I've no complaints about Orange until now - I attempted to go on to the internet this morning and my modem has just stopped working. It is dead. I looked online and they are quite spendy for a student. Anyone know what I should do?
Take your chance at getting through to 'customer services' and ask them to send you a new one. Sent me one as a solution to problems I was having last year though not before I'd made certain it wasn't going to cost me anything.
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 10Location: WEST YORKSHIRE
lauran wrote:
I've no complaints about Orange until now - I attempted to go on to the internet this morning and my modem has just stopped working. It is dead. I looked online and they are quite spendy for a student. Anyone know what I should do?
My SpeedTouch started to fail (disconnect) 14th September 2006, it took countless phone calls to India without result & a threat to cancel before I got through to a UK Tech Support member on 10th November 2006 before the problem was finally acknowledged. By this time my USB modem no longer worked.
Problem was that the Thompson SpeedTouch modem could not sustain speeds faster than 2 Meg. Trying to connect at 8 Meg Bol*oxed the modem. FACT, So says Orange Tech Support.
Why does it take Orange Customer Support 2 months to figure this out?
It's nearly 6 months since I first phoned Orange Support, still they have not fixed the problem...I don't even have any broadBand at this address any more but Orange are still charging me £12.99/month for it as well as £14.99/month for Dial-up AnyTime which is the only way that I can currently get on the Internet.
Orange say that they are not in breach of contract for not providing the BroadBand that i'm paying for but Orange Terms and Conditions state that If I stop my Direct Debit they will take me to court for breach of contract!
On average my AnyTime account last just 3 days before Orange mysteriously cancel my AnyTime account without informing me & each time i'm charged £14.99
Orange are utterly useless, DSL Zone UK website says that Orange don't even have the hardware in place to provide LLU in my area.
I need BroadBand for both Work & College, I can't even download updates for my software due to the slow 21Kb/s dial-up connection i'm getting with Orange AnyTime.
Problem was that the Thompson SpeedTouch modem could not sustain speeds faster than 2 Meg. Trying to connect at 8 Meg Bol*oxed the modem. FACT, So says Orange Tech Support.
Why does it take Orange Customer Support 2 months to figure this out?
Simply because the speed should not cause any problems to the modem. It can and will handle 8 meg so just being put onto 8 meg normally wouldn't "break" the modem, not to say things can't just go wrong with any pieces of hardware at times.
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 10Location: WEST YORKSHIRE
Elhana wrote:
THERMALTAKEGUY wrote:
Problem was that the Thompson SpeedTouch modem could not sustain speeds faster than 2 Meg. Trying to connect at 8 Meg Bol*oxed the modem. FACT, So says Orange Tech Support.
Why does it take Orange Customer Support 2 months to figure this out?
Simply because the speed should not cause any problems to the modem. It can and will handle 8 meg so just being put onto 8 meg normally wouldn't "break" the modem, not to say things can't just go wrong with any pieces of hardware at times.
Appreciated that the SpeedTouch modem "shouldn't" bomb out on an 8meg connection, it should simply run at maximum speed.
I'm not a casual web user, i run a business online & also study online, i have to watch tutorials & review a lot of webpages so my modem gets hammered for long periods, i am not expecting too much for my equipment to be able to cope.
I was on 1.1meg with Wanadoo and happy with it, but Orange got involved and carried out a standard upgrade to 8meg. This caused the SpeedTouch to operate at or beyond the limit of its capabilities and there's no way to adjust the connection speed of the SpeedTouch, the software doesn't offer that option.
I've said "Trying to connect at 8 Meg Bol*oxed the modem" agreed it could also be natural wear and tear from 16 hours a day for 18 months but if Orange hadn't switched me to 8meg this probably wouldn't have happened.
Orange Tech support stated that the maximum SUSTAINABLE speed of the USB SpeedTouch is 1.9meg, mine was trying to run at 3.3meg, (as much as i could get from my 8meg connection using the USB SpeedTouch) after 2 months of running at this speed for 16 hours a day it eventually started to drop the connection after just a few seconds.
Orange conned me into staying with them for a further 6 months with a promise of new equipment, reduced monthly fee and package upgrade none of which are any use without the service to back it up.
I currently have a LiveBox capable of running faster than 8meg but have only had 19 days of broadband in the last 18 weeks, there hasn't been any BB on my phone line for 5 weeks, orange are working on it but i'm not holding my breath.
I'm not the only person experiencing identical problems.
This caused the SpeedTouch to operate at or beyond the limit of its capabilities and there's no way to adjust the connection speed of the SpeedTouch, the software doesn't offer that option.
There are drivers to update the speedtouch to 8meg on the Thomson website.
Quote:
Orange Tech support stated that the maximum SUSTAINABLE speed of the USB SpeedTouch is 1.9meg, mine was trying to run at 3.3meg.
You would'nt expect Orange to know about said updated driver would you? Afterall we are talking Orange support here!!!!
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 10Location: WEST YORKSHIRE
tvman wrote:
THERMALTAKEGUY wrote:
This caused the SpeedTouch to operate at or beyond the limit of its capabilities and there's no way to adjust the connection speed of the SpeedTouch, the software doesn't offer that option.
There are drivers to update the speedtouch to 8meg on the Thomson website.
Quote:
Orange Tech support stated that the maximum SUSTAINABLE speed of the USB SpeedTouch is 1.9meg, mine was trying to run at 3.3meg.
You would'nt expect Orange to know about said updated driver would you? Afterall we are talking Orange support here!!!!
Thanks for that tvman, if only i still had the modem.
Unfortunately i now have a LiveBox, which by some kind of freaky coincidence also kept dropping it's connection.
(It doesn't have one at all any more, there's no broadband on my line)
Odd that Orange Tech Support stated the MAX speed of the Thomson 330 as 2 meg but didn't mention any update drivers, Orange Cust Support Supervisor stated that it's MAX speed was 5 meg. I have the data sheet in front of me now and it states the MAX speed to be 8 meg.
At least you can rely on Orange to be inconsistent.
Well the 330 or newer slimline version should be able to connect fine at 8 meg, the drivers only really effect the modem to PC connection which can have problems over 4 meg.
Unless you have the green stingray like Speedtouch USB, that is older and less capable meaning it can have trouble over either 2 or 4 meg, I forget which right now.
Does anyone in Orange's tech support know what a modem is? I very much doubt it, certainly the ones i had the misfortune to speak with could hardly say the word never mind know what one was lol
They are always VERY quick to blame the equipment of customers when we all know whos equipment doesnt work dont we Orange? !!
Joined: 15 Feb 2007Posts: 10Location: WEST YORKSHIRE
Elhana wrote:
Well the 330 or newer slimline version should be able to connect fine at 8 meg, the drivers only really effect the modem to PC connection which can have problems over 4 meg.
Unless you have the green stingray like Speedtouch USB, that is older and less capable meaning it can have trouble over either 2 or 4 meg, I forget which right now.
Hi Elhana,
I'm in full agreement with Raybo.
I've reached the conclusion that there was nothing wrong with my old USB SpeedTouch 300 modem, nothing that a driver update wouldn't cure, but I don't have it any more.
When it started to disconnect after just a few seconds I threw it in the bin and phoned Orange in an effort to cancel my BB package. Whilst on the phone to Orange 10th Nov 2006 the bin men came and took away my SpeedTouch 330 along with the rest of the trash.
Of course Orange didn't cancel my BB account and after being told by one Orange rep that I wouldn't be tied to Orange by a contract I was annoyed to be told by another Orange rep one month later that I would be tied by a six month contract.
In the following 4 months Orange didn't/haven't sort out my BB connections problems either. I only have 2 to 3 more months of Orange crap to suffer and then I can attempt to cancel my account again.
Whilst browsing the web looking for help for my Orange problem I found the website below & found this comment left by someone else suffering from the same problem as me.
START OF QUOTE ==============================
Hi, I've registered on here using a struggling connection just in order to save a few sane people, becoming crazy and frustrated for 12months upon signing with Orange Broadbad service.
I started with Freeserve in 2000, enjoying a lovely fast reliable 512k connection, in 2005 I then went onto a 2mb connection, again great stuff, I didn't need to have an extremely fast connection, so it was all good.
HOWEVER, the day that Orange took over Wanadoo is the day our relationship went downhill. Connection was good, not great, but noticeably slower and occasionaly struggling with pages loading.
But, my 2mb connection since 9th November was near enough slower than a 1996 56k connection. Pages were terrible at loading, everything was. Various speed tests would take an age to complete, with the result being a shocking 15K and 0.5k result
I contacted "technical support" who read the same lines of text out to you everytime, and they basically went through stuff like, empyting temp internet files, reseting your connection (basically TCP) - and a whole load of other pointless stuff. In the end they wanted to test my line, I said how there was nothing ever wrong with my line (no extension leads either) - but they still tested it and told me to phone back in 8 hours. I told the guy that my Speedtouch USB modem was out of date, and that it could not handle above 2mb+ - he did not listen and insisted on a line test.
I got fed up after 10mins assessing the situation and contacted Orange to cancel - I then actually spoke to an English guy based in Middlesbrough, very helpful guy who spoke one-2-one with you, he immediately said "I KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS" - he then proceeded to mention that my Modem was out of date, and that I need a Livebox. I said this is what I was saying to your indian call centre, and a line test was needed - he even said himself "no no no there's no need for that, you just need a new modem". So fine I got sent a livebox in the hope everything would be fine.
My livebox turned up last Friday, my now Orange BROADBAND MAX package has been active since November 9 I found out from the guy in Middlesbrough. Yes, the very same day I mentioned earlier when I experienced these mega slow problems. A free upgrade I was given from 2mb to 8mb.
Anyway long story short, my livebox has made no difference at all. I'm as slow as I was before, I phoned up tech support, but the indian call centre guy just goes through the usual "empty this, reset that" text book talk. And yes you guessed it, none of it helped. He then said that I needed my line tested, I just laughed and said this was already done like last week! He then paused for about 10 seconds (wondered if he cut me off) - to which he then managed to think of something else "ok let's reset internet explorer again" - I just said don't worry about it, I will contact your England office and cancel this.
So I rang up for cancellation (option 1 and 4) - the guy in Middlesbrough was extremely fed up. When providing my password correctly he replied with "YEP.............what do you want" - haha I just thought this guy does not want to work at this place, their customers don't want to be with them, it's definetely time to leave this company who have grown way too big and forgotten about their customers (typical of big companies)
I then spoke to a customer care guy, who really did not care, and said that my MAC code would be sent to me within 48 hours. Judging by peoples messages on here, I hope this code does arrive in 2 days, without me having to keep chasing them up for it.
I really cannot wait to get rid of Orange Broadband, I had hopes and gave so much loyalty, but they have grown too big which has degraded their overall quality.
Sorry if this was long, just recapping on events in detail over the past 2-3 weeks.
Good luck!
END OF QUOTE =======
I hope you found that comment interesting, I haven't bothered to leave a comment on DSL Zone UK as my Orange nightmare isn't yet over, but as soon as i've finished with Orange i'll be having my say.
I encourage others to view the comments left about Orange at DSL Zone UK, why not have a laugh at the expense of Orange rather than the other way round.
So far it's cost me £370 in call charges and I haven't had my latest phone bill yet, that's sure to add around £80 to the running total so far & my solicitor will be dealing with Orange to reclaim my losses.
All Orange have offered so far is a LiveBox that doesn't connect and a pathetic £24.32 as a good will gesture, it's gonna cost them a hell of a lot more than that when i've finished with them.
I hope that all your Orange problems go away.
Kind regards Martin.
Great post Thermaltakeguy .... says it all doesnt it ... how manipulative and coniving Orange are... all they appear to be doing here is telling people to upgrade .... take the Crapbox, and hey presto!! you have a new 12 month contract!!
Well your contract aint worth the paper its written on Orange unless you provide a service.... something which has so far eluded you ! and im sure will continue to elude you whilst you have your current attitude towards the people who actually keep you all in a job .... they are called CUSTOMERS !
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.... says it all doesnt it ... how manipulative and coniving 
