in response. I have been conducting an investigation, to see whatcan be offered moving forward.



'Everything Everywhere' the company that runs Orange andT-Mobile, is making some changes to it's network in Northern Ireland which willultimately deliver 3G coverage to 20% more people than we were previously ableto. Unfortunately in the short term, a small amount of customers may experiencesome coverage related issues. We hope to have the proposed improvements inplace for the end of 2013, however this is subject to change. I am sorry thatyou have been negatively impacted on this occasion.



I understand you recently escalated to Customer Serviceregarding this matter and you were offered to lower each number to a £15.50Service Plan. However, I understand this would not be acceptable to you, as itwill not provide a suitable allocation of minutes each month.



As a gesture we can offer you a 50% Service Plan discountfor both phones. Both numbers are currently on the Racoon £35.00 plan and thiswould reduce the monthly cost of the basic plan to £17.50 per phone. This wouldbe for the next 6 months.



Alternatively, we can offer you one free Pay As You Gophone that features UMA (signal boost). This service is used in conjunctionwith Home Broadband WiFi routers. If you already have Broadband at the addresswith WiFi capabilities, this will work. If you have not, we can look atinstalling Orange Broadband, which we would provide to you, free of charge forthe first 6 months of the agreement. If you do not already have a BT lineinstalled at the address, this would need to be installed and line rental to BTwould be applicable.



Your calls and usage on the PAYG phone would routethrough the Broadband connection, providing coverage at the address. The PAYGphone would need to be topped up for use when needed and call charges depend onthe PAYG Service Plan you opt for. I understand this may not be ideal, howeverplease let me know if you would be interested in accepting either of the aboveoffers.



Taking the above into consideration and that the affectedarea is your holiday home rather than a permanent residential address,unfortunately I am unable to comply with your request to disconnect withoutincurring buy out costs. Your loyalty to Orange has certainly not goneunnoticed and it is with regret that I am unable to offer free of chargedisconnection.



I look forward to your response.



Yours sincerely




Jamie Crathorne

Executive Office



c.c Olaf Swantee, Chief Executive - Everything EverywhereLtd.


I have no intention of installing a BT landline so last option is a non starter, not satisfied with 6 month 50% reduction in plan as it does not address the lack of network access. As I'm away for the weekend I will formulate a response next week.

Any thoughts?

stephenni1971

BigAL who dod you send your complaint to... have you an email address?

falko89

Orange will let you out of contract, they let me out when they turned of my local mast last year.

If you check the coverage checker for this area (Mid Ulster) it says Excellent 3G, Not fair, Not Good but Excellent, I can't get 1 bar.

BigAl94

stephenni1971 wrote: »

BigAL who dod you send your complaint to... have you an email address?

Sorry for late reply, was away again with no phone or data coverage courtesy of Orange!!!

Olaf Swantee is the CEO of Everything Everywhere. His email address is [EMAIL="olaf.swantee@orange.co.uk"]olaf.swantee@orange.co.uk[/EMAIL]

BigAl94

Now, this gets interesting.

I gave Olaf Swantee's office an acknowledgement and said I would respond this week when I got back. I asked them to direct me to the paragraph in their terms and conditions which stated that they only contracted to supply coverage to the billing address as robustly argued by their customer services manager.

Below is their reponse with enhanced offer.


Dear xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



Thank you for your response.



With reference to your comments regarding the Terms andConditions of your agreement, I apologise for any confusion. My statement thatthe affected area is a holiday home and not a permanent address, was mentionedas one of the things taken into consideration when we have made our decision.The decision was not made, with relation to particular Terms and Conditions.Therefore I am unable to refer you to the specified Term and Condition asrequested.



In my previous response, I advised that the 50% Service Plandiscount would be applicable for 6 months. This can in fact be offered for 12months on each number, should you be interested in this option.



I will be out of the office from Monday 7 May untilWednesday 16 May. My colleague Melanie Coverdale is fully aware of the currentsituation and is available to respond to any further correspondence.



Yours sincerely







Jamie Crathorne

Executive Office

You can imagine what my response will be!

BigAl94

Making no headway with Orange whatsoever, emailed my response to them a week ago and have had no reply despite two reminders - seems they are ignoring my request to be released from contract as nowhere in the terms and conditions does it state that coverage is only guaranteed at the billing address.

dmxdave

No complaint at my billing address.......BUT lately the Orange service has been very poor. I was in Bangor on Thursday and struggled for service, on Friday in Newtownabbey it was not great either, then I received two missed call alerts and three voicemail messages ALL from Thursday! No email whatsoever on Friday and sprung back into life today....