Orange - Terminate Contract Early

[kolax]

I get terrible reception with Orange. Also, their data speeds are pretty horrific too, and in August, there was a lot of problems.

I emailed the Orange CEO outlining my disappointment with reception after having moved address (I'm 3 months into my contract and moved address recently - my previous address had okish reception). I did ask about any options on terminating the contract, but the customer relations person that responded just patronised me about how cell reception works and deteriorates out of their control.

Basically, I know Orange won't cancel my contract. I'm not expecting them to. But it'll be £735 to cancel it, since it is a 2 year contract. Does anyone think I'd have any chance of paying off the contract but at a reduced rate?

The plan is to pay off the Orange contract and switch to Vodafone (my flatmate is with them and he has had no reception issues inside our flat or around town). If I pay off my contract now, that'll be £735. I can sell my 32GB iPhone 4 for around £450-£500. I'll still be down around £250. Not to mention that I'll need to buy another iPhone 4 on Vodafone (£250). Overall cost is £500.

Another option is to wait till May next year, pay off the contract (be around £380 then), sell my iPhone and get £400 if I'm lucky, and then get the new iPhone when it comes out in June/July. But that means I'm stuck with rubbish reception till then..

Oh, and this has nothing to do with the iPhone 4 reception problems. I use a bumper and I can replicate all this by placing the phone on a table.

 

[skunk]

For less than £100 you could get a signal repeater off eBay. Just a thought.

 

[kolax]

For less than £100 you could get a signal repeater off eBay. Just a thought.

Yeah but stick it where? My whole flat gets around 1 bar of reception. If there was a place where I got 3-4 bars, then it'd be beneficial?

 

[skunk]

1 bar should be good enough to boost. If you buy it on Amazon you can always try it and return it if it's no good.

 

[179202]

I get terrible reception with Orange. Also, their data speeds are pretty horrific too, and in August, there was a lot of problems.

I emailed the Orange CEO outlining my disappointment with reception after having moved address (I'm 3 months into my contract and moved address recently - my previous address had okish reception). I did ask about any options on terminating the contract, but the customer relations person that responded just patronised me about how cell reception works and deteriorates out of their control.

Basically, I know Orange won't cancel my contract. I'm not expecting them to. But it'll be £735 to cancel it, since it is a 2 year contract. Does anyone think I'd have any chance of paying off the contract but at a reduced rate?

The plan is to pay off the Orange contract and switch to Vodafone (my flatmate is with them and he has had no reception issues inside our flat or around town). If I pay off my contract now, that'll be £735. I can sell my 32GB iPhone 4 for around £450-£500. I'll still be down around £250. Not to mention that I'll need to buy another iPhone 4 on Vodafone (£250). Overall cost is £500.

Another option is to wait till May next year, pay off the contract (be around £380 then), sell my iPhone and get £400 if I'm lucky, and then get the new iPhone when it comes out in June/July. But that means I'm stuck with rubbish reception till then..

Oh, and this has nothing to do with the iPhone 4 reception problems. I use a bumper and I can replicate all this by placing the phone on a table.

Before anyone else chimes in with it...you really should've checked the signal before buying it or returned the phone to Orange within your return window.

That said, I'll be helpful now

You should call Orange and ask them to put you on the lowest iPhone contract (£30 a month I think). Once there, the contract will be the cheapest it can be for you to pay off. May save you a little. Ideally, you should sell your phone to cover the cost (pay Orange to unlock the phone...it'll increase the value).

 

[kolax]

1 bar should be good enough to boost. If you buy it on Amazon you can always try it and return it if it's no good.

I'll look into that, thanks.

Before anyone else chimes in with it...you really should've checked the signal before buying it or returned the phone to Orange within your return window.

That said, I'll be helpful now

You should call Orange and ask them to put you on the lowest iPhone contract (£30 a month I think). Once there, the contract will be the cheapest it can be for you to pay off. May save you a little. Ideally, you should sell your phone to cover the cost (pay Orange to unlock the phone...it'll increase the value).

I said the signal was okish at my previous address, when I signed up for the contract.

Am I able to switch to the lowest contract even though I signed up for the £35 one?

 

[179202]

I'll look into that, thanks.



I said the signal was okish at my previous address, when I signed up for the contract.

Am I able to switch to the lowest contract even though I signed up for the £35 one?

Fair point.

Yeah, you should be able to switch. You usually have to stay on the contract you signed up for for a short while (x months) but can move about after that. Maybe see if you can drop to a cheaper contract and if not, ask when you can?