Orange UK Upgrade Question

[FobBerry]

Quick question:

I am due an upgrade on Wednesday and I am thinking of getting a Bold 9700. Looked on my account section to upgrade, the Bold is showing at a £99 upgrade price (even though every other phone is FREE?!) I don't fancy paying £99 although I will if I have to (as my 8900 was free). My question to you would be: If I up the price of my contract (at the moment I'm paying £26 roughly a month - including insurance for £6) will this improve my chances of getting a free upgrade?

I did post this in the talk to frank sticky but I have had no replies as yet. I would be grateful if someone (preferably someone who works for orange but not fussy if you don't) would give me a bit of advice.

Thanks!

[mr.greeny]

The best thing about service providers for phone contracts is that you can bully them. Ring them up and go to the upgrades section and tell them you want to upgrade your phone. Tell them you want to stay on orange and you want the 9700. If they say its going to cost £99 say you don't want to pay that and say you've found it for free elsewhere. (They probably won't ask, just say online or something though if they do). And if that doesn't work on getting you a free phone, ask to be put through to the cancellations department then see what they can do for you.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[A_S]

Just an opinion. phone contracts are longer term than phones so if your happy with the contract and what you are getting for it, keep it, and pay the upgrade phone for £99. I mean, are you really going to take advantage of the "extra" options/features/minutes upgrading gives you, or are you just going to use the extra cost to get a free phone?

After all over the term of the contract there won't be too much differential between the extra you pay and that £99 (in my experience anyway) if you do your sums (of course without taking account of opertunity cost or time value of money, but you can if you want, i did and it didnt come to too much difference to make it worth changing my contract).

I'm on Dolphin 25 (i think) with a £5 loyalty/online discount and got my upgrade from 9000 to 9700 for £99 around Christmas.

Another tip - try upgrading through the Carphone warehouse to get an unlocked and unbranded phone, could be cheeper than direct through orange - a bit like Mr Greeny says, play the 2 companies off against each other.

[FobBerry]

Any tips for if I am going into the store to upgrade?


I'd prefer to do it face to face with someone and take the phone home there and then, at least I can check it. If not I will do it over the phone. Thanks for the advice.

[A_S]

I know what you mean - phone first, see what they offer you and then get them to match it/beat it in store, i know that sounds like the obvious thing to say but be as prepaired as you can.

Find out what they will offer you over the phone, go into carphone warehouse and see what they will offer using the phone quote as leverage then go to orange. Don't go in with "xyz will offer me this" see what deal they will offer you straight off, then bring in your other best offer, if the offer is better than what you have been offered already, then as Mr greeny says, use some creative licence as they can only say no after all!

[FobBerry]

I would be more than happy to pay the £99 as it's a lovely phone and there isn't another one out there that I want at the mo although I am between jobs and £99 is a lot to me to pay out in one hit.

Sorry for so many questions, if I originally got my phone/contract in an orange store can I upgrade only direct with orange or is it possible to go through the CPW?

[A_S]

too be fair I'm not sure - I did mine originally through carphone warehouse as Orange Couldn't match what they offered me and i have since upgraded direct with orange so i am not actually sure I could go back to carphone warehouse next time! - I didnt change the contract though, only the phone, so that leads me to beleive i can. I'm not sure how it works if you did things the oposite way. No harm in trying though. Just go in with all options open and don't comit to anything until you are sure you have the right deal. you can always walk away and come back in later that day or the next day after concidering the options or bartering elsewhere!

[FobBerry]

Thanks for your help, I'll try phoning first, I'll just say I noticed I was due an upgrade and ask them what my options are and take it from their. Fingers crossed I can get a good deal!

[Andiio]

I agree with the advice given, but I'll just give me two pence worth.

I was on a similar tariff to you (paying £28), and upgraded to a BlackBerry 9700 just last wednesday. I was offered the following for £27.50 p/m;

* Wave the cost of the BlackBerry 9700
* 500 X-Network minutes
* Unlimited Texts
* BIS with unlimited data and email (fair usage applies of course)

Overall i'm very happy with this, and I love my BB 9700, even if I am still getting used to it!




EDIT: Oh and you'll wanna upgrade directly with Orange, they'll be able to offer you something far beyond what CPW could.

[FobBerry]

Blimey that's a good deal! What did you do to get that. I'm going to phone them and basically say I think I'm due an upgrade what are my options - when they tell me about 9700 and the price I'll say that's the one I was looking at online - I can get that for free elsewhere...then see what happens! The more I think about it the less I want to pay! I've never had to pay for an upgrade and it seems silly to start now and we do pay huge amounts overall for these contracts!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[FobBerry]

All done:

The guy was very helpful I managed to get
700 x-net mins
Unlimited BIS
Unlimited Texts
Free Orange Maps SatNav?
50 picture messages
Laptop Dongle + 500mb (per month)
FREE 9700

£27.50 each month!!

I'm very happy - both phone + dongle will arrive tomorrow (don't think I will use the dongle to be honest though!)

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com