Mobile Phone Upgrades/Replacements

Minimunchkins

Minimunchkins

Gold Member
Can you be sure that you got a NEW phone last time you upgraded?

My DD thought she'd see if her Blackberry liked sitting in a mug of tea for 1/2hr > unsuprisingly, it didn't!

Anyway, as she's not long upgraded & is tied to an 18mth contract, we looked at getting her a 2nd hand replacement from a shop called CEX for £240 until she could upgrade again (can't recommend this place if anyone is interested).

Tried Orange & explained dilema - they said they'd give her a new phone of the same model for £160 ... bargain, we thought. However, after a minor blip in the delivery, her 'new' blackberry arrived minus it's back!! After a lengthy phone call and working her way through various staff members, a manager then informed her that they (Orange) can NEVER guarantee that you on upgrade/replacement will get a NEW phone.

We have to take what the manager said as Orange policy (don't know about other networks) but we're taking this to the Ombudsman and Trading Standards as it's got to be tantamount to fraud! At no time during this transaction, nor previous upgrades over the last 12yrs or so have any of us been warned about possible refurbished handsets.

Just thought I'd share.
 
You do realise you need to get what Orange said about no guarantee of brand new handset in writing, and again allow them to try and resolve the issue before you go to trading standards/ombudsman?

They will probably advise you of this too. You can write to Orange and advise them of your intentions if you do not receive a satisfactory conclusion in a reasonable time (I'd say 10 working days).
 
Not at all! You need to actually state that you want a copy of all your telephone calls in relation to this under the freedom of information act. They have to provide you with them and they certainly record ALL calls.

Trust me I work in a call centre like this but luckily not orange!!

I did exactly that previously with Tesco Car Insurance when they confirmed something incorrectly to me and later told me no we never said that you could have that. Funnily enough when I raised it to them as a complaint I got given what I was promised in the first place that I could have. Ha ha! I explained when I called and I strongly suggested she should go back and listen to the call! She did and I got what I wanted along with £200 off as a goodwill gesture!

It pays to know what your rights are and how they work and record your calls x
 
I can see where you're coming from Maximus but this doesn't really look like a one-off. To us, it's coming across as a company policy of lying by ommision! We've been with Orange for approx 12 yrs + now & had at least 3 upgrades every 12 months between us. We've NEVER been told there was a chance of getting a recon handset. Using a shop like CEX, you make an informed decision on the quality & potential reliability of a 2nd hand one - the same can be said if we were informed by Orange - at the time of sale.
 
Just to add I know for a fact I've had upgrades with O2, T-mobile, and for the past 15 years or so Vodafone - I know they have always provided brand new phones/upgrades. My only dealings with Orange was a PAYG phone many moons ago.

I'd have thought if they provided re-vamped or reconditioned phones, they would have to clearly stipulate this?

I still say you need to obtain in writing if this is their policy to "Not guarantee a new phone on upgrade" - I can, however understand a refurb on a replacement phone.
 
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