Orange 'Free' Broadband

montage

They told me Orange have consulted us on this matter and its in their terms and conditions.....

If the criminal justice system worked like this we'd all be in a right heap of trouble. You'd just have to say i didn't do it in the face of over whelming evidence as long as you get there first.

epsilondraconis

Oh well, after being an Orange customer for many many years, I'm gradually moving everything away from them. The broadband is being switched to Sky and when my Orange mobile contract is finished, I will move away from them.

As Fitz2012 pointed out, previously when there were problems, Orange would usually sort something out; however here they are taking a very tough stance. If they had decided to stop the free broadband at the end of my mobile contract (next March) I would have paid to keep my broadband with them and also kept my mobile contract. Due to their commercial decision that goes back on what I was told when I renewed my mobile contract regarding the broadband, I won't pay them anymore money than I have to.

thegoodman

fitz2012 wrote: »

Ofcom and Orange are very much reading the same script.

Both very much prepared for the complaints, they knew would be coming! All very nicely briefed what to say. No deviation from the script. Although some have received some more information in email replies, addressing specific points, but Ofcom still failing to take any ownership or responsibility to deal with the issue.

In my telephone conversation to Ofcom, the lady was insistent that this was two contracts and Orange were within their rights etc. She was very blunt and aggressively defending Orange.

I asked her who had advised Ofcom on the legal position and how can she say that I had not been missold my mobile phone contract, without hearing the facts and investigating my complaint first.

Orange tell Ofcom no mobile contracts were missold. Free broadband was never offered as an inducement for a mobile phone contract. Ofcom, - thats perfectly legal, thank you Orange.

Incredible!

What make you think OFCOM is wrong?
Is it because their response is different to what you would like to hear?
Do you know OFCOM can only work within the UK law?
With the Orange broadband the OFCOM is right, the Orange sold the broadband for free subject to terms can be changed with a month's notice. The Orange have given a months notice.
The people have signe two contract one for mobile and another one for broadband.

The reason Orange can get away with this have nothing to do with OFCOM, the law need to be chaned so OFCOM can work under that. The OFCOM cannot take the action if it is within the law even if some users think its wrong.

The Ofcom is not a free chat line, you need to sticky to the point and don't go around the circle otherwise the person on the other side will try to cut the call short. No point in saying same thing again and again, is it?

The problem is many people sign the contracts without reading or understanding them. Same thing here everyone remember the word FREE but not many have kept the contract or remember the terms.

moon777

fitz2012 wrote: »

I am sure Orange could resolve this business decision quickly. Is it really that difficult to allow us to keep our free broadband for the remaining period of our current mobile contracts.

I doubt Orange will budge because the free braodband we have is probably costing them too much money to BT without having their line rental.

I agree the free broadband is now costing them to much to give it free.

However they have plenty of room to 'budge' - as they are in breach of contract via mis selling (okay it was verbal but to so many people - i even have written evidence via a carphone warehouse manager who made the call at upgrade to Orange and he was told free for length of contract - and as pointed out on Watchdog over something else its illegal under UK consumer law to give a free something as a contract incentive and then to remove it).

They can budge via: allowing us to cancel our mobile contracts.

Eva49

It seems to me, the decision By Orange is much more deeply rooted; the LLU removal was completed in November 2011; but free BB still offered and accepted, by myself, in March this year on renewal of contract.
The deal to 'unbundle' between Orange and BT was agreed in April 2010, plenty of time to get their act together.
My strong suspicion is this is connected to Ofcom auction for 4G bandwidth which gave Orange/EE the monopoly in August, well ahead of other telecommunication operators.

Found these interesting articles:

http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/mobile-wireless/3380517/orange-t-mobile-customers-miss-out-on-ee-4g-services/

http://news.techworld.com/mobile-wireless/3377165/everything-everywhere-rivals-hit-out-at-ofcom-4g-decision/

I strongly believe they will be unable to provide free BB due to the outdated routers most of us have, not to mention their commercial plans for fibre BB

Ofcom and Orange/EE are in bed together!...... hence we will get no support via Ofcom.

Of course, I may have read this all wrong….just my opinion

If my suspicions are correct, the only option would be for Orange to release us, penalty free, from our mobile contracts?

There HAS to be some underlying reason for the stance taken by Ofcom and Orange/T-Mobile?EE......

In any event, we should hear sometime today the outcome from Executive Office.

nobby1963

fitz2012 wrote: »

Ideally, offer us free broadband as expected or at least offer to switch line rental on more improved terms (certainly not less than online new customers). Allowing to cancel mobile contracts penalty free would be very nice! I am sure many would be happy to leave Orange.

Some, like me, cannot switch their line rental to BT as, to take advantage of what equates to £10.75 per month line rental we pay a year in advance - something I did in June of this year.

Having said this I would not move my line rental to them in any case as I find their customer service and technical support abismal even prior to this issue.

Free broadband as promised or a `get out of contract` without penalty is all that would suit me ( I know this would leave me out of pocket paying for broadband elsewhere but I would push for some sort of compensation as well ).

watchdog

This is what Ofcom have said to another disgruntled Orange customer :

With regards to you asking if the free broadband offer from Orange could, in Ofcom’s eyes, be considered an "inducement" to purchase the mobile contract, I can advise that, in circumstances where the free broadband offer is clearly and pro-actively sold and marketed as part of the sales process, then yes this is likely to be the case. However, in terms of the Orange offer, we have been advised that this was only the case in terms of the initial sign-up, but not in the context of any subsequent contract renewal.

The final sentence is very interesting 'we have been advised that'.

So, Ofcom are happy to take Orange at their word, although appear to dismiss the word of 1,000's of Orange's 'Free BB for life' customers - why is that ? It doesn't sound like an impartial regulator to me, it sounds like a regulator who likes to keep a clean desk, and is eating out of the hand of Orange !

I can state categorically that the 'free broadband' offer was not just offered on the initial contract sign-up, it was proatively offered on subsequent contract renewals. We all know that, all the Orange sales force know that, Orange's executives know that, so why doesn't Ofcom just accept it as fact ? This is precisely why I, and many others, regard the regulator as toothless.

Ofcom are not interested in making work for themselves. They will merely suggest a tortuous and vexatious resolution route, leading many Orange customers to die from terminal ennui and lassitude before ever achieving any resolution.

I have said before, although I will repeat myself ; these large corporates treat regulators with disdain. Regulators are akin to wimps ingratiating themselves with the playground bully. I firmly believe, the only action that will shake Orange is for national consumer editors to do a full page spread story, or, better still, for Ann Robinson to subject one of Orange's executives to her 'sticky pants' interrogation technique.

Finally, has anyone else noticed that the Orange shops have stopped answering their phones ? Now why could that be ?

montage

fitz2012 wrote: »

I asked would you send me a new bright box (to get 'n' rated wifi speed) for the new18 mth contract.

Orange said no! not on this offer, as if it's something special!!.

....

They offered to send me one... but they have already purchased me a new router back in feb when the livebox was deemed never to work again, and their netgear offerings were a joke. I had £50 credit to go get one myself.

Eva49

fitz2012 wrote: »

Spoke to Executive Office today. They are still waiting for a response from their legal team.

Come on Orange, it's really not that difficult, someone make a decision and resolve this without delay.

I am sure they are trying their hardest to find a way out of the mire!

nobby1963
Free broadband as promised or a `get out of contract` without penalty is all that would suit me ( I know this would leave me out of pocket paying for broadband elsewhere but I would push for some sort of compensation as well ).

Me too

montage

watchdog wrote: »

This is what Ofcom have said to another disgruntled Orange customer :

I firmly believe, the only action that will shake Orange is for national consumer editors to do a full page spread story, or, better still, for Ann Robinson to subject one of Orange's executives to her 'sticky pants' interrogation technique.

Finally, has anyone else noticed that the Orange shops have stopped answering their phones ? Now why could that be ?

...

I hear they will be featuring on watchdog shortly......

I probably feel the shops not answering their phones is due to the new iphone 5 launch pre orders over the last week and their launch today.