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MOBILE ROW SENDS OUT A POOR SIGNAL

Orange: Limited network coverage

Monday March 19,2007

By Maisha Frost

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(4)

Keep your wits about you when choosing a new mobile phone or it could wreak havoc with your life. That is the warning from smart professional Chrissy Smith who found herself cut off and still contracted to pay hundreds of pounds for a new service that did not work.

Chrissy, a top charity fundraiser, was caught off guard when she was plunged into a battle of wills with Orange. Having just moved from London to Devon, she realised she would be travelling more. “My mobile was so essential I decided to get a BlackBerry to get e-mails as well,” she explains.

While back in the capital she popped into an Orange shop to upgrade. “I explained I had moved to the country,” she continues. “I had been a long-standing customer with Orange and was happy to sign their 18-month contract.”

But when she got home to Ashburton, her handset would randomly revert to a 999-only connection. Then it became the only signal Chrissy could receive. She called Orange and was dismayed to learn that the company’s coverage in the county was very limited.

“They seemed surprised I had been able to get a signal at all,” says Chrissy. “I had signed up in good faith for a service I could not get. I have since learnt that coverage checks are very easy to make but no one in the shop had offered one, despite knowing my address.”

More trouble ensued when Chrissy tried to escape the commitment. She discovered that Orange shops work as independent franchises. “The store wasn’t helpful,” she reveals. “They would release me only if the Orange network paid £400 for the handset.”

Chrissy was unsurprised when this offer was turned down. “Orange customer services said it would only let me go if I paid up the full term of my contract, £549.91. I was threatened with court if I refused,” she told Crusader.

No operator will guarantee full coverage and Chrissy has since heard of customers with other networks being similarly caught out. Mobile phone sellers are not obliged to do coverage checks unless asked.

Orange has now released Chrissy from her contract and refunded her money.

A spokeswoman stressed: “It is Orange’s discretion to terminate a contract without penalty if we are no longer able to provide access to the network. I have provided feedback to the manager of the relevant department for future training and development. Comments about the Orange retail store are acknowledged. However, they will query the network coverage in a specific area only if asked to do so by the customer.”

“I’m so relieved,” responded Chrissy. “I was unaware that a coverage check was possible. My advice to others is always ask for one and make sure it is done for all the areas where they go most often.”

ORANGE SIGNAL - ITS A JOKE

05.07.07, 9:13am

I am currently involved in a battle with Orange to be released from my 18 month contract.

I moved into a new flat a month ago, and discovered I could not get any signal apart from Emergency calls only. I have 16months left on my contract and with this being my only point of contract with the outside world, family and friends, it is very frustrating to have to go out of my property and be at least 200 yards away before i have any signal at all.

I have called the customer service team on numerous occasions only to be fobbed off with silly excuses. The last call i made i was advised to write into the legal team in Bristol, which i have done, and have since heard nothing.

The article in your paper on the 4th July 2007 stated that Chrissy Smith moved to Devon and could not get any signal, I must stress that I live in a normal area in the middle of a town, nothing remote about the area at all, an I still am unable to get any reception in my property.

My battle with orange is still ongoing and I will not give up until I am released from my contract.

Regards

A Very unhappy mobile user.

• Posted by: Glenda • Report Comment