Mobile Contract Renewal Time.
Discussion
Possibly one for the gadget forum but a quick scan shows that to be full of computers with only a couple of handset topics, not info on the best deal. If the mods deem otherwise though, so be it.
I've an account with Orange which is up for renewal next month. Three handsets (Mrs F and daughters) at £15 per month plus mine at £30. All provide more minutes, texts and data than we need each month.
I'm a bit peeved with Orange who proved useless when one of the handsets packed up. Their customer service was awful so I'm keen to go elsewhere if I can get a better deal. The trouble is I'm told they give the best coverage and talking to any of the competitors high street shops just results in me being given their own particular flavour of sales spiel. If Orange DO prove to be best I'd still like to threaten leaving and use that to get a better deal.
The Misses F (teenagers) would of course like iPhones but I can't see that happening on £15 per month. Mrs F is even more bewildered than I am. I'm happy with my Sony Ericsson W995 and would opt for whatever the latest model is, I definitely don't want a touchscreen.
Ideas and suggestions?
I've an account with Orange which is up for renewal next month. Three handsets (Mrs F and daughters) at £15 per month plus mine at £30. All provide more minutes, texts and data than we need each month.
I'm a bit peeved with Orange who proved useless when one of the handsets packed up. Their customer service was awful so I'm keen to go elsewhere if I can get a better deal. The trouble is I'm told they give the best coverage and talking to any of the competitors high street shops just results in me being given their own particular flavour of sales spiel. If Orange DO prove to be best I'd still like to threaten leaving and use that to get a better deal.
The Misses F (teenagers) would of course like iPhones but I can't see that happening on £15 per month. Mrs F is even more bewildered than I am. I'm happy with my Sony Ericsson W995 and would opt for whatever the latest model is, I definitely don't want a touchscreen.
Ideas and suggestions?
From experience going down the 'I'm going to leave' route can help to get some discounts, especially if you have been with them a while.
You could also have a look at T-Mobile. I've been with them for 4 years now and they have been brilliant, both with deals and the service provided. T-Mobile and Orange are in the early stages of merging, meaning that at the moment T-Mobile customers get the excellent customer service with the ability to use both networks giving pretty good coverage.
You could also have a look at T-Mobile. I've been with them for 4 years now and they have been brilliant, both with deals and the service provided. T-Mobile and Orange are in the early stages of merging, meaning that at the moment T-Mobile customers get the excellent customer service with the ability to use both networks giving pretty good coverage.
Vodafone were pretty good to me when I needed multiple lines, I got a £5 discount on every one after the first and I could get free calls between the entire group for £5 as well.
As far as phones are concerned, I'm a big Android fan and they'll do what an iPhone does but at a much lower cost. The HTC range are good, but I'd suggest you see if your daughters like the new Motorola Defy. It's a proper smartphone which is good looking and will do all the movies/facebook/music/etc that they want, but has the advantage of being water-proof, dust-proof, drop-proof and scratch-proof. They are free on contracts from ~£20 per month, so should be do-able on your budget.
As far as phones are concerned, I'm a big Android fan and they'll do what an iPhone does but at a much lower cost. The HTC range are good, but I'd suggest you see if your daughters like the new Motorola Defy. It's a proper smartphone which is good looking and will do all the movies/facebook/music/etc that they want, but has the advantage of being water-proof, dust-proof, drop-proof and scratch-proof. They are free on contracts from ~£20 per month, so should be do-able on your budget.
Well, proof if ever it were needed that Orange has awful customer service.
I called to request a PAC. One number can be transferred now while the other three can go at the end of March. They asked why I was going and I explained that they let me down with a faulty handset. Instead of helping me out they just flick passed me to the manufacturer (handset was six months old) who were worse than useless. So called 'Customer Retentions' just said "Oh", read me the spiel about charges and severance of the accounts and said the PAC would be with me in a few days. On reflection the guy was either heavily dyslexic or it was his first day as he struggled with the spiel, it was quite embarrassing.
I appreciate that four numbers is hardly a large account but Orange seem quite happy to lose them. So be it.
I called to request a PAC. One number can be transferred now while the other three can go at the end of March. They asked why I was going and I explained that they let me down with a faulty handset. Instead of helping me out they just flick passed me to the manufacturer (handset was six months old) who were worse than useless. So called 'Customer Retentions' just said "Oh", read me the spiel about charges and severance of the accounts and said the PAC would be with me in a few days. On reflection the guy was either heavily dyslexic or it was his first day as he struggled with the spiel, it was quite embarrassing.
I appreciate that four numbers is hardly a large account but Orange seem quite happy to lose them. So be it.
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