Out of Contract with Orange - What Next?

[Guest keeko]

Hi all,

I'm a month or two out of my Orange contract and I'm hoping you guys can advise me on a new Tariff and Handset.

Currently I've got:

Motorola MPX200

Orange Offpeak Xnet 800 min + Orangecare ~£30 per month.

I'm looking to stay with a MS Smartphone and keep my number. But I'd like to move from Orange because I'm sure I can get a better deal this way. My first question really has got to be - what handset choices are available with Microsoft Windows OS if I move from Orange? Dare I ask here, would anyone consider a switch to a Symbian phone? (I've heard mixed reports of ability to sync to Outlook etc...)

Turning to Networks and tariffs, I live in Brighton and obviously good network coverage is important to me. I've only experienced Vodafone and Orange networks.

Currently, my off-peak tariff suits my needs, but I'm also considering all day 200 min Tariffs too as I never use all my minutes now. Any 1/2 price rental deals would be an advantage. Ideally I'd like to avoid an 18 month contract.

I'd like a decent camera on the phone if possible. I like the look of the SPV phones but I presume I can't get one of these if I leave Orange??

Please feel free to give me your comments on handsets/operators/tariffs whatever. All info would be gratefully received.

Many thanks in advance.

[Guest ChrisJM]

well if you want to stick with orange and have a smartphone i would reccomend waiting for the C600. HERE!

If you would rather change operators then both O2 and vodaphone offer very similar phones which include wifi called the SP5 and SP5m.

Edited December 3, 2005 by ChrisJM

[Guest darrellr]

Hi all,

I'm a month or two out of my Orange contract and I'm hoping you guys can advise me on a new Tariff and Handset.

...

I'm looking to stay with a MS Smartphone and keep my number. 

Pretty much the same here. I'm a total nube to personal contract 'phones. My first contract expires on January 6th with Orange. Basically I got a c500 on "OVP Vodafone 200" for free with 11 months free. I have no intention of paying the £30/month fee and so will cancel my contract.

Anyone any idea how:

- I cancel with Orange (30 days notice?)?

- how I transfer my current number to a new contract?

- am I eligible to get another deal with Orange or is it just the other 4/5 networks?

- what is the 'best' smartphone to go for?

[Guest ChrisJM]

- I cancel with Orange (30 days notice?)?

- how I transfer my current number to a new contract?

- am I eligible to get another deal with Orange or is it just the other 4/5 networks?

- what is the 'best' smartphone to go for?

You need to phone O and tell them you want to cancel your contract but you will have to pay any upcoming bills to do so. If you want to keep your number then you would have to upgrade rather than cancel your contract but you would need to stick with orange if you do so. Just phone O and ask them about upgrade fees etc. As i said earlier the best smartphone to get is probably the SPV c600 which will be released soon.don't know what you mean bout the other Q Sorry!

[Guest hotphil]

One thing I've done a couple of times in the past is to give them notice that I wish to cancel my contract, tell them I want to convert that phone to PAYG, take out a new contract/handset, record a new voicemail greeting on the old handset giving people my new number, get rid of old handset.

Has the benefit of getting whatever new deal Orange are doing and making sure that anyone that I forgot to give my new number to can still contact me.

As for recommendations at the moment, if I was out of contract I'd be going with the deals T-Mobile are doing on the Vario at the moment - 40Mb/month bundled in!! What on earth are Orange up to? All their contracts are so uncompetitive at the moment. I'll be leaving them after many years when this contract's up.

[Guest keeko]

As for recommendations at the moment, if I was out of contract I'd be going with the deals T-Mobile are doing on the Vario at the moment - 40Mb/month bundled in!! What on earth are Orange up to? All their contracts are so uncompetitive at the moment. I'll be leaving them after many years when this contract's up.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Couldn't agree more about the cost of Orange contracts at the moment.

Does anyone have experience of network coverage of T-Mobile in and around Brighton (UK)? A few years ago I heard it was not good.

Thanks for the comments so far!

[Guest Disco Stu]

Moved to Help & Advice

[Guest keeko]

Moved to Help & Advice

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

mmm, no further replies since my message was moved here. Anyone with any views on this, it would be great to hear from you.

Thank you.

[Guest monkeygadge]

Cancel Orange and move to an O2 SIM only online tariff at www.o2.co.uk which may give you more minutes and txts (inc multimedia messaging) than you can handle! You can take your number with you.

Then you can buy which ever handset you like. Check out Ebay for some options like mpx220, C500 and others. It'll save you a fortune in the long-term.

[Guest commonpersonjustlykeverybody]

Cancel Orange and move to an O2 SIM only online tariff at www.o2.co.uk which may give you more minutes and txts (inc multimedia messaging) than you can handle! You can take your number with you.

Then you can buy which ever handset you like. Check out Ebay for some options like mpx220, C500 and others. It'll save you a fortune in the long-term.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i very much agree, orange is a real pain. try to upgrade and it's going to cost you fortune.

yeah you should leave orange and go to O2, and did i say that o2 staffs are nice and helpful than orange. 8)

[Guest Tech]

get an SP5m - better than a C600 for sure.

[Guest keeko]

Thanks for all your advice.

:)