EE offering to move Orange custs to 4G

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,173
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Hey,

Got a phone call from Orange asking why I didnt decide to go for a 4G contract when I picked out a 4G phone for my latest contract (Galaxy S3, 6months in). I said at the time EE was too overpriced and I liked being with Orange.

He then said he would happily let me switch to EE to enjoy the 4G speeds with "no catch". I said I was doubtful there wouldn't be a catch and ran some by him.

Do I have to sign up to a new minimum contact? I dont.
Do I have to change from Orange Care? I dont.
Does my bundle change or the price change? Apparently not.
Do I still get my 15% loyalty discount on top of it? Apparently so.

The guy claimed that the CEO had spoken to everybody and said he wanted the all Orange and TMobile customers to be on a 4G contract in the next year. And if that meant keeping the prices the same, he'd do it.

All very confusing. Anybody else heard of this? Accepted the deal?
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Comments

  • Deleted_User381237831Deleted_User381237831 Posts: 7,902
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    When you switch to 4G, you start a new contract period, however there is an 18 month option for customers migrating over from Orange/TM so technically true. Make sure they put you on that.

    You will lose Orange Care as I doesn't exist anymore (and you won't be an Orange customer technically anyway) - you can choose the new Clone Phone insurance though albeit the cost may differ.

    The talk plans are nearly all different - what's the plan you have now? What did they offer?

    Yes you can keep the 15% discount.
  • DevonBlokeDevonBloke Posts: 6,835
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    Are they still doing double data for switchers? That's probably why the price will stay the same. But yes, what orange plan are you currently on?
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    coolmark18 wrote: »

    The guy claimed that the CEO had spoken to everybody and said he wanted the all Orange and TMobile customers to be on a 4G contract in the next year. And if that meant keeping the prices the same, he'd do it.

    EE have a target of getting 1 Million customers on 4G contracts by the end of this year. The higher tariffs mean they will make more money from customers. Hence why they are keen to get people on EE 4G. EE already have 318,000 customers transferred over to EE 4G and the customer service teams are no doubt have targets to meet.

    I think the Orange and T-Mobile brands will eventually disappear.
  • DevonBlokeDevonBloke Posts: 6,835
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    I you're right. They'll have to level/bring down the pricing at some point though to do that, especially with Three saying they aren't going to charge more for 4G.
    I think EE are just trying to make hay while the sun shines.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    DevonBloke wrote: »
    I you're right. They'll have to level/bring down the pricing at some point though to do that, especially with Three saying they aren't going to charge more for 4G.
    I think EE are just trying to make hay while the sun shines.

    EE are going to be able to offer greater speeds then Three as they 40MHz of 1800MHz dedicated to 4G. [Possibly 90MHz of 1800MHz when they shut down there 2G network which is going to happen eventually.] Where as the most Three are going to have is 30MHz of 1800MHz which while more than O2 has is still less than Vodafone or EE so those two will remain as the speed kings I think. We will see how the prices are in a couple of years by then all networks should have a decent 4G network rolled out. I expect EE will have lowered them and Vodafone and O2 to have a similar structure as they do now. Not sure about Three though.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 177
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    coolmark18 wrote: »
    The guy claimed that the CEO had spoken to everybody and said he wanted the all Orange and TMobile customers to be on a 4G contract in the next year. And if that meant keeping the prices the same, he'd do it.

    This is extremely interesting if true. Even though my contract isn't up until September, I sent a text to T-Mobile to see when I could next upgrade and they said on the 8th of this month. I've been planning to wait it out to see how things develop over the next few months (very quickly, I'd imagine), but if they call me about it next week, I'll be very interested to see if they offer this to me.

    I will report back if it happens.
  • japauljapaul Posts: 1,727
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    Some good comments here. I think what EE have done with 4G to date has been perfectly understandable. They had a monopoly so it's only reasonable to expect them to try and exploit that position.

    Now that Olaf has announced a specific target of 1 million by the end of the year, it wouldn't look too good to fail so I think you'll see them pull out all the stops to get there even if it means covertly giving it away with no premium over Orange/T-Mobile so it may be no different to 3. No doubt O2/VF will try and extract some kind of premium at first but they'll probably find that just like with 3G in the beginning, very few punters are willing to pay extra for it.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    McTeagle wrote: »
    This is extremely interesting if true. Even though my contract isn't up until September, I sent a text to T-Mobile to see when I could next upgrade and they said on the 8th of this month. I've been planning to wait it out to see how things develop over the next few months (very quickly, I'd imagine), but if they call me about it next week, I'll be very interested to see if they offer this to me.

    I will report back if it happens.

    I think the OP must be paying above £36pm. (standard price before discount)

    There is no way EE would start letting customers paying £15pm stay on their current plan and get 4G. There systems don't allow it.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    I think the OP must be paying above £36pm. (standard price before discount)

    There is no way EE would start letting customers paying £15pm stay on their current plan and get 4G. There systems don't allow it.

    Completely true and then they would struggle on only 500MB. They may be offering better prices to existing customers but I can't imagine they would cut prices to much.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 177
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    I think the OP must be paying above £36pm. (standard price before discount)

    There is no way EE would start letting customers paying £15pm stay on their current plan and get 4G. There systems don't allow it.

    I'm paying over £36 for mine. I'm not looking for any discount as I'm going to have a big enough struggle getting a better phone and keeping my Flext tariff as it is. I'm happy to pay the money I currently do, but I wouldn't kick 4G in the mouth if it was offered to me in addition.

    It would be hilarious if T-Mobile had to start doing this in order to spare their boss's ego.I hate it when companies I've worked for do it, but I'm quite happy to reap any potential benefits in this case.
  • Mystic EddyMystic Eddy Posts: 3,987
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    I'm on a £36 tariff with a £7.50pm loyalty/crap signal discount and an extra 1GB data (U24), so I doubt they'll be calling me!
  • wavejockglwwavejockglw Posts: 10,596
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    If true then it smacks of desperation ahead of the launch of 4G by others.

    EE's premium strategy has clearly not delivered the uptake envisaged and so it'll now be down to migration to generate customer numbers.

    Have to say if they upgrade folks for free, especially those who already have 4G handsets they will win a lot customer loyalty as Full Monty customers would get a huge benefit from 4G if it's available in their area. The other major benefit for EE is that it would lighten the load on their 3G network allowing them to perhaps increase the speed they presently offer.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    If true then it smacks of desperation ahead of the launch of 4G by others.

    EE's premium strategy has clearly not delivered the uptake envisaged and so it'll now be down to migration to generate customer numbers.

    Have to say if they upgrade folks for free, especially those who already have 4G handsets they will win a lot customer loyalty as Full Monty customers would get a huge benefit from 4G if it's available in their area. The other major benefit for EE is that it would lighten the load on their 3G network allowing them to perhaps increase the speed they presently offer.

    They not going to do it to members of Full Monty as they have said specifically they not doing unlimited data on 4G. I agree it would lighten the load on 3G but I doubt it's that high they have 40MHz of 2100MHz they should be fine with amount they have.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 177
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    And bizarrely I've just been called by T-Mobile.

    Quick qualifier - this was about adding a second line to my current contract. I didn't take it as I don't want or need one, but the offer itself was very interesting.

    Okay, so they offered me a Galaxy S3 LTE for £26 a month. This was for 500 minutes, unlimited texts and completely unlimited 4G internet including tethering, and remaining on T-Mobile.

    I questioned the hell out of him about it, and he swore blind that it was exactly what he said it was, and that would be confirmed by the verifier if I took the deal. He said they're trying to get people on to the EE 4G network, but they didn't have to sign up with EE to do it. He did mention about lightening the 3G load as well.

    So this adds a new dimension to things - EE want people on their 4G network, but they're not making you leave T-Mobile to use it. I know that's on the second line deal, but perhaps there'll be some wiggle room around standard upgrades as well.

    I don't have anything in writing about the unlimited 4G, but unless there was a spectacular rip off going on, it sounded genuine. I was offered the phone to try for seven days, along with the paperwork to sign if I wanted to keep it.

    If they'd offered me that as a standard upgrade, then as much as I want to keep my Flext tariff, I might well have taken it. If unlimited 4G is on the table somewhere, it's something to badger them for when the time comes.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    McTeagle wrote: »
    And bizarrely I've just been called by T-Mobile.

    Quick qualifier - this was about adding a second line to my current contract. I didn't take it as I don't want or need one, but the offer itself was very interesting.

    Okay, so they offered me a Galaxy S3 LTE for £26 a month. This was for 500 minutes, unlimited texts and completely unlimited 4G internet including tethering, and remaining on T-Mobile.

    I questioned the hell out of him about it, and he swore blind that it was exactly what he said it was, and that would be confirmed by the verifier if I took the deal. He said they're trying to get people on to the EE 4G network, but they didn't have to sign up with EE to do it. He did mention about lightening the 3G load as well.

    So this adds a new dimension to things - EE want people on their 4G network, but they're not making you leave T-Mobile to use it. I know that's on the second line deal, but perhaps there'll be some wiggle room around standard upgrades as well.

    I don't have anything in writing about the unlimited 4G, but unless there was a spectacular rip off going on, it sounded genuine. I was offered the phone to try for seven days, along with the paperwork to sign if I wanted to keep it.

    If they'd offered me that as a standard upgrade, then as much as I want to keep my Flext tariff, I might well have taken it. If unlimited 4G is on the table somewhere, it's something to badger them for when the time comes.

    Interesting if it was open to new customers I might of gone on that as it's pretty decent think I would struggle on 500 minutes though I prefer the 2000 I am on now.
  • Deleted_User381237831Deleted_User381237831 Posts: 7,902
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    I bet a million pounds its unlimited 3G....
  • wavejockglwwavejockglw Posts: 10,596
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    I have just bought an S4 on T-Mobile and I'm impressed so far with coverage on 3G in my area. If they offer 4G even for a small premium I could be tempted but not with the caps at the price points they have now. T-Mobile seems capped on 3G at around 4 Mbps which is fine for streaming video on YouTube etc but it would be nice to see what the device is capable of on 4G.
  • enapaceenapace Posts: 4,303
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    I have just bought an S4 on T-Mobile and I'm impressed so far with coverage on 3G in my area. If they offer 4G even for a small premium I could be tempted but not with the caps at the price points they have now. T-Mobile seems capped on 3G at around 4 Mbps which is fine for streaming video on YouTube etc but it would be nice to see what the device is capable of on 4G.

    Yeah as even 4MB is basic 3G I always thought it was weird to cap at 4MB understand 10MB but 4MB seems weird.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 177
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    I bet a million pounds its unlimited 3G....

    I spent a good few minutes questioning him on that very specific point. I gave him plenty of alternatives about what he might have meant, but he said very clearly several times that it was unlimited 4G internet. I told him I considered that to be highly unlikely given EE's current restrictions, and I also reiterated the point about tethering several times, but he came back with the same answer each and every time.

    Obviously as I didn't take the offer, I don't have the paperwork to verify it 100%. If you had posted this instead of me, I'd probably be thinking exactly the same thing about him meaning 3G.

    All I can really say is that I was definitely offered a deal on T-Mobile that included completely unlimited 4G internet using EE's 4G network.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    McTeagle wrote: »
    And bizarrely I've just been called by T-Mobile.

    Quick qualifier - this was about adding a second line to my current contract. I didn't take it as I don't want or need one, but the offer itself was very interesting.

    Okay, so they offered me a Galaxy S3 LTE for £26 a month. This was for 500 minutes, unlimited texts and completely unlimited 4G internet including tethering, and remaining on T-Mobile.

    I questioned the hell out of him about it, and he swore blind that it was exactly what he said it was, and that would be confirmed by the verifier if I took the deal. He said they're trying to get people on to the EE 4G network, but they didn't have to sign up with EE to do it. He did mention about lightening the 3G load as well.

    So this adds a new dimension to things - EE want people on their 4G network, but they're not making you leave T-Mobile to use it. I know that's on the second line deal, but perhaps there'll be some wiggle room around standard upgrades as well.

    I don't have anything in writing about the unlimited 4G, but unless there was a spectacular rip off going on, it sounded genuine. I was offered the phone to try for seven days, along with the paperwork to sign if I wanted to keep it.

    If they'd offered me that as a standard upgrade, then as much as I want to keep my Flext tariff, I might well have taken it. If unlimited 4G is on the table somewhere, it's something to badger them for when the time comes.

    This is very misleading. The guy is talking about unlimited 3G (like Plymouthbloke said) That plan is a T-Mobile (EE) plan and price. If it was an EE4G plan you'd have unlimited minutes off the bat. EE4G price plans cannot use any T-Mobile plans or boosters or whatever. It's impossible to stay on T-Mobile and get access to the EE4G network. 100% impossible. (Again plymouthbloke can back me up here)

    So very misleading. I've heard other customers being told similar recently. Some customers have even be told that T-Mobile doesn't exist anymore and they have to sign up to EE4G (at extortionate prices) Plus on that tariff the guy on the phone talked about, the speeds would be capped at 4Mbps so hardly fast 3G connection there either. Plus tethering is blocked.

    No idea why he told you what he did. Next time ask for the name of the tariff. If he says Full Monty 26 then that confirms it's a 3G tariff on T-Mobile.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 177
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    Well, he did say it was a second line deal and not available in the shops or online.

    As I've said, I can't verify what he told me as I don't have any paperwork. You could very well be right, and I'm certainly not going to start defending a salesman without anything to back it up. Another reason I wasn't going to take it is that I'd rather call T-Mobile myself and make sure I'm speaking to someone at their company rather than a random salesman with access to my details.

    Anyway, the offer as I stated it was correct in every detail regarding what was said to me. If I'd been mis-sold it, it would have gone back immediately. The last thing I'd want to do is spread misinformation, but that's what I was told. I'm throwing it out there as an experience that may prove useful to someone else - if only because of what you've just said about it being impossible to use the EE network and stay on T-Mobile. That was certainly something I asked about and he was quite clear about it being possible.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
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    McTeagle wrote: »
    Well, he did say it was a second line deal and not available in the shops or online.

    As I've said, I can't verify what he told me as I don't have any paperwork. You could very well be right, and I'm certainly not going to start defending a salesman without anything to back it up. Another reason I wasn't going to take it is that I'd rather call T-Mobile myself and make sure I'm speaking to someone at their company rather than a random salesman with access to my details.

    Anyway, the offer as I stated it was correct in every detail regarding what was said to me. If I'd been mis-sold it, it would have gone back immediately. The last thing I'd want to do is spread misinformation, but that's what I was told. I'm throwing it out there as an experience that may prove useful to someone else - if only because of what you've just said about it being impossible to use the EE network and stay on T-Mobile. That was certainly something I asked about and he was quite clear about it being possible.

    no no, don't worry. I meant the salesperson was very misleading. Either he has no idea what he's talking about or he's just outright lying.
  • wavejockglwwavejockglw Posts: 10,596
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    EE are looking desperate now to get 4G uptake. They might offer a second line etc but what they seem to want is migration to boost the pathetic 318,000 uptake for 4G after 6 months.

    I expect EE will do many things to try and migrate customers over the next few months. I think they are deliberately providing 4G capable handsets on Orange and T-Mobile to facilitate upgrade to EE 4G and will switch users on to gain stats within the next few months. They need to because the EE 4G price plans are totally unrealistic and won't attract consumers.
  • jabbamk1jabbamk1 Posts: 8,942
    Forum Member
    EE are looking desperate now to get 4G uptake. They might offer a second line etc but what they seem to want is migration to boost the pathetic 318,000 uptake for 4G after 6 months.

    I expect EE will do many things to try and migrate customers over the next few months. I think they are deliberately providing 4G capable handsets on Orange and T-Mobile to facilitate upgrade to EE 4G and will switch users on to gain stats within the next few months. They need to because the EE 4G price plans are totally unrealistic and won't attract consumers.

    I agree with the bit in bold but not the underlined bit.

    EE4G already have early upgrade schemes in place for people who want to switch to EE4G from T-Mo/Orange and already have a 4G phone on contract.
  • wavejockglwwavejockglw Posts: 10,596
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    jabbamk1 wrote: »
    I agree with the bit in bold but not the underlined bit.

    EE4G already have early upgrade schemes in place for people who want to switch to EE4G from T-Mo/Orange and already have a 4G phone on contract.

    They will...... Because they have no other option. EE have made no justification for 4G other than speed in itself and for most mobile users that is not a good enough reason to move to 4G. Hense the big migration initiative, a face saving initiative to create uptake quickly to justify the 4G roll-out cost.
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