[insomniak123]

When describing mobile contracts, orange often use the term "within 5 days of your next billing date"

My monthly bills run through to about the 28th of each month usually, and my direct debit goes out for that month on roughly the 17th of the following month.

Which date is actually the billing date? I want to end my contract early and I'm trying to work out when is best to get my PAC code and ring up and end my contract

[fawcepi]

Sounds like it is the 28th mate. Your bill should get produced on that day and you should also get your fresh allowance of minutes and texts etc.

The second date you said (the 17th) sounds like your payment date. which with Orange is usually 15 or so days after your bill date.

Bare in mind though, getting your PAC code doesn't end the contract, it's using the PAC code that ends the contract.
So say you get the PAC code tomorrow, your contract will run until you give the PAC code to your new network, then 7days later the number will port over to new network then you'll be free from Orange.

Basically the port in date that the new network gives you will be when you're number and contract finishes with Orange.

HTH

[insomniak123]

i'm still waiting on my network unlock code from orange so it won't be for a few days anyway, I want to be perfectly sure that a new T-Mobile SIM will work in my phone before I start the cancelling process, give orange just one thing to screw up at a time

Thanks for your advice mate. Basically I'll arrange for a final bill to be sent when I request my PAC code, and this should in theory end my contract with orange (once I've agreed to pay off my contract months) and once I receive and pay the final bill that'll be that - i'll be a free man so to speak