Orange have disappeared my account and phone number...

chompie

Ok, so I don't really know what's happening.

I am on Orange PAYG and I got a new phone for Christmas, but when I went to put my existing SIM in, I realised it required a different one (Nano) So I ordered one via my online account.


After a couple of days I received a text saying the request for a new sim was unsuccessful due to incorrect details.


I knew what this was about. I have had my orange account for about 5 years, when I was bought a new phone one year that was on Orange, it came with credit so being a PAYG customer I just switched the number across. But on the odd occasion I have had to contact CS they have queried me as the "account" is in my mum's name and the email address is my brother's

So I entered my brother's email and it seemed to go through (he confirmed he had received an email saying the new sim would be sent)

A week passed and no sim was received so I contacted Orange CS, then was told I was not the account holder so put them in on with my mum who told them it was my account. So they confirmed they had changed my details, and I asked that a new Sim be sent, this was also confirmed.


A day or two later I noticed that I had no signal on my phone, so I went online to check this and found a lot of people saying that when you order a replacement SIM from orange your old sim is automatically deactivated (not sure now if true) So I thought Ok, I can be a few days without a phone.


Now a week had passed again with no signal or new sim.
So today I phoned up CS...


Firstly I have to phone through Landline, as I have no active orange SIM. then it asks me to enter my Mobile number I am ringing about, so I enter the number and get this message "sorry, we do not recognise the number you have entered"
Ok, I may have entered it wrong, so I go again. Same message. Now I am worried.

So I go to my online account (all in my name but still brother's email) enter my phone number, and get the same.


So now I have to ring again (calls charged at my expense) and cannot get through to PAYG without entering a number. So I try Pay monthly, and don't enter any number. and after asking a few times they put me through to an operator.

Asks for my number and details, "Computer says no..." I tell her the situation she puts me on hold, then comes back about five minutes later asking for more info. Puts me on hold again, then comes back and says they cannot find my account details and the is transferring me to someone that can help.


Seems I am on hold, then there is a click and a dead tone, so either I was hung up on, or there's some incompetence going on with the call system.

I have not been rung back.


Could it be possible that they have deleted/misplaced my account?


I have emailed complaints but even that seemed to be only for broadband customers go god knows if they'll respond or forward it.


The whole thing has been a farce.

diamonds

Call Ofcom and report it, your account seems cancelled without your or your mums consent.

chompie

diamonds wrote: »

Call Ofcom and report it, your account seems cancelled without your or your mums consent.

If they have done that (don't know how with an account in credit and no say so by anyone)


Would there be anyway of retrieving my phone number?

Ian011

If the calls you have made to Orange Customer Services have cost you more than if you had made equivalent calls to 01, 02 or 03 numbers, Regulation 41(2) of the Consumer Contracts Regulations gives you the right to a refund of the excess call costs incurred.
http://legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/41/made

diamonds

chompie wrote: »

If they have done that (don't know how with an account in credit and no say so by anyone)


Would there be anyway of retrieving my phone number?

Yes, disconnected numbers are held in limbo in retention for 6 months, the only person they can be issued to was the last holder within that 6 months

chompie

Laughable now.
I have contacted them again, and after the perfunctory search for my account, he comes back and says is this PAYG?
Yes.

Then he goes of again, and says we cannot search for a PAYG account, or transfer you to anyone. please ring this number; 07973100450
this number will not connect me as i have no working phone number, After constantly repeating this to the operative. I was told to "ring it a few more times" (yes that was the solution)


So i told him again, that if i ring that number and enter my number i get told the number does not exist, if i ring and enter no number i get hung up on.


His solution then was to find a friend or family member with orange and ring from their phone, as this system was for Orange Pay monthly, and it cannot connect to PAYG...
So I told him I have no friends or family on Orange. So what are my options? "I cannot help you"
Amazing, astounding CS.


I have made a complaint to ombudsmen services (Ofcom's recommendation) and will wait and see, but not optimistic.

Anoneemoose

Is this an account that is/was used regularly?

chompie

Anoneemoose wrote: »

Is this an account that is/was used regularly?

Yes.

They got back to me today from the complaints department.

And confirmed my account had been terminated.

The woman was very apologetic (first person I had spoken to with an English accent) rather than just parroting off nonsense from a sheet that didn't apply. But she could find no reason that the account had been deleted.


She is sorting it for me now (although will be on EE now rather than Orange)

diamonds

chompie wrote: »

Yes.

They got back to me today from the complaints department.

And confirmed my account had been terminated.

The woman was very apologetic (first person I had spoken to with an English accent) rather than just parroting off nonsense from a sheet that didn't apply. But she could find no reason that the account had been deleted.


She is sorting it for me now (although will be on EE now rather than Orange)

You can ask it be reinstated as was on Orange if you dont want 4G on EE or its priceplan.