[Closed] Orange Broadband, any good?

We've had it for 4 1/2 years and the service is excellent but we are very close to the exchange.
The only downside is the constant mithering to change package once you're signed up with them.
So great service but annoying feccas

I've been Orange broadband and phone for nearly a year, very happy loads faster and cheaper than my previous arrangements. Only neg is the supplied router is a bit weak, I've got a 3 storey house and can't connect on my top floor.

Would not recommend them. EVER. Service was ok, didn't have any major issues with that.

1st Failing. Moved house, so phoned to cancel, told "cancel your direct debit - your account is closed." A week later got an email asking for alternative payment details. Account hadn't been closed and now I had an outstanding balance. Emailed them, and was told - sorry, account wasn't closed, not sure if the balance is 'real', we'll let you know, account is now closed blah blah blah.
They then sent a letter 3 months later to the old address, threatening further action if I didn't pay said balance, and that they [b]had had to close my account[/b] (the one that had been 'closed' twice. No contact in between, despite having my email and phone number on file. Finally got an email confirming account had actually been cancelled and to ignore any letters.

2nd Failing. Phone up to order broadband for new place (not long after cancelling the first package). "We'll need to check with BT". Later "BT can't connect you for a month". Me "ok fine - cancel it, that's too long". "Sorry sir, I can't cancel it, you'll have to phone 09 blah blah blah." Phoned them to cancel, had to have a long conversation with them trying to persuade me not to cancel. Eventually, told it was cancelled and before I could ask for any more information, the git hung up on me. BT engineer then called up a month later to ask to be let in!

I'll not be an Orange customer ever again.

Thought this was going to be about a new fat tyred Orange 😀

No, rubbish. You get what you pay for.

Transferred to orange from BT.Transfer was smooth and no change to service, so happy with it. Not moved house though.

Throw away the filters they send you with the routers and buy the most expensive one you can - their cheap filters caused me no end of troubles. Other than that, the service has been stable for the last 4 years and quicker than the supposed maximum for my distance to the exchange (ADSL) - so overall no complaints.

We have had Orange (formally Wanadoo) broadband for about 7 years, never had a problem at all.

One time we said we were going to cancel for some reason (can't remember why) and they gave us 6 months free, then £5 per month for 6 months after.

If your current bt b.b is ok,it should be more or less as reliable on orange,will use most of the same copper route you are on now ,its just the router and adsl mapping in exch,that will change.p
P.s most providers are as bad as each other for aftersales.

we used to have it when they offered it free with their mobile contracts (dunno if they still do) and it was a bit slow, but generally ok, tho i agree with the chappy above about their router - they gave us some tent shaped thing and it was truely poor!

Been on Orange in a few places before, and am currently too. Would say compared to other "budget" Broadband suppliers they're about the best. Both in terms of speed and service.

You get a half decent Belkin Router now instead of the old white cheese wedge ones, which has got a pretty decent range.

Speed will totally depend on where you are though, where I live nobody can get anything faster than about 4.5Meg connection unless you pay for BT Infinity, but I consistently get near enough 4.5Meg on Orange despite being some way away from the exchange.

I get it free with my mobile, works fine, 2MB.

Funnily enough I just signed up for Orange BB this morning in place of Sky and BT, seems pretty cheap for what you get, hope we can use Anytime + with it though...

If it is anything like their bikes it'll be well overpriced, under specced but it will have a properly devoted following...

We have it and while it's generally OK, we do have bother with the connection just disappearing sometimes.

The worst thing is their call centres, they're based out of the country and seem to be a pretty low rent one- they can't tell what you're saying, you can't tell what you're saying and twice now I've called and they wouldn't let me do anything because they thought I was giving them the wrong surname, when really they couldn't understand the Roman alphabet. Which is obviously fair enough when English isn't your first language, but I feel it's an area that Orange have cut a corner on and it makes them very difficult to deal with for any technical faults.

Had it binned too slow, absolutely shocking service went back to BT within 2weeks

Interesting stuff, thanks. Theme seems to be with problematic customer services. Obvious alternative would therefore be plusnet. Any experience of this?

Dogs**t. Like the worst, super smelly, two man lift, won't fit in a poo bag kind.

The only downside is the constant mithering to change package once you're signed up with them.

Orange also appears to be marginally quicker,

Well, after spending ages working out the best options looking at Orange and Plusnet decided to go to Orange. Waste of time, apparently I cannot access the best deals in my area despite the postcode checker on the website saying I could. The only deal they could offer was more expensive than staying with BT so wasted my time even looking at it.

Do BT have a customer retention dept like the mobile companies do, the team that can offer the cracking deals? So far they haven't really made any real attempt to offer me deals, the best I can get is £14.60 line rental and Option 1 Broadband at £8.25.