are Orange in the wrong if so what to do

HelenH40

Hi, I have an Orange mobile contract which also includes broadband. I've had this for a few years now and the only reason I renewed that last time (it's a 2 year contract) was because of the broadband and I didn't want the hastle of sorting out another broadband provider. Yesterday I received a letter from orange stating that as of begining of november I will no longer get the broadband unless I want to pay another £28 per month!! I phoned them this morning to express my disgust at this and was told the broadband is not part of the contract and is done on a month by month basis. I have never been told this and although I'm sure this is somewhere in the small print I was not aware of this! My question is, was I missold, is there anything I can do about it? I have about a year left to run on what will be a very expensice contract if it doesn't include the broadband. My husband is with vodafone and he can have extra phones on his contract for only £10 per month with unlimited text, 500 mins and internet which I would have had if it wasn't for the broadband. I realise I can get a good deal on the broadband if I go elsewhere but that isn't the point. I only took this contract because of the broadband. Is there anything I can do? Thanks, a fuming Helen.:(

diamonds

Helen, loads of thread on the INTERNET board

Mod perhaps could move/merge this to there ?

Tony5101

Sorry to sound cynical....but who really takes out a mobile phone contract on the basis that it's only to get free broadband?
I can understand the annoyance...but claiming that this is the ONLY reason you took out a mobile phone contract, seems more than a bit tenuous.

HelenH40

Tony, you are wrong! If you have a look at the thread on internet which I have since found, you will find a lot of people in the same position. That IS the only reason I chose to stay with orange on that contract, it was what made it a good deal, without the internet there are better deals elsewhere. I have had my broadband through orange for years and for them to give 1 months notice halfway through the contract that either you pay £28 a month more to keep it or lose is just plain wrong and if you think otherwise then you are living on another planet!

T_T_2

HelenH40 wrote: »

Tony, you are wrong!

Of course he is wrong, ignore him. There are plenty of financially sensible reasons why someone would take out a contract for one thing when their primary intention is to benefit from another part of the deal. E.g. people who sign up to phone contracts to get a free laptop, or people who register for specific credit/debit cards when they only intend to use it to avoid easyjet booking fees.

Buzby

The difference is the BB is an offer or inducement, nothing more. It has no relevance to the primary service and can even be withdrawn.

3UK game me a free subscription to a digital newspaper for over 2 years, it was great - but the offer ended.

I'm still with 3UK though.

Naf

T_T wrote: »

... sign up to phone contracts to get a free laptop...

Yep, over the last 4 years I have done both of these and another slightly more stupid one.
I upgraded one contract to get cashback to go towards an iPad on another contract. Would have all been fine; upgrade went fine, plenty of cashback, then I was declined for the connection to the iPad deal. Oops.
Anyway, OP: how long have you had the broadband (other than just 'a few years' as you say). Originally the broadband was an 18 month contract for which you had to have an 18month phone contract running alongside - taking the BB renewed your 18months phone deal so they always ran parallel. If you've had it long enough to be one of these deals then you might argue that your existing BB deal should last at least until the linked phone deal expires?
I also had the luck that when I explained that I had the phone solely for the BB deal they cancelled it with no charges. But this might not work, and you could only argue it if you don't actually use the phone, which it sounds like you do?

diamonds

Tony5101 wrote: »

I can understand the annoyance...but claiming that this is the ONLY reason you took out a mobile phone contract, seems more than a bit tenuous.

Not at all, I took a Orange contract as broadband was £5 during this FREE/£5 period, income was very tight & it saved me a minimum of £30 a month as it also included free calls on a "second" line (voip).

Some of us were SUPER savvy even way back then.

diamonds

Buzby wrote: »

The difference is the BB is an offer or inducement, nothing more. It has no relevance to the primary service and can even be withdrawn.

3UK game me a free subscription to a digital newspaper for over 2 years, it was great - but the offer ended.

I'm still with 3UK though.

But if you made a upgrade with the FREE subscritption for another two years then it was pulled ?......