Orange becomes most complained about UK mobile network operator

[Hands0n]

It is fair to say that the France Telecom acquisition of Orange has turned the company from the soaring eagle of mobile network operators into a dodo of same.

Orange, some will recall, was once the top UK mobile network operator in terms of customer service and satisfaction. They set the bar for all other networks to follow, and that is whilst they were under the ownership of HWL (current owners of Three). If nothing had changed they would have remained head and shoulders above the other UK operators. Yet within a few years under France Telecom's ownership they have become an emaciated shadow of their former selves. Their tariffs are over prices and uncompetitive, it is a wonder that they attract any new business, saved only by the average UK customer's general ignorance of the competing possibilities here. Also a big dose of misplaced company loyalty for reasons that only the psychologists of 500 years in the future will be able to fathom out.

Personally, I would rather go without than hold an Orange contract or PAYG ever again.



The UK's telecoms tough-nut Ofcom has published the latest figures for customer complaints about mobile networks. And this time Orange gets the wooden spoon for making its customers madder than most.

The watchdog, which cracks the whip of regulatory discipline over UK telcos, found Orange garnered the most gripes between October and December last year, with 0.17 complaints per 1,000 customers -- up from 0.07 in Ofcom's previous survey.

The rocketing rate of complaints can be explained by Orange announcing increased monthly price plans for all customers, including those tied into existing contracts. Yep, taking more money away from people will do that, as Chancellor George Osborne is currently realising -- thanks to his new "granny tax".

The second most moaned about mobile service was Three, which harvested 0.15 complaints per 1,000 customers. Ofcom said complaints about Three continue to be driven by disputed charges and customer service gripes.

T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone were all tied in third place, with 0.07 complaints per 1,000 customers.

As in all previous quarters, the least complained about mobile provider over Ofcom's survey period was O2 -- with a neatly matching 0.02 complaints per 1,000 customers.

Source: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/orange-is-most-complained-about-mobile-network-50007412/

[Wilt]

It's probably fair to point out that this is due to the price rises announced during Q4 2011. More than likely, complaints will go back down in the next report. Although I hope they don't, it's nothing better than they deserve.

Somewhat disappointingly, the complaints about Three are still rising - they really are not doing their network justice by persisting with this offshore CS. It just isn't working.

[Hands0n]

Yea, even the article acknowledges that Orange's root cause is to blame on their price hikes. It is inexplicable how in the face of competition Orange think it an idea to worsen their propositions. Oh well, thats the French for you :)

Meanwhile, I reckon you're right, Three's pet albatross around the neck will continue to be their ruination in terms of reputation. So much good is squandered on that shambles of an outsource (typical outsource experience really). But customer satisfaction is not something that you can put on a spreadsheet to convince the Finance Directorate that their cost saving outsource scheme is actually constraining the business, ruining it even.

[Ben]

Oh dear, another milestone achieved for Everything Everywhere! Funnily, isn't Orange supposed to be the premium brand and T-Mobile the value one?

Perhaps they thought simply jacking up the price is enough to make something premium ;)

Liking O2's 0.02. You know, I was out with a friend last night and she had 3G on her iPhone on O2 everywhere! Makes me wonder if they've gone and deployed at 900MHz in Canterbury. I had GPRS or EDGE all night, giving me absolutely no data whatsoever, and even when I got 3G briefly it still didn't work. Clearly this is a localised problem for me or Vodafone would be taking more of a bashing - but it's clear I can't stay with them much longer.

[Hands0n]

You say that Ben, but last week I was at Fenchurch Street in London and there was only EDGE signal on Vodafone. Not that I could use it, the area is a hotbed for the kind of people with smartphones and so the local mast was saturated. I ask you, how could Vodafone not equip such a major location as The City of London with the fastest 3G it could muster? What an accursed #fail on Vodafone's behalf.

[3GScottishUser]

Funny that EDGE was mentioned re Vodafone but I have been picking that up in places i have never seen it before! It's just about good enough to surf some mobile sites with a bit of a wait.

As for customer satisfaction, the Orange blip is just that, lots of customers angerd by a price rise. Orange will probably go back to its previous position next quarter.

Lucky for 3, Orange took that hit. Their escalated complaints to Ofcom are still rising which is nothing short of remarkable. One would have thought David Dyson would have made a priority of reducing the discontent but no sign of that so far.

3G supporters must be devastated that O2 continues to be the network that produces the least complaints to Ofcom by a huge margin. One can only say well done to them having been at the top of the list for satisfaction and the least number of customer complaints for a very long time. That achievement cannot be down to a fluke having been repeated for so many quarters. O2 must be providing a good service or their customers must have that perception to have maintained such impressive statistics.

[Hands0n]

EDGE is all but useless in any built-up area with more than a modicum of users. Out in the sticks I observe that EDGE can be barely usable.

O2's 3G performance in London and the South East is lamentable, has been since 2003 and remains so to this day. Example? In a town of over 30,000 people O2, in their wisdom, decided to erect a single 3G transmitter, everywhere else was 2G. Last year, 8 years later, they installed another 3G mast. Let us not forget that O2 have been censured not once but twice by OFCOM for their failure to meet their 3G licence obligations. In London the picture is not a whole lot better in at least The City and East where the 3G is just that (no evidence of HSPA) and saturates so that actually using whatever signal is available is torturous.

I suppose that amounts to a good service for some, but certainly not in the book of any ex-O2 folk I know in my circle of family, friends and associates who all took their business away from the notwork (sic).

Like all things mobile, the signal and capacity varies by region differently for network operators. Anyone sitting an O2 smartphone alongside Vodafone or Three in this region will find the O2 being outstripped significantly. O2 and Orange are a close match in networking terms, they both suck.

[Ben]

I agree, 3GSU, it's devastating that O2 garner such good customer satisfaction scores despite having the weakest 3G network in the UK.

Confusing.

[Wilt]

O2 are very, very skilled at making their customers feel valued. They have about three different reward/priority schemes running for their customers at the moment, along with other little perks (they sent me a bar of chocolate when I had a contract with them).

Ofcom have said that the top two sources of complaints for Three are customer service and disputed charges. I think both of these issues effectively boils down to the call centre - staff being unable to help a customer or explain tariffs and fees correctly. No doubt a large number of the disputed charges are from deals via retentions which have been missold.

While I'm sure there are a number of complaints regarding coverage on Three, I don't think that this is as big of an issue that it once was.

It's great that Three invest as much as they do in their network, and sad that o2 choose not to - but it's clear that, as long as the service is usable, 3g coverage, or even any coverage in general will not improve customer satisfaction.

The customer service offered by Three is just not good enough, and until that is rectified these scores won't change. Unfortunately, while Three are occupying the 'value' end of the market, I don't think that there is any scope for improvement to customer service.

Perhaps it's time for HWL to try launching a 'premium' brand.