Orange 'Free' Broadband

JessysGiant

I have just spoken to a very unhelpful, disinterested lady in Orange.
Not interested in the fact that I only pay 60p a month more line rental to BT and get free evening and weekend calls. Not interested in the fact that I've just renewed a 12 month contract with BT.

Told me I could not include any call packages with the "free" Broadband £14 line rental as I live "off net". £25.50 was what she quoted me, but I wasn't sure if that included broadband. So how come I get a free evening and weekend call package with BT? Sky tell me I am in a network area. She tried to tell me that they were wrong and that when it came to actually processing any Sky / BT order that I would find extra charges added.

Without inclusive calls, the £14 line rental offer could prove very pricey. Based on my last bill's usage, calculating the cost of weekend and evening calls lasting only 1 minute, it would add an extra £13 a month. She insisted that their call charges were a couple of pence cheaper than BT. I disagree.

I asked about a new BrightBox as I would now be paying them £14 a month. No - the free broadband offer was only available with a Livebox.

BT's unlimited broadband strikes me as quite expensive. I've had an offer through the post from Sky of free unlimited broadband for a year, then £7.50 a month. Both BT and Sky include free wi-fi on the go, Orange don't. Plus, both BT and Sky offer discounted line rental for up front payment.

I have never had any problem with Freeserve/Wanado/Orange, but their attitude is really making me think about jumping ship.

I think in writing this post, I may have made a decision. Just the hassle of changing my e-mail address.

Tango17

Hi all
Apologies for my question- I am sure many of you will find it very basic/stupid! But I am a non-techie (my ex was the techie and he has now gone), so I am just trying to work out what to do.

I have been an Orange customer since the days of Freeserve and have an fsmail.net email account. I too have just been advised my free braodband is ending and I have to opt in to their landline package. I too have always opted for an Orange mobile phone package, having weighed up the cost of this £35p/m contract inclusive of broadband against other providers.

My current situation is that I am 'out of contract' with my orange mobile but have kept it running to keep the status quo and receive the free broadband (also as up until now, I was happy with Orange). BT provide my landline but i am not in contract (i dont think). I have a Sky TV box and get lots of mailshots from them and Virgin Media to entice me to take out a more combined packaged.

I spoke to Orange recently, and they indicated I had to 'opt in' to their landline package or go.

My questions are:-
If I leave orange now will i lose my fsmail email account?
Do i just now approach another broadband provider to replace Orange? How does this work in practice (havng never changed providers before)
Should I presumably now shop around for a new mobile tariiff/package too, now I am no longer swayed to stay with Orange for the free broadband?
Should I wait to see if they respond to the clear 'customer disatisfaction' in the media to see if they come up with options to stay?
Any advice on what action should I take, greatly appreciated, as I dont understand what to do and its worrying me!

PS Thank you Eva49 for your clear summary for support with the legal points/advice.

neil9313

JessysGiant wrote: »

I have just spoken to a very unhelpful, disinterested lady in Orange.
Not interested in the fact that I only pay 60p a month more line rental to BT and get free evening and weekend calls. Not interested in the fact that I've just renewed a 12 month contract with BT.

Told me I could not include any call packages with the "free" Broadband £14 line rental as I live "off net". £25.50 was what she quoted me, but I wasn't sure if that included broadband. So how come I get a free evening and weekend call package with BT? Sky tell me I am in a network area. She tried to tell me that they were wrong and that when it came to actually processing any Sky / BT order that I would find extra charges added.



Without inclusive calls, the £14 line rental offer could prove very pricey. Based on my last bill's usage, calculating the cost of weekend and evening calls lasting only 1 minute, it would add an extra £13 a month. She insisted that their call charges were a couple of pence cheaper than BT. I disagree.

I asked about a new BrightBox as I would now be paying them £14 a month. No - the free broadband offer was only available with a Livebox.

BT's unlimited broadband strikes me as quite expensive. I've had an offer through the post from Sky of free unlimited broadband for a year, then £7.50 a month. Both BT and Sky include free wi-fi on the go, Orange don't. Plus, both BT and Sky offer discounted line rental for up front payment.

I have never had any problem with Freeserve/Wanado/Orange, but their attitude is really making me think about jumping ship.

I think in writing this post, I may have made a decision. Just the hassle of changing my e-mail address.

I doubt very much they will supply the livebox, if I was you I would be more proactive and make a couple more calls to Orange.

What number are you ringing?

neil9313

Tango17 wrote: »

Hi all
Apologies for my question- I am sure many of you will find it very basic/stupid! But I am a non-techie (my ex was the techie and he has now gone), so I am just trying to work out what to do.

I have been an Orange customer since the days of Freeserve and have an fsmail.net email account. I too have just been advised my free braodband is ending and I have to opt in to their landline package. I too have always opted for an Orange mobile phone package, having weighed up the cost of this £35p/m contract inclusive of broadband against other providers.

My current situation is that I am 'out of contract' with my orange mobile but have kept it running to keep the status quo and receive the free broadband (also as up until now, I was happy with Orange). BT provide my landline but i am not in contract (i dont think). I have a Sky TV box and get lots of mailshots from them and Virgin Media to entice me to take out a more combined packaged.

I spoke to Orange recently, and they indicated I had to 'opt in' to their landline package or go.

My questions are:-
If I leave orange now will i lose my fsmail email account?
Do i just now approach another broadband provider to replace Orange? How does this work in practice (havng never changed providers before)
Should I presumably now shop around for a new mobile tariiff/package too, now I am no longer swayed to stay with Orange for the free broadband?
Should I wait to see if they respond to the clear 'customer disatisfaction' in the media to see if they come up with options to stay?
Any advice on what action should I take, greatly appreciated, as I dont understand what to do and its worrying me!

PS Thank you Eva49 for your clear summary for support with the legal points/advice.

You have a bit of reading but all the info is on this thread.

Have you rung Orange yet?

JessysGiant

neil9313 wrote: »

I doubt very much they will supply the livebox, if I was you I would be more proactive and make a couple more calls to Orange.

What number are you ringing?

I already have a LiveBox but, if I am now paying them £14, I want a new BrightBox. Sorry, perhaps that wasn't clear.

I'm ringing the number on the letter I received telling me the free broadband was coming to an end. I have made a few calls but feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall. Very hard to engage some of these Orange customer service people when all you get is yes or no answers.

Tango17

neil9313 wrote: »

You have a bit of reading but all the info is on this thread.

Have you rung Orange yet?

Thanks for your reply. I have spent a long while today skim reading this thread, but got a bit lost! I cant find anything on whether I lose my email account if I leave orange. I presume I do? Do I need a Mac code from Orange, to change BB providers? Sorry, its the IT knowledge (not the financial acruity) I lack!

Yes, I rang Orange and was told I had to to transfer my landline or leave so am just trying to work through the options.

moon777

Tango17 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. I have spent a long while today skim reading this thread, but got a bit lost! I cant find anything on whether I lose my email account if I leave orange. I presume I do? Do I need a Mac code from Orange, to change BB providers? Sorry, its the IT knowledge (not the financial acruity) I lack!

Yes, I rang Orange and was told I had to to transfer my landline or leave so am just trying to work through the options.

Hi, after 4 weeks with plusnet my wanadoo email still works in outlook and via webmail - even though i have no Orange account now.

So i guess it will carry on - however you would be far better with an 'independent' email address so you are not 'tied' to an ISP ie: google, hotmail, yahoo, domain etc.

To move provider ring Orange CS and ask for your MAC code: they have 5 days to issue it, it last for 30 days. When you sign up with a new ISP give them the MAC code - they will deal with everything. Whatever you do don't cancel your BB with Orange (or anyone else) as this removes it from the line in the exchange, you would then owe a disconnect fee and would probably have to pay extra to re connect with a new provider

Tango17

moon777 wrote: »

Hi, after 4 weeks with plusnet my wanadoo email still works in outlook and via webmail - even though i have no Orange account now.

So i guess it will carry on - however you would be far better with an 'independent' email address so you are not 'tied' to an ISP ie: google, hotmail, yahoo, domain etc.

To move provider ring Orange CS and ask for your MAC code: they have 5 days to issue it, it last for 30 days. When you sign up with a new ISP give them the MAC code - they will deal with everything. Whatever you do don't cancel your BB with Orange (or anyone else) as this removes it from the line in the exchange, you would then owe a disconnect fee and would probably have to pay extra to re connect with a new provider

Thank you Moon777, that's a great help!:)

moon777

Eva49 wrote: »

Just noticed the link in the complaints procedure appears to be broken!

Have updated on original post Page 66 # 1303

It's not like EE / Orange would change the link stopping people following the 'posted' complaints procedure - is it?!!!!

That would be like ofcom changing the address of the online complaints form after is was posted as a link here -

or Orange cleaning the net of old T&C's and adverts for Free Broadband For Life from 2006 and 2007

No I'm sure these things dont really go on. I think the internet fairies mess with the address's and we all had a mass hallucination about being offered free BB for life - :cool:

nobby1963

Tango17 wrote: »

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My questions are:-
If I leave orange now will i lose my fsmail email account?
Do i just now approach another broadband provider to replace Orange? How does this work in practice (havng never changed providers before)
Should I presumably now shop around for a new mobile tariiff/package too, now I am no longer swayed to stay with Orange for the free broadband?
Should I wait to see if they respond to the clear 'customer disatisfaction' in the media to see if they come up with options to stay?
Any advice on what action should I take, greatly appreciated, as I dont understand what to do and its worrying me!

PS Thank you Eva49 for your clear summary for support with the legal points/advice.

Hi Tango,
I will try to help with your questions ;

Email - some say it will continue to work 7 have experience of this & others say it will not & does not. So it`s a gamble, I guess if you work on it not being active if you change BB provider it`s safest. As suggested AOL, Yahoo, Gmail etc would stop you being in this situation in the future ( & me ).

You need to get Orange to give you a MAC code & when / if you find another BB provider give the the MAC code & they do the rest - as said before it should be given within 5 days and last for 30 before it runs out and you need to ask for another. It has been the stated that this is a `seemless` process, one minute you are active with Orange the next minute your active with whoever. Sods law says it will not be as simple as that !

You have a choice if you are out of contract with Orange on your mobile, you can stick with the sceaming barstewards if you want to - perhaps you have built up a decent `loyalty` discount or they are the best for reception in your area - it`s personal choice & down to how you feel.

As for should you wait before doing anything to see if Orange`s stance changes - there are differing views here, personally I went through the process of talking to the `special` team & Orange exec office. I was offered the cost of Orange`s broadband only £13.50 per month package till the end of my current mobile contract as a credit on my mobile bill. It was at the last minute that they discovered that due to my `rural` town location, the cost of BB only for me was £10 per month more ( £23.50 pm ) and the exec office would not credit that much - they upped their offer to £250 max. Thats not good enough for me, I am not prepared to be out of pocket over this, so I am going down the `legal` route. You really need to poor a large alchoholic beverage and read the thread to get more opinions and then decide for yourself. You may just want to take it on the chin and put it down to experience or decide otherwise.

There is only one person who can make these decisions, you, all I can say is there are many people posting here, some have done deals & some are still fighting, some are I guess waiting in the hope that Orange change their mind, who knows.

Good luck in your personal situation, just read through and see what others have said is what they have done and see if any suit your circumstances.

Cheers

Nobby.