Orange are definately trying to annoy me now

[Guest Photon]

Well its official. Orange are now going out of their way to kiss people off.

I just got off the phone to them, asking once again about the m500 release. The guy reluctantly admitted to me that there is a good chance it will only ever be released on business, and if it is to be released to the normal public, it probably wont be for a good fw more months, like the m2000 when they brought that one out. The reason? Apparently they feel there has been a lack of demand for the m500 :roll: WHO DOES THIS RESEARCH???

I have to say I am now starting to seriously think about leaving orange - I know many people have before over this sort of issue. I know they say that they donr release phones until they have throroughly tested them and that phones which dont pass the test dont get through, but how can they say that and still have things like the c500 on sale, when everyone knows about that phones problems.

Apologies for ranting, but I have an ageing mpx200, the battery on which is starting to really give way now, and I want to buy another phone, only, I can find one I would actually want to buy that I could afford! This is rediculous ;)

Edited May 8, 2005 by squall

[Guest FloatingFatMan]

I had a similar prob with my old MPx200... As, at the time, Orange didn't even seem to be considering the Jam, I dropped em & went to T-Mobile instead. So far so good, and I get a better signal too!

Drop em mate... They're not worth the aggro they like to cause...

[Guest Photon]

Its the losing the number and the fact that all my mates and other half are on orange that stops me, well so far at any rate.

What are the services like on t-mobile?

[Guest Afy]

I know what you mean Photon,

i had been waiting and waiting with an ageing E200 with a dodgy joystick in the vain hope the m500 would come out sometime soon.

I even spoke to one guy in an orange shop who said the M500 probably wouldnt ever be released in the UK because "it wouldnt work with the network"

So in the end i have purchased a Qtek S100 from A1comms on orange. Its a shame that i will lose my number though i was told i can switch the old number to payg and set it up to divert or leave a message on the answerphone.

i now eagerly await a package on tuesday ! ;)

i had heard bad things about t-mobile and the fact that gprs is £7.50 a mb (unless u buy a bundle?) gave em no chance in my mind.

[Guest GothTeddy]

Its the losing the number

Port it.

and the fact that all my mates and other half are on orange.

That's what cross-network minutes are for...

What are the services like on t-mobile?

"T-Zones" is crap compared to Orange World; GPRS is more expensive (a bundle brings it down to £2.50/Mb outside of the bundle, iirc); and they don't have Wildfire (the one thing I really miss ;)), other than that, there's nothing worth sticking to Orange. That said, I'll probably be moving back once my 12 months with T-Mobile are up.

[Guest Photon]

I guess I have to consider my options - thing is I'm also lazy, and not really sure how to do half of this stuff.

I guess it wouldnt irk me so much had they not already released the m500 in many other countries, and also if there were other decent handsets available on orange (I had even considered going non-smartphone for a bit, due to the lack of choices, but...)

back to the hunt I guess...

[EDIT] having just looked at AI comms - out of interest Afy - why didnt you use the number porting option? And can you report how well the Qtek works on Orange atc ... I'm now rather interested...

Edited May 9, 2005 by Photon

[Guest FloatingFatMan]

Its the losing the number and the fact that all my mates and other half are on orange that stops me, well so far at any rate.

What are the services like on t-mobile?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ask Orange for a PAC code to transfer your number to the new network. No need to worry then ;) You friends & family being on Orange isn't too much of a problem either as the free minutes contracts are cross network...

As for services, well, the GPRS rate is truly shocking on T-Mob (75p/k!!), but I don't use GPRS so I'm not bothered by that... It's too slow to be much use anyway ;) As for the rest, seems OK so far, and I get a better signal in my region that I did with Orange...

[Guest Photon]

So hang on, I can get the Qtek on orange, and I can transfer/port my number, all I have to do is start a new account...

ok, so wheres the catch? There has to be one somewhere - what do I lose by starting a new account? Is the Qtek going to need manual setup?

[Guest rmg]

So hang on, I can get the Qtek on orange, and I can transfer/port my number, all I have to do is start a new account...

ok, so wheres the catch? There has to be one somewhere - what do I lose by starting a new account? Is the Qtek going to need manual setup?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You cannot port your number to Orange on a new contract from Orange.

Either get the phone sim free or port your number to Virgin and then back to Orange a Month later.

[Guest hunyango_uk]

so, orange uk is not going to release the m500 here? ;)

well, i think i'm getting used to all their crap. ;)

think i'll go back with vodafone. got two numbers in contract with them and the tariff is quite high.

[Guest Photon]

Tis but a rumour as yet, although seeing as this is what we went through with the m2000 (business only release) then it may not be far from the truth.

The amusing fact is the bloke on the phone at orange even agreed it was a bit mad, and that they were losing customers over it, but of course it wasnt his call.

So you definately cant port a number orange to orange then?

[Guest spidermunky]

So you definately cant port a number orange to orange then?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've asked them about this before. Apparently they can't (read won't).

Greg

[Guest Photon]

Of course ... the offcom complaint was only about stopping people changing networks... it all makes sense now.

[Guest Afy]

Yeh, you can only port your number to a different network.

Cross network minutes are all good when moving network but it costs other people to ring you

[Guest Samsonite]

there is a good tariff available on o2 thru a1comms i think.. 35 quid a month, 250xnet mins + 100txts.. they will let you port too!! oh yeah, the Qtek S100 is free!! i am seriously tempted but still will hold out for another month i think...

EDIT: here's the link..

http://www.a1comms.co.uk/store/fulldetails-12895.ihtml

as for staying within network and getting new customer deals, when i was in mobile retail (about 4years ago) i got into all sorts of trouble for getting customers to close one contract and start another in the same network. They called it churning!

Edited May 9, 2005 by Samsonite

[Guest Photon]

You know what, the guy on the upgrade line at orange kind of suggested it....

which is nice of him, but kind of a sad state of affairs...

Edited May 9, 2005 by Photon

[Guest Loukas]

Would you be able to port a number on a PAYG card from another network, and then back to Orange?

I'm currently on Orange, but considering this deal here on buymobiles.net

Orange OVP O2 200 + 50 messages for 30pounds pm, and free I-mate Jam handset

I'd like to keep my number though. Can someone give me the whole procedure for "porting" my number, especially since my contract is not finished yet (it finishes in 2 mths)

Thank you,

L

[Guest En_croute]

So you definately cant port a number orange to orange then?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course you can.

I ported my number from O2 to Orange when I bought my Nokia 6600 in 2003.

[edit: Just re-read your post - Orange to Orange - whoops - sorry)

I then ported the same number from Orange to T-Mobile this year for the MDA Compact.

It's exactly the same process - PAK code from existing supplier, and inform the retailer. You need to do this AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE.

Edited May 10, 2005 by En_croute

[Guest Photon]

... Can someone give me the whole procedure for "porting" my number...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

all here

Although you would have to buy two phones to do it I reckon .. someone more experienced than me could probably tell you better...

[Guest GothTeddy]

It's exactly the same process - PAK code from existing supplier, and inform the retailer.  You need to do this AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's PAC, the C stands for Code ;) (Porting Authorisation Code, or some such)

And, no, you don't... T-Mobile will let you port a number to them at any point in your contract (I had to wait 2 months for my Orange contract to come to term).

As for the question of "grinding" whilst keeping you number:

You'll first have to end your current contract by asking for you porting code (if it's not hit term you'll have to pay up the remainder of your line rental. I recommend stripping your contract down to talk30 with no extras, then calling up to cancel);

Buy a PAYG on another network using the PAC (Virgin, O2, whoever);

Then, call them up and get a PAC from them;

Then you're ready to go back to your old network, PAC in hand, and set up a new contract (taking advantage of whatever offers they're doing at the time).

[Guest SkUk21]

M500 is being launched at the end of June

[Guest ri2la]

Do you mind me asking.... Is this confirmed? And how do you know?????

Sorry, just need to know as have been waiting 3-4 months already!!!!!

And am at the verge of going to Another network :cry:

M500 is being launched at the end of June

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Edited May 11, 2005 by ri2la

[Guest Monolithix [MVP]]

My info says it isn't coming to the UK? (althoguh thats a little dated now...)

Either/or, i took out a new contract on tmob to get my mda compact. I just want to get it SIM unlocked now, which apparently isn't a problem after a month, and costs a snip at 15 quid!

[Guest Photon]

Well seeing as I didnt win an m2000 and on this new piece of information, I'm back all in a quandry. And its not comfortable y'know.

Why do orange play these games?

[Guest pisquee]

I could go and buy an offline magician, and use it with my current contract, or start another contract with one of these dealers. Either way it's not an orange phone so i won't be able to use orange care.