Orange discontinues Line2 !?

According to the Orange Website, Line2 "is not longer available to new customers".
WTF?!
I was just up to switch to Orange just to get this service!
Is it really not possible to subscribe to this service any longer?
Why is that?
The only replacement seems to be the "Enhanced Line 2" service, which works via
Sim-Toolkit, but not ALS.
Well, ALS is better.
Especially due to the fact, that there is no way to determine the line of incomming
calls with "Enhanced Line 2". With "Line 2"/ ALS, this feature works.
Even recent Blackberry and WinMobile devices support ALS now.
Why would Orange change it then? Stupid decision-makers?
-Steve-

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› See More: Orange discontinues Line2 !?

Steve wrote:
> According to the Orange Website, Line2 "is not longer available to new customers".
> WTF?!
> I was just up to switch to Orange just to get this service!
> Is it really not possible to subscribe to this service any longer?
> Why is that?
> The only replacement seems to be the "Enhanced Line 2" service, which works via
> Sim-Toolkit, but not ALS.
> Well, ALS is better.
> Especially due to the fact, that there is no way to determine the line of incomming
> calls with "Enhanced Line 2". With "Line 2"/ ALS, this feature works.
> Even recent Blackberry and WinMobile devices support ALS now.
> Why would Orange change it then? Stupid decision-makers?
> -Steve-
>

This was probably the last service that differentiated Orange from their
competitors. I see no reason for anyone to use Orange anymore, not sure
they are competitive, customer service is also dire from what I read.
Until FT took them over they were a great company, but they have plunged
the depths now, going from biggest of the original 4 to the smallest now
I believe.

"Steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> According to the Orange Website, Line2 "is not longer available to new
> customers".
> WTF?!
> I was just up to switch to Orange just to get this service!
> Is it really not possible to subscribe to this service any longer?
> Why is that?
> The only replacement seems to be the "Enhanced Line 2" service, which
> works via
> Sim-Toolkit, but not ALS.
> Well, ALS is better.
> Especially due to the fact, that there is no way to determine the line of
> incomming
> calls with "Enhanced Line 2". With "Line 2"/ ALS, this feature works.
> Even recent Blackberry and WinMobile devices support ALS now.
> Why would Orange change it then? Stupid decision-makers?
> -Steve-
>

This was their "Unique Selling Point" and a boon to small businessmen
everywhere, who could just have one phone and two numbers for work and play.

Could Orange become worse than the Three of old?

In message <[email protected]>, Steve <[email protected]> writes
>According to the Orange Website, Line2 "is not longer available to new
>customers".
>WTF?!
>I was just up to switch to Orange just to get this service!
>Is it really not possible to subscribe to this service any longer?
>Why is that?

Hasn't that been the case for a long time, at least for private
customers?

I wonder how long it will remain for existing customers.
--
Gyp
Change to dotcom to reply

In news[email protected],
Gyp <[email protected]> typed, for some strange, unexplained reason:
: In message <[email protected]>, Steve <[email protected]>
: writes
: >According to the Orange Website, Line2 "is not longer available to
: >new customers".
: >WTF?!
: >I was just up to switch to Orange just to get this service!
: >Is it really not possible to subscribe to this service any longer?
: >Why is that?
:
: Hasn't that been the case for a long time, at least for private
: customers?
:
: I wonder how long it will remain for existing customers.

Isn't Line 2 part of the GSM specification..? You'd think *all* the
networks would be falling over themselves to offer it, especially to
business customers who want one number for personal use and one for work.

Ivor

Ivor Jones wrote:
> In news[email protected],
> Gyp <[email protected]> typed, for some strange, unexplained reason:
> : In message <[email protected]>, Steve <[email protected]>
> : writes
> : >According to the Orange Website, Line2 "is not longer available to
> : >new customers".
> : >WTF?!
> : >I was just up to switch to Orange just to get this service!
> : >Is it really not possible to subscribe to this service any longer?
> : >Why is that?
> :
> : Hasn't that been the case for a long time, at least for private
> : customers?
> :
> : I wonder how long it will remain for existing customers.
>
> Isn't Line 2 part of the GSM specification..? You'd think *all* the
> networks would be falling over themselves to offer it, especially to
> business customers who want one number for personal use and one for work.

So they can sell 2 handsets rather than 1?

D

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> This was their "Unique Selling Point" and a boon to small businessmen
> everywhere, who could just have one phone and two numbers for work and play.

As long as they didn't mind not texting or roaming from the 2nd line.
--
Regards
Jon

"Jono" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> ACDeag formulated the question :
>> [Orange] going from biggest of the original 4
>
> ?
>
I think he meant going from joint first, to 5th and last place
for customer numbers.

OCT Orange Customer Retentions, must be the most depressing
department to have to work for?

Steve Terry

"Ivor Jones" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In news[email protected],
> Gyp <[email protected]> typed, for some strange, unexplained reason:
> : In message <[email protected]>, Steve <[email protected]>
> : writes
> : >According to the Orange Website, Line2 "is not longer available to
> : >new customers".
> : >WTF?!
> : >I was just up to switch to Orange just to get this service!
> : >Is it really not possible to subscribe to this service any longer?
> : >Why is that?
> :
> : Hasn't that been the case for a long time, at least for private
> : customers?
> :
> : I wonder how long it will remain for existing customers.
>
> Isn't Line 2 part of the GSM specification..? You'd think *all* the
> networks would be falling over themselves to offer it, especially to
> business customers who want one number for personal use and one for work.
> Ivor
>
>
It's part of the PCN spec, 1800MHz GSM, Originally Orange and One2one
could offer Line 2, One2one only offered Line 2 incoming.

Any network could offer Line 2 on selected phones, not all phones have ALS

No one has ever accused any network of good business practices,
especially Orange since FT took them over.

Steve Terry

"Jon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected]lid says...
>> Isn't Line 2 part of the GSM specification..? You'd think *all* the
>> networks would be falling over themselves to offer it, especially to
>> business customers who want one number for personal use and one for work.
>
> In all my years in the industry I've never actually connected anyone to
> a Line 2, or ever been asked for it.
>
>
Cos Orange never advertised it?
and it was only worth getting when Ten quid or less tariffs like ED50,
or Talk 60 were available on it, losing those killed the cost effectivness
of L2

If any network offered L2 and advertised it with sub 10quid tariffs
it would sell.

But the networks would rather try and sell two phones,
and with Oranges retention figures,end up selling none.

Steve Terry

In news:[email protected],
Jon <[email protected]> typed, for some strange, unexplained reason:
: In article <[email protected]>,
: [email protected]lid says...
: > Isn't Line 2 part of the GSM specification..? You'd think *all* the
: > networks would be falling over themselves to offer it, especially to
: > business customers who want one number for personal use and one for
: > work.
:
: In all my years in the industry I've never actually connected anyone
: to a Line 2, or ever been asked for it.

I used to have it back in the old days of Talk 60 etc. but it became too
costly.

: A great idea, but with some shortcomings and of course, an addiditonal
: cost to the customer.

Why should it cost any more than the sum of the two talk plans..? It
should cost less as there is one less handset to pay for/upgrade.

Ivor

Jon <[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
>> This was their "Unique Selling Point" and a boon to small businessmen
>> everywhere, who could just have one phone and two numbers for work and
>> play.
>
> As long as they didn't mind not texting or roaming from the 2nd line.

Well, this works for "Enhanced Line 2", but costs the ability to determine the
lines for incomming calls.
I'd think its more important to easily switch lines and to know if receiving
a business or private call than to send text from both lines, or roam on both
lines.
Regards,
Steve

"Ivor Jones" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In news:[email protected],
> Jon <[email protected]> typed, for some strange, unexplained reason:
> : In article <[email protected]>,
> : [email protected]lid says...
> : > Isn't Line 2 part of the GSM specification..? You'd think *all* the
> : > networks would be falling over themselves to offer it, especially to
> : > business customers who want one number for personal use and one for
> : > work.
> :
> : In all my years in the industry I've never actually connected anyone
> : to a Line 2, or ever been asked for it.
>
> I used to have it back in the old days of Talk 60 etc. but it became too
> costly.
>
I used to have L1 ED50, and L2 ED50.
but i didn't have a need for that amount of off-peak
>
> : A great idea, but with some shortcomings and of course, an additional
> : cost to the customer.
>
> Why should it cost any more than the sum of the two talk plans..?
> It should cost less as there is one less handset to pay for/upgrade.
> Ivor
>
>
Exactly, that's why Snooks Orange discounted L2 by a Fiver
e.g. ED50 Line 1 was 15quid, ED50 on Line 2 only an extra 10quid.

As phones got more complicated and expensive with more phone
subsidy, L2 discount should have grown not been eliminated.

Oranges Billing computer can handle any combination and rate,
they could have even offered PAYG rates on L2
That would have made L2 popular

The lucky few got OVP Virgin L1 and ED50 L2,
even though Orange rules said L2 should not be worth more than L1

No good reason why not, Orange middle mangament have always
made up pointless rules to prove their Reason d'etra

To paraphrase John Clease..
"I dedicate this posting to Orange management, without whom
anything is possible"

Steve Terry

Steve expressed precisely :
> Jon <[email protected]> wrote:
>> In article <[email protected]>,
>> [email protected] says...
>>> This was their "Unique Selling Point" and a boon to small businessmen
>>> everywhere, who could just have one phone and two numbers for work and
>>> play.
>>
>> As long as they didn't mind not texting or roaming from the 2nd line.
>
> Well, this works for "Enhanced Line 2", but costs the ability to determine
> the lines for incomming calls.
> I'd think its more important to easily switch lines and to know if receiving
> a business or private call than to send text from both lines, or roam on both
> lines.
> Regards,
> Steve

I'm not sure I see the big benefit of being able to tell which number
the caller's dialled......unless you need to give completely different
salutations (two businesses) or are likely to want to ignore calls for
one of the lines; in which case you could just divert calls for that
line to voicemail.

"Steve Terry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> made up pointless rules to prove their Reason d'etra

Raison d'etre?

;-)


--
J B