Unlocking ORANGE Iphone PROBLEMS!

Old_Stanners

I agree that they could do it faster and believe that they genuinely dont want to. I would also not like my emails to a company who are supposed to be providing me with a service to be described as "spurious".
What gets me is the lying. Almost everyone I have spoken to at Orange say that they need to obtain an "unlock code" from Apple and that it is therefore Apple who are holding things up. It now seems established that this is simply not true and a way to fob off customers. I would challenge anyone to be happy with that state of affairs.
When you become an informed consumer, something of which I believe that this site is in favour, and you challenge them on this, they change. When you present a manager with "Hang on, orange told me that you need an unlock code from Apple and this is not true" they change to "Well, I don't know the technical side of things" despite those UNDER them (again acknowledged non-technical staff) assuring me that the unlock code from Apple is essential.
They also will not let me communicate in any way with those who allegedly DO have the technical knowledge. Nor will they let me complain.
Am I really supposed to just put up with this? Is it just "Naff customer service" and "oh well, better luck next time?" I do feel that I am just raging, raging against the dying of the light but surely I have to do SOMETHING?
Its like the guy said to me last night - just wait another 18 or 19 days and then complain. Is that the best I can achieve?
Orange have provided me with an appalling service for 2 years. They locked me into a contract which they changed and told me I was stuck with. They locked MY phone without my knowledge (next time I will both ask (I actually thought I had but I now realise I didn't ask in the right way) and read the small print). They now have control of MY phone and will not let me contact anyone who can help or affect the outcome in any way. They have lied to me at every turn and obstructed me every time I tried to get things moving. They tell me that the process is "so complicated that it TAKES 30 days!"They have put BIZARRE codicils in to prevent any hint of a complaint reaching anyone in an important position. And, as has been mentioned higher up the thread, why is it only Orange who are like this? Why can other carriers do it in a few days?
Finally, they have not guaranteed to do it. It actually might not get done. Its not a case of "Well, they will do it in their own sweet time." They may not do it. Why should they? Someone mentioned the hassle for them. Put yourself in their shoes. What have they got to gain by actually doing it? £20? So what? That's not going to get the CEO a new Porsche, is it? Complaints from me? So what? Log it. Listen to the moaning. All in a day's work. A bad reputation? Again, so what? I am not the first to state these problems and I won't be the last. They have a lot of customers, what's a fraction of a % to them? So they have no incentive to do it. As I said before "Wait until 30 days, then complain." They obviously have no intnetion of doing it.
So what if I complain under the act mentioned by NFH above? They MAY do it then. They may get a slap on the wrist. A censure. Perhaps a fine (I doubt it).
Is it only me who feels that this is just wrong?

OK, so this is what is getting my goat at the mo and I have had my rant.

I'll get me coat...

NFH

I'm on a business tariff and consequently have much better customer service from Orange than the majority who are on consumer tariffs. However, even business customer services were unable to speed up the unlocking of my iPhone because it's done by a different department who have no phone number, only e-mail. Orange didn't argue about refunding the unlocking fee after the 30 day period was exceeded.

diamonds

Business to me were hopeless compared to consumer, I took my next contract out on consumer. As for 1 person doing Apple unlocks well....thats a commercial decision but does not protect them from http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/2334/regulation/19/made as NFH stated. Perhaps you need to email executive office & Ofcom in the same email given the experience given by the manager the exec told you to go through ... graham.howell@ofcom.org.uk

Explain it all fully and the include the requirements via the legislation and one person handling Apple unlock codes in Orange does not excuse Orange, download the whole PDF of the legislation and attatch to the email....Ofcom & Orange will move !!! on the matter.

NFH you should do the same, £20 for breaking the law ? I doubt Ofcom would be pleased to know Orange are failing their licence obligations, breaking the law then paying them customers off.

If WE consumers dont be proactive & make companies & organisations accountable the same old standards keep going on & on & on.....

Old_Stanners

At 16.32 today, there was an unlock message in my inbox.

Was it because I shouted loudly, both figuratively and (to my shame) literally? Was it going to come through today anyway? I don't suppose I'll ever know.

If I did jump the queue, well fine. If I did get it quicker because I kicked up a fuss and if it is true that their unlock department is massively understaffed then, as diamonds says, if everyone did it then they would be forced to give us a better service.

If I was due to get it today anyway, then i should be truly ashamed of myself - except, if I was due today, shouldn't they have been able to tell me?

I was cross during the process and, after looking through the email, with good reason. Near the top of the message, it says:

"Apple devices differ from all other manufacturers in that there is no code required to enter into your device to unlock it."

I rest my case...

Thanks to everyone who replied. I really would recommend Orange to my worst enemy - but only because I am evil.

diamonds

Lol!!!!!!!!

sdduk

baby_frogmella wrote: »

There is no such thing as an 'unlock code' for the iphone. To unlock an iphone the network operator simply gives the IMEI number of the handset to Apple who whitelist it on their database, the user then needs to connect it to itunes to complete the unlocking procedure. Have you tried connecting your iphone to itunes yet to see if its already been unlocked? You need to keep pushing Orange. If Orange keep messing you about, then ask them to refund you £20 and pay an extra £8 and get it unlocked (factory) through ebay...at least you are pretty much guaranteed to have an unlocked handset within a few days
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/iPHONE-3-3gs-4-4s-PERMANENT-UNLOCKING-SERVICE-ORANGE-T-MOBILE-/251048167160?pt=UK_Phones_Software_RL&hash=item3a73a306f8#ht_1674wt_1139

Just paid for the unlock on eBay Hopefully will work OK
didn't want to go though Orange they seem the worst out of all the networks
i had 2 iPhone unlocked by O2 only waited 2-3 days and they are cheaper then Orange
Thanks baby frogmella for the link.

Old_Stanners

Addendum:

We had to get my wife's phone unlocked from Tesco which DID require an unlock code from Nokia.

It was free since we had had it for more than 2 years (like the iPhone) and, although they also said 30 days but it'll probably be quicker, it was done in 2.

If we all moved away from Orange think how much better life could be!

K

simax

sdduk wrote: »

Just paid for the unlock on eBay Hopefully will work OK
didn't want to go though Orange they seem the worst out of all the networks
i had 2 iPhone unlocked by O2 only waited 2-3 days and they are cheaper then Orange
Thanks baby frogmella for the link.

That link is charging £32?!?!? :eek:

grumbler

Well, at least they do the job and do it reasonably fast.
£20 that Orange charge for giving you run-around and blaming Apple meanwhile for their own incompetence is not cheap either.
I think this incompetence is the main factor driving prices up at ebay.

Buzby

Only Orange can unlock your handset. What you describe is a jailbreak, which is a false economy - the next firmware update will relock the handset back to Orange again.

I agree O are not efficient, and a bit of a scandal - but there is little point in shooting yourself in the foot simply to spite them, yet pay for a jailbreak tat is free if you know where to look.