Beware The Smartphonecompany (.co.uk)

[BagOLaughs]

Ok just a word of warning if you're planning on upgrading your phone.

This website above (smartphonecompany.co.uk) is the came company as mobilephonesdirect.co.uk. They have fantastic deals for mobile phones and I would use them again purely for the good deals however make sure you do your research first!

In short:

My Orange contract had finished in June 21st so I was due an upgrade. I found a good deal with the smartphonecompany on EE and rang them. They promised that my contract would be UPGRADED (because remember I did check I was eligible for an upgrade from Orange to EE already)

After placing my order before getting my phone, I get an email from them saying that they were unable to upgrade me so I rang them, told them that they were wrong, i was eligible for an upgrade to EE and they should try again. I was trying to avoid having to pay for 30 days (notice period for cancellation) of my old Orange contract while also paying for my new EE contract. Their words to me were, don't worry because its Orange to EE and they're the same company, you'll have to ring and get the PAC code but you shouldn't be charged.

So I did that and low and behold I'm being charged for 30 days on my old Orange contract as well as my new EE contract... So I'm now complaining to mobilephonesdirect. I hope they will compensate me the 30 days of my old Orange contract.

I followed their directions completely and they promised that I wouldn't get charged and like an idiot I believed them.

So a word of warning... when buying a mobile through either of these companies (like I said they've got really good deals!) make sure you've already given 30 days notice for your old contract or be ready to chase and nag to make sure you get an upgrade not a new contract (obs for an upgrade it needs to be the same company).

 

[Jon84]

It's complicated. When you upgrade from Orange to EE, you are infact starting a new contract and Porting your number over.

I upgraded with using Carphone Warehouse and they did cancel the old Orange Contract properly. You pay a pro rota last bill from Orange and your new EE bill at roughly the same time, so the first month is often more.

My wife moved over direct on the phone with EE, and they had to do the same thing.

The reason for the contract change is that the terms are alot different, and you're moving from 3G to 4G service.

 

[BagOLaughs]

My wife moved over direct on the phone with EE, and they had to do the same thing.

That's fine and I agree, I expected to pay pro rata. but not both a full 30 days of EE and a full 30 days of Orange. What you described is what I was told by mobilephonesdirect and EE. Both companies said to me that as it was an upgrade it wouldn't not include the 30 days cross over of both charges.

However I'm the one stuck in the rut so you can generate your own opinion over that one.

However that doesn't change why I wrote this post, so people can learn from my mistakes and avoid making the same ones.

 

[Jon84]

They've termed it as that (an upgrade). But officially, it is the cancellation of the old contract, and the start of a new one with new Direct Debit too. They call it an upgrade to make the customer experience seem smooth. The reality behind the scenes is that all their systems are still separate between T-Mobile, Orange and EE. An upgrade staying with Orange (which is still possible but they try and move you over to EE if they can) is an upgrade in the true sense in that your contract remains, DD remains, you are just renewing (usually to get a new handset) for another 12-24 months.

My advice from our experience is keep complaining with Orange/EE, become a burden on their call centre till someone sees how many calls you've made and actually takes it upon themselves to fix it and follow it through personally. With my Wife's phone they let her leave the Orange contract because the data signal levels reduced in our area, so she went on an EE sim only which they said she could leave in a few months when the iPhone 6 came out, then they backtracked when it came out. In the end she managed to get a really good person on the phone to sort it, they even called to update her on progress in terms of refunds etc.

I'm not saying you are wrong and wasn't trying to make you feel like I was, sorry!. I was just trying to help you with background as to why it happened, which is because their systems are separate, which makes it complicated. I agree, it's an appalling situation, to which both mobilephonesdirect and EE have not helped you (EE recently been reprimanded by OFCOM for awful customer service).

 

[BagOLaughs]

My advice from our experience is keep complaining with Orange/EE, become a burden on their call centre till someone sees how many calls you've made and actually takes it upon themselves to fix it and follow it through personally. With my Wife's phone they let her leave the Orange contract because the data signal levels reduced in our area, so she went on an EE sim only which they said she could leave in a few months when the iPhone 6 came out, then they backtracked when it came out. In the end she managed to get a really good person on the phone to sort it, they even called to update her on progress in terms of refunds etc.

Don't you just feel like everything is such a big hassle nowadays? It feels like every company is trying to do customers over... It seems you have to fight and claw to get what you should have got in the 1st place.

I'm glad your wife got her issues sorted, but it should haven't taken so long.

I'm not saying you are wrong and wasn't trying to make you feel like I was, sorry!.

Don't worry, you don't have to apologize, I might have been a bit short with my reply so in that case I'm sorry .

Part of this was my fault because I should have asked for my PAC code when the contract ended and got a new phone after the 30 days. I got swept away when thesmartphonecompany said they could do it as an upgrade and avoid the charges... etc

Ah well, we live and learn!

Loving the new phone. Samsung Galaxy S6 - review for the phone = its amazing!

 

[Jon84]

Don't you just feel like everything is such a big hassle nowadays? It feels like every company is trying to do customers over... It seems you have to fight and claw to get what you should have got in the 1st place.

I'm glad your wife got her issues sorted, but it should haven't taken so long.



Don't worry, you don't have to apologize, I might have been a bit short with my reply so in that case I'm sorry .

Part of this was my fault because I should have asked for my PAC code when the contract ended and got a new phone after the 30 days. I got swept away when thesmartphonecompany said they could do it as an upgrade and avoid the charges... etc

Ah well, we live and learn!

Loving the new phone. Samsung Galaxy S6 - review for the phone = its amazing!

Everything is a hassle lol

At least you did get the phone so you can put the My Disney Experience App on it , the S6 looks good and I've heard really good things, but I don't think I could switch from my Apple stuff.

 

[BagOLaughs]

My Disney Experience App

That may have been the 2nd app I downloaded once i'd got it up and working