I'm wondering if this is just a rumour....i'll believe it when i see it...
For what it's worth, I received the following from Orange Customer Service this morning following a query about my deleted account:
We are aware some customers want to retrieve their email accounts and
were unaware that their account would be deleted.
As a result of this customer feedback we're working to restore these
email accounts as a priority however we are not able to give a specific
time frame as to when this issue will be resolved.
I lost my freeserve account on Friday. (and my associated personal webpages are gone too)
TBH I've always expected it to get deleted eventually but it was done in an uncaring manner.
i.e. no warning, no explanation page on the Orange site as to why I can't reactivate the account.
I've been on freeserve etc for many years so I kind of expected some kind of warning or explanation.
My account was active and I sent/received emails on a daily basis.
Luckily I used outlook express so all my emails were backed up...
But here's the really annoying bit (for me)
Today I booted my PC and Orange have somehow taken over Outlook Express.
I lost all my mail folder views (for my btinternet and old freeserve email accounts) and this was replaced by an Orange sponsored web search toolbar.
Just a frikken' orange websearch toolbar in the corner of an otherwise empty Outlook Express... no email views or anything.
How did this happen?
It took a fair bit of fiddling to restore the email views as I'm not an IT expert but why on earth did Orange 'customise' my outlook express 2 days after deleting my account?
It looks like all my emails are still there but that doesn't stop me being annoyed. Especially now that my outlook express window now permanantly says "Outlook Express provided by Orange"
I can only guess it happened during my attempts to reactivate my freeserve account as I must have activated something as I trawled their website. Not sure why it chose today to kick in as I rebooted my PC several times yesterday after I visited their website.
Tossers!
Last edited by JMR002 on Sun Sep 09, 2007 11:48 am; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 13 Aug 2006Posts: 1689Location: Marylebone Central London
Check in ur add/remove programmes if you have any of their software on ur pc if you have and you dont want it uninstall it, then open up Windows explorer click tools>folder options>view and check "show hidden files and folders apply then ok then do a search for Freeserve Wanadoo or Orange whatever is relevent and delete whatever files it finds to do with them and you dont want then it shouldnt happen again.
Then do the reverse the procedure with the hidden folders thing.
_________________ ex Freeserve/Wanadoo/Orange Blog
Check in ur add/remove programmes if you have any of their software on ur pc if you have and you dont want it uninstall it, then open up Windows explorer click tools>folder options>view and check "show hidden files and folders apply then ok then do a search for Freeserve Wanadoo or Orange whatever is relevent and delete whatever files it finds to do with them and you dont want then it shouldnt happen again.
Then do the reverse the procedure with the hidden folders thing.
I had a look and couldn't find anything obvious...
I also just realised that Orange has put some kind of override on my explorer 'history' function.
If I click the IE history icon to see what sites I've been on recently i get another Orange search engine popup instead.
Joined: 13 Aug 2006Posts: 1689Location: Marylebone Central London
Then you must have some software on ur pc did u do a search?
A good place to go is PC Pitstop HERE click the key icon if you don't want to register and run a full test scan and it will tell you what is on ur pc and what is running you will need adobe flash player if u havnt already got it.
_________________ ex Freeserve/Wanadoo/Orange Blog
I have also been deleted. I spoke to an Orange Customer Service advisor who advised that an e-mail went out to all users stating that, after the 290 days of an 'Inactive' dial-up an e-mail would be sent out explaining the account would be deleted if not 'retrieved' within 40 days.
(This hasn't always been the case as stated by someone else. I agree, the time allowed before the account was disabled was only 90 days but it wasn't deleted - we could always retrieve it.)
I wanted my account retrieved to which the advisor said this wasn't possible. I wanted to speak to a someone from technical but was told that this wasn't possible so I was put through to a Team Leader.
I was then told that no such e-mail was sent to users but it was updated in the Terms and Conditions - sorry but I don't spend my free time reading Terms and Conditions on the off-chance that they may have been changed.
When asked for my account back, I was told that "it isn't the policy of Orange to retrieve from back-up". This is a joke. Like many people, I have had this e-mail address for many years and it had some important e-mails, some of which needed to be actioned. I had NO indication that this was going to happen. Basically, those that had the Freeeserve account are being penalised because Orange aren't getting any money from them. OK, Orange are not a charity but they knew about the free e-mail address's before taking over and Wannado never caused any of these problems. Orange should have informed us in an e-mail giving us plenty of time to respond or move out e-mails.
I have recently sent a letter of complaint to Orange and waiting for a reply.
Just logged into Orange and successfully restored my account.... Seem to have emails from around the time of deletion and 230 items in my spam folder so looks like they have restored all.
Trouble is, after 10 days I've registered my own domain and notified all my contacts - still with Christmas comming, might be the odd contact I've forgotten!
there have been problems with the weekend restore - not all accounts have come back - some email domains have appeared but not with the correct prefix. some accounts just have not appeared at all i understand
I also have just had my account restored. Apparently there have been so many complaints to both Orange and third party watchdogs (of all descriptions) that Orange have had little choice. I have also been told the manner in which Orange tried to close these accounts was just too 'close to the wire' legally.
So I suppose some credit to Orange (but what a dreadful mistake in the first place), but greater credit to the people for applying massive pressure, and for the man in the street for overturning a huge corporations decision.
Thank all of you made this effort and this possible..
Joined: 26 Aug 2007Posts: 35Location: Wiltshire UK
OMG I don't believe they actually did it!! Tell me though, is anyone going to carry on using the account, or is everyone going to copy all the emails and start again elsewhere?? I've got 2 new email accounts and am in confusion now!
Thank you to everyone that helped get this done! I am still in shock! I keep expecting it to disappear any second....!
Honeybee.... you do write some rubbish (sorry) "You do realise that if they do manage to retrieve your email then all of the emails and contacts will have already been deleted off of it? Theres no point really to be honest. 7days Davew to reinstate it?
Yes 7 days, account restored, contacts and everything else, so I am happy now!! Those of us who had our account deleted probably deserved it by not contributing anything towards their funds, but it would have been nice to have received prior warning that the account would be deleted, so now we take our choice, thanks Orange for the customer service that you did not need to contractrily have to provide!
yeah, i know your emails havebeen restored and actually happy for you to be honest. (was done at about 2pm) However if you rung support and your email was not on the system then i can bet it has not been restored however if it was but showing as deletedthey have just put it back it suspension meaning you have got 40days to reactivate. am i right or wrong??
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Account restored !!!!!!!!!!! 
