[GeorgeBR]

Hi everyone

I have a house in Herault, and have Orange broadband. Technically it's fine (reliable, fast enough, etc) but I'm at my wits end dealing with Orange.fr! There are lots of posts about them helping themselves to bank accounts, so I pay monthly online. But if I'm just a few days late they cut me off, and block my online login .... so I can't pay them! I then have to call from the UK, and it can take days (literally!) to finally get to speak to someone.

The locals all seem to be with Free. Does anyone have any experience of Free? Or experience of moving from Orange.fr to Free?

Thanks in advance

 

[lebesset]

my neighbour has changed from free to orange because the service was so bad , he would have preferred to stay with free for the mobile phone offer , but couldn't live with the service
if you are with orange and have a problem you dial 2013 [ or is it 2014 ] and they offer an appointment with a technician ; if you have a problem with free you contact them , they contact orange who make an appointment , tell free who contact you ...all of which takes a while and the appointment may not suit

I gave my neighbour the technicians mobile number , he tried that but the guy isn't allowed to attend except as instructed by orange

don't understand about being cut off , I've been away and not paid on time but NEVER been cut off in 15 years !

 

[DejW]

I've been with Orange for 15 years, and any problems were fixed quickly. I woudn't dream of paying by anything but prélevements!

I wouldn't worry about the bank account problem - there are strict laws in France about prélevements - and ORange / Ft - the Fr gov is a major shareholder! Again - no probs and now I've 2 orange accounts for home and rental appartments.


DejW

 

[Charlot]

Experiences differ. I don’t know how Free would handle the situation you described, but for my part, I’m 100% satisfied with this company.

 

[Bevdeforges]

It can also depend on who is handling their technical and customer service. Most "utilities" here seem to contract it out to local small companies. (Full confession, DH does installation and maintenance for SFR as part of a sub-contracting arrangement.)

I've had Free for mobile phone for a couple of years now and am quite happy with them. But as far as I know, you'll have to set up a direct debit with your bank to pay them.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[GeorgeBR]

Thanks everyone for your helpful answers! Yes, I understand that Free use Orange's infrastructure. I suspect - but it may be a case of the devil you know than the devil you don't know! But I really am at my wits end with dealing with Orange. Maybe if I just trust them with a standing order then the problem will go away!

Thanks

 

[95995]

Agree you would be well advised to pay by prelevement / direct debit.

 

[conky2]

You could always try not paying late.....

 

[GeorgeBR]

Thanks for your helpful comment conky2. You may be surprised to hear I do pay on time most times. But you only get a short window from "due" to when they cut off your portal access .... which is where you can pay them. Just seems a bit stupid.

 

[lebesset]

Thanks for your helpful comment conky2. You may be surprised to hear I do pay on time most times. But you only get a short window from "due" to when they cut off your portal access .... which is where you can pay them. Just seems a bit stupid.

don't know what you do to Orange ; my latest bill for decouverte was €42 because I was away and didn't get around to paying ...but cut off ? not a bit of it

one year I went away for the winter , asked for suspension but they made a mistake and didn't do it ; when I got back I had a bill for €84 but they didn't cut if off

strange thing was when I contacted them they said very sorry , will reimbourse you , which they did ...they deducted it from my maison secondaire account !

 

[Steve Foley]

Orange are the best of a bad lot in my two years of experience of them. Also if you want a tariff which does not cut you off and has no download limits it is expensive. Oh how I wish BTINTERNET.COM to operate here in France!!!!

Technically Orange are good but their after sales service is very poor compared to BT or Virgin in the UK.

 

[lebesset]

Orange are the best of a bad lot in my two years of experience of them. Also if you want a tariff which does not cut you off and has no download limits it is expensive. Oh how I wish BTINTERNET.COM to operate here in France!!!!

Technically Orange are good but their after sales service is very poor compared to BT or Virgin in the UK.

don't understand this

which of their tariffs has download limits ?

and I have never been cut off for any reason !

and after sales poor ? do BT or virgin have a french speaking technicians or hot line in the UK ?

 

[Steve Foley]

I do not suppose BT have French speaking technicians in the UK but I DO understand that some of the Orange Tariffs have a download limit.

 

[lebesset]

please point me at one , maybe cheaper than what I have

 

[Steve Foley]

Try this.

https://boutique.orange.fr/default....nge fr_be&utm_content=Marque Orange fr (exact)

 

[Bevdeforges]

One factor to consider is that many of the "utility" companies contract out their service work. (My DH does installation and service work for SFR through the computer maintenance company we run.) In some areas, the service contracts may work better than in others, due to the service providers involved.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[lebesset]

Try this.

https://boutique.orange.fr/default....nge fr_be&utm_content=Marque Orange fr (exact)

well that doesn't have a download limit !