Be careful if you've a new orange contract

jiblets1

I've just had an extended phonecall with orange customer services (who at least answered much more quickly than usual, thank goodness). I didn't realise when I signed up for my latest phone contract that I was automatically signed up for a 2 month free mobile internet trial. I didn't use that, not knowing that it was there.

When this month's bill arrived I spotted that there was a £5 charge there for a mobile internet contract. I didn't ever spot the box on the bill before because it had a big header saying sign up for unlimited internet usage. I'm not interested in the net on my phone, so I didn't read it.
What I didn't realise was when the free trial I didn't know I had ran out it would automatically sign me up for the £5 contract unless I opted out.

When I phoned orange, they cancelled the contract but initially refused to reimburse me this months £5. The operative informed me that I had no excuse because orange had sent me a TEXT MESSAGE so I must have known. He would not accept that a text message that I deleted as spam should not be accepted as informing me in writing. He eventually did put the money back in my account when I refused to hang up the phone until I spoke to a supervisor (who was out until "I don't know when") and he checked that I hadn't used the internet service (not a second).

So I did get my money back, but not until after a bit of a phone fight. I think it is terrible that companies try to slip these charges to you for something you never asked for. I only spotted it this month by chance. The charge on my bill was all in abbreviations, and was tucked within some other regular charges. Naughty, naughty, Orange.