In-contract Upgrade

[Guest Foxy2k]

I just got off the phone from Orange so I thought I'd let everyone else know what response I got.

I currently have the SPVe200 and I'm on the Anytime 120 Square Deal £25pcm. I also have Orange Care and World Access 3.

If you're still in contract with Orange it looks like you'll have to pay the £75 upgrade fee, or if like me you've only been in contract for 3 months you'll have to pay a massive £100 for the upgrade.

The earliest that I was told the upgrade "could" become free was 10 months into the contract. Not the kinda news I was after.

I think I may just downgrade my plan and get a new contract.

If anyone else in a similar situation gets a different response I'd be interested to know what you said!

[Guest t3dluke]

10 months... hmm may just wait since I'm 8 months in already.

[Guest Foxy2k]

The lady I talked to couldn't guarantee it would be free after 10 months but maybe thats because she was thinking I would have to wait another 7 and things could change by then!

[Guest foxy11]

yeah the upgrade fees can be anything from £75 to £250

[Guest rikwebb]

They where very offhand when I spoke to them.

10 months in and they will not waive the fee, they said I dont spend enough. I give um nearly £100 a month.

They said they would rather see me leave than waive the fee.

Rik

[Guest Manawydan]

They where very offhand when I spoke to them.

10 months in and they will not waive the fee, they said I dont spend enough. I give um nearly £100 a month.

They said they would rather see me leave than waive the fee.

Rik

I went in today to get my C500 - and after humming and harring, I decided that I would go for the "Your Plan 200" which, on Orange's website, says comes in three options and I chose 200 x-network mins, 120 texts, 2MB GPRS and 2 free games (though I wasn't arsed about the games) all for £30.

Imagine my surprise when they said that it was only for new sign ups. When you look at the page with the tariffs, it doesn't state that it's for new sign ups only. You have to open up their "Terms and Conditions" page and then it's about 4/5ths down the very long page.

The guy in the shops answer - phone and say I'll disconnect unless they give me that plan - but this would mean that I'd have to order through the phone and it would take a few days for me to get the phone. Very poor customer service.

[Guest ajfoggy]

I'm pretty sure they wont drop the upgrade fee to £0 until your 12 months is up, I was nearly 9 months into my contract last week when I upgraded for £75. I did quiz them about getting it for free and they just said wait until your contract runs out.

To be honest I couldn't wait because the C500 is so much smaller and quicker than the E200.

[Guest philjg]

I had a similar grievance with Orange last week - I'm nearly 9 months into my contract, paying £50+ each month and I wanted to upgrade to the C500.

After 3 calls, with waiting times ranging from 5mins to 22mins (at which point I had to hang up - they have Insania playing!) I was told, quite fairly in my opinion, that I would have to pay £75 to upgrade to the C500 as I had 3 months left on my contract. What I didn't think was fair though, was that my promotional price plan (I pay for everyone 200, but get an extra 200 mins free per month) could not be extended to my new phone. I was obviously not happy at the thought of having to pay £75 for a new phone, yet would lose 200 mins a month in a new contract, as 'promotions only apply to new customers'. I spoke to the 'churn' department who refused to extend the offer or do anything else to keep me. So I have reduced my tarriff to the lowest possible (Everyone 30 or something, £15 a month) so I can pay out of my contract for £45 in a few days time.

I'll then be switching networks for a new promotional tarriff (as Orange won't let me start a new contract and keep my number) and Orange have now lost over £600 this year in revenue. I'm waiting for the Qtek or i-mate now instead. I'll probably end up paying the same amount over a year, but I don't really care as I'm so disgusted with orange.

I actually attempted to ring back on saturday to see whether a different person had a different opinion and was told that 'Disconnections' would call me. I asked when, he said he didn't know. I asked for his name, he refused to give me his surname as this was 'policy'. I haven't heard from them at all. I'm amazed at the terrible level of customer service I received and the fact that they are willing to lose business so easily.

[Guest ZeroK66]

I ahve been in contract 8 months, but am a very high user. They have okayed an FOC upgrade and my local shop has stock - could pick it up this afternoon!! That said though, if I wait one month more and crack over 9 months I can then change to a promotional tarrif at the same time as the upgrade and save myself loadza money over the year, tough call!

[Guest Syphon Filter]

i just called Orange. My contract is up on the 19th of Nov....they said that they would not even consider waiving my fee until the 19th of October...

totally lame...the guy on the phone was so fricking rude as well...

[Guest Ozzie252]

I talked to a nice man at the Orange shop. I was upgrading to my new C500 (£75 fee - well worth it) and getting my girlfriend a new contract. He informaed me that I could get £50 off my orange bill if I traded her old phone in. I thought why not (an old battered Nokia 8310)? I asked if I could trade another phone in too. He said yeah no problem as I was doing an upgrade and signing up for a new contract I could do it twice. I only had one phone on me so he said I could go in up to 7 days later and do the same with another phone. So in effect the upgrade cost me nothing and I got £25 off my orange bill.