ORANGE BROADBAND

[Moliere]

Is that €24 per month for orange broadband and telephone? I'm paying €39, what am I doing wrong?

Mols

[aussiefrog]

I spoke to orange France on their English speaking help line on Tuesday - they told me I could call that same line to suspend my telephone and broadband each time I'm away, with 10 days notice for one and 2 days notice for the other ( can't remember which, it's written down somewhere) the livebox is included in the e24 per month and I don't need to return it each time I suspend!

Alison, would you have a link to this info so I can take something in writing to my Orange shop? And does that mean 24 euros per month only when you have the phone and broadband activated?

Like Moliere, I'm paying 39 euros a month, all year round. We only use the house now for 3-4 months a year, so are anxious to cut some of our costs.

Thanks

[French Cricket]

I suspect AlisonK has been offered Orange Découverte:
https://boutique.orange.fr/internet/offre-decouverte

It's a basic internet offer, 21€ a month plus 3€ for the Livebox ... BUT it doesn't include telephone so you need to pay for a fixed line as well(obligatory), so another 19€ or so on top of the 24€ for that.

As far as I know, Découverte is the only Orange forfait that can be suspended and reactivated.

[Circé]

That's right, French Cricket
And with Découverte you run your phone line on Ligne Résidence Secondaire as I said in my earlier post. You pay for the calls you make - OR you choose an option for 2hrs or unlimited calls which is more expensive. Yes you only pay the standing charge when the phone line is active.
Yes, both services are still available to new and existing customers.
I have just opened accounts for a client this week.
The only problem with Orange is that their customer 'service' on the phone is not brilliant, and you do sometimes get given the wrong info.

[Cassis]

The only problem with Orange is that their customer 'service' on the phone is not brilliant, and you do sometimes get given the wrong info.

For "Orange" you could substitute any French telecom company and/or ISP in that sentence.

[Circé]

I disagree - I have had no probs with Neuf (now SFR), been with them ever since we've had ADSL. OK so the box has packed up a couple of times (which ones don't?) but a new one comes along no hassles. Maybe we've been lucky!

[ccazes]

This post is exactly what I need to hear! I will be enquiring about the suspension options ASAP!
I have to agree with Cassis, I have had problems with SFR beyond the realm of belief, I could have cried from frustration after my last call if I weren't completely gob-smacked at the stupidity of the situation. I have been hesitant to change before as I don't always hear good things about the other operators either.
I haven't touched base with this forum for a while, I'm glad I did today! As always I find useful info from a friendly community happy to share their experience!

[Cassis]

Quite so. Add Free.fr to the list of French ISPs who from personal experience are utterly useless when things go wrong and a stock answer won't do.

There's no point in changing unless the service problem is catastrophic, since none is better than another if you read their user forums.

[Alisonmk]

An update on my original happy statement that you could activate and suspend as you wish - I called today to suspend the phone line, that was fine, at a cost of E5.19, and paid for easily on dd. it turns out that you can not suspend the Internet in the same way, you need to cancel your service each time, then set up a new service. I paid by credit card to do this.

They've now sent me a termination email asking for the livebox back within 30 days. Since I'm back in the UK that's not going to happen. They specifically told me that I didn't have to send it back when I originally spoke to them.

[lel]

Hi Alisonmk
this is the issue that I have had, I have always taken mine back, much to the surprise of the staff in the Orange shop. However when I asked what would happen if I did not return it the reply from the guy on the English helpline was "probably nothing", so I have been tempted to try it as its an hours drive each way for me. So the saga continues, I will be talking to them shortly again about getting a new one for the summer.

[Circé]

AlisonMK, just make a note of exactly when and what time you spoke to Orange re the livebox so if they say 'you didn't send it back' you can argue that you were told you could keep it when you called at X hour on XX day.
Lel, you get sent a free Chronopost sticker for posting the box back (if you want to get rid of it).

[lel]

thanks Circe
I will look into that option, it will certainly reduce my frustration at the queues in the Orange shop.

[Hells Bells]

Surely the worst that can happen is they still charge you the 3€ per month rental that the Livebox costs you if you don't return it.

[Alisonmk]

Yes, I've discovered that all is not necessarily as I was told in my first conversation! I called again to ask what would happen as I couldn't send the box back ( I'd already returned to the uk before I got the email saying it should be returned) . Worse case I'll pay the 3 or 4 € per month till I'm back.