Orange 'Free' Broadband

Will_B_Back

Hi hjb123,

If you are to be effected,you may,eventually,get the letter. It appears that they are being sent out in batches. However the shortsighted executives at Orange /EE may by now have been persuaded by the reaction of the Good Folk on this Forum, that they are a waste of time, and will see fit to put their customers minds at rest with an Official Statement.
They might even come clean an admit that customers were misled.

Well we can always dream, can't we ?

hjb123

thanks will b back, hopefully wont get the letter but I probably will unless they change their minds! just wasnt sure whether with paying this £5 per month it might not affect me - heres hoping!

Eva49

hjb123 wrote: »

thanks will b back, hopefully wont get the letter but I probably will unless they change their minds! just wasnt sure whether with paying this £5 per month it might not affect me - heres hoping!

I was told by Exec this would be going eventually - but fingers crossed.;)

Eva49

Dear Mr Vaizey,

Please find attached document which gives a concise outline of the matter for which I request your help.
I have also contacted my locally elected MP for Southampton Test, Mr Alan Whitehead to request his help.
You will note from the outline document that a group of us have been fighting Orange Telecommunications since late August and have achieved a positive outcome for some.
I now ask for your support in bringing this matter before Parliament to be addressed at the highest level.
Yours faithfully


I have CC'd in Ofcom (Graham Howell) and the entire Board of EE


http://explore.ee.co.uk/our-company/our-team

ORANGE FREE FOR LIFE BROADBAND OFFER

Outline

Ref 1) In June 2006, Orange offered ‘Free for Life’ home broadband in direct competition with Talk Talk (Carphone Warehouse)

Objectives were two-fold and well documented in the media.

1) To retain their broadband customer base, estimated at 2 million, who had previously subscribed to Wanadoo, which was acquired by Orange.
2) In an attempt to stop customers defecting and to increase their mobile sales.

The offer was dependant on customers subscribing to a mobile phone contract at a minimal monthly cost of £30 per month and relied upon having a BT landline.

The offer was actively marketed and effectively induced customers to renew mobile phone contracts, which were not competitive when compared to other telecom providers; by factoring in the free broadband element, this then made an effective comparison and served to retain customers.

Ref 2) In August 2012 Orange started to roll out letters informing customers this offer would ONLY continue IF customers subscribed to an Orange landline subscription at £14.00 per month.

On challenging this decision I was told by Orange they retain the right to vary/withdraw offers and this was covered by their terms and conditions.
Ofcom confirmed this and told me it was a ‘Commercial/Business decision’.

Ref 3) I then pursued my claim against Orange via the route of a mis-sold contract and subsequently accepted penalty free release from my contract on 3rd October 2012 by way of a Notice of pre-Court Action.
However, my 1st choice would have been to retain my free broadband as promised and as I had had since July 2006.

Ref 4) I am an active member of MSE forum and as a group, we have now achieved, via the mis-selling route, re-instatement of free broadband to run concurrently with current mobile contracts, however, this is only on a ‘case by case’ basis – if you do not complain, broadband is disconnected.

Subsequent to this I now learn from a contract lawyer that Orange having made a ‘headline offer’ negates the small print within the Terms and Conditions!

From all the above the following issues have arisen.

1) Orange have been given the go-ahead and supported in this Business Decision by the regulators Ofcom.


2) Ofcom have refused to support consumers by constantly shielding Orange.


3) CISAS are unable to adjudicate due to the Business Decision and the huge number of customers affected by this.


4) Mis- selling is a criminal offence and as such needs investigating by Trading Standards in order to protect consumers.

We have requested, via Ofcom, and under the Freedom of Information Act, details relating to this case, Ofcom have however replied that they are unable to act on this request as it is prohibited by the Communications Act 2003.

What we seek

1) Transparency from the regulating body.


2) A blanket decision from Orange to secure re-introduction of free broadband for every customer currently tied by their mobile contract for the length of said contract.


3) Direction on the validity to withdraw a Free for Life product


4) Investigation in the practice of mis-sold mobile contracts.


References


1) http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2006/may/25/news.mobilephones


2) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/bills/article-2196350/Orange-axes-free-broadband-mobile-customers.html


3) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/bills/article-2225654/Orange-backtracks-free-broadband-axe--customer-keeps-complaining.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490


4) https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4133021


5) http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/26/orange-broadband-customer-care

The_Future_is_Bright

:beer: SPECTACULAR LETTER, AND VERY MUCH TO THE POINT. ORANGE HOPE YOUR TAKING THIS ON BOARD. FOOLISH IF YOU DON'T. THIS FORUM WILL RUN AND RUN UNTIL "WE GET WHAT WE HAVE SET OUT TO ACHIEVE" FREE BROADBAND FOR THE DURATION OF CURRENT CONTRACTS":T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:beer:

jezster

Fantastic letter EVA49
:beer:

ozgril2007

I've written 2 letters, 1 email and also called Orange about the fact that my mobile package was sold to me with the free broadband included for the duration of the contract and that I expected free broadband to continue. I have not yet had a response from Orange and when I call I get told someone will call me back (and no one ever does).

I took my complaint to the CISAS after 8 weeks of no response from Orange. I asked them to end my contract early without penalty or continue the free broadband. This is the response from the CISAS I received this week. I still have not had a response from Orange which I find incredible. Any advice on what i should do next?


Dear Ms XXX
[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]
Case No: XXX - XXX v Orange Home UK
[/FONT][/FONT]Further to the acceptance of your application in the above case, the company has objected to your application being accepted. We have reviewed your application again and confirm that the company’s objection is valid. Unfortunately we will be unable to help you in this matter as your complaint concerns a business decision taken by the company you are complaining about. Business decisions fall outside the scope of our scheme and we have no power to deal with a complaint of this nature.

We suggest you contact your local Citizen’s Advice who may be able to advise you how to pursue your complaint further.

We are sorry we cannot be of further assistance on this occasion.

Yours sincerely

Case Administrator

Eva49

Hi ozgril2007

Did you log your complaint with Ofcom and get a case number?
Did you call the exec office?
Even though it's a pain you do need to be proactive, call exec back for an update - given that you have waited 8 weeks for CISAS sounds as though you got your notification from Orange back in August?
Do you still have your BB? - or have you changed provider?
Orange do seem to be responding to complaints more efficiently at the moment and appear to have done a U turn, by reinstating free BB to run concurrently with mobile contracts - but only for those who complain.

Eva49

Eva49 wrote: »

For anyone new here viewing this forum; much information has been ‘lost’ within the length of the thread I thought it prudent to collate a post outlining procedure for addressing this issue; Miss-sold mobile contracts

1) Phone Ofcom Tel: 0300 123 3333 or 020 7981 3040 http://www.ofcom.org.uk/contact-us ; outline your case and ask for a case number.

2) Phone Orange Executive Office: 0800 0790 134
Quoting Ofcom case no. and note the name of the person you speak to. Under Ofcom rules they have 48 hours to respond.

3) Put your complaint in writing following http://www1.orange.co.uk/documents/about/Orange-complaints-code-20120322.pdf

FAO name of the person you spoke to…..They have a 8 week window in which to resolve before it can be advanced to CISAS……..note: this case cannot be advanced to arbitration (CISAS) as it is deemed a ‘business decision’.
Then email to [EMAIL="executive.office@everythingeverywhere.com"]executive.office@everythingeverywhere.com[/EMAIL]

4) Report the case to Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) 08454 04 05 06 and ask for it to be reported to trading standards
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/phones_tv_internet_and_computers_index_e/consumer_problems_with_contracts_packages_and_offers_e/product_or_service_has_been_mis_sold_to_you_tv_phones_and_internet.htm

5) The next step would be to take your claim to the small claims court.
Issue a Notice of Pre-Court Action (suggest 10-14days notice) and email FAO (Name of Contact) [EMAIL="executive.office@everythingeverywhere.com"]executive.office@everythingeverywhere.com[/EMAIL] back that up with a hard copy and send by recorded delivery to Head Office:

Company Reg No: 2178917

Company Secretary
Orange Personal Communications Ltd.,
Hatfield Business Park
Hatfield
Hertfordshire
AL10 9BW

OR

Company Reg No 02382161

Company Secretary
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE LIMITED
HATFIELD BUSINESS PARK
HATFIELD
HERTFORDSHIRE
AL10 9BW

6) Link to register online application

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome

Finally, contact BBC Watchdog and any media available.

Good Luck to all Apologies for the length!

[FONT=&quot]Orange retained their Mobile Contract Customers by offering ‘Free BB for Life’ as an inducement to renew their Mobile Contract for a minimum term, and most of us relied upon that representation that Orange would not remove this incentive, certainly, it was not foreseeable at the time of renewal this would be to our detriment some time into a new contract.
Customers are now under duress to accept the current offer which is a substantial variation in terms, and has to be acceptable…

[/FONT]

Bump ******

Will_B_Back

Hi ozgil2007,

Have you received notification that you will be "cut off" on a specific date, if you do not comply with the demand to switch your landline provider?.

If not, my advice would be to sit tight and wait for now.

If you have received the "dictat" then may I suggest that you scroll back to eva49's Post 2996 on this page .Contacting Ofcom for a Reference Number, seems to be the leverage that you need to make The Orange Executive listen, and most seem to receive a "stay of execution", until your phone contract runs out.


However, if you feel like joining those of us who strongly object to being mis sold your contract, please consider signing RobbedRobbins petition, which seeks to correct this injustice.

A quick read through the threads will give you an idea of our feelings.