Orange 'Free' Broadband

Gadgetmaster

Vdubster wrote: »

Thanks, so would you recommend just putting something in writing to the the address you quoted and await Orange's next move?

James

Certainly would James, but I would also lodge a complaint with OFCOM first, then quote the OFCOM reference in your letter to Orange, as without this, Orange don't seem too keen on responding. See
http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/tell-u...hone-services/
Expect a standard letter from OFCOM basically saying that Orange are doing nothing illegal (although they fail to mention immoral!)

virgin11

I have just received the letter, have been reading this thread hoping Orange would miss me out.Rung them up and been past around from mobile dept to broadband dept c/s and round again been on the phone for over an hour.Eventually spoke to someone in c/s and he told me a special team has been setup and will look at things on a case by case situation.I think if it was possible to get some type of group action we might start to get listened to.Have no idea where to start has anyone any ideas

mnbvcxz

Harrythe5pider wrote: »

I really don't know if Orange realise how many customers they are going to lose by this.

A few years ago they sent letters to everyone on their legacy adsl service on non unbundled exchanges and told them they were not economic and to go away. It was bizarre. My aunt went from freeserve dial up to wanadoo broadband to be kicked off orange. There was no interest in trying to convert her to a more modern package, when I called for her mac code they just said, oh your one of the ones we can't afford any more. She must have used about 100mb a month the way she surfs.

When my neighbours husband died she called them to change the billing to her name and they said sure no problem. Then the broadband was cut off, no warning, no option of a mac code, and they just said that was there policy when someone died. No apology nothing.

So I'm afraid weird as it sounds, when they make such efforts to get new customers, they really don't seem to care about throwing them away at all. I don't pretend to understand it but I wouldn't get your hopes up on a sudden seeing of the light. Sorry.

diamonds

mnbvcxz wrote: »

A few years ago they sent letters to everyone on their legacy adsl service on non unbundled exchanges and told them they were not economic and to go away. It was bizarre. My aunt went from freeserve dial up to wanadoo broadband to be kicked off orange. There was no interest in trying to convert her to a more modern package, when I called for her mac code they just said, oh your one of the ones we can't afford any more. She must have used about 100mb a month the way she surfs.

When my neighbours husband died she called them to change the billing to her name and they said sure no problem. Then the broadband was cut off, no warning, no option of a mac code, and they just said that was there policy when someone died. No apology nothing.

Vulgar!

Double vulgar, when a partner dies in such circumstances a transfer should be completed, death - the most stressful period of any & your left with no broadband when most would need it the most. I hope she reported such to Ofcom.

mnbvcxz

diamonds wrote: »

Vulgar!

Double vulgar, when a partner dies in such circumstances a transfer should be completed, death - the most stressful period of any & your left with no broadband when most would need it the most. I hope she reported such to Ofcom.

I was rather shocked too, though in fairness, despite appearances at the time, it was probably the absence of care rather than active malice on their part. As to complaints I'm afraid at the time she had other things on her mind and I just quietly signed her up for someone else and, reconnected her and moved on.

But anyway, sorry to derail the point. I was just pointing out that they can be rather a brick wall if you try and rationalize with them.

diamonds

Oh I know, until the "legal team" discovered I was more educated than a irate customer they treated me with discontempt....then after several throws of their "ball" it was bouncing straight back at them till they agreed they were in the wrong I had had my terms breached to my detriment & each consecutive point I challenged was correct & I was free to leave with no termination charges (14 months if i remember correctly)....given they admitted such I upgraded as I was free to leave & accepted to the new terms on a new contract with a new mobile just to prove my point

I'm the male bit ch you dont mess with legally or otherwise

Eva49

Harrythe5pider wrote: »

I really don't know if Orange realise how many customers they are going to lose by this. I was upset when they upped my contract mid price,and now the broadband removal but at least now I'm nearly in a position to do something about it and walk away from Orange.

I think they are banking on the favorable 'arrangement' with Ofcom, giving them exclusive 4G with no competition to attract as many as they lose.

And having just read their new website 'Orange Just Got Better' *choking* .......... it would appear when they roll out the fibre BB customers will need to upgrade and sign up to an EE Fibre BB plan!!

Therein lies the catch......once they have the land line.......and the question to be asked: is their plan to provide ONLY fibre BB in the future?????

I am sure there will be some who will not have an appetite for the fight.......but having read about the Hoover debacle drawn to my attention by member 'watchdog' ....... it certainly gives food for thought.

I for one will not 'roll over' and take this..........while their T&C's may stand up.............their Mis-selling will NOT.

Ofcom said it was a 'commercial decision' to withdraw the 'free for life BB'
And the LAW says: A false statement which influenced your decision to enter into a contract is also an example of unfair commercial practice.This is a criminal offence. [FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]

joolsleeds

Well, I think I was one of the lucky ones, who's mobile contract was up for renewal.

Since receiving my letter withdrawing my broadband, I have been able to move 2 of my 3 contracts away from Orange, with the last one moving in January.

Overall, I was paying £80 a month to Orange....by January that will be zero.

I've moved my broadband too, and am enjoying a service twice as fast. The move was simple.

I guess the point of this post is to say that Orange have lost the best part of my £1,000 a year. I find the whole episode incredibly unethical and will never subscribe to Orange again.

Good luck to those of you trying to get Orange to yield on the contracts.....though I suspect they will have a gaggle of lawyers all over this.

watchdog

Just like drug pushers, our 'provider' waited until we were reliant on their Broadband service, and then hit us with their Faginesque underhand deceit.

A fortnight ago, many Orange 'FREE BB' customers will have seen the TV documentary about that hapless young person, who become reliant on the services of his drug 'provider'.

We learned that the youngster was initially befriended by his 'provider' with bonhomie and constant attention. He was offered free drugs for 'as long as he liked', because he was a good 'mate'. After a while the youngster became reliant on the services of his 'provider', at which point his 'provider' advised that he could no longer offer the drugs for free, because of his own costs. Then, because of his dependent reliance on the 'provider's' services, he saw no alternative, and he was confronted with ever increasing demands leading to his life spiralling out of control.

Whilst an extreme analogy, the letter from our 'provider' Orange brought this program to mind. Is Orange really so different to the 'provider' in that program ? Are their tactics really so different ? They enticed us all with disingenuous promises, and bullied their sales staff to sell 'Free BB for life'. How many of us actually asked for their service ? I certainly didn't, it was foisted upon me. Just like that Building Society TV advert, we were all hooked with that 'big juicy worm'. But, of course, those smug sleazy Orange executives covered their duplicity in the small print T&C's didn't they. Hence, even the toothless OFCOM regulator is as much use as a chocolate teapot in these circumstances. The only weapon available to Orange 'Free BB' customers is media exposure - just the simple unadulterated truth will do. Are you listening Ms Ann Robinson ?

What will life become, when we can no longer trust anyone, and we must read every single word of every single contract, looking for the hidden traps and trip wires ?

Thanks to our 'provider' Orange, that World is today a step closer, and it is not a nice World.

gjrwilliams82

Fantastic! What a wonderfully warped way of looking at it. Thank you watchdog, that has really made me smile.

I wonder if there's a possibility that Orange is selling on OFCOM-approved goods... Surely not, that would be like pushers selling NHS-grade methodone... Oh, er... Hmm...