Any Samsung S3 phone owners with Orange using tethering?

usignuolo

This is a follow up to my earlier post. OH has a Samsung S3 and a monthly Business Solo contract. (this is since Nove 2012). He has the tethering option on his menu, and was sold the phone and package on the grounds that it supports tethering. However it will not activate. Or rather it did once for a limited period after Orange did something at their end. It doesn't work at present.

He is getting conflicting stories from Orange about whether or not tethering is available on his phone, with his package or maybe it was available but it is no longer or maybe he needs a different package. They keep changing their tune.

If anyone out there has a Samsung S3 on a monthly deal with Orange and is using tethering successfully, could you tell us (a) when contract dates from, and (b) which deal you are on.

Many thanks

Number29

The S3 most definitely features tethering, but whether you can use it or not depends on whether your contract allows for it.

usignuolo

Therein lies the problem. The dealership who sold us the phone say it does, the staff at Orange HO sometimes say it does and sometimes say it doesn't. I have looked at contract and cannot find it mentioned, but nor can I find any reference on the web or on Orange website, about needing a specific contract to include it. The references which I can find suggest it is available as default on S3s (there is a menu option to turn it on) subject to having paid for sufficient bandwidth on a monthly contract.

At the time he signed up, OH asked dealership to include it specifically in the Ts and Cs and they assured him it was not necessary, it was a default status with the right phone and sufficient monthly bandwidth. They still claim this is the case and say Orange have never advised them of any special contractual requirements. They refer us back to Orange.

When we phone Orange we get conflicting stories, sometimes they say it needs to be turned on at their end, which they then fail to do and at other times that dealer has not notified them and we have to consult the dealer. Dealer says knows nothing about this and so we are going round in circles.

Of course Orange may have introduced restrictions since our contract started. Hence wondering who has same phone as OH with tethering with Orange and wondering what contract /plan they are on and when it dates from.

ZhugeEX

http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/support/personal/633003/2

They usually don't but some plans do allow it.
Tbh you can get around it quite easily by rooting the phone and installing an app. (not that i recommend doing that)

usignuolo

Yes well that link says you can turn on tethering via the menu on the S3. Only in OH's case it doesn't activate. After a lot of pressing, Orange said we could have tethering if we upgraded to the next level of Business Solo (which of course is nigh on impossible as OH has only recently signed a new two year contract). But just in case I looked up the ts and cs for the Business Solo accounts and they are all the same, no mention of tethering.

A search on the web somehow threw up an "EE restricted circulation" document called Tethering Bundles "to sit in PAYM Bundles section on Orange terms". That said if you are a new or existing Orange pay monthly customer on any Animal iphone or SIMO plan with a compatible iphone or android phone and computer you can add a tethered data bundle to your account and use your phone as a modem.

It then goes on to list the rates and surcharges.

Needless to say neither Orange nor our dealer have mentioned this as an option. So I am not sure when it dates from or if it has been superseded.