Orange Contract: You Were Right

Bastard Orange, phoned me up in March, said "Mr Dean, would you like a
new N70?"

I said "OOh, no, it's just 6680 in disguise (I already have a 6680). I
want an N80".

Orange said "Well, would you like Six Months at Half Price? It should be
out then."

(My contract was due to expire 31st May 2006 (I bought the 6680 just
after my birthday).

So I said "OOh, yes please".

At no point, was any reference made to this being a contract extension,
but lo and behold. I logged on to Orange "Your Account" thing first
thing yesterday, checked out the offers section, and it said you cannot
take advantage of offers until the last three months of your contract,
from "01/07/2006". So they at no point told me it was a contract
extension, and at no point have I been sent a letter to confirm the new
contract terms. (Well, that will be my excuse - gotta see if I can get
the contract cancelled, and pay the other half of the last couple of
months bills, or try and bring the cost down with the lowest priced
contract I can muster, and pay off the next five months.

Even checking out the upgrades section, there are no 3G Phones
available, and no N80 therefore. Even phones like the Sony Ericsson
W800i is more expensive to upgrade than to buy (I thought they had
introduced better costs for upgraders), but they also say "Your
estimated upgrade fee is £250.00".

They're absolutely sick, and absolutely mistaken if they expect me to
stay with Orange after this!

It's also the only network I've been on where people have told me I
sound like Im talking under water!

Cya
Simon

---

› See More: Orange Contract: You Were Right

Simon Dean wrote:
> Bastard Orange, phoned me up in March, said "Mr Dean, would you like a
> new N70?"

Out of curiosity - how did you know they were Orange?

D

David Hearn wrote:
> Simon Dean wrote:
>
>> Bastard Orange, phoned me up in March, said "Mr Dean, would you like a
>> new N70?"
>
>
> Out of curiosity - how did you know they were Orange?
>

Good point. The thought that they knew my account details and were able
to upgrade me kind of reassured me.

Have I been had?

Cya
Simon

"Simon Dean" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> David Hearn wrote:
> > Simon Dean wrote:
> >
> > > Bastard Orange, phoned me up in March, said "Mr Dean,
> > > would you like a new N70?"
> >
> >
> > Out of curiosity - how did you know they were Orange?
> >
>
> Good point. The thought that they knew my account details
> and were able to upgrade me kind of reassured me.
>
> Have I been had?

What was the calling number..? Whenever I have had a call from Orange it
has always shown as 07973 100194. Although I never had an upgrade call (if
I had I would have hung up anyway..!)

Ivor

Simon Dean wrote:
> David Hearn wrote:
>
>> Simon Dean wrote:
>>
>>> Bastard Orange, phoned me up in March, said "Mr Dean, would you like
>>> a new N70?"
>>
>>
>>
>> Out of curiosity - how did you know they were Orange?
>>
> Good point. The thought that they knew my account details and were able
> to upgrade me kind of reassured me.
>
> Have I been had?
>

Unfortunately, the odds are that the answer is yes.

Think about it...why would any company shower its customer base with
gifts if they aren't specifically asked for? It's just not how
businesses operate.

Basically, a contract customer that does nothing automatically continues
to pay the network money on a monthly basis. In order to leave the
network, the customer has to contact their service provider - it's only
at this point, and only then if the customer is high-spending and
demonstrates that they really are serious about leaving, that the
network will move heaven and earth to keep their custom.

You would be surprised how many customers simply stay with their
original network, oblivious to the fact that they could get a free
handset out of them every year. It's these customers that make money for
the networks. Voluntarily offering to give these customers high-value
gifts on an annual basis is simply pouring the network's profits down
the drain.

It is no surprise that the caller knew your account details. To the best
of my knowledge the dealer has access to this info via a system supplied
by Orange to its dealer base.

RM
--
www.reestitmutton.co.uk

Bringing you the best-value mobile phone contract deals in the UK
Presented the way it should be...in plain English

Simon Dean wrote:
> David Hearn wrote:
>> Simon Dean wrote:
>>
>>> Bastard Orange, phoned me up in March, said "Mr Dean, would you like
>>> a new N70?"
>>
>>
>> Out of curiosity - how did you know they were Orange?
>>
>
> Good point. The thought that they knew my account details and were able
> to upgrade me kind of reassured me.
>
> Have I been had?
>
> Cya
> Simon

If they knew your details right off then I suspect they were Orange.
AFAIK, for a dealer to do an upgrade they just need your mobile number
and postcode (and I think your name). Many people are quite happy to
give out their postcode and name with little thought however.

If neither were asked before they gave basic details, then it was most
probably Orange who called.

D

David Hearn wrote:

>
> If they knew your details right off then I suspect they were Orange.
> AFAIK, for a dealer to do an upgrade they just need your mobile number
> and postcode (and I think your name). Many people are quite happy to
> give out their postcode and name with little thought however.
>
> If neither were asked before they gave basic details, then it was most
> probably Orange who called.
>
> D

Are the "upgrade" companies, able to offer these "half price line rental
for six months" during contract too?

I can't remember whetherthey said they were from Orange or not. I do
remember it sounded genuine, and all the other upgrade companies who
have called me, have so far, stated who they were and where they were
calling from.

Cya
Simon

I got a cold call which sounded genuine until they asked me to confirm my
postcode etc (at this point I hung up)

I NEVER give ANY personal details out over the phone unless I call them and
ask for the upgrade or I go into an Orange shop to arrange it.

[email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> Have I been had?

Yup.
--
Regards
Jon

[email protected]ess declared for all the world to hear...
> It is no surprise that the caller knew your account details. To the best
> of my knowledge the dealer has access to this info via a system supplied
> by Orange to its dealer base.

That's not quite true, in fact it's completely untrue. To gain any sort
of information the mobile number, postcode (and strictly speaking the
account holders permission) is required.
--
Regards
Jon

[email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> Are the "upgrade" companies, able to offer these "half price line rental
> for six months" during contract too?

Actually no, the half-price was a direct-only deal so it must have been
Orange or an Orange Shop. If you were not told it was a contract
extension then you have every right to reverse it, contact Orange on 150
to get the ball rolling.
--
Regards
Jon

Jon <[email protected]> wrote:

> [email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> > Are the "upgrade" companies, able to offer these "half price line rental
> > for six months" during contract too?
>
> Actually no, the half-price was a direct-only deal so it must have been
> Orange or an Orange Shop. If you were not told it was a contract
> extension then you have every right to reverse it, contact Orange on 150
> to get the ball rolling.

After half an hour's wait? Terrific.

--
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
http://homepage.mac.com/davidhornecomposer http://soundjunction.org

[email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> After half an hour's wait? Terrific.

Better than the alternative.
--
Regards
Jon

Jon wrote:
> [email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
>
>>Are the "upgrade" companies, able to offer these "half price line rental
>>for six months" during contract too?
>
>
> Actually no, the half-price was a direct-only deal so it must have been
> Orange or an Orange Shop. If you were not told it was a contract
> extension then you have every right to reverse it, contact Orange on 150
> to get the ball rolling.

Cheers. If all else fails, I can use the Chewbacca defence. It does not
make sense. A wookie, living on endor. It does not make sense. Why would
I want a contract extension when I stated I wanted a phone upgrade asap?

Thanks

I'll give them a call today, let you all know how I get on!

Cya
Simon

Simon Dean wrote:
> Jon wrote:
>> [email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
>>
>>> Are the "upgrade" companies, able to offer these "half price line
>>> rental for six months" during contract too?
>>
>>
>> Actually no, the half-price was a direct-only deal so it must have
>> been Orange or an Orange Shop. If you were not told it was a contract
>> extension then you have every right to reverse it, contact Orange on
>> 150 to get the ball rolling.
>
> Cheers. If all else fails, I can use the Chewbacca defence. It does not
> make sense. A wookie, living on endor. It does not make sense. Why would
> I want a contract extension when I stated I wanted a phone upgrade asap?
>
> Thanks
>
> I'll give them a call today, let you all know how I get on!
>
> Cya
> Simon

I'd also go for the Distance Selling Regs??

Others here will confirm they apply?