Mobile phone companies – aargh!

Just had a long tussle with my mobile phone company.

The signal was bad when we were at the rectory, but at least I could go upstairs to make a phone call.

About six months before we left the rectory, I foolishly allowed the company to persuade me into renewing my contract for another eighteen months, even though my head was telling me to Pay As You Go.

Here at the bungalow there’s almost no signal. Most of the time my phone says “Emergency calls only”, and if I want to send a text, it takes ages before there’s enough signal for it to go.

So today I rang Orange to ask if might terminate my contract (due to end in July) without any penalty charges.

They tried all sorts of things. I had to take out the sim and replace it. Then another department tested the signal in the area and surprise, surprise! Found it was very weak and intermittent. After hours of listening to rubbishy music and being shunted from department to department, they reluctantly agreed to end my contract and cancel my direct debit (hope they’ve done that bit!)

So I asked for a PAC code, to transfer the number to a new network.

“That will cost you £80,” they said.

I was outraged and I’m afraid I told them where to stick the number. Then they wanted another £20 to unlock the phone – same response from me.

I’ve now ordered a free PAYG sim from Virgin (according the map, their coverage is excellent – we wait to see) and am awaiting an unlock code from an internet site for £5.99.

But I’m still boiling. I’ve been an Orange customer for nearly three years. They’ve broken the contract by not providing me with services, and all the girl could keep saying was, “It’s in the terms and conditions…”

That was the point when I slammed the phone down in disgust!