switching off internet

[bubbles]

When we left France last month we switched off our internet connection on line - using orange's espace client, services page. it was almost instant.

we checked afterwards that it was no longer working and were satisfied.

we have now found out that orange are charging us for this month's internet.

i emailed them and queried this.

they said that, although we haven't used it, internet is active and, unless we can prove that we have confirmation that we have cancelled, this month's charge will stand.

if we want to cancel we have to SEND THEM A LETTER BY SNAIL MAIL!!

this didn't happen last year.

we are no longer in France.

The phone there is disconnected.

we have no way of sending mail from our orange internet address.

i have replied by email stating all this.

what have we done wrong?

help!!!

[Quillan]

You have to send them a registered letter cancelling the contract as stated in their Terms and Conditions. You also have to send any 'kit' back that belongs to them, again by registered post. You can send it from anywhere including the UK.

[mint]

Bubbles, you have done nothing wrong.  What you have described reminds me of when we first came here and contacted France Telecom for phone connection, etc.

They immediately set up a prelevement for the internet service and thereafter took over 5 months to get our line up and running.  Eventually, after many frustrating phone calls, letters, etc, they came and put up our poteau and we got on the phone.

Did they ever agree to refund us the 5 months "internet service" that we never had?

Of course not, they are France Telecom after all.

Sorry, Bubbles, to tell you this but I do wish you Good Luck with this tricky one.

[cooperlola]

Bubbles, when you say "it didn't happen last year", do you therefore mean this is one of those temporary switch offs or have you left for good and all?  If the former, then are you having the same problem as Tenniswitch, here? :

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/2344272/ShowPost.aspx

[AnOther]

I may be wrong but I thought the only thing you could 'switch off' as you put is the actual FT line. Any ADSL service is a separate facility with it's own contract which you would also have to cancel.

[Quillan]

Funny enough I was thinking the same thing but never having switched off my phone line I don't really know. I would have thought that should also be de-grouped and have a Livebox on one of these inclusive things it does not matter because you can't plug a phone in the wall socket as it won't work and your not paying for the line anyway. I think without a bit more info like what she has exactly and what she is trying to do (switch it off for a few months then back on again or simply does not want it at all) it's difficult to really give advice.

[bubbles]

Ok.

Normally we leave France around the end of October and go to warmer climes.

At that time I send an email to FT and they suspend our ligne secondaire.

They always send an immediate email - excellent service.

When I want the phone back on I do the same. All they ask for is the exact amount of my last phone bill.

With internet I always go to espace client, services and deactivate myself (you know what I mean). It is almost immediate and has been no problem.

I reactivate it as soon as I have got the phone switched back on in the spring.

As it happens, we hope that we will not have to go back to France at all and that this disconnection is permanent BUT the house sale is proving a bit complicated so I didn't want to burn our boats just yet - just suspend both accounts.

Can't think why anyone would want to deactivate internet and then continue paying for it, can you? I mean why give you the facility for deactivating it and then demand notice in writing.

Am waiting to see if there is a further response from them by email tomorrow. If not, then I suppose I will have to write a letter, stick a stamp on it and post it from here in the Canaries!!! Doubt it will arrive before Christmas.

(By the way, we don't have any of their equipment - we used our own wireless router in France)

[Department71]

Some friends of ours also have a broadband service when they are in France, I think it is the low use Orange one ( French Telecom) they pay in the region of 10 euro's a month. They also have the residence secondaire tariff for the phone, when they leave they suspend  the line for the phone the  normal way, and change the service for the internet from broadband to PAYG dial up. This way they don't pay anything for the internet as they aren't there. When going back phone is turned on, and the internet is changed back to broadband.

Steve

[bubbles]

Well, I wrote them three more emails asking for an explanation since I could see quite clearly in espace client that my internet connection was "desactive".

Got no reply.

Somehow found "mediator" so started the procedure to claim against Orange.

Also wrote the resiliation snailmail letter and posted it off to Lille to make sure that at least I didn't get charged again next month.

Then, yesterday, I received an email from someone a little higher up in the Orange chain (not sure whether that was down to the mediation form which I had filled in online) who explained - hilariously:

"Oh, yes, we can see, you switched off your internet and it was in fact disactivated.

BUT..... unfortunately it hadn't registered??!! and Orange didn't realise that it was switched off!!!

It is always best to send us an email as well!!

And, to be on the safe side, also send the snailmail resiliation letter by recorded delivery!!!"

The message also added that they have now rectified matters and I can rest assured that I won't be charged next month.

Well, gee, thanks. How kind of you.