"Ofcom is in talks with Orange concerning the operator's decision to begin charging line rental for mobile customers that had signed up for its free home broadband plan.

Under a major drive, launched in autumn 2006, Orange offered free home broadband to pay monthly mobile customers signing up between October 2006 and the end of 2009. The operator is now planning to charge customers £14 a month for Orange's line rental. Existing customers will be given at least two months' notice. Orange will not charge users a penalty fee for exiting their broadband contract early."


http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/News/23003/Ofcom_queries_Orange_decision_to_end_free_broadband.aspx

bigjohn wrote on Oct 26^th, 2012 at 4:57am:

… Orange will not charge users a penalty fee for exiting their broadband contract early.

Hang on a moment - obviously you cannot consider charging a penalty for early termination of a contract that had no charge, as the penalty can only be in lieu of future committed payments that are withdrawn. The only penalty would have been zero anyway - an offer not to charge nothing is hardly worthy of note.

The key point is that the home broadband service was effectively inclusive with the charge for the mobile contract, as it was totally conditional on that contract, no matter how it was presented in technical terms. The addition of a charge must surely be regarded as being of material detriment to those with Orange mobile contracts, who should therefore be able to terminate them early without incurring a penalty fee.

Ofcom is planning to consult shortly on the possibility of changing its regulations covering early termination charges. This is a case where the existing regulations need to be applied.

Customers are far from happy about this see http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/phones/2012/10/orange-faces-customer-revolt-over-free-broadband-axe

Thanks for posting about this bigjohn. Please do keep us up-to-speed on any developments with this one.

Dave wrote on Oct 31^st, 2012 at 6:24am:

Thanks for posting about this bigjohn. Please do keep us up-to-speed on any developments with this one.

Will do Dave.

Daily Mail ( This Is Money) report that Orange are backtracking.But only if you complain.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-2225654/Orange-backtracks-free-broadband-axe--customer-keeps-complaining.html

The Acting Deputy Home Editor Of Which  explains how she has managed to get them to agree that she can retain  free broadband for the remainder of her mobile contract’.

http://conversation.which.co.uk/technology/orange-free-broadband-lifetime-mobile-deal-landline/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=orange-free-broadband-lifetime-mobile-deal-landline

Orange have made a partial u-turn on this subject.

"The concession, which comes after an angry revolt, means customers will fork out the same they'd have paid had the axe not fallen — but only for a limited time, and only if they contact Orange."

See: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/phones/2012/11/orange-makes-partial-u-turn-over-free-broadband-axe