Neighbours broadband hasnt been activated, wants to cancel

But he has been told he will have to pay a cancellation fee plus despite the connection promised to be on over 4 weeks ago they say he has to pay for the month!!!

I dont know the full details but he has been with Orange around 4 years and was upgraded around Christmas 2010 to the bt wholesale side so his speeds rose but Christmas 2011 he moved away and a family member took over his flat contract but didtn want phone or broadband.

When he moved back he transferred the connection back again and his phone came back on fast but not his internet and he kept on getting promised it would be "on tommorow" but never was so rang to cancel and I was beside him but couldnt hear the conversation only parts but he kept on asking to be put through to cancellations and kept on getting "oh but we can help you" and took him about 30 minutes to get through then the person from what I could hear of their voice was quite abrupt and impolite and saying he could not cancel his CONTRACT.

Since I am not familiar with thse things I assume that he may of unknowingly been put on a new contract when he moved since he tells me has hasnt signed anything.

Verbal agreements over the phone, or clicking I Agree on a web portal is enough. Not signed a contract for a service for years.

They can cease service, but contract may result in money being owed. Where cancellation is clearly down to a failure by a provider (rather than just consumer changing mind) expectation would be for provider to take the penalty from its suppliers.

In short be polite but firm, to get through to cancellations, and highlight the failure to provision the service. If that goes nowhere inform them you will be seeking independent advice, and wish to escalate it to their dispute resolution service, at which point they are duty bound to give you details of this.