Moblie Phone Company Rant

[kneeshooter]

I'm sure I have these about every 12 to 18 months. Can't imagine why...

I appreciate that I pay a lot for the convinience of a shiny handset and to avoid having to arse around with pre-pay cards. I know I could save a few pounds a month and, well, I hate phones anyway. Like many gadget freaks I've been quite tempted by a phone that supports WiFi without being a PDA/smartphone/coffee-maker. So, when a phone I like the look of is released, I call my provider (let's not name names, but there is a colour connection) and say "I'd like to upgrade to this phone please".

They say £250. Then I point out that if I was a new customer it would cost me £50 for the same handset on a deal that would work better for me.

I laugh.

They reduce their price to £90.

I laugh.

I look around and find that I could switch to a Vodafone SIM-only for a month, take the number with me, then switch it back as a "New Customer" and get the deal I want. After a couple of weeks of not-getting-around-to-it I notice that _tonylee_ has been told that he can't unlock the handset I have for some archaic reason. This would prevent me moving to Voda as I'd not have a handset (my only spare actually being in Edinburgh with scratchmeharder.

So, I phone Orange and ask them. Only I don't get that far. I say "I want this code so I can put a SIM from another operator in it and leave Orange" and they say "Not so fast... we can do you a better deal than the one you want, with even more minutes and texts than you'll ever use, for less money and the handset is free". Result. But it really is like pulling teeth...

Finally then, tomorrow I'm expecting a new handset and at some point an unlocking code. Unless, as I suspect, they'll actually email me and tell me they can't get one.

Bet you're glad you clicked on the cut eh!

Comments

[berrega.livejournal.com]

Bet you're glad you clicked on the cut eh!

I just stick with pay as you go...

[mr-h-r-hughes.livejournal.com]

HALLELUJAH!

[kathbad]

Orange did assure me that they are trying to make sure that all deals are available to all customers, new or existing - they obviously lied.

[kneeshooter]

You can tell that's rubbish based on the way the website has two different sections for "New Customers" and "Existing Customers" with a completely different range of handsets and deals.

In my experience you have to play the brinksmanship game.

[ruana1.livejournal.com]

After the mess they made of my last upgrade, followed by charging me for an unauthorised extra, they're on their last chance with me for at least the next year.

[purplewizard.livejournal.com]

I think I'll stick to my current mobile phone bill of between zero and 75p per month thank you...

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

Mobile phones are all evil. Destroy it before it destroys you.

[ikkleblacktruck.livejournal.com]

I've just got a new phone. It's black and it does everything in the whole world except run WoW and drive my truck. I'm pay-as-you-go so I don't have to deal with the whole provider-runaround thing.

[probablyscotty.livejournal.com]

3. No problems so far (except the obligatory Indian call centre) and free handset with 1k texts, 300 minutes, 50 video minutes, £5 downloads and 50 mms text per month all for £15 converted me.

[wulfboy.livejournal.com]

Have I ever mentioned that as far as I can tell Mobile Phones are a type of cockroach that squats beside your head stealing your brain juices?

[averylaterabbit.livejournal.com]

MMMMMMmmmmmmm! Brain parasites...