ORANGE UK
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My daughter who is 18 and her phone is her life, last had it with her xmas eve in her freinds car-5 minutes later she couldnt find it-after searching everywhere-called orange as has insurance with a police crime ref number and explained where she hlast hed it-where she had looked-could have put it in the door pocket and it fell out when she got out of the car etc. after numerous calls where orange wanted to know precisely where she put it, explained that when you loose something you are unsure of the precise spot but it was last seen in the car-they refused her claim as she was not precise enough.

I said we wanted to cancel the insurance as it is worthless-not able to do- could i have a replacement sim card-yes at acost of £17.50 and only if she has another orange phone-or spend £70 for a replacement! What is the point of an insurance that covers loss if they wont cover it. Appalling!!!!
Amanda Hale
... 6 January 2004

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I have been with Orange for about 9 years now,
and once upon a time their customer service was first class. They have now fallen apart.

My 9 month old Nokia 6100 has developed a fault with reception, and Orange refuse any responsibilty to fix it under the warranty, and do not acknowledge UK consumer law. I renewed my contract with Orange at the same time I purchased my phone and now find I no longer have free 12 months Orange Care/Insurance and other benefits I had with my previous talk plan. Warning: Orange will try to pass you direct to Nokia using a 75p a minute premium number. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO USE THIS! Simply join Club Nokia over the internet and call them for free help on 08700 555777. They do not tell you this... its a rip off!!!
Martin Pollard ... 7 January 2004
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On the 24 December I rang Orange and asked if I could have the WAP facility by paying 4 per month. The member of staff said due to a promotional offer it was for free and I didn't have to pay anything. I confirmed to her whether it was free any time of time for an unlimited amount and she confirmed "yes." I have recently got my bill and was shocked to my bill was for 483.00.

I immediatly phoned Orange up and they said it was due to mu usuage on WAP.They informed me I was only entitled to 3 megabytes and after that would be charged. I argued the point that I wasn't informed of this restriction and due to the member of staff misinforming me shouldn't have to pay for all the wap charges. The billing dept weren't helpful and said it was me who misinterpreted the member of staff. I very well know, I didn't. The Manager is going to ring me tonight and I shall see what is the outcome. If it isn't favourable then I will take the complaint further.

I will point out that the Orange staff aren't impartial when a complaint is made and favour their staff. Calls aren't recorded and hence they will try to back out of information that they have miscommunicated. Farhana Ali ... 7 January 2004
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I am an Orange customer and have been having problems receiving messages from the BT Cellent network, I can send them with no problem at all. Jacqueline Smith...11 February 2002
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I've had absolutely terrible service from Orange so far.
I ordered over the phone, a new contract, new phone. The phone didn't work so they sent me a replacement. That still doesn't work - i wanted to replace the phone, change it for somthing but they want £200!! I can't text in English in the phone either, yep, maybe it's a phone issue but the response from Orange was, 'well, it's not a very good phone, I wouldn't have bought it' Two Orange staff told me this. They won't help me change the phone and just don't care about the texting problems. Terrible. I give up! Lisa Jones..26 March 2003
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Lisa Jones - I completely agree with you!!
Orange have so far supplyed me with 3 faulty phones. It freezes up every 10 - 15 minute when I use it! Really great! They are now saying I also have to pay £200 for an upgrade or basically now I have to send it into them in a jiffy bag for it to be fixed! I have had the phone since December and so am in a 12 month contract and cant even leave Orange without paying for it! Even 3 of the Orange staff have agreed with me that its not good that they wont replace the phone as I've had these problems since it arrived, faulty, on my door step! I totally agree with you! What a nightmare!!! Not to mention the two staff I have spoken to that were really rude to me! Sami..2 April 2003
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I would also like to complain about Orange
, I too had problems about 9 months ago, my orange service disappeared for 4-5 weeks I had nothing at all, I called them on the day it disconected to complain and find out what was happening I was told it was a transmitter problem, 4 weeks later they decieded it wasn't after many calls from me. I had to ask for a rebate on my bill but only recieved 2 weeks...Why because not being psychic I had'nt asked for my call to be logged when I first reported it!

Now I finished my contract, at least I thought so. They offered me a PAC code which would run out after 30 days, Did'nt explain that if I did'nt use it my cancelled contract would not be cancelled! and of course how convienient they only log the calls and people I spoke to who suit them. I am so sick of these companies treating people like liars!
Vicky Bourgault.. 10 April 2003
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This letter I believe is self explanatory.
Except that the length of time I have referred to is longer than a couple of months click to read:
C A Gray... 24 April 2003
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My wife and I are also having problems with Orange denying customers their consumer rights.
We purchased two mobile handsets (same make & model) from an orange retail shop. Both our handsets are faulty, a fact that Orange has even admitted but they refuse to repair them! Orange say that either 1) we need "Orange Care", 2) have to pay £70+vat for emergency repair, 3) it's the manufactuer's problem!

We have pointed out that the Sales Of Goods Act states that the retailer is liable for repairs and not the manufacturer, Orange have always side stepped this in their letters.

On the advice of Trading Standards we have sent a letter to Orange requesting one more time that they resolve our problems otherwise we will enforce our rights through the small claims court. Orange's reply letter was a disgrace as it was almost a complete copy of previous letters sent and faield to mention any of the other issues raised. I will never use Orange again and can only recommend other people to avoid the company too.
Andy Rudenko...28 May 2003
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Email to Webmaster on 10 June 2003:
Our family have been with orange for about 5 years now
and recently when my 8310 developed a fault (which they diagnosed and acknowledged) they were unable to help with giving me a phone to cover my loss. As I am a senior clinician on-call several times a week (all hours, including unsocial hours) this was most unsatisfactory.

The only help they offered was going to cost me more money - £30 for emergency cover plus £3.50 per month added to that sum for 12 months (tied contract) I had to go out and buy another phone to cover myself whilst I send off my current mobile to be repaired by Nokia (I contacted them at 75pence per minute as recommended by orange) Or I could spend £70.00 and have my phone replaced. The 8310 has been recognised from Orange to have problems - they have issued a new clip to hold the sim card in place because it slips form its position inside the phone. Yet, Orange are still distributing this phone and entering into contracts with people even though they know it to be faulty. It appears that their contact which they insist you take out is one-sided. Do not buy the 8310 as there are problems with it.

When our current contract is up for renewal, we will be leaving orange. They are expensive, unhelpful, rude and their after-care sales service is appalling. Do not buy orange - that is my advice and I will certainly be attempting to promote this message as far as I can. David McKee ...10 June 2003
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My daughter's phone went missing sometime after 12:30 am Sunday morning, when she telephoned me from a pub.
She was on her way to her friend’s house with a group from her school.

I didn’t hear from her until the next morning, when I telephoned the friend’s home number, having had no response from her mobile. She’d had it on silent. She didn’t know she didn’t have her phone until at home, later in the afternoon, when she didn’t find it in her bag or her pocket. We phoned the phone, and found the answerphone on. We telephoned the pub, and it hadn’t been handed in there. Next, we tried the police who gave us a crime reference number. Finally, we phoned her friend. ‘Yes, it’s here somewhere, no problem. We’ll find it when we get cleaned up.’

That was why we didn’t telephone Orange on Sunday. We trusted the friend, who, along with his mother, thought they’d seen the phone in the house. However, by Tuesday, when they’d had a chance (people do work) to clean completely and make a thorough search, they said that it wasn’t there. That’s when we telephoned Orange. Yes, it was two days after not having the phone, but we had assumed it was at the friend’s house. In fact, that might be where it still is.

Now we are told that we will have to pay £70 for the privilege of getting a new handset, which we think is fairly contemptible. The next time something like this happens, we will gladly telephone Orange, and get a new handset for free, even if the old one turns up. This will lead to lots of extra handsets around the world, all useless, and will help to lessen Orange stock.
Carol Williamson.. 13 June 2003
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I also agree, Orange are terrible when it comes to something going wrong with their service.
Similar to the above story my MMS service was unavailable for ages. Having only just got my new phone I was gutted. Orange continually put the blame onto T-Mobile before finally admitting to a mate the fault lay with themselves. This is poor customer services and doesn't do much for T-Mobile.
John Scott ...18 June 2003
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I am an orange customer 3 years
. In april i had an upgrade and got two fault phones ,they refused to send me i different phone instead i had to wait 10 days for a jiffy bag to cancell the upgrade. now in june ,tried to upgrade again and have been cut of from the network for the past 3 days.
S . Valentine ... 29 June 2003
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I am writing to complain,
I payed half my bill on 27/06/03 and got told by the member of staff on the other end of the phone that it was ok and I could pay the other half at the end of july when I got payed. I went to use my phone today and I got out going calls barred. I rang orange and the member of staff on the other end of the phone told me i shouldnt have been told that and its not policy, my point is when i payed the money I should have been told, and now I cant get out of my contract. As i will have to keep paying my bill why cant I use it. Orange dont show decent customer service we keep them in there jobs, they should be more helpful... Steve Prior ... 2 July 2003 [Received by email]
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My phone has not worked for 12 days,
i have rang orange 8 times so far only to be told it will have to go to technical support. the sim card im my girfriends phone works my phone fine. i asked for a new sim as it is that but they keep saying that technical support is looking in to it and someone will get back to me.this is the sixth time i have been told that when it is quite obvious that it is the sim and not the phone, but they will not send me another sim.
David Tharme ... 27 August 2003
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I have been having a problem with Orange,
and I dont even have an orange phone. I'm on Voda! But Orange have duly set up an account in my name, apparently I also have a number - but no phone. When I called Orange to try and sort this out, and stop the bills, they said that the bills would not stop until this was sorted out. However, this could not be sorted out by them and some one would call me back - of course they dont call back, and I still have bills for a phone and a service that I have never signed upto. There appears to be nothing that I can do - I'm soooo frustrated!!! Berni Allan-Stubbs ... 2 October 2003
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Hi I upgraded my Orange mobile 10 days ago.
Orange switched off my old SIM straight away but still haven;t switched the new one on. I called twice every day but they only logged the call three days aog! They have broken every promise they made and their customer service is appalling.
Lisa Tennant ... 9 December 2003
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When registering your phone why is it that the telephone tells you to use the internet which is unavailable and the telephone lines are busy.
ive been waitng for 2hrs on hold and still waiting.what are your customer advisors doing.i'll tell you nothing, there getting paid triple there amount for working christmas and are doing nothing.this is not acceptable!! Leigh Mcconnell ... 25 December 2003
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I just bought a mobile phone for my partner.
The problem is I cant send her a text message. Orange are blaming voda and they in turn blame orange. Its funny how I have never had a problem and my partners phone is new. As you can expect Im getting the usual wasted 1/2 hrs talking to some robot and feel like Im hitting my head against a wall.
Drew Johnson ... 27 December 2003



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