Orange charging for 0800 numbers

[Guest davidhorn]

Orange have started charging for 0800 calls from the 1st December. They said I'd been informed but checking my recent bills shows nothing.

A bit miffed at this because one of the reasons I chose Orange was because of the free 0800 calls. So, as they've changed the terms of the contract, can I leave without paying penalties. I don't mind giving back the phone (C550). I'm about 3 months into the contract. (£25 / month)

[Guest Peppermint Hippo]

Orange have started charging for 0800 calls from the 1st December.  They said I'd been informed but checking my recent bills shows nothing. 

A bit miffed at this because one of the reasons I chose Orange was because of the free 0800 calls.  So, as they've changed the terms of the contract, can I leave without paying penalties.  I don't mind giving back the phone (C550).  I'm about 3 months into the contract. (£25 / month)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you ring up and complain, they will put a free 0800 bundle on your phone. No one I know has successfully managed to cancel the contract.

[Guest MiG:uK]

and why would you be constantly be ringing 0800 numbers ? :/

[Guest timmillwood]

i liked the idea of free 0800 numbers on Orange!

[Guest mupwangle]

I'm quite glad I left em.

[Guest beauchambers]

Kick Up Stink and they have to put the free bundle on for you

[Guest Tech]

huh?

ive ALWAYS been charged 0800 numbers from orange! even in my free minutes! I asked them 2 years ago and they said its a payable number.... thats why i use the house phone for 0800 numbers

but now my new contract is with O2 with an imate sp5m and its free 0800 numbers! And 0845 0870 numbers within your minutes ;)

[Guest Tech]

I'm quite glad I left em.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

likewise

[Guest Antanico]

I use too the 0800 numbers to have access to phone providers cheaper than ntl or BT for international calls.

Orange used to not charge calls to 0800 numbers and http://www.easy-dial.com/00_access_numbers.asp is one of the lists that you can have access to.

Now when I have to ring I need necessarly a land line in order to use cheaper call rates.

Kindest regards,

Ant

and why would you be constantly be ringing 0800 numbers ? :/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Guest mcwarre]

This is typical of O's recent attitude; just look at the nembers of people on this forum who used them who have left recently.

I was in the first 100K customers and stayed with themas the offered polite and friendly service not to mentin good deals. They now offer neither. Good riddance to them

[Guest pd.ryder]

I have objected in the strongest terms to O regarding their charging for 0800 numbers, and refusing to alot 0845 0870 etc to free minutes. I can't call my bank, mortgage company or even the local hospital without incurring extra charges.

Oddly, it didn't get me anywhere ;)

[Guest Tech]

just dial 999 (God forbid anything serious happens) - free way of gettin the emergency services.

why?

because orange charge

I agree no doubt and I am part of the group who left orange: orange's attitude suck and have changed in the last year DRAMATICALLY - ALOT of people have left and orange dont care.

When i cancelled my first of 2 contracts in November - they didnt even ask why or interest me in any offers or anything. I've only been with orange for 2 years..

Edited January 3, 2006 by Tech

[Guest pd.ryder]

I'm a psychiatric nurse.

It would be nice to be able to call work without having to pay extra ;) (for instance), or call the wife (hospital next door).

Just local places with non-geographic numbers. Grrrr, makes me :evil: it does.

[Guest pd.ryder]

Just noticed this board is displaying BST not GMT. Curious.

[Guest Tech]

displays GMT fine over here ;)

[Guest stanthebiker]

likewise

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Same here, now if only T-Mobile can improve reception in my village.

Cue cries of 'I am the only T-Mobile user in this village!' :oops:

[Guest pd.ryder]

Posted the above just after 0915 - board shows 1017. Is this a local / preferences setting?

I'm going off-topic now, silly boy.

[Guest pete_thomson]

Is this a local / preferences setting?

I'm going off-topic now, silly boy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes it is.

Anyways - I used to get around paying for 0800 calls on Orange by dropping the initial 0 and replacing it with * ie *800 xxxxxxx

Does that still work? It was some time ago

Edited January 8, 2006 by pete_thomson

[Guest sporkguy]

You were all warned at least a month in advance for being charged for 0800 numbers, and anyone who complained over the last 2 months was honoured a bundle that would allow you free 0800 calls for 12 months.

We are no longer providing this bundle as 2 billing cycles have now passed, and you are all aware of the charges.

o2, Voda, tmob etc all charge for 0800 numbers, and always have - so stating that this is a reason to leave orange is simply nonsense.

[Guest Monolithix [MVP]]

Although O2 do include fixed rate numbers in their bundled minutes, orange just charge for them on top of your normal bill.

[Guest gijsdvm]

I can see why some people have left Orange for some reasons, but here in the Netherlands Orange is one of the few providers where you pay your SMS's from your monthly bundle, instead of needing to have an extra SMS bundle. Also Orange offers great service here, and very well perception. And my phone (C550) was free with an 32,50 euro p month abbonement, with 50% of the costs. So i pay 16,25 euro p month, which is very little for an abbonement..

just to share my opinion on Orange.. :)

[Guest Tech]

orange uk for a fact suck in my opinion. Not because i've been pushed around with the C600 thing as almost everyone is aware on this forum but because of stupid charges like 0800 numbers - O2 do NOT do this - i know it.

Also - randomly the bill goes up from orange even if your phone is switched off for a month - yes I've done this believe it or not - bill came to £79.86 - and my phone has been off - well, the sim card actually taken out the handset - and no one has access to the simcard/phone other than myself.

so yes, I am 110% satisfied that I left them

[Guest gijsdvm]

well this hasent yet happened to me and i hope Orange NL is a bit more secure.. I had Orange Prepay before and the only thing i was bothered with were the higher costs then other providers (example: i paid 23 eurocents for an sms :D, with Vodofone my brother paid 10 eurocents for it), but service was always good. I thought i was going to leave Orange, until is saw this offer (50% off bundle costs), and because service was always so good here in the Netherlands, i stayed with Orange.. :)

[Guest datasamm]

Orange! lol they rubbish!!! O2 is much much way better, saved a lot of money past 4 years ;)

Orange takes the mick, they way they going, no way going back to them!

[Guest cwl]

I've not been charged for 0800 numbers yet. I did not receive a "bill insert" or a message on my bill. Anyone know what's going on?

If I do have to pay for 0800/0500/0808s it's not going to cost too much extra but it seems to be part of oranges continuing plan to increase charges by a little bit everywhere. First orange out here went from 5 to 3 texts per day (bearing in mind we had paid up front for life); then texts from abroad went from 9-24p+normal SMS charge to the "simpler" 40p. Grrr