Avoiding paying more with Orange

Many people have been com­­menting about how big telecom firms have increased costs.

Orange has increased broad-band prices if they are running over an analogue line and the only way to avoid this is if you transfer to a dégroupage total service where your calls are carried over your broadband.

This will only be suitable if your broadband speed is 2Mb or faster. If your speed is less you will have to stay on your current service and pay the extra.

There are other providers who charge less and if you want to move you have four months from the date you were notified of the increase to transfer, without cost.

Along with most firms, Orange is keen to move customers as in late 2018 analogue lines will no longer be available to new customers and all calls will have to go over broadband. This is one result of investment in the national telecom network, and we see improvements in local exchange equipment all the time bringing faster broadband. This allows us to upgrade customers to the dégroupage total service which is less expensive.

Bouygues has also increased its tariff, now making a charge of €3/month for the modem. SFR added a privilège divertissement upgrade without prior notice, adding €5/month. The offer gives eight new TV channels (which may be of little interest to expats) - customers can cancel but only through their online account. There have been many complaints about them not being able to easily deactivate this option.

Like Orange, SFR will allow transfers to another company without penalty if customers have not already cancelled the upgrade offer. This has to be done within five months of the email about it that customers received.

Question answered by Bob Elliott from the telephone and broadband provider, UK Telecom. See uktelecom.net for more information on their services in France

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