Mobiles again - Orange this time

[gadgetman]

The Pay monthly account I have for my son is up next month so I'm looking to get a new deal with them. I don't want to sign up for a new contract as we're planning to move abroad at the end of the year so SIM-only would seem the way to go.

As with most teenagers he texts a lot and the best SIM-only deal on the Orange site is Dolphin £25 which gives 600 min and unlimited text. This is almost what he has now though admittedly at £30 month.

Am I likely to be able to squeeze a better deal from them? Any personal experience at this?

We don't have to stay with Orange by the way if there are any better SIM-only deals.

[Platypus]

The Pay monthly account I have for my son is up next month so I'm looking to get a new deal with them. I don't want to sign up for a new contract as we're planning to move abroad at the end of the year so SIM-only would seem the way to go.

As with most teenagers he texts a lot and the best SIM-only deal on the Orange site is Dolphin £25 which gives 600 min and unlimited text. This is almost what he has now though admittedly at £30 month.

Am I likely to be able to squeeze a better deal from them? Any personal experience at this?

We don't have to stay with Orange by the way if there are any better SIM-only deals.

The cheaper Orange packages do offer unlimited evening and weekend texts. Does he need that many day-time texts?

[chicane]

Am I likely to be able to squeeze a better deal from them? Any personal experience at this?

There's an option somewhere in the Orange customer services line menu that starts "if you're thinking of leaving Orange...". You should be able to use this to your advantage to knock at least a third off their published monthly prices. I have a monthly plan similar to what you've described for 15 pounds/month.

[gadgetman]

Just tried this and he wouldn't budge from the published rates. I gave them 30 days notice and requested a PAC code.

[gadgetman]

Problem is that usually 'evening' doesn't start until what, 7pm or even later?

I think he uses it at and after school a fair bit.

The cheaper Orange packages do offer unlimited evening and weekend texts. Does he need that many day-time texts?

[Katie]

The mobile phone companies have loads of free stuff they can give you. I was getting 600 minutes and 750 texts through o2 at £35/month. When the contract came up for renewal I told them I could get a better deal elsewhere, I hadn't checked but a few white lies never hurt anyone. I now get unlimited texts (fair usage means 400) and 750 minutes for 35/month oh and I also got a memory card.

Shop around and tell them you can get a better deal or tell them what you want and how much you want to pay. They have the power (that sounds really corney) to give you whatever you want. So them saying they can't change the published rates suggests to me that you need to shout and scream and complain a bit or look elsewhere!

[Clippy]

Check out O2 Simplicity tariffs. Believe there is no contract involved.

[Lockhouse]

There's an option somewhere in the Orange customer services line menu that starts "if you're thinking of leaving Orange...". You should be able to use this to your advantage to knock at least a third off their published monthly prices. I have a monthly plan similar to what you've described for 15 pounds/month.

Concur. When they realised I was serious about leaving Orange they offered my loads of free stuff and a much lower monthly bill but it was too late as I'd already signed my new airtime contract.

[gadgetman]

This was the option I took - see above. They weren't interested!

Concur. When they realised I was serious about leaving Orange they offered my loads of free stuff and a much lower monthly bill but it was too late as I'd already signed my new airtime contract.

[chicane]

This was the option I took - see above. They weren't interested!

It's really odd. I've used the tactic described for my last 3 upgrades with Orange and been successful every time. I know others who've experienced the same. Yet several of the people I've given this advice to seem to have a similar experience to you - ie they get told where to shove it by Orange.

I suspect that perhaps they're only allowed to give out a certain number of deals per week, or only to long-term customers, or something like that.