Orange like most mobile phone network suppliers they have a major presence all over the UK.
So Why Orange?I have been with Orange for about 4 Years now. I had spent the previous year with BTCELLNET since I was in Inverness and the only Network provider that had any reception was BTCELLNET.
I remember that on first moving to Orange I was slightly concerned with coverage, although this proved to be unfounded since I managed to obtaina signal most places that BTCellnet could and could not. The road from Inverness to Nairn has a major blackspot with Mobile signals I recall, though it may have changed now.Over the years Orange has increased the number of nodes on it's network to ensure that a mobile signal is available more or less everywhere. I'm sure someone will leave a message saying that they stay in xxx and can't egt a signal though...it happens..
With that in mind they have offered the "Credit for lost calls", which means that if you are on a call for over 1 minute and they lose it they will credit a minute to your next bill if you call back within a further minute, assuming it's a monthly contract obviously. My bills always contain around 2 calls for lost minutes but hey I drive down a country road which I know will cause my signal to go and thus will gain a minute...whoooo a whole minute...every little helps as someone says...Looking at Mobile phone Tariff's can be a nightmare...I know...I'm not going to give details of every tariff as I'm sure that would cause the article to become more of a short story, but lets say that Orange has monthly tariffs from £13 for the most basic to £940.00 per month for the business user.
Depending on how much your tariff is will have implications on how much talk time you have and the cost of other services like Text Messages, Wap and
answerphone, also another thing to look at is cross network charges...IE a call from Orange to Vodaphone can cost 50p per minute on some tariffs and can be included in others...The pay as you talk/go type tariffs are just as competitive as the other networks I'm told but I have never used them...
I have never, not once, had a tariff on the Orange network with my Orange Phone, they also offer a price match. Whereby they will give you any major tariff on another network and will bill you in accordance with that tariff and Network. Don't ask them to match Genie o a very cheap deal as they won't it's a promotional tariff is the general reply...I use the One2One Precept 400 tariff (Anytime 400) which costs £35 per month, I get 400 anytime minutes and 4p per text message or Orange users 8p otherwise and free answerphone...I have been to several mobile phone shops who insist that I can't get text messages for 4p as all tariffs moved them to 10p as standard, I have the bills to prove it though, Orange did change my partners Text cost but the tariff was a 200 minute not a 400 minute....Who knows why...I send about 100 texts every month and use my phone more often than not for the 400 minutes...
It's great if I don't use all my minutes as Orange have a rollover, not lottery, but any minutes don't use then I can get next month...Another selling point for me was Equity, which essential is a points system for how often you use your phone in chargeable calls/texts...Last year I changed my points in for a years subscription to FHM and some wine and chocolates to keep the better half sweet...In the past I have exchanged points for Flowers, cinema tickets and more wine...The offers can change and indeed this year, today even, my FHM subscription had just run out and Orange don't do the offer on Magazine subscription.....May I just add that Orange will be stopping Equity this year, in September I believe, and at the moment do not accept any new member to it....Loyalty can't be important to them!!
I'm told by a reliable source that the move to end Equity is to allow more money to be spent more wisely for it's customers, every customer and not just the heavy user...New tariffs are supposedly in the pipeline including free text messages, Genie targeted no doubt.The phones available on Orange are basic, I say Basic as Orange do offer around 12 phones on the network but they are very very slow at introducing new phones, although I did notice the Motorola V70 is one they do now....just before the other networks I'm told...If you look at the other network they have loads of phones by loads of different manufacturers..
In general though the choice of phones is limited, I have changed my phone every 6 months on average over the last 4 years and paid the upgrade fee which varies on who you get on calling them...honest try it...I would recommend any Motorola phone as I've tried most of the others...
Nokia - Don't like the designs and everybody has it and I'm an individual..Erisson - Hmmm not bad Menus are not so good..
Samsung - Call quality is chronic on the A300that was brief but I currently have a V66 from Motorola, which is just perfect...
The only problem overseas I have had is in Gambia, no agreement exists so you can't use your mobile phone there, maybe another network? I've used previously in Canada, France, Germany, Scottish Isles ,Spain, Ireland, (North & South) and Andorra with no problems or issues and bank account remained intact after returning home.....so international roaming is quite good..In my experience Orange will, if you provide feedback, respond quite quickly. I have complained a few times and have managed to get an £80 phone free and also additional minutes, although the complaints varied from I just want a new phone and don't want to pay another Upgrade fee or wait another 3 months for you to give me it free anyway...My partners and friends are on Orange and we will all move to One2One(T-Mobile) now generally gets Orange's attention...
Upgrades are available although it does cost and is not really in your interest with the deals that are on offer from the phone shops you are always better to get a new contract, you can add to an existing account though and they don't fill in half the form but whether a credit check is carried out I'm not sure it did not appear to be the case when my partner got a new phone and stayed with Orange recently, if you phone Orange Upgrades you will pay for it...On calling Orange directly I have found the costs of the handsets to be a great deal more...shop aroundI pay by direct debit and over the years with the changes to tariffs I have seen my bill fall from £90 per month to about £40 - £50 now, so trends are that mobile bills are becoming cheaper...
IN the future I can see me trying out another Network since I have always had a tariff which another network operates which means that Orange Care, the insurance cover on orange, has to be paid for at varying costs, whereas on an Orange Tariff it would be free!!! I have never used Orange Care nor paid for it, a phone with all my numbers on it can't be replaced by money...I can pickup another phone at cost or use an old phone I always keep for the event...On calling Orange it can be quite a nightmare to get to speak to someone...automated press button commands....Press the Star key twice now...to turn you into a star...I wish...you know what I mean here if not call somebody....it's good to talk...
The Orange website is quite good and worth a look, if for nothing else to send free texts messages to any network free, it was useful in Gambia where I could get Internet access and could text home to parents etc free or at very low Internet charges...It is limited in number, though you could sign up 2 or even 3 times...false information....not breaking the law just economical with the truth...I'm sure everybody has filled in details that are incorrect at some point and if not your mail must be stopping you get out or online...Anyway to sum up Orange is about as good as any of the other Networks out there and if the future was bright it would be Orange, but change is good as well...
by (2%):
17.07.2002 00:14
I love Orange, been with them for three years now and had no major problems with them. I used to have Everyday 50, and all three of my boyfriends have too! Very useful ;) I changed to pay as you go a while ago, because they used to give you half price calls and texts if you bought a £50 voucher, but they've stopped that now. Damn.
20.06.2002 21:14
Orange is too expensive for what I use my phone. Ang.
04.06.2002 09:33
excellent opinion.. very useful!