Does anyone have experience of this sort of situation?
My parents have had an Orange broadband subscription (12 month minimum contract) since December last year, and have decided to change to BT once the contract is up.
Two days ago, they asked me to call Orange with 30-day notice to cancel. I got the 'why do you want to leave?' routine. Answer: speed (supposedly 2mb) - but comparable to their old dial-up.
I was talking to a very faint foreign accent, so could not make out most of what was being said. He passed me onto some other bloke - got a sales pitch, which I knocked back - then he asked me how I'd like the MAC code sent. I said email, then, remembering the trouble Orange customers have had receiving MACs, I said no, just terminate the service with the 30-day notice.
At this point he gets stroppy and tries to insist I want a MAC code sent out!? I explain very pointedly that I don't - I get a petulant 'you'll have no service for forty days'. I point out that the remainder of the 12 month contract is about six weeks, and that my parents can manage without internet for a week or two if it comes to it.
He put me on hold for five minutes, came back and confirmed that the 30-day notice was in place. That evening the service was suspended. I called today and was first told there was a payment problem - I put them straight on that, the latest debit covering next couple of weeks went out as usual. Then the reason given for suspending the service was a technical problem with the PC - laughable.
Apparently nothing can be done because the service was cancelled for technical reasons (outright lies), no 30-day notice is in effect, even though it is being paid for.
Bottom line - out of malice, this character has pulled the plug on my parents' service and entered total lies on their system regarding the reasons for doing so.
Surely a 12 month commitment works both ways?
Their contract states a 30-day notice is required for cancelling the service.
That's what they got, in plenty of time. It's surely up to the customer whether they want a MAC code or choose to cancel. There's nothing in their blurb about freezing the service and continuing to take payment if you don't go for their sales pitch or wait interminably for a MAC to be sent out.
Any suggestions?
Threaten a court injunction if they don't re-instate the service for the duration of the 30 days notice and notify OFCOM and ISPA.
nhyder, thanks very much for responding so quickly to this, I know it's a bit long-winded!
Good advice, I believe. I know that ISPA want people to 'escalate' the complaint before contacting them but Orange basically refused to take it higher when I spoke to them today, so I think I'm justified in moving on with it.
As for the court injunction - if it came to it, first step would be our solicitor, I suppose?
To be honest, yeah they pulled the plug early but it's to your advantage...you can get away quicker as soon as the marker has been removed off your line (up to 10 w/d from cancellation)...xXx
To be honest, yeah they pulled the plug early but it's to your advantage...you can get away quicker as soon as the marker has been removed off your line (up to 10 w/d from cancellation)...xXx
Not the point is it ?
ISPs such as Orange continually flaunt OFCOM's General Conditions because they know users neither rarely lodge official complaints with OFCOM nor rarely bother to take legal action.
_________________ An ex-Orange guinea pig
"The first third of our lives is ruined by our parents, the second third by 0range then along comes 02 and you die happy."
ISPs such as Orange continually flaunt OFCOM's General Conditions because they know users neither rarely lodge official complaints with OFCOM nor rarely bother to take legal action.
I followed your advice and wrote threatening a court injunction, and informing them that I'm contacting OFCOM and the ISPA on behalf of my parents. There was no response, so I'm now going ahead with registering complaints with both bodies.
Furthermore, my parents contacted their bank to cancel further debits and were told that Orange had themselves cancelled the direct debit on the 5th November - today I accessed their Orange account from my PC to find that they had sent an email to my parents (that they could not view) on the same day, 5th November, informing them that they intended to debit a £14.99 cancellation fee in 10 days time! Are they all on crack?
Hopefully, the ISPA or OFCOM can get somewhere with this. I'm just worried that my parents will have a TAG on their line, or MAC code problems, for months to come.
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