An SPV, It's Owner and a love affair...

[Guest Kizeron]

Seven years ago, when I first started University, I happened to run into what can only be described as pure perfection. At the time, people thought I was moving too fast. We used to text everyday, we didn’t need to wait for convenient moments to exchange news, gossip and our thoughts. It was like we were made for each other.

Soon everyone started to understand why we were a couple, why we were inseparable. They saw with there own eyes how much we meant to each other. I think we started a trend, I mean, I’m not being big headed, but I reckon we may have made serious relationships fashionable. Come on guy’s, this was Uni in the 90’s!

We did have our bad day’s though, as I’m sure every couple do. You know the old story, me taking things for granted, abusing the convenience and not keeping an eye at the time when out with the boy’s. Let’s just say, it always stung me in my wallet, and I eventually learnt to keep my wits about me.

Seven whole years we were together. I should have seen this coming though. I noticed the changes a few years back. I just didn’t pay much attention, dismissing it as a phase. You can never really understand them can you? We just have to put up with it. Don’t we? I mean, tolerance and trust should be the foundation of any relationship.

All I wanted was some recognition. I was loyal, I stuck by through thick and thin. We weathered the storms together. Surely, loyalty must count for something.

……..God, look at me. I’m still making excuses. All that money spent and what have I got to show for it? Nothing…Zero…Nada.

In the beginning, I was respected, appreciated, and I actually felt valued. Now, having spoken to each other for 7 minutes, my 7 years of memories seem worthless.

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I rang up Orange today asking them for a good deal on the upgrade to the P800. They told me I couldn’t have a discount because my last three bills were under 15 pounds. I told them that I’d purchased an SPV last year on a new contract. That’s why I wasn’t using that other number. I also told them that I felt a bit hard done by, and that the phone wasn’t working to the high standards I normally expected form Orange. The lady was kind, but couldn’t really help me. She suggested going to disconnections. She told me that maybe they worked a different policy to hers

I eventually got transferred and was immediately told I would not get a discounted P800. I told then that I had been loyal to Orange for 7 years. My highest bill was 2,600 pounds in month (I was abroad in Asia). I mostly spend around 100 to 300 pounds on a monthly basis. Surely that counted for something?

All of this fell to dead ears though. In the end I had no choice but to request disconnection. I’ve also decided to disconnect my SPV's number, paying the early disconnection charge.

I'm feeling quite down now. I have been used and taken advantage of, taken for granted and viewed as profit centre and not as a paying 'Customer'. :x

I had a ring around yesterday and found that at least 8 people I know have left Orange due to the bad customer service. :cry:

For those of you thinking that I'm just whining because I didn't get a P800. You've probably never experienced Orange during it's hay day. They were the best network ever ;) .

What network do I join now? Any advise? :shock:

Kiz. :)

[Guest MECX]

after all the cash you have given them!!!!

these big companys can just be damn right rude!!

to be honest ive heard O2 on contract are also a bit s*** but good on PAYG.

Voda are meant to be ok dont know anybody on T-Mobile.

good luck

[Guest ssj_kakarot]

it depends what you want vodafone is good for coverage and ok on customer services, but its like one of the most expensive networks and the tariffs aint really to flexible, i had a t-mobile contract 2 with no problems at all for 14 months but they dont really have many phones, a lot of people seem to be going to o2 but from what ive heard its becasue of the 500 txt promotion they running at the moment. probelly just best to look around for a good deal on a phone n tariff nb go with which sp has the best deals, over the years i aint really found one to be better than the other, but am quite happy with orange now though :)

[Guest Kizeron]

What about 3?

The thing is, I wanted a PDA style phone and the '3' NEC hand sets are....urrrrm, what's the word?

Oh yeah, Boring ;). :)

Do you think I should write a letter to Orange? Or am I being too petty?

[Guest ssj_kakarot]

no write away if you want to doubt it will do any good though, all they run by for upgrades and discounts alike is a calculator that tells them how much to charge customers for upgrades based on there last few bills and such, bu it might do some good never hurts to complain any way, doesnt cost n e thing.

[Guest MECX]

get tapping on that calculator man and work out how much you have given them over the years---id def send a letter!! the worst they can say is no go away. :)

[Guest The_Brickster]

Go for it mate, let us know how it goes. We'll really see if Orange take customer care seriously.

[Guest Kizeron]

OK,

I'm going to put my 'angy complaint letter writing' specs on, and go for it. I'll let you guy's know the results.

I popped into Car Phone Warehouse today and had a chat. They told me that over the last few years they've noticed that complaints have increased and Orange are really trying to cut back on things. Classic example of such a cutback is the lack of free insurance now. I blame all the money they 'invested' on the 3g licenses.

Anyway, that's still no excuse to treat me like that. :oops:

Wish me luck. :)

Kiz.

[Guest Syvwlch]

Break a leg!

[Guest Big Ron - No Longer a Mem]

Things are set to get worse. (Sorry to always seem to be the bearer of bad news!) Oftel have demanded that mobile telco's cut the level of subsidy on phones. Average prices (according to www.scancom.co.uk's site) are about to rise around £40. Check out their site for some VERY strange deals on off-peak SIMs on O2. No phone - just a contract SIM. Nominal monthly payment, 750 off peak minutes a month, and 50 texts.

[Guest Kizeron]

Shite, just received my Orange bill for the SPV number. It's 109 pounds, and last months was 100+ pounds too. I can't beleive I'm still giving them money!

I better buy myself out of that contract too.

How much do you think I can sell my SPV for after temination? I'm not too sure of the going rate, but It's still newish :).

Here's a thought.....why can't Oftel demand that operators let individuals know instantly how many free minutes and text messages they use. Just make it an on screen feature of all new phones.

Oh and also, let us mix 'pay as you go' with our contracts. I want to be able to stop all outgoing calls once I reach my limit. No telco offers that service.

I think I better stop ranting now ;) .

[Guest awarner [MVP]]

I thought they did?

A friend of mine said that they have a price cap on their contract

per month, so when their limit is reached that's all the calls they can make

for the month.

I think they are on vodaphone but not sure

[Guest ssj_kakarot]

yeah with vodafone ypu can have a spendchecker placed on the account, so the outgoing calls stop when it hits the price u placed the limit for, only calls though not txt's, but it never works n e way, the ammount of people ive had to deal with casue the limit they have placed on the account has not worked n they have gone over it, its more trouble than its worth really.

[Guest amo]

A cap can be set on t mobile too, it must be at least the total of ur line rental plus 25% or thereabouts. so a 20 line rental contract would be 20 + 5 = 25 quid cap

[Guest Big Ron - No Longer a Mem]

" Oh and also, let us mix 'pay as you go' with our contracts. I want to be able to stop all outgoing calls once I reach my limit. No telco offers that service. "

I mentioned that months back. T-Mobile offer it, (but don't like to publicise the fact - you have to ask them) Orange do NOT. Back when I worked for them, I suggested it as an idea and was told "it's been looked at, but it's too complicated." How many millions of PAYG users are kids too young to enter a binding contract in their own right, and whose parents are loth to take resonsibility for an open ended bill where spending is controlled by a teenager? Love's young dream (if the other half is on another network!) could run up a bill into the hundreds in a month. If the Telcos hope to make money (or at least, minimise losses) on G3, then they need to switch as many PAYG customers to "pay monthly" as possible - right now, there are at least two PAYG's for each "pay monthly". The market is saturated - any expension HAS to be in the "additional services" area, and that's pretty much restricted to contract customers. A capped monthly limit would seem a logical route towards making monthly contracts attractive to parents who have given phones to their kids. When you've got your foot in the door... you can peddle them lucrative extras. Clearly, it's too obvious a solution.

[Guest Kizeron]

Hmmmm,

I know that Orange wouldn't let me do it, I asked 4 years ago.....ahhhhhh..... I remember those days.

We used to walk hand in hand along the beach near my house. I remeber this game we used to play during our long walks. I can't for the life of me remember the name....let me think........ahh yes, I think it was called, noodles, or perhaps worm, no no, no, it was Snake. I always used to Win though.

Kiz, for god's sake, break out of that hypnotic state Orange got you in. IT'S OVER.

Where was I, oh yeah, a phone call, message and perhaps even GPRS limiter. Surely this can be developed??? Only problem is, Orange have locked access the radio stack, the most you can probably do is alert the user if if he/she has gone over a time limit.

If this wasn't the case, I think it would be good if you could assign an alert that was played while you made a over your limit call. A bit like the one played during call waiting.

[Guest Kizeron]

Big Ron,

I agree with you one hundred percent. In order for the telcos to survive the pending 3G disaster. It's imperitive that they open themselves up and become more flexible. To be honest, I was seriously thinking about moving to PayG to try and stem my spending. I think the whole PayG concept was good, but they didn't realise how detrimental it would be to their core business. The way to plug this hole, is to 'Only' provide GPRS, MMS and 3G services via contracts. Also, Introduce teenager service bundles that can be mixed with 'voice and vanilla text message' PayG cards.

What are the benefits to parents?

1. Detailed call and message history, even if a PAYG card is used.

2. Detailed HTTP history (Telcos should offer this if they charge us per packet).

3. The ability to suspend the phone number.

What better way to sustain a revenue stream and also allow the customer to be in control.