My current contract with Orange expires on the 19th Aug. So I've known for some time now that my upgrade day is 20th May.

I decided today to log onto my Orange account to see what sort of upgrade deals were available to find my upgrade date is July 4th!

Really I though, must be a mistake. So I found out Ofcom have decided you aren't allowed more that 24 months in a contract so the 3 month upgrade has been pulled. Even though I'm on a 18 month and intended on staying on an 18 month.

So my predicament is this;

I've already sold my current Desire HD, well in a few days it will be. The temp replacement is a battered K800i. Do i hang around for 2 months using this, or take the 33% discount deal they offer on buying out and get a new phone now, paying about £60 to do so.

You'd be surprised what phoning them up and talking to one of their manager's will achieve John.

It helps if you've got the original paperwork to quote what you believe and then you may get other things as well.

I had just over a month remaining on my o2 contract, when I asked about cancelling due to breaking my phone it was 11quid to buy it out. In the end they upgraded me early onto galaxy s2 £26+£6 18 month contract! Dunno how the guy did it lol

Id check to see how much to by your contact m8

Thanks guys. I’m going to ring them after work and see what they say.

Weirdly I had an email from orange today to say they have the One X in stock so we’ll see how the call pans out.

I’ve just found out that I can get 25% discount being a certain sector worker so we’ll see.

go to Phones4u. They will 'buy' out that contract and set you up with a new one, Even if you want to stay with Orange.

They only do it for low value handsets usually; i doubt they would do it on a One X. Plus I hate the staff.

I've just rang Orange, the buy out fee is £61.

I'm going to the Orange store after work to see if my discount can bring the monthly upgrade price down.

When Orange pulled this from their terms they should have contacted you. I'd use that angle and find out why you didnt get the memo.

Orange are fairly rubbish with deals if you threaten to leave. These days seems to be a case of 'dont let the door hit you on the way out'.

When SWMBO wanted an unlock code for her old phone before upgrading a few years agao she always got it free. Orange told her to get stuffed this time, so tried retentions. Basically the operator told her as a long standing customer she could waive the 30 days notice and end her contract immediately once the call ended!

So she left for T-mobile and was happy until the Orange merger....

They might have the same parent company, but it's not really a "merger" at the moment, seems to be more of a sort of "shared parent" type of deal with a roaming agreement between the two, their policies are still separate. T-Mobile are still trying to retain customers and promote loyalty, at least for now. When I rang for my PAC recently the guy spent quite a lot of time explaining my options and what they could do for me, and very nearly talked me into it, if it wasn't for the fact I was intending to move to giffgaff to avoid any more long lock-in periods and T-Mobile's signal is flaky at work.

It isn't a change in contract, more change in legislation thanks to Ofcom. Basically Ofcom said from the 1st May none can offer longer than 24 months of contract, so adding 3 months to 24 is now a no no. It’s in Orange’s T&C’s that if legislation has changed then it isn’t a breach of terms.

I have a good friend who used to work for Orange and he confirmed this too!

Anyway I went to the orange store yesterday and played with the One X. I’ve decided to wait for the Galaxy S III. Its only 2 weeks. The nice chap in the store told me how many One X’s they’ve had brought back and the reasons too.

I will confirm though that loyalty means nothing. The girl on the phone said she’d come up with a good deal which was the same deal advertised on the wall in the shop for all Orange customers. Pffft.

Orange did 27 month contracts?

Yeah, if you upgraded at the earliest possible opportunity then you would be tied into the last 3 months of your original contract, plus another 24 months on top (i.e. making two full calendar years by the time both contracts expired). Thus effectively making your original contract 21 months, and turning your upgrade into a 27 month contract.

Yeah, if you upgraded at the earliest possible opportunity then you would be tied into the last 3 months of your original contract, plus another 24 months on top (i.e. making two full calendar years by the time both contracts expired). Thus effectively making your original contract 21 months, and turning your upgrade into a 27 month contract.

Yeah, what he said