Orange Online have them in stock, now! (14.33 Tues)

[Guest techno12]

Just this second got off the phone to Orange, they're in stock, it'll be turning up tomorrow (yay!). Never did get that "they're available" text from Orange mind you.

[Guest Rod]

Theres definately something wrong here!

I phoned about 20min ago after reading this and still they say they haven't got them and maybe in a weeks time they might be in. When I rang yesterday the girl didn't even know what the C500 was. How can they tell different people different things?

[Guest techno12]

Theres definately something wrong here!

I phoned about 20min ago after reading this and still they say they haven't got them and maybe in a weeks time they might be in.  When I rang yesterday the girl didn't even know what the C500 was.  How can they tell different people different things?

Best bet is to phone each day, I was told different things by different people too, and stupidly I was waiting for Orange to text/call me to let me know they were in stock. Just happened to see a post here that said they were in stock. Hmm, maybe they misheard me and sent the wrong phone!

[Guest ajfoggy]

The best bet is to ring around your local Orange stores, thats where most people seem to be getting them.

[Guest techno12]

The best bet is to ring around your local Orange stores, thats where most people seem to be getting them.

Yup, my local store has them, but they're only offering the crap instore tariffs to upgraders like me (well, my store is anyway, I hear some others are more flexible), and I want the cool online ones instead.

[Guest Rod]

I would try stores but I also want to get the online contracts as they are much better.

I currently have an E200 on Talk Time 120 with 120 crossnetwork minutes for £25. Orange online does Your Plan 120 with same minutes and 250 free msgs a month also for £25 which will save me a fortune as I txt alot.

I initally rang 150 to upgrade but I have 3 months left on contract so it would cost me £79 and they wouldn't match online contracts which are not for upgrades. The guy told me to change my contract to cheapest one (£15) and then cancel it which would only cost me £45. Then to start the new online ones, he was really dead on and helpful.

Anyway to end this story I'm getting a C500 with better £25 contract for £45. And by selling my E200 on eBay I make a profit! Sweet as.

[Guest sponge]

That sounds like a good plan. I don't suppose he mentioned the time scales involved, i.e. how long it takes for the downgrade to occur and any minimum time you have to wait before then calling to cancel the contract?

I'm in a similar boat as you - if I continue 'as-is' and wait until my contract expires (or buy it out now) it will cost me 3x£25=£75, but if I downgrade it's only going to cost 3x£15=£45. So I'll actually save me money. :wink: Furthermore, I get to take advantage of the online tariffs.

The only thing is, I would like to keep my existing number. :x I won't be able to do that, will I? :)

I was talking to someone the other day and he raised an interesting point. Who actually remembers phone numbers? If they want to call you, they just select your name from their contacts list. So once the number is amended there, it's forgotten. So is it worth trying to keep a number? :-k

EDIT: How much is the c500 on the online 120min @ £15 tariff? Normally, with such cheap tariffs, the phone isn't free. :P Need to take this cost into account, too. #-o

[Guest Rod]

That sounds like a good plan. I don't suppose he mentioned the time scales involved, i.e. how long it takes for the downgrade to occur and any minimum time you have to wait before then calling to cancel the contract? 

I'm in a similar boat as you - if I continue 'as-is' and wait until my contract expires (or buy it out now) it will cost me 3x£25=£75, but if I downgrade it's only going to cost 3x£15=£45. So I'll actually save me money.  :wink: Furthermore, I get to take advantage of the online tariffs. 

The only thing is, I would like to keep my existing number.  :x I won't be able to do that, will I?  :)

I was talking to someone the other day and he raised an interesting point. Who actually remembers phone numbers? If they want to call you, they just select your name from their contacts list. So once the number is amended there, it's forgotten. So is it worth trying to keep a number?  :-k

He said the downgrade of contract takes effect from next bill date which luckily for me happened today. After that I can cancel it. Although he also said I didn't even have to cancel I could just let it run out and it wouldn't cost me anymore as long as I didn't go over the free minutes (I think its 30min for the £15 contract) so I might even do that and use the 30 minutes each month.

You can't keep your number which is the one disadvantage of all this but I don't mind this myself as I'll have 250 free msgs to update everyone. So now I just need them to be in stock!

[Guest Rod]

£79 it will cost with any contract less than £25 I believe. Which is one of the reasons I am sticking with the £25 one. Other reason being the amount of free msgs which should keep the girlfriend happy.

[Guest lexster]

Orange online does Your Plan 120 with same minutes and 250 free msgs a month also for £25 which will save me a fortune as I txt alot

According to the T&Cs that deal is only available to new customers and the text bundle expires after 18 months. Retentions might do it for upgrades out of contract if you're lucky enough to speak to the right person :?

I've been on Select 500 for almost a year (3 days to go). A pretty good deal (25 quid) but no text bundle. But then you can just buy one for 8 quid.

[Guest sponge]

£79 it will cost with any contract less than £25 I believe.  Which is one of the reasons I am sticking with the £25 one.  Other reason being the amount of free msgs which should keep the girlfriend happy.

Hmm...

A £15pm tariff would save £120 over the year, compared to the similar £25pm one. However, the phone would cost £80. But that still means a saving of £40. It's worth paying for the phone. :-k

[Guest Rod]

Yeah thats very true, but in my case I do alot of texting so I would be saving alot of money overall because of the 250 msg/month associated with the £25 contract.

Can someone please post when Orange Direct claims they are in stock. (Not that this means much because they seem to tell different things to different people)

[Guest sponge]

I decided to call my local Orange Shop and see if they could help me. The first store said they would match the online tariff (120min @ £15) and give me £50 trade-in for an old PAYG phone I have. However, they haven't got any c500s in stock at the moment. So I moved on...

I called another shop, slightly further away from where I live. They have 2 in stock. I double checked that they would match the online tariff, she checked and said yes. But I have to take a print out of the web page :roll: They'll also give me £50 for the old phone.

I reserved a phone and I go to make the deal later this afternoon. So barring any last minute cock-ups, I'll be the proud owner of a c500 by 3pm :)

[Guest sponge]

Well I have it! :)/

I got the online 120 minutes + 30sms @ £15 tariff; a new number :P ; £50 trade in for my dad's old nokia :wink: (I haven't told him yet) and no charge for the handset.

Interestingly, the receipt shows a charge and then refund for £79.99 for the phone. :?

Time to play...oh, and order a larger miniSD card :roll: