Orange M5000 / T-Mobile MDA Pro

[Guest inspectorgadjet]

I wish Orange would actually hurry up and release the darned thing already. I've been so tempted to just buy a sim free JasJar, and have actually gotten to the point of almost putting my credit card details in on sites a few times. But the sensible part of my brain keeps saying that I should just wait for Orange and get a good deal on it when it arrives with them. The sensible part of my brain however is quite small and if they don't hurry up I'll end up with a JasJar. The other argument for the JasJar right now is that it is sim free. I think that would be very useful.

Oh well...hurry up Orange!!! I'm getting impatient!! :o

[Guest ukdaves]

FYI, the Orange Shop on Oxford St. told me it would be available in '2 weeks' - maybe... nothing like a good bit of commitment on a wednesday afternoon :shock:

I think I'll keep hoping for the week of the 26th :roll:

[Guest London_jonny]

Hey I also went into the orange shop on oxford street and the guy went away and found some paperwork and said another 2 months!! :evil:

Orange direct told me sometime in October.

I've come to the conclusion that its some big secret at orange and they dont want to tell anyone :o

Still hoping for next week though :?:

Edited September 21, 2005 by London_jonny

[Guest Ozzie252]

Anyone heard any updates? It's the 26th today :?:

[Guest Confucious]

Orange store in Brighton on Saturday said 2 weeks.

[Guest gcarte]

Anyone heard any updates? It's the 26th today  :?:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Orange upgrades were there usuall helpful selfs and said either late october or early november, thing i will going to t-mobile or O2 whoever comes up with the goods first will get my business.

If some one from orange read this info please can you put us all out of our missery and give us a date when it will be release PLEASE??????

Edited September 26, 2005 by gcarte

[Guest Pondrew]

If some one from orange read this info please can you put us all out of our missery and give us a date when it will be release PLEASE??????

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See the news item at the top of the main page. Why not ask them yourself?

[Guest dazza12]

See the news item at the top of the main page. Why not ask them yourself?

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Something tells me the webchat won't give us a date - if there was one it would have been announced by now.

[Guest London_jonny]

I agree.

I didnt like it when they said there will be enough stock for christmas either!!

if its christmas, i'll be joining vodafone.

[Guest dazza12]

The problem is, I learnt nothing new regarding release dates. That's the only question I'm interested in.

When it was originally announced earlier this year, a source said Summer, then another source closer to the time said early September. Then I got given the date of the 26th, based on the fact that stock had been seen at Orange (I did some consultancy work at Orange HQ some time ago and still have some valuable contacts). Now the date is a very vague "October", with a "we'll have enough stock for Christmas".

What I can't understand is why did Orange officially announce the product on the 21st? We all know it was coming, and if you're in the target market for this phone, it's likely you've known about it for months. All Orange have done here is annoy a section of their customer base by getting their hopes up, and possibly in the process caused a number of CS staff grief due to people like me ringing up and asking to upgrade.

What I did find amusing is the comment about the M5000 being supported with ROM updates. I can't see that happening - did anyone see any for the M2000? No, didn't think so. They insisted one didn't exist, despite shipping newer phones with a newer ROM.

The way that Orange representatives have dealt with the M5000 launch is appalling. Training is non-existant, some customer facing staff have resorted to quoting rumours to customers in order to keep them waiting, I've even had one claim that the press release of the 21st was nothing to do with Orange!

[Guest Pondrew]

Still haven't seen the transcript from the chat having been at work on nightshift. Guess they didn't give a release date then? Sorry guys...

[Guest deadphill]

It was me that asked the question about the ROM updates basically because of Oranges diabolical lack of support for it.

If you were there you would have seen the luke warm (or to be honest stone cold) response that there will be support for it and you can typically expect to get one update per life of the phone!!! What a ridiculous way to run a business. I mate have released how many now? Thats what I call service and support.

The one thing that keeps us at Orange is the fact that their customer services are the least bad out of all of them. 5 years ago I was of the opinion that Orange could do no wrong, they were always helpful and polite, always dealt with my problems over and above what was needed so I stayed with them.

My experience with the M2000 wasnt great and I had to really push for someone to do something about it. But when it did happen, I got the handset for free, so I couldnt really complain at that.

So this is why I will be sticking with orange this time around. Its a shame I mate are not a network op otherwise I would have gone with them!!

Oh and as for a release date for the M5000 we are told mid October. Pricing dependant on tarrif.

Cheers

Phill

Edited September 27, 2005 by deadphill

[Guest john.gallagher]

Missed last nights chat.

My 12 months are up today and I'm looking to upgrade my c500 to the m5000; upgrades said that the unit was still in testing as there were problems with some of the application software (wouldn't specify what) and that the unit is not now expected until November :evil:

Sad news - I would have been happy to stay with Orange, but it looks like o2 will be getting my business... unless they get their finger out! :o

__

UPDATE

Just spoken with o2 and they are saying 3rd October for the XDA Exec :lol:

Last chance Orange, give me an imminent date or I (and I suspect a lot of others) shall be taking our business elsewhere! :(

Edited September 27, 2005 by john.gallagher

[Guest London_jonny]

I spoke to someone at the orange store this afternoon and they said they still don't have prices and they always get these two weeks before release.

She also said that Business retail will get them a couple of weeks before direct so its looking like mid october to get it retail and November direct.

[Guest alaistair]

Well - my company is cutting over from Vodafone to Orange for all our mobile services. (resonably big - but not huge). Anyhow, we're going for SPV smartphones for all users (due to integration with exchange). But a few "power users" have asked for SPV M5000s (me!).

Vodafone have released our numbers and we are due to receive the handsets v-soon. The Orange account manager said we should receive the handsets on Monday! (including 4 or 5 M5000s). He should confirm this on Fri.

So here's hoping!

I'll post again if I get confirmation on Friday (and I'll post again if we get our handsets on Monday just to gloat! :twisted: )

[Guest rhaleuk]

Well - my company is cutting over from Vodafone to Orange for all our mobile services.  (resonably big - but not huge).  Anyhow, we're going for SPV smartphones for all users (due to integration with exchange).  But a few "power users" have asked for SPV M5000s (me!).

Vodafone have released our numbers and we are due to receive the handsets v-soon.  The Orange account manager said we should receive the handsets on Monday! (including 4 or 5 M5000s).  He should confirm this on Fri.

So here's hoping!

I'll post again if I get confirmation on Friday (and I'll post again if we get our handsets on Monday just to gloat! :twisted: )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Expect to be lyched if you do :o

[Guest 73bugcab]

Off topic slightly but wonder if anyone would know if you could connect a usb storage device (laptop hard drive in portable casing) to the M5000 via the mini usb plug? With the vga screen this would then make an impressive portable entertainment system, with battery limitations no doubt.

[Guest neil_p]

Just spoke to O2 Business they said that the O2 Exec version will be available next week the only tariff they have for it at the moment is £16.50 pm 100mins any network and 20 txt + £199.00 for the device. :o

[Guest Pondrew]

Just spoke to O2 Business they said that the O2 Exec version will be available next week the only tariff they have for it at the moment is £16.50 pm 100mins any network and 20 txt + £199.00 for the device. :o

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No way!? A £650 device (sim free) for just £200 on a £16.50 a month tariff?! If that's true... well, lets just I expected peeps to have to pay that on a £25 a month tariff. If it's that good a deal I may sign up...

[Guest gcarte]

No way!? A £650 device (sim free) for just £200 on a £16.50 a month tariff?! If that's true... well, lets just I expected peeps to have to pay that on a £25 a month tariff. If it's that good a deal I may sign up...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So what's it going to cost on orange Premier 600 I hope its free :o

[Guest RedDwarf]

Just spoke to O2 Business they said that the O2 Exec version will be available next week the only tariff they have for it at the moment is £16.50 pm 100mins any network and 20 txt + £199.00 for the device. :(

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

£16.50 for 100mins is not too shabby at all - but don't forget the data package.

For me a major part of the appeal of the Exec (already got a T-Mobile MDA Compact which works great) is the 3G capability.

I've also got an Orange Z1010 (bit of brick but it's reliable). At the moment I'm still on the 3G launch package which means I get 50Mb/mth of 3G/GPRS data free on my Anytime 200 contract - but that stops after 12mths so then I have to pay for it :P

Orange will charge you £23.50 for 65Mb/Mth, O2 with Charge you £14.50 for 36Mb - per Mb Orange are cheaper by about 4p/Mb and supposedly have better 3G coverage 70% vs 50%.

Logically I would therefore wait until my Orange contract expires and then upgrade - but when new toys beckon logic goes out of the window :twisted: plus upgrades are notoriously naff compared to shiny new contracts (it's amazing the way no one really seems to value existing customers - and that seems to be true across most industrys/sectors).

So, have it now with O2 (and I think it looks way better in black) for (based on my actual usage) about the same monthly outlay as Orange will cost me once my launch pack expires or wait for a) contract to expire or :lol: M5000 to actually ship - hmm, which will happen last I wonder... :o

Decisions, decisions... :roll:

[Guest rickyburke]

i reckon on orange premeir 600, your looking at about £70-£100, but if you shop around, should be able to get good deals, onestopphoneshop.co.uk and mobiles.co.uk are pretty good.

Also Orange are doing half price line rental and free weekend minutes. (subject to fair usage policy)

Also they are introducing new 3G specific tariff's in October.

We'll have to wait and see, think us Orange customers seem to say that a lot!

[Guest gcarte]

We'll have to wait and see, think us Orange customers seem to say that a lot!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Been saying that since 15th August when existing contract expired just want to get my grubby little hands on an M5000 :twisted:

[Guest rhaleuk]

Those o2 rates seem really good. And I do prefer it in black. I have a seriously good relationship with Orange so I will wait and see what their October 3G bundles are... but o2 are seriously tempting. I recently bought an o2 PAYG SIM to see what their coverage was like and it was actually a little better than Orange in general. I have the token "dead spot" in my house with Orange, but o2 was full service.

[Guest thelondonthing]

Just to add what little info I have to the melée:

The Orange Business Shop in Richmond-upon-Thames told me yesterday that they weren't expecting any M5000s until the last week of October. When I asked if they had any idea on pricing, I was simply told "it's gonna be expensive".

Popped over to the O2 shop with a friend, as I've recommended that he get the XDA Exec and then stick it on eBay for a tidy profit, as he doesn't really like complicated phones, but he does like his cigars. He's currently on O2, and we were told that the maximum upgrade price would be £229.99 for the handset; for tariffs costing £30 a month and above, the upgrade cost would be £149.99; for customers currently on or upgrading to O2 Max, the upgrade cost of the handset would be nil.

The CSR suggested that costs for new customers would be "fairly similar" to those upgrade prices. Details of those upgrade prices are also available in the current O2 shop brochure. Stocks of the XDA Exec are expected at O2 Richmond on Monday 3 October, so I would expect similar availability nationwide.

Can't say I relish the thought of waiting another full month for the M5000 though.