Those phone people that call you up?

[Nick F]

My girlfriend just agreed to a new phone through one of these compaines that call you up telling you that you can get a free handset. The only problem is that she is only 8 months into a 12 month contract with Orange. She has not signed anything but they tell her the phone will be here Thursday. Is there anything she should watch out for?

Cheers

[Kelly]

I got one of these calls last year, I'm on contract with Orange (12 months at a time, like your girlie's).
Basically I went into my local Orange shop and asked them, they said that the companies who ring up are usually independant companies who have nothing to do with the Network Providers..
Mind you if they're gonna give your girlfriend a free handset then.. why not? But if I was her i wouldn't sign anything at all, unless it's a delivery note etc (even then be wary and read all the small print, etc).

[iMc]

She *may* have just inadvertantly entered herself into a contract with somebody else... you should find out exactly who called her so you can verify what is going on.

I had a similer experiance a few months ago and the call basically went along the lines of me being repeatedly offered a new handset . They didn't mention the fact that I'd be signing up for a £20 a month contract if I accepted the offer of a free handset until I asked.

So I gave the reply of "Sure I'll agree for you to send me this new handset, as long as you pay off my current contract." Which of course they wouldnt.

In all fairness the contract offer was good for the price, but the fact I'd have two contracts going at once wasn't!

[BUFF]

She has not signed anything but they tell her the phone will be here Thursday. Is there anything she should watch out for?

there is always a cooling off period plus the Distance Selling Act if she decides not to proceed.

[Nick F]

there is always a cooling off period plus the Distance Selling Act if she decides not to proceed.

Thats what I was thinking, generally thinking how long is the cooling off period?

[Clunk]

Nick,

to sign up for a contract, i thought they had to credit check you? and if they credit check you, dont they need your bank details? please tell me that she didnt give the bank details to a cold caller? if she did, i think a call to the bank could be in order as it could be something dodgy.

and if i remember right, its 14 or 15 days cooling off period, but you have 7 working days from the day after the phone is delivered to cancel the order under the distance selling laws.

good luck

[shiato storm]

7 days or is it 14? I can't remember rightly. companies always try to blag a stupidly low limit but legally they can't stop you quoting and enforcing the longer correct limit.

[MD]

I would send it back and just get a new contract when her current ones are up, very rearely will they offer you anywhere near the best when they spam call you...

Matt.

[Nick F]

Nick,

to sign up for a contract, i thought they had to credit check you? and if they credit check you, dont they need your bank details? please tell me that she didnt give the bank details to a cold caller? if she did, i think a call to the bank could be in order as it could be something dodgy.

and if i remember right, its 14 or 15 days cooling off period, but you have 7 working days from the day after the phone is delivered to cancel the order under the distance selling laws.

good luck

She did not give them any bank details, they said that she would still get the same bill from Orange with a 10% discount all her bills. God knows how they make money from this????

[pak000]

the law may specify a time, but for simplicity it should be asap

[Nick F]

Cheers for your help people, I will let you know what happens on Thursday

[G4Z]

Was it a company called Docklands Telecom?

I got several calls from them when I was on orange, they didnt even want to admit who they were, would prefer you think its just Orange. I asked direcly who they were and googled them after the 3rd call.

I would do a google if I were you...

[Agent]

Your girlfriend just did the equivalent of buying Viagra from one of the usual spam mails which land in your inbox

Or is it just me that’s gets them….

[directhex]

Your girlfriend just did the equivalent of buying Viagra from one of the usual spam mails which land in your inbox

Or is it just me that’s gets them….

mine are all breast enlargement mail.

even spammers mistake me for a woman

[Michael]

I'd like to step in...

I work in a telesales office that does Orange upgrades so I feel my comment will carry the most weight.

At 8 months into her contract she may well be ready for her free upgrade already... as they took no details from her it seems like this is the case.

Yes she will get 10% discount, no she will not be entering a new contract with a new number (But she will be renewing her current contract, for 18 months most probably), and yes she will get a new handset. Her tarriff will most likely not change.

They make money by being paid commission from Orange for upgrading her... there are 5 bands... (1 - 5 of course), 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest... you are banded by how much you go over your bills / how much you spend with them. If never go over your bill, you will be band 3 or less... if you are constantly spending more than your tarriff actually costs then you will have the 'benefit' of being banded higher.

Band one pays the dealer ~£140 commission, band three pays ~£255, and band five pays ~£355. Bands four and five can usually be upgraded at month 8 onwards of a 12 month contract, month 14 of an 18 month contract, etc. They pay for the handset out of this commission and keep the rest.

Any questions?

[G4Z]

I just got another call from Docklands Telecom, even though I am no longer with orange!

Suppose thats what I get for keeping my number.