Trouble after signing up to Orange Broadband

Hi all,

My girlfriend signed up to an 18-month Orange mobile phone contract about two weeks ago. For �30 a month, she gets unlimited texts and 200 minutes. Whilst signing her up for this package, we opted to go for the Orange Home Starter broadband package too, with the mobile phone contract the broadband came to only �5 a month. She's been using dial-up so any broadband is likely to be better!

Things haven't turned out quite as planned though. Firstly, there was no e-mail confirmation of the order we'd placed. The phone did turn up on the scheduled delivery date, and that was fine. We phoned Orange to register her new sim card, gave them her PAC code from O2, and the phone is working. Orange say the number from O2 will be transferred around January 2nd.

We wondered however why we hadn't heard anything about the broadband, so we asked. Orange said they hadn't received an order for broadband but could put the order in, Home Starter for �5 a month. We said great, do that please.

Now, our understanding was that Home Starter provided a simple USB modem used to give DSL access. Speeds of up to 2mb and a low monthly usage cap, but for �5 a month, it's all my partner needs. She's currently living with her parents, and doesn't want the broadband to interfere with her parents' BT line at all. Judging by the website, we both assumed that Home Starter was broadband only and the more expensive package, Home Max, provided broadband, line rental and calls.

Yesterday, the modem arrived and with it a letter stating that the broadband is ready to go and that although the home line rental would remain payable to BT, all calls would now go through Orange. Not what she wanted at all and this really wasn't made clear on the Orange website or via their welcome letter.

Both my partner and I spent nearly two hours on the phone to Orange yesterday (on their overpriced support lines) speaking to foreigners who had absolutely no idea. Firstly they tried to tell us that the home phone line calls would switch to Orange on January 3rd and we'd need to call them after that in order to disable the calls service. That to me sounded like the advisor was trying to put the issue off and get rid of us.

The next person suggested that if we cancelled the service now, we would incur a charge for the 18 month contract. This is the same day the service started!

The third person advised that we could switch to a 'Home Select' package that provided only broadband, no calls service, but would cost �15 a month. Not ideal either, that's paying more for no reason.

Finally, the fourth person suggested that although Orange has placed a request with BT to takeover the calls on the homeline, it shouldn't be processed until January 3rd and we can contact BT in the meantime and ask them to prevent any change. So, we give BT a call and speak to a seemingly helpful guy who says it can be done, puts us through to the right department but after being on hold for 30mins with no answer, we decide to give up for the day.


SO!...

My partner wants to keep her mobile phone and contract, �30 a month, that's fine.

She'd be happy to keep Orange broadband for �5 a month but doesn't want her parents' home phoneline calls to be charged via Orange, all that needs to remain BT. Is there anyway we can get this done? If so, is there a telephone number we could dial that has useful and understandable Orange advisors on the other end?

Last but not least, if this can't be arranged so the calls stay with BT, is there anyway she can just cancel the Orange broadband without being charged? The modem only arrived yesterday so I'm hoping there's a 7 day cancellation period or something...?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, we don't seem to be getting much from Orange!

The Home Select package is �10 per mnth with a mobile contract. The �15 charge is for the Home Max package which takes over the whole line i.e. line rental and calls.

Someone's pulling your leg !!

Home Starter is a Broadband only service, no phone calls are included. It now comes with a wireless router instead of a USB modem.

Someone could be mixing it up with Home Max, which does include calls BUT then they take over your phone line and so you wouldn't be paying line rental to BT.

However, as Orange say you will still be paying line rental to BT, I can't see how they can route your calls though Orange.

Furthermore, as the phone line is registered to her parents, Orange cannot take orders from your partner to change it.


Here is the Home4 Starter offer on Orange's own webpage (http://www.orange.co.uk/time/broadbandaccess/default.htm?WT.hplink=D2&cd_source=arthuradel&linkfrom=hp4&link=box_right_pos_2_1_link_2&article=080105orangeshop1800default4freesim):

======================================================================

Home Starter

Great value for money - this straightforward package is simple to use and easy to set up.

BT line rental remains payable.

Original package �12
With any 18 or 24 month mobile plan �5

x browse at speeds of up to 2 Meg
x 6GB monthly usage allowance
x wireless modem

======================================================================

NO MENTION OF PHONE CALLS INCLUDED!

Here is the Home Starter page: http://orange.co.uk/time/broadbandstarter/

It says: "Orange home phone services. With the Orange calls package included with Home Starter, you will receive inclusive evening and weekend calls to 01 and 02 numbers."

Thank you for pointing that out. I missed it; it was not on the summary page. Think it's something they changed in the New Year.

I'm on the old BB Starter with USB modem at end of contract. I nearly changed to new Home Starter just to get the wireless router. But I won't now cuz I don't want Orange taking over my phone. This might be the last straw to force me to change ISP.

Home Select gives you wireless (via livebox) and doesn't do anything to your phone line .

www.orange.co.uk/time/broadbandselect

Yes, but at nearly twice the price! Not suitable.

I'd rather buy a Netgear router for �40 from Amazon and continue with my current BB package.

Edited by XRaySpeX (Sun 06-Jan-08 02:42:55)

wait till the end of your contract, phone to cancel and see what they will offer you then

Yes, thanks. I've already contacted them, without threatening to cancel, and they've made me a reasonable offer of an 18 month contract, including free wireless router and NOT taking over my phone calls, at a lower subscription than at present.

OR I can stay on my current package with USB router, which I can cancel at anytime as I have completed the contract term.
Then I can buy my own wireless router.

In the end, I took up their offer of RETENTION BB Starter 2Mb @ �11.99 / month
- 18 month contract, 1st 3 months free
- NO phone calls included, as I wanted, unlike the current Home Starter

A FREE Siemens Wireless Router was offered on the phone (an 0800 #) at my request, but it took a lotta chasing to get it. However, I received today, without any indication that it still belonged to Orange. It did not take long to replace the Speedtouch modem by the Siemens wireless router (wired), which was easy to configue manually (without the CD). However, at first glance as measured at this site, the download speed seems to have gone down slightly; from 3.5 Mbps via the Speedtouch to 3 Mbps via the Siemens.

I confirm the Siemens wireless router is much like any other 54 Mbps G router except that it only has 1 Ethernet port instead of the usual 4, and should be usable on any system connecting to any ADSL Broadband ISP. I have not tried it wirelessly yet.

Edited by XRaySpeX (Wed 13-Feb-08 03:29:47)