Orange: Active User

I applied for the 'free' orange broadband early Oct 2007, but upgraded to the £5 per month for unlimited downloads. I received the livebox and was told it would be active on 26.10.07. This did not happen. After many hours and days of ringing their customer service, and much frustration I still did not have a broadband service. I was told it was BT exchange at fault. I wrote to BT - they blamed orange. I wrote twice to orange and received 2 letters back saying it would be coming on soon. No number to ring apart from the cal centre number, where I was geting fobbed off time and time again.
One of the reasons I got my orange mobile, which is costing £35 per month(early Oct 2007) was for this free broadband sevice, so I begrudged forking out £20 a month plus for another internet provider, but it got to December 2007, and I still had no internet, so was thinking I would have to go elsewhere if I ever wanted to get online again.
However, I moved house in December 2007, and had a new telephone number, so I tried again with Orange, just in case it was BT at fault on my previous number. I rang Orange on 7.12.07 - There was some error, it could not be processed, they would get back to me within 5 days. A week later no response - I rang back and tried again, yet another error but they could not say what it was - they would put it to another team and someone would get back to me. 28.12.07 - still no response, I rang again, and this time they said it could be done. I explained I already had a live box wireless router) from the previous address, and could I use this - no chance, I had to return it, they would send me a new one as this was a new registration!!!
Anyway on 3.01.08 I received a package from Orange through the post. Yippee I thought, at long last! I opened up the box and discovered it was a speedtouch 330 wired modem. I rang Orange and explained it was the wireless router I wanted (we have 3 computers), OK, they would get one out. 2 days later another package arrives, suspiciously the very same shape as the speedtouch 330, and guess what? It was another wired modem. I rang again, they would send a wireless one out. I have connected a laptop to the wired modem, which appears to be using dial up, not broadband, but at least I have access to the internet. I've not been off it for 2 days!! Hopefully the wireless router will be here tomorrow, then all the family can get back online.
Anyway, the speed etc through wired access has been good, so no complaints there, but I have never experienced customer service as bad as from Orange, I thought BT was bad, but Orange tops the lot. I hope that once the wireless router comes I can connect with that, or I will definately go elsewhere!!

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