MSE News: Orange and T-Mobile customers face yet more price hikes

CKhalvashi

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver wrote: »

I agree. When is OFCOM gonna clamp down on them instead of !!!!!footingingy around?

Hopefully soon.

Surely all companies should be able to reasonably forsee reasonable price rises over the following 2-3 years and account for it?

CK

real1314

CKhalvashi wrote: »

Hopefully soon.

Surely all companies should be able to reasonably forsee reasonable price rises over the following 2-3 years and account for it?

CK

This!

If they can't model their business over a 2 year period they should sack every accountant they employ!
It's a complete myth that they have been caught unawares by rising costs. They are simply exploiting a loophole that has no equivalent clause for the consumer.
And as every operator uses these clauses, there is no real option for the consumer to avoid this type of snide action.
The suggestion of a true fixed price, for an excessive loading that would cost more than an inflation rise is rather fatuous.

If T-mobile had said my contract would be £21, rising to £21.75 in April 2013 and then to £22.50 in April 2014 i would have no complaints.
If they had said £21, rising by RPI from April 2013 and again in April 2014, I would have no complaints.

They advertised £21 per month for 24 months. No explicit talk of rises. And no suggestion that a reduce RPI rate would lead to lower costs.

The simple fact is that they were aware that inflation actually happens, and it hasn't really significantly moved over the past 12 months.
It's a consumer con. An increased charge that is conveniently hidden away.
The fact that they may or may not operate the clause is what makes it an unfair clause in my opinion, and that is the root of it's deception, allowing them to advertise one rate despite intending to charge another. :cool:

real1314

Lifes_Grand_Plan wrote: »

When people complain about this and make it an important issue.

PLEASE, if this annoys you as much as it annoys me, do ensure you contact Ofcom in response to their consultation:

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/price-rises-fixed-contracts/howtorespond/

That ofcom work is so shocking poor they should all be sacked immediately. There is even one question which starts with "do you agree..." - therefore needing a yes / no response, but then continues with "...or do you think....". How they will respond or assess any response that starts with either "yes" or "no" is anybody's guess.

It's an appalling consultation. I'd bet most visitors give up - and ofcom will justify inaction based on low responses. :cool:

robbies_gal

no you cant get out of your contract it in the small print

im not really surprised just hope ofcom start bucking up their ideas soon

NFH

Am I missing something? Given that the price rise does not apply to Orange business, Sim-only, works and "current pay monthly consumer" customers, does this mean that the only affected Orange customers are those on a tariff which is not currently marketed? Many such customers will no longer be in contract and will be free to move.

I'm on an Orange business SIM-only contract, so I'm excluded on two counts, but last time Orange did the same to business customers only a few months after hitting consumer tariffs with this.

d123

macman wrote: »

The networks have the right to rise their prices by any amount they care to, any time they care to-it's not a fixed price contract.
However, if the increase is 'detrimental' to the consumer then they can leave without penalty. The definition of 'detrimental' is generally interpreted as meaning any increase over and above the RPI, although that is not specifically written into the contracts.

Also wrong information with regard to T-Mobile contracts, it has virtually the same terms as those posted by Guys Dad.

They can change up to RPI, above that and there is a right to cancel.

NFH

gwapenut

I believe I have 5 grounds for complaint with the regulator:

1. Last time, they hiked my base line rental, but not my introductory year discount, meaning my introductory rental increased at more than inflation for the £5 I was paying.

2. Annual inflationary rises less than 12 months apart

3. Annual inflationary rises cherry picking inflation rates from different months each year. Inflation measures only work when comapred with the same month each year.

4. Using the RPI last year, which included the VAT increase, and applying it to the pre-VAT amount, meaning I paid for the increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% twice

5. Annual RPI rises being imposed just a month or two into a new contract - how can they argue that their costs have increased by annual inflation in the space of a month?

I also note my 28-Feb bill has moved to 1-Mar this month with a comment that my billing cycle has changed. I do hope for their sake that they have not changed my billing date to the 1st of the month, in order to somehow bring forward my price rise. (Note - it was not a 29th of the month bill, but the 28th. Easily achievable in Feb, and achieved last year)

Blue_Garuda

They have also implemented a stealth price hike. Orange Care, insurance you really need on expensive modern phones, is to rise from £6.00 to £7.99.

This is way above RPI, a massive increase which many users cannot avoid if they want the replacement service etc.

I'm sure their legal team has worked out that they can screw customers by claiming Care isn't part of your phone contract, but I would argue that if taken out as part of the package, then they should be tied to RPI for this too.

Their coverage is now useless in my area, as they mess about with transmitters, no doubt to save money after the EE formation. I need mobile coverage for calls from an elderly relative. Again, they slide out of this responsibility by saying they don't guarantee coverage, whereas I specified it as the reason for buying from them.

They used to have a reputation for being expensive but having good customer care - now they are just expensive and Everything Exasperating.

NFH

Blue_Garuda wrote: »

They have also implemented a stealth price hike. Orange Care, insurance you really need on expensive modern phones, is to rise from £6.00 to £7.99.

Why? Just take better care of your phone or insure elsewhere, for example by including it on your household contents insurance.