This is a mini-rant. 🙁
So, I’ve got an Orange contract phone and the wife has a Orange pay-as-you-go phone, both are in my name. Tried calling her, except the stupid Orange network has assumed that since she didn’t answer one call and it dropped to voicemail, then all future calls should immediately go to voicemail. Her phone doesn’t even ring.
I figure this will reset if she calls to collect her voicemail – except neither her nor I know how to do this. Personally I detest mobile voicemails and the first thing I do on my phone is permanently have it removed. Thus the solution is to do the same to her phone.
No problem you might think. Both phones are in my name, I’ll just call up Orange and they’ll sort it. Not on your nelly mate.
Orange contract customer service don’t help with PAYG phones and the (very helpful) guy told me I would have to call 07973100451. “Ok, thanks for your help”, I replied and proceeded to call the supplied number.
So, I call the number and immediately the standard Orange female recorded message informs me “This number is permanently barred”. Excuse me? I call customer service to clarify. Turns out you have to call from a land line.
So not only will Orange contract not help with Orange PAYG, Orange contract actually block you from phoning Orange PAYG. Perhaps they are afraid of people moving from contract to PAYG. What a stupid, stupid setup.
So, I eventually manage to get through after I tried earlier today from the wife’s PAYG phone – on hold for 5 minutes (this call is chargeable to your PAYG available time!!!! Just keeps getting better and better). Gave up on that and thought I’d try later via land line. 2 minutes hold, then success. Hurrah!
I also asked the helpful lady why it was policy for Orange contract (for which I am paying for a telephone service) to prevent me from calling Orange PAYG. She just said that’s the way it was, but I could write to them and ask why.
Correspondence Dept
Orange PCS Ltd
PO Box 10
Patchway
Bristol
BS32 4BQ
I think I just might.
You should. Mobile phone companies suck. I actually lost my mobile a while ago (about four months now) and it is the most liberating thing ever. Not being contactable is a good thing. For me anyway. Vodafone aren’t much better IMHO regarding Customer Service, but I could at least call their helpline from my mobile.