orange nightmare senario !

Hi, can anyone help, I have had orange broadband for years without a problem, but since November I have had nothing but trouble, very slow, sometimes can't connect, sometimes will connect but only for a short time, other times can't connect at all(at one timefor about 5 days).
In a nutshell they persuaded me to try Home Max as they said this would be better for me.(18 month contract) I am still having the same problems even though their technical department can't get the livebox up and running)
I have been on the phone with them trying to get it sorted for nearly 3 months, must have wasted 9 hours or so on the telephone. I feel like screaming they won't let me out of the 18 month contract keep palming me off with different line tests ect.Have spoken to a manager but he says they are entitled to keep trying to connect me. When will it all end, I'm gutted, I use my laptop to keep in touch with friends and family. Any advice would be more than welcome .Izzycam, Tonyrefail, S Wales. PS I know it sounds stupid to get worked up over connection it's just it's like a lifeline for me.Thanks again

Hi Izzicam,

no probs till Novenber. Any changes in Novenber? Line speed? moved to Llu instead of Ipstream?
If this has been happening since then I would be wanting to talk to the cancelation dept no matter what a 'manager' has told you.
Have you talked to them yet?
Give it a try!

Hi, no I have't talked to a cancellation dept yet they just keep trying different things, and keeping me on the phone for hours, they say I can't cancel unless I pay for the 18 month contract.

you won't believe this but just spoke to the cancellaion department and they are down for the day....... (never ending story)

I know it is not much consolation, but I am having exactly the same problems, Up until November had no problems, got a call in November to say they would "Upgrade" me and send a livebox, I was already on the highest speed and had my own wirless router so declined, after a few more minutes, and as the price was the same, I agreed to be upgraded. SInce then speeds have fluctuated from 5 to 0.1 throughout a single day, with no pattern. I have now called about 15 times, get the same "line test" story, also get told the system tool is down and they can't get my records, if i keep in the phone there tool miraculously comes back !!

I plan to change provider but have two concerns:
1. can I keep my e-mail address
2, How can I check if this is an Orange or a BT problem

1. Don't think so, but you should seek an independent e-mail address anyway -- either a free one from Google/Hotmail or one of those annual fee ones from Purple Cloud etc.

2. If your router's sync speed is fluctuating, it's likely to be a problem with your line. If your router's sync speed is rock-solid, it's likely to be a problem with Orange

Just got through again, won't put me through to cancellation dept but would speak on my behalf (from India).
Came back with the advice !!!!! can only cancel if I pay rest of 18 month conract (wow that's about �350 odd quid) for a service that hasn't been right since November and has never managed to connect through live box. My god !!! I feel the orange service is the worst I have ever experienced in my whole life.
At least 45 phone calls ,9 to 12 hours on technical department helplines. where is the end to al this, just give me the [censored] service or leave me go. I am normally a very reasonable person (believe it or not) but I defy anyone to go through this without being angry. Please let me have some advice or if anone has had the same problem, then I won't feel so bad. Thanking you kindly. Lisa (Tonyrefail, S Wales)

They can't refuse to put you through to the cancellations dept Izzy! Stick at it! Tell them a little white lie ..... tell them you want a MAC code, yes you know there will be a cancellation fee you still want it. When transfered tell them you want to cancel and complain until they do.

Talk to Consumer Direct. It looks like they are unable to provide the service and as such they cant hold you to a contract. There is something in consumer law about companies being required to use reasonable skill in providing services. I cant recall the act or the exact wording, but it was quoted to me by Consume Direct when I spoke to them about problems with Pipex.

This was exactly my experience. A phone call promising an upgrade which I turned down because I was using my own modem and didn't want to be tied in for 18months. An hour later my service died, never to return.

So calls to orange led to the answers: "Its your pc" " its your modem" "Its your bt line" "have you tried rebooting" "the system are down can you ring back tomorrow", and still no service.

Eventually I dragged a commitment to issue a MAC code out of them. I had to ask 6 times and then it didn't arrive in the promised 5 days. Instead it took another call and email to get it.

So..now on BT broadband....and getting 6-7MB/s ...

but orange are trying to keep billing me and when I called said "The systems are down so we can't confirm you left us." A long discussion ensued in which the customer support person refused to give her name, refused to put me through to her manager or do anything to progress my problem...
To all Orange users and potential users...get out or better still don't join...they are appalling ...