Orange pay monthly to PAYG

staceyc90

Hi everyone,

Firstly, please forgive me for the incredibly long and complicated explanation I'm about to provide. Secondly, I'd really appreciate any help or advice with this issue as Orange certainly don't seem to be helping very much!

So, I had a pay monthly contract (Apple iPhone 3gs) with Orange which lasted 2 years and ran out in September 2012. As I was taking a gap year abroad I got in touch with Orange in plenty of time to let them know I would be cancelling the contract and switching to Pay As You Go.

In September 2012, I was sent out a new PAYG sim card to replace the one I had been using previously, which I placed in the iPhone and called Orange to activate. As soon as I switched sim cards, the top left hand corner of the phone (where it usually said "Orange") read "No signal". I made the representative aware of this when I called and I was told that everything was fine and my phone would be available for use in 24 hours time.

3 days later, my phone was still reading "No signal" so I called again and was advised that the activation hadn't been completed properly and they would action that now - another 24 hours to wait! Once again, about 5 days past with no signal and I was unable to use the phone at all. I was leaving the country that week and made about 5 phone calls to Orange none of which solved the problem.

As I've been travelling, it's only now that I have returned home and need a phone to use that I have been in touch with Orange again. On my first call they advised that the phone is not blocked or black listed in any way and all I had to do was visit an EE store where they could replace the sim card. Visited the store today where the guy switched in another card - same problem. He also used my current sim in another phone and it worked fine, which suggests the problem is the phone.

Called again today and I'm basically being advised that, as the phone is PAYG, its my problem and they don't need to do anything. Despite the fact the phone was insured whilst it was pay monthly and stopped working immediately after I switched to a PAYG sim which they provided! I'm going to take the phone to an apple store to be checked over but I'm feeling very annoyed that I paid £60pm to Orange for 2 years for a phone and insurance, which as soon as I personally own and don't owe any money on, completely stops working!

Just my luck, Orange are claiming to have no notes about the previous phone calls made in September 2012 - apparently they don't record all calls:mad: I obviously called from my landline however and I'm sure I could get itemised bills to prove the calls were made!


Phew...so sorry to anyone who's managed to make it to this point. I feel like I've been had and just wondered if anyone has had a similar experience and managed to get it sorted out?

Thanks everyone