Calling All Orange Network Users....Some Opinions Please

Hi all,

I have just bee offered a great deal on a P910i on the Orange network. The only thing is, I've never been with em before, I have always been t-mobile, as most of my friends are also so it made sense. Now I find t-mob cust services quite good and the fact that you can call em from your mobile at anytime during the day up to 10pm, without it costing you your extra minutes, is a huge plus point. However, given that signals on Orange and t-mob are much of a muchness, can any of you Orange customers give me some insights to the net as a whole:

1.) If I ring orange cust services, does it come out of my minutes?

2.) Are their cust services helpful?


Thanx for any input.

EmissarY.

[cameraman]

The customer service is free. I can see one big advantage with Orange,the unused minutes can carry to next month.

thank you cameraman, its sounding good so far....I just called t-mob ealier to see if they would match the offer, but alas they would not, my so called high value custom (to quote a member of the cancellations team) to them is actually not so high after all. And I've been with em for 4+ years now....

Oh well.

[Cerbera]

Orange have been great to me, I got a great deal on P910i from them last week, there customer service has always been good for me. Coverage too has always been fine. I left for a year as I couldn't get the phone I wanted at the time but came back as soon as that year was up. Glad I did !

[Mylo]

As above no complaints at all with orange. Many years painfree use and customer service are always happy and helpfull

[dej23]

EmissarY. what offer did Orange give to you, as I'm thinking from moving to Orange from t-mobile

i have to admit i found orange customer services rubbish

[tima27]

Orange are *****e but will seem great after being with T-Mobile, formerly one 2 none !

[Matt Horne]

Tmobile were awful.. orange were very good... only went to 3 for a the cheapo deals.

Orange cus ser are also 24/7, bonus for when you get home drunk and need a chat!

[woody67]

I don't know what the big deal is with references to customer services being rubbish. I've been with Orange since 1996 and I have needed to call them less than 10 times - 5 of which related to my Nokia 706 in (IIRC) 1997.

I've been with O2 for other family members' phones since 2001, and have called them once a year for an upgrade.

A works Vodaphone has needed 1 call in the past 2 1/2 years.

Essentially you can get all the info you need from forums or uk.telecoms.mobile, and when you phone up CS you either speak to the operator or escalate the call to get any problem sorted.

However I do know of people who phone up for the slightest excuse and who will argue untill blue in the face over nothing - and then say how crap the CS person was.

So choosing a provider based on the CS seems a bit pointless.

I've also had no problems with coverage with the 3 providers mentioned - but that may not apply where you are or for where you travel to.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my post, I believe customer service for any type of product is an essential part of the life cycle of said product and enables us to get our moneys worth and satisfaction out of a product. Being in a customer services environment myself for my job, I know first hand what its like to have customers ranting and raving, but I always try my best to HELP them, because its never a job that should be taken personally. Anyhoo before I stray from my point, I have found t-mob customer services to be quite helpful at times but equally unhelpful, particularly when it comes time for you to get an upgrade, in fact I believe that unless you are a heavy business user, no telecoms company gives a toss.

But my main concern was that if I rung customer services that it DID NOT come out of my free minutes, 02 and vodafone are both guilty of this and I think that is completely wrong to take your minutes for what is essentially a call to sort out a problem.

But the fact that Orange do not enforce this policy is a great plus in their favour. I have a cousin and my manager both on orange who have had bad experiences, but equally good ones too, and I have decided to go for it with them. I view this as new start and am quite hopeful. Besides they know how to attract customers, t-mobs curretn contracts are pants, and they are frequently trying to tie customers into 18 month contracts, which I think is ridiculous and greedy.

But each to their own.

Once again thanx to all for your input.

Emissary.

[waz2004]

I am with T-mobile. Never had any problems with coverage and CS. My contract is for renewal at end of this month. Normally i cancel the contract and join T-mobile again with a newer phone and a better tarrif. Have done this in the past 4 years. Won't bother this time because

1. they have started charging for itemised billing

2. the only good deals to be had if you went on a 18month contract

have decided to go to orange who are proving 200+200 mins for the same amount.

[DRGL]

I've been with T Mobile for the last 4 years and never had a problem. Just changed to Orange because they have the Samsung D500 which i want. Customers services? Must have phoned them 3 times in 4 years! And T Mobiles minutes roll over on my tarriff(old one 2 one)I did contact Orange with some questions about "joining us" but as yet they have not replied! Hardly good service for a new customer.I think most networks are the same now..................

[Seth Gecko]

I can honestly say I think I've used everyone

O2's price plans are IMO the most expensive and the customer service on the phone is an absolute nightmare.

Orange can have network issues and I've had some of the most amazing technical help calls ever that I wonder if the people think logic is another name for guessing. Also so far the only network to rip into the 3 network by stating that "customer services are in Bangladesh so are hard to understand"

T-Mobile customer services have always been pretty good and generally helpful - no obvious network issues. Only had one real arguement with them and it was resolved very quickly and to my satisfaction (Meaning I never gave an inch!)

3 network has no obvious problems for voice calls as they "piggy back" on to the O2 network when not in a 3G network. They did however manage to screw my bill up for 6 months by overcharging - never going back to them !

Vodafone have reasonable coverage - they have been known to have some interesting blank spots while I've used them. Have been to hell and back for them overcharging me to the tune of £150 even when the system had me on the right talk plan and again the technical support have issues (Had an answerphone issue they said couldn't happen and wasn't possible - despite one of their staff seeing it first hand and telling them it was happening).

Virgin, although PAYG, I have set up a direct debit with them. The network coverage is generally fine and their technical support haven't been a problem either. They have been very helpful - although I have only had an upgrade phone offer from them once - which is a shame.

That's my £1.50 worth (I'm not cheap ) it may or may not help!