Orange 'Free' Broadband

Woodlandman

Just had my phone call from the special braodband team (01415679060).
Very matter of fact i think she was reading from a script.
She confirmed they would be honouring my free broadband until the end of my mobile contract (sep 2013).:beer:
I asked for compensation which she said they could only offer a maximum of £28.
I also asked for it all to be confirmed in writing via email which was agreed.

Again a big thank you to everyone involved in this forum. :T:T I was involved from page 3 so somewhat of a stalwart but would like to mention gadgetmaster for letting me plagurise his original letter of complaint which for information i sent on 26/08/2012.

Again thanks to everyone & i will still keep monitoring this forum for information regarding my claim of a higher compensation for all the emails, phone calls & stress this has caused.

RobbedRobbins

I can confirm the BB team on 0800 294 4747 ARE able to come to individual agreements on the basis of mis selling of mobile phone contracts which promised free BB and no change of landline provider to the end of your current mobile contract. So please do make that call. I have finally got them to accept this for my situation but they don't seem "able" to put this in writing. I have been "added to a list "
lets hope they don'y lose it.

RobbedRobbins

I am pleased to confirm there will now be press coverage on this situation, possibly on Wednesday in the Money section of a National tabloid. Thanks to all those who helped make this possible by sending in evidence.I hope it is a bit bigger than a paragraph at the bottom of the page!

road_hog_2

had the call,

free BB to end of mobile contract..(feb 2014)

now await confirmation email.

I am happy with this outcome.


if its honoured.

RH.

IdontlikeOrange

At home with flu and scribbled down the following:

Dear Madam/Sir,

We are customers of Orange mobile and Internet provider who took their “free for life Broadband” offer. It was available from 2006 and later, on the initial subscription to at least £30 monthly mobile package. All the subsequent renewals were made with explicit, in many cases only verbal, assurances that the free Broadband would stay the same. For many Orange customers the free Broadband (BB) was the main reason of renewal of otherwise expensive monthly tariffs. However, in August/September Orange decided to “withdraw” BB unless the customers’ landlines are switched to Orange and £14 monthly fees paid. Many of us received at least 3 letters with 3 different cut-off dates threatened.
Understandably it created outrage among us, since it appears that we all had been mis-sold our mobile contracts.
When trying to follow a complaint’s procedure described in Orange Complaints Code of Practice (http://www1.orange.co.uk/documents/about/Orange-complaints-code-20110118.pdf, we encountered tremendous difficulties. Their E-mail address was simply disabled. They never replied to the complaints via post. The Customer Service via phone was very unhelpful and ineffective, forwarding callers from one Department to another.
Undeterred, many of us registered our numerous complaints with Ofcom, an institution with is thought to regulate communication services and stop mal-practices. Their advice to customers was “to contact Orange directly to resolve their concerns if they believe they have been affected” and suggesting “Alternative Dispute Resolution (CISAS) if customers remain dissatisfied with the way in which Orange handled the complaint”. CISAS, when contacted, replied that “this case cannot be advanced to arbitration as it is deemed a business decision”.
We would like to call for Your immediate actions on two issues:
1. Effective protection of the UK consumers from illegal practices of companies such as Orange, since the so-called regulatory bodies refuse to do their duties;
2. Effective control of the above-mentioned regulatory bodies, which exist on the tax-payers’ money but do nothing to protect them.
Sincerely,


I was thinking about presenting it as an online petition through

http://www.change.org/en-GB/start-a-petition?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GST_USER_GBRT1_SCHT1_make_petition

If we could get a decent number of signatures, it can be sent to Parliament, although they have finicky rules when it comes to presenting public petitions (http://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/have-your-say/petitioning/public-petitions/).



The text is not final of course, so any edition/suggestion is welcome...
Also, if somebody does not want to be "seen" on the petition, they can use it as the template to send on their behalf only and just say through the forum that I had been sent (to get an idea of numbers).

I don't know, maybe it is not a brilliant idea but something must be done. The inglorious are extremely reluctant to admit that they were breaking the law and therefore leave very little documents/evidence behind. Lies and promises but always verbally. So our strength is in our numbers I think... If we all say the same... People from different geographical parts and backgrounds. The common denominator: Orange and their mal-practices...

diamonds

Will_B_Back wrote: »

"Ofcom are engaged in discussions with Orange to fully understand the situation.".

For Two Months!!!!!!!

" Orange says customers who want to cancel their BROADBAND contract, because of the changes, can do so without charge".

Thanks a bunch Orange
You can create smokescreens with the right words.

COME ON! ONE CLEAR, HONEST,STATEMENT WILL PUT A STOP TO ALL THIS NONSENSE!

And why I said report Ofcom & Orange to the Communications Minister MP & his Media Minister, two months for a regulator, and a free contract is free to cancel, but tied mobile phone accounts are not...its all spin.

tubanurse

I saw forum for 1st time today, similar situation, contract till next october, letter advising end of "Free" broadband. After reading forum, contacted ofcom, got complaint reference, contacted Orange on number on letter, spoke to CS, put me through to a manager, who gave his name. BB extended, free, till end of contract, did not ask for ofcom ref. Stated he will email later as he is awaiting an email template from orange for this situation. I got the impression that he was having the same converstion frequently though his manner and service were great. So many thanks to forum contributers.

vieyrad

Just spoken with exec office. Called last Monday with Ofcom case number and waited a week for the call back which did not come so i phoned them. They confirmed I was on the list but due to volume of calls the special team had not got to me yet. To save me waiting further he had a look at my details then spoke to a manager and agreed to honour the broadband till the end of the mobile contract in 4/2014 so I am happy with that.
I was not looking for compensation or a for life deal, just supply the complete service agreed when the phone was renewed. I was doing this on behalf of my son as I have the time, so I also asked about mine as I have not had a letter yet. It seems I may get a letter in which case just follow the same process.
I did ask for email confirmation which was not a problem (not got it yet) and he also said if for any reason it was disconnected by mistake to call him and he would resolve,
Seems they are getting the customer service right now but it has taken a lot and is only due to the early pioneers who have made such a great contribution to this forum and documented the process to follow. So a big thanks to those people.
I wonder how long it will be before Ofcom get fed up giving out case numbers which you must have to speak to the exec office. Still there will be an independent verification of the number of complaints,

Former_MSE_Helen

Hi all,

Just to let you know we're still looking into this, although we're struggling to collate any written evidence stating that broadband was either 'free for life', or that it would last for the entire length of a mobile phone contract every time a mobile phone was upgraded.

If you do have anything, please let me know at helen@moneysavingexpert.com or post it on this new, purely for evidence, thread.

Thanks, to everyone who has contacted me so far.

Best wishes,
Helen

dishyfella

I am delighted to say I have had my issue resolved, I received written confirmation today, stating I will continue to receive free broadband until the end of my contract in May.

I hope everyone who is effected will obtain satisfactory resolution.

With my resolution of Mis Selling I am delighted, Now I will pursue my issues I have had with the customer services of Orange.

For anyone with an issue of Mis selling I strongly suggest following Eva's idiot guide to resolution.

Good luck to all. I will continue to follow this thread with interest