Orange mobile? Not really!

Before Orange goes any further into the data card business, it needs to address functionality and support issues with its products. This is the third different data card I've tested from Orange and all have been problematic. The customer support regarding these issues is the worst I have ever encountered in any company, large or small.

Orange on your laptop? Think again!

The Orange card, experienced problems at installation. If there was any suggestion of another Fusion card having ever been installed on this computer, it wouldn't work at all. There were no error messages given, instead, when you inserted the Orange card it would sometimes find the right drivers and sometimes report the card as unknown although it would always identify it as a Fusion card. The only solution was to go to Add/Remove Software in Control Panel and remove any entries for 3G cards. Even this only partially solved the problem as this still leaves entries in the registry. Expecting a user to go to the registry and clean that up is patently absurd.

The Orange card performed poorly in these tests and despite trying to get a resolution from technical support during the tests, we were unable to get any connection to Exchange or run the VPN at all. Initially the problems looked like a DNS issue but eventually we were able to find the Exchange server, just unable to log in.

In a post test interview with Orange we were told that we had inadvertently been directed to their consumer not business technical support. They have no experience of the card and couldn't do anything on the day to help us.

Orange admits that there is a problem with anyone trying to use Outlook Web Access if they are not using HTTPS. This problem has been around for a little while but is not on their web pages and should have been easy for any of the technical support teams, consumer or business, to find.

The problem of getting a connection to the VPN is still under investigation. We have ruled out latency as the cause. We have also tried different Orange networks as it appears that depending on what you ask Orange for when you buy the card, depends on whether you are placed on their VPN supporting network. This is something that users buying their own card in order to connect to a business network need to take into account.

During the tests were couldn't find any wireless LAN hotspots. It turned out that this card does not support wireless LAN and you need to enable the built-in wireless LAN card on your laptop, assuming your laptop has one. Then you need to configure the Orange software to find a hotspot. However, it was only when we gained access to a data card specialist who asked us to tell him exactly which version of the card and the serial number off the back that we were able to confirm this.

Having had problems testing Orange in the past, we took particular care to outline what we were doing and how when working with Orange to secure their equipment for the test. To then come across all these problems was a real shock and there was a point where we considered removing the card from the test.
Advantages Er.....................
Disadvantages Don't expect any competent service from Orange
Here's a note of an e-mail my wife sent to Orange having treid to add a user and a handset onto our Business Tariff.

I think the problem is that you cannot complain to a manager at Orange, always just a "supervisor", so the management has no idea how appalling the service is.

Naturally, we have had no call back from Orange, even though we spend a lot of money per month with them , on 3G Mobile Office charges ( a really bad product, clunky and unreliable) , roaming charges (outrageously expensive) and normal calls. We will be changing service provider once our current stationery is used up. Are any operators particularly good?

"I have just received extremely poor customer service and I would like a manager to phone me back urgently on the above number or 07971 584569.
I phoned on Friday to order another phone to share our service plan - account number 1850530. I ordered a Samsung D900, for which I was told there was no charge. I also ordered a package of 120 texts which I was told was £4.00. I was given the reference TB02044210 and was told it would be delivered today between 9 and 5.
I have waited in, specially, all day today but no phone. I telephoned 345 at just after 4pm. After being on hold I asked if the phone was still likely to come to day. I was on hold again and the operator came back, after speaking to sales, and said there was no record of my reference number and it was not a current reference number anyway and there was no record against our postcode! I then asked to be put through to sales so that I could try and order the phone again. I was on hold for another 10 minutes and eventually the operator came back and said there had been a mistake and they had found the reference number but the phone had not been dispatched because there was a charge of £99.00. I was also told that 120 texts cost £8.00 not £4.00. I was then put through to sales so that I could discuss this. By this time I had been on the call for more than 45 minutes. The sales man said that the reference was correct but that there was a charge of £99.00 with a note "awaiting cheque"? I was never told there was a charge, I specifically said when I originally ordered the phone, that I did not want to pay for a phone and was told that the D900 was available free of charge. The sales man said that he did not know why it said "awaiting cheque" as you do not take cheques. I said that I wanted to complain and asked to speak to a manager. I was then cut off and despite waiting have received no call back. I do not wish to be on hold indefinitely and would ask a manager to ring me straight back.
I have wasted the whole of today waiting for a delivery which nobody had the courtesy to tell me was not coming and I would have thought, after I was cut off (unless it was deliberate) that someone would, again, have the courtesy to call me back. Nothing. If I do not receive an immediate response I shall complain to your Managing Director directly"

Worst service I've EVER received from any company - EVER!

Don't Join Orange

I would not recommend Orange to anyone. Their Customer service is absolutely abysmal. As I type this, with one hand, the other one is holding a phone that has been on 'hold' for ONE HOUR and 14 minutes, with no indication of when I might get answered. Contract customers can call "free" on 150 so you have the choice of frying your brain for an hour or so; or if you have to call from a landline because of a problem with your phone you can call them on their mobile rate 07973 number and thereby increase their profits. This terrible experience is not unusual; the recorded voice on the customer service line always says they are "currently receiving a very high number of calls" whatever time of day I call. Don't, don't, don't join Orange whatever you do; if you ever have to call customer services you will regret it. I have to give one star because it won't let me give none.

String and Yoghurt pots would be better.

Orange custmer services are TERRIBLE. Waiting times are disgraceful. False promises are the norm. You will be told the problem will be rectified immediately and you will be phoning back the next day to sort it out again.

If you want a laugh, try getting a Port Authoristaion Code (PAC) from them to take your number to a new network. OFFCOM rules say this MUST happen in 2 days. I've been waiting a month. Every time I am told it will be sent in post that day, but it never is. I've been told it'll be texted to me in 10 mins - Guess what? I'm still waiting.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS - two yoghurt pots and a bit of string is better, less stressful and cheaper! Summary: Terrible Customer Services and sky high prices

Pay As You Go...

Orange, What a mistake I made there!!! I changed my network to pay as you go .. Just talk. I thought great Just pay for calls and sms messages. Well not only do I feel robbed But often at a crucial moment I have run out of credit, I frantically scratch off my new top up card and dial the top up number ...only to hear...Sorry this services is temporarily unavailable!!! arghhhhhhhh!!!
not again!!! I send sms messages ....they arrive a few days later??? and I receive sms messages hours or days after they have been sent. On a few occasions my phone has gone crazy, throws my messages out and robs my credit!!!
What more can I say other than either sort out your network please orange ... Or can I afford another mobile phone???

Problems with P800 and Customer service. AGAIN!

Last week, Orange replaced my P800 (that I've had since Feb) as it kept switching off randomly. The replacement arrived, and since then, I have a poor signal, meaning I can't make calls in places I've made calls during the last 5 years. At least twice a day I get the 10 second restart error (which is a pain), my contacts gave me not enough memory errors forcing a format of the internal drive, and this morning it crashed writing a text message.

I called Orange and complained, I managed to get through to the most snottyest bloke who ran the diognistic test, then proceeded to tell me the symptoms are typical of a P800. I expressed my concern he was expecting me to use a phone I considered to be of poor quality, but he wasn't interested, just telling me he'll pass the details onto a technicial bloke and they'll perhaps get back to me over the weekend.

I insisted he looked again at all the problems I'm having and asked to speak to his supervisor, he refused to put me through and asked me 'Do you always ask for a supervisor if you can't get your own way'

Anyone heard such a rediculous story???
If this is how their customer services are I wouldn't reccomend them to anyone.

Tom

Orange billing... Wrong AGAIN!!!

  1. Paul Says:

    Orange = Incredibly difficult to deal with - they keep getting my billing wrong and then blocking the phone for unpaid bills - eventually I get them to re-set the phone and unblock it - admitting their mistake. Then about 1 month later they do the same again. This is my wife’s phone and she needs case of breakdown (you know the kind of thing) …. but get this …. when you try to ring customer services (from the handset = 150 free call) …. guess what … you can’t cause your blocked … probably having broken down in some dire wilderness of a place miles from anywhere (they block with no warning - so beware) - anyway - nice one Orange … absolute Cr@p service

The SUN SAYS NO!!!!! To Orange!

That is a headline I would like to see for real!
If only someone like Rooney could get screwed by Orange then perhaps the SUN would take notice for real!

They really are the worst customer service people ever! Bunch of monkeys.

Go get em SUN!!!


Never Use Orange!

A battle of 6 months to get a problem with a phone resolved, the day of the last useless phone call was capped nicely with a full page newspaper add by Orange claiming to be the top of the polls for customer service. I sent letter, none were replied to, phone calls were never returned, and the problem was never resolved. The serice does provide the best charges for roaming in Europe, but now 121 have come close and the level of customer service is better with them.
Never, ever, ever use Orange

How Rude!

I think the person who sounds like they could be an Orange employee could do with a change of job!
Calling customers whingers because they have a complaint about a service is not polite and tends to validate the views expressed on this blog rather than persuade people that Orange staff are polite and helpful it rather suggests the oposite.
As for everyone being overbilled, I am sure you are right. That does NOT however make the practice acceptable. If that is your attitude you really should get out of that job. I just hope it is not that attitude of the Orange Company as well as your own.