Simply Fone - now a Premium number!!!

digp

minim55 wrote:

I just called Orange after downloading my bill. I got charged for calls from 07/04/2005 to 12/04/2005 using 07744974333(when I first got the message that the number was premium rate!)

Up to the date from when they caused an announcement to be played, fairness requires that they refund the money.

They are refusing to refund me even though the cost of using the number was changed without any notification. They say that the number is an override number and that they are entitled to charge for it outside of x network minutes. They started to charge when they detected it as an override number. Can someone please advise me how to argue my case as I don't believe they should be changing call charges mid billing period like this without notifying us in advance. Many thanks

This is the same point made to me. I've given them a few days to consider, or I shall simply sue them.

Now that I remember - what is really infuriating is that I asked Orange how they were able to treat customers differently, ie. some are getting refunded and I am not. How can they treat me differently and what can I do?

Who knows!?

Orange are also claiming that o2 are now charging for this number, which is an untruth.

andy88_2

The announcement of premium rate was introduced later than they intended.

I used it on Sat 9th, asked about charging on the 12th. I was told it was a normal mobile number. I believe that the tariff announcement was implemented on either 13th or 14th.

Internal info at Orange said the announcement would be implemented on 8th or 9th; it was intended for the 7th or 8th but there was a delay. Not onlt that but they hadn't educated their staff about changes until 14th or 15th.

On the basis of no tariff warning, I asked for the calls on the 9th to be waived or refunded. I'm told that the refund will happen. I expect a bill in the post shortly.

Make your objection that the premium rate tariff announcement was introduced too late

LSmith4285

Maybe instead of moaning about this being charged for you could all just pay for calls in the normal way like the rest of us

I crazy idea I know.....

andy88_2

I'm not moaning; most of the time I'm saying that others are moaning too much.

We see ludicrous recommendations to waste Ofcom's time with written complaints (and someone ready to complain to his MP in advance about Ofcom's conduct of the response, and subject it to a parliamentary review of standards), when Ofcom clearly state that they cannot be involved until deadlock is reached in an existing dispute.

However, it appears that the premium rate warning was introduced later than their internal information said it would be, and Orange are usually more scrupulous about such things, so I think it helpful to suggest discussing this to others.

Many of Orange's tariffs for international calls, especially for ringing European mobiles and USA, are very good. Americans usually recommend each other to get Orange or Virgin payg.

michaels

I would have more sympathy for the operators if it was actually costing them to allow these calls as part of the inclusive minutes. However the Inquam numbers termination charges (those paid by the operator to connect you to these numbers) are no higher than those for 3. Even worse are the blocks on 0800, 0870, 0845, 0841 and 0871 numbers - the networks are actually better off if you use your inclusive minutes to call these numbers rather than other mobile operators but I guess they are hoping the minutes will be unused or used to call landlines instead, which as 18866 prove costs next to nothing.

malolo

michaels wrote:

I would have more sympathy for the operators if it was actually costing them to allow these calls as part of the inclusive minutes.

It does cost them to allow these 'calling card' numbers to be included in inclusive minutes as people are obviously using them in order to make calls which would cost more on the network they have chosen to take out a contract with... otherwise there would be no point in using them.

michaels wrote:

Even worse are the blocks on 0800, 0870, 0845, 0841 and 0871 numbers

Calls to 0800 numbers are free on Orange.

thefirs

malolo wrote:

Calls to 0800 numbers are free on Orange.

Not on OVP tariffs, which must represent the majority of their connections?

AIMEEJAAN

hi i have had the same problem and spoke to orange just now they r refunding me half the amount even though they charged me from the 6/4/05, and i got the message on the 13.04.05 but they r refusing to co operate they said that they were falsley given the incorrect number and were led to believe this was a mobile number! i was told that i shud have been charged a higher price per min prior to this numba.. being deducted from my free mins! make sure u speak to a spervisor as the staff are nt clued up... make sure u stand ure ground as they sumthing is beta than nothin...

hope this helps

LSmith4285

thefirs wrote:

Not on OVP tariffs, which must represent the majority of their connections?

This represents a small fraction of Orange's contract connections.