Orange 'Free' Broadband

neil9313 · 22 August 2012 at 11:11AM

passatrider wrote: »

I've been an Orange broadband user since the days of Wanadoo takeover.
Now, when I took out a phone contract a few years back I was given Home Broadband 'free for life' or so I thought. This was provided you kept the phone contract and it was a plan over £30.

Two years ago I left my contract and went Orange Pay as You Go as I was informed that as long as I kept my Orange phone and kept credit on it, the free Broadband would still continue.

Today, I get an email from Orange informing me that my 'Free for life' Broadband will cease from 17/10/12 as I no longer have a contract with them - even though I left my contract in October 2010.
To continue with this offer I have to take out an Orange phone plan again and also take a Home phone plan.

Where do I stand with this?:(

Orange have to only give you 30 days notice, I heard this was coming last month from a good contact in Orange. The PAYG was a loophole. There is nothing that you can do IMHO

I have the Orange second line and that's going as well,

The good news is that you might get a good deal.

neil9313 · 22 August 2012 at 11:19AM

BuntyB wrote: »

I to have been with Orange since around 2006 and I have kept up my mobile phone contracts to enable me to continue to receive the free broadband. So far I have not heard anything about my free broadband ending.

The call/email may be coming very soon.

neil9313 · 22 August 2012 at 11:22AM

calamity_h wrote: »

I'm in the same position - Orange took over my Wanadoo broadband account in 2006 and offered me free broadband if I took out an 18 mobile contract with them which I did and have continued to renew as the cost overall was cheaper with the free broadband despite their mobile contracts, coverage and service not being the best available.

My contract period ended in May but I stayed with them whilst researching iphone contracts and to stay with Orange, whilst not the cheapest contract, worked out about the same taking the free broadband into account and the hassle factor of moving both contracts. So, at the end of June I upgraded to a 2 year iphone contract (which was more expensive than my previous package and longer) but checked with Orange on two separate occasions before committing that I would still retain my free broadband and was told that I would so I proceeded on this basis which I would not have done if the free broadband was no longer part of the deal. If they are now removing the free broadband offer, I am definitely going to be paying more for the next 22 months. I rang them today and they kept saying I could keep the broadband provided I moved my line rental over to them but I can’t do this as I renewed an 18 month contract with BT recently so I’m stuck. I’ve been trying to find the terms of the original offer on the net but am not having much luck so apart from having the names and dates of conversations with their sales people who confirmed I would retain the free broadband, I’m in a weak position. I just don’t see how they can get away with enticing customers to renew a contract with them with a free offer that they then recind less than 10% of the way through the contract.

I suspect if your in contract you will keep the free BB

BuntyB · 22 August 2012 at 11:30AM

Sigh, got the letter this morning. Though having a quick look at other BB / phone packages it seems to me that Orange are still the cheapest option unless anyones found better?

Leon_W · 22 August 2012 at 12:46PM

Got the letter this morning aswell.

Just had a right old ding dong with some pillock at Orange. Renewed my mobile contract a few months ago as it was offered with more free broadband (I've been a customer since Wanadoo),
and now this !

Doesn't seem fair to me. I'll update this thread if I find out anything.

EmmaLWL · 22 August 2012 at 12:55PM

I am having same experience as everyone else. Took out a new contract with orange for a mobile phone with the understanding that the free broadband would continue and now they are saying I have to pay line rental to keep getting the benefit.

I feel this comes under Ofcom's rules on mis-selling. I'm sure somewhere in the deepest darkest terms and conditions Orange have a get out. However when I renewed my contract I specially asked will be free broadband continue and I was told yes, without any caveats.

Take a look at Ofcom's pages on mis-selling.

ioscorpio · 22 August 2012 at 12:57PM

What exactly does the letter say, does it quote a deal to stay with them, or is it just the same deal as on their website?

Topcashback are currently offering £101 cashback for a new customer if you take the phone line as well, but don't suppose you can cancel and sign up again as a new customer like you can with a mobile.

gjrwilliams82 · 22 August 2012 at 5:36PM

I've received the same email from Orange and have had several phone calls with their CS operatives to try to resolve the issue.

Upshot of which is probably the following:

Orange broadband will be transferred to BT - I'm already with them for the phone but am out of contract, I should imagine.
Orange mobile contract (out of contract) will be going.
iPhone 4S (I know I5 is coming but, hey...) will be ordered with Three.

Orange? Pah! Just another colour in the rainbow.

Shame because I've been with them since Freeserve and had a mobile with them since about 2002. They tried to put a lot on 'Customer Loyalty' to get me to stay with them. I said I'd think about it but they ought to bear in mind that my allegiance should really be with BT - after all the GPO installed our phone line! Showing my age, huh?

I'm loathe to break with BT because their service has always been good, whereas in recent months, when I have had occasion to call Orange they've been overly scripted and quite unhelpful. They might be cheap, but are they the best?

Where I live (right out in the sticks - no LLU for us...) BT (or a resold brand) is the only choice - everyone around here has an @btinternet.com address for their email.

shamoon633206 · 22 August 2012 at 10:04PM

i donot know too much about orange broadband but i used DSL broadband that has very speed and high bandwidth....

calamity_h · 23 August 2012 at 12:23AM

I rang BT to see if I can get out my current contract with them and when they asked why I explained that Orange said BT had hiked their third party broadband provider charges to Orange so their executive had taken the decision that they had to pass this increase on to the customers. The BT lady was quite surprised as she said BT had actually decreased their charges to third party providers so Orange are basically telling people a load of old tosh. I can understand them charging a bit maybe for Broadband but to start charging people £13.50 for the service if they don't move their phone line or £18.50 for the broadband and phoneline is a complete rip off, especially whey they assured me 7 weeks ago I would be keeping it for free. I wouldn't mind if they agreed to let me out of my mobile contract but they are being very inflexible. Also, I seem to be getting caught between the cracks of Broadband Customer Services and Mobile Customer Services and keep getting passed between the two and neither department seem to have much information as they keep having to put me on hold to "check with a manager". Has anyone been in touch with Ofcom yet and got any impartial advice?

Orange 'Free' Broadband

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