Orange - lost of signal in my work place

[exp1orer]

Hi,

I'm a new member of this forum but I'm very happy to have found this great forum.

I'm under the £35 pay monthly contract with Orange and the contract is still valid until end of March 2008. I got this monthly contract because of the very attractive offer (550min/month and roll-over, unlimited call to magic number anytime, unlimited call to standard UK fixed line anytime, free broadband, etc.) even if I knew that Orange had a very weak signal (amongst the Telecom companies I knew) in my work place.

Just recently, the glass windows in the office got tinted/shaded and the worst thing happened. The 1 to 2-bar signal my mobile phone used to received was gone. At first, I thought that there was something wrong with my mobile unit, but I discovered that all Orange subscribers in on the same office/building have the same problem. Please let me repeat that again...only Orange subscribers have this problem in that office/building...all other Telecom providers still have the signal inside the office/building although most of them also got a weaker signal after the window glass tints/shades installation. I tried contacting Orange a hundred million times about this issue but their customer service contact number 150 is always busy even during night time and I always ended up just waiting for more than 30 minutes listening to the repeated machine voice messages. So I'm thinking of terminating the contract and stopping the auto-debit Orange is doing to my bank account. If I do so, will I still be liable to pay the £35 monthly bill up to the end of March 2008?

P.S.

If only Orange knew it, other Orange subscribers who are affected by this issue are also also planning to do the same. Hint to Orange just in case there's an Orange customer service employee reading this...there are more than 5000 employees in that single particular post code (SN3 4TZ). ONLY Orange signal is struggling inside the factory areas, other Telecoms are able to manage to get their signal spread decently inside the factories. It's like beating to a lotto to get even a 1-bar signal inside the factories and absolutely NO signal at all inside the offices in that area. Instead of reducing your subscriber base, increase your subscriber base by improving the signal in that area.

[OrangePrimate]

Hi,
Sorry you are having problems at the moment, I have taken a note of the postcode you mention and will take a look to see if there are any particular mast problems in that area lately.

I can only advise that as many Orange customers experiencing the problem do call in and request a diagnostic being run and making it clear the problem only exists at that location. unless the TS guys are informed there is a problem, they cant investigate!

Signals inside buildings, especially factories and warehouses (to do with the construction, steel i think!) can be bad, but if other networks can at least pick up a signal then it is possibly to do with them having masts closer to your location.

stopping the direct debit and not paying the line rental is not the way to go here, you are still liable, and would remain so for the remaining contract term.
By bringing this to the networks attention and letting them to investigate ect, you are then doing everything you should be doing, if you catch my drift!

[exp1orer]

Thank you very much for the quick reply. I'm looking forward for the improved Orange signal in that area.

[2Grumpy]

Originally Posted by exp1orer

ONLY Orange signal is struggling inside the factory areas, other Telecoms are able to manage to get their signal spread decently inside the factories. It's like beating to a lotto to get even a 1-bar signal inside the factories and absolutely NO signal at all inside the offices in that area.

Some other telecoms suppliers use the 900 as well as the 1800 band. Orange only use 1800.

Sometimes only the 900 signal will get through, the 1800 signal is more easily reflected in a lot of circumstances, but it can be used to carry more conversations.

[alexteh]

From memory, Orange, 3 and T-Mobile use only the 1800Mhz range and Vodafone and O2 use the 900 also.

[2Grumpy]

Still no excuse for a crap signal / service.

Definately don't stop paying though.

If things don't improve, might be worth putting the poor reception problem in writing. Head it as a complaint. Check with c/s that they have received your complaint, then ask for a copy of their complaints procedure and go for it. Can't imagine that it will do any good though. Suspect that they will continue taking your money and tell you that reception in buildings can be bad or non-existant.

[exp1orer]

I spoke with one of my buddies yesterday. Although he's been a loyal subscriber of Orange for more than 5 years, this recent problem is giving him no good reason to stick with Orange specially that his contract will expire soon. Actually, my wife is also a loyal Orange customer for more than 4 years now and in my case for almost 2 years now. If I still don't get any signal in my work place in a month time, I have no choice but switch and just degrade my subscription plan to the lowest possible plan until my contract end with Orange.

[path_finder]

I find it hard to understand why you think that you have just cause to cancel your contract when you freely admit that you had a weak signal to start with.
It was not Orange who tinted the windows in your workplace, which appears to be the reason for your lack of signal.
Orange will not guarentee signal in a specific location and certainly not inside buildings, and contacting customer services will make little difference.

[2Grumpy]

Originally Posted by path_finder

contacting customer services will make little difference.

rarely has when I've phoned them about anything