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On/off ADSL not feasible in our department?


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I recently visited the FT/Orange shop as "translator" for a friend (pity anyone needing my linguistic "skills", but that's another story) who is interested in having internet (ADSL) in his maison secondaire.  We know that ADSL is available in our village (I and others have it), but my friend wants to be able to turn it on and off as he does his telephone since he only spends 1-2 months a year in France.

The FT salesperson indicated that this would not be possible/feasible in our village; unfortunately he used a term that was outside my extremely limited French vocabulary.  Does this sound probable?  Or is it just some FT expletive-deleted ploy for trying to sign my friend up for normal (i.e., 12-month) service?

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No it sounds about right.

I can turn my phone line on and off, but even when it's switched off I still must make the monthly payment for the benefit of having broadband supplied.

If they can turn the phone off thereby also disconnecting the broadband, it makes for a nice little earner paying for a broadband facility which don't get used for some of the year.

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In retrospect it would still be awkward to do, but if he could take out sfr's €34 package of phone & internet (no line rental), there is no contract with them like orange. He could have it for a couple of months and then cancel, and then when he's coming out again for a couple of months, ring them up and reconnect it.

Just a thought. Might work.
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[quote user="Gardian"]

Things may well have changed, but my ADSL deal with SFR (8/08) is a contract for a minimum period of 24mths (€34.99 / mth).

I've been perfectly happy with it, btw.

[/quote]

From what I read your right. What seems a little confusing is that if you add on the unlimited calls plus 2hrs to a mobile then that part of the is non contractual. So if you cancel just the unlimited calls your OK but if you cancel the lot then it will be more that 40 Euros.

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You might be interested in Orange's 'ADSL sans engagement' tariff - http://abonnez-vous.orange.fr/residentiel/hd/HdTv.aspx

No minimum contract period, no fees to cancel the contract, no eligibility conditions. All you need is a FT line. I'm surprised the Orange shop didn't know about it, because it is available anywhere that ADSL is available.

Of course, if the FT line is turned off then it might not comply with that condition, and I doubt that you could cancel and re-apply several times per year.

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no engagement time period and 45 euros to cancel the contract at any time.

Plus the grief, time , and costs associated with cancelling (registered letter) and returning the ADSL box. Not forgetting any additional months charged after cancellation and the fees for alleged non-return of their  kit.........

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[quote user="BJSLIV"]

no engagement time period and 45 euros to cancel the contract at any time.

Plus the grief, time , and costs associated with cancelling (registered letter) and returning the ADSL box. Not forgetting any additional months charged after cancellation and the fees for alleged non-return of their  kit.........

[/quote]What do you mean? I must have missed those bits in the terms and conditions.....[:D]  [Www] [:D]

Danny

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[quote user="BJSLIV"]

no engagement time period and 45 euros to cancel the contract at any time.

Plus the grief, time , and costs associated with cancelling (registered letter) and returning the ADSL box. Not forgetting any additional months charged after cancellation and the fees for alleged non-return of their  kit.........

[/quote]

sounds like a person speaking from experience [:D]

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[quote user="BJSLIV"]

no engagement time period and 45 euros to cancel the contract at any time.

Plus the grief, time , and costs associated with cancelling (registered letter) and returning the ADSL box. Not forgetting any additional months charged after cancellation and the fees for alleged non-return of their  kit.........

[/quote]

See, you've got to play them at your game. That may be their terms and conditions, but I prefer to make my own. Play them at their own game, you are the customer, you are always right, despite what they may tell you otherwise.

Don't bother with the registered letters and stuff, take everything you have to their shop, give it to them, get them to book it in, give you confirmation they have received it and cancelled it there and then, cancel the direct debits with the bank, and voila. Much better and easier than their stupid laborious procedure, plus it confuses their stupid laborious procedure so it works better for you than them. That's been my experience so far and it's worked for me.

Good times.

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This is what happens over here isn't it?

The OP's question was about 'occasional' ADSL usage, and we all get in to a debate about the best method to shaft a less-than-perfect supplier.

I summary, I'd say that "No, you can't" to the OP (any more than you can in the UK - if you were the supplier, you wouldn't offer that, would you?), and customer service can be decidedly flakey over here (but then we all knew that anyway, didn't we?) 

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[quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"][quote user="BJSLIV"]

no engagement time period and 45 euros to cancel the contract at any time.

Plus the grief, time , and costs associated with cancelling (registered letter) and returning the ADSL box. Not forgetting any additional months charged after cancellation and the fees for alleged non-return of their  kit.........

[/quote]

See, you've got to play them at your game. That may be their terms and conditions, but I prefer to make my own. Play them at their own game, you are the customer, you are always right, despite what they may tell you otherwise.

Don't bother with the registered letters and stuff, take everything you have to their shop, give it to them, get them to book it in, give you confirmation they have received it and cancelled it there and then, cancel the direct debits with the bank, and voila. Much better and easier than their stupid laborious procedure, plus it confuses their stupid laborious procedure so it works better for you than them. That's been my experience so far and it's worked for me.

Good times.
[/quote]

I know you have gone, and may well be still going, through difficult times of late but some of your posts are getting less rational these days and I just wondered if you were on some form of medication, or if you should be on some form of medication, serious question by the way and not some form of sarcastic comment, it was meant with good intent.

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[quote user="Gardian"]

This is what happens over here isn't it?

The OP's question was about 'occasional' ADSL usage, and we all get in to a debate about the best method to shaft a less-than-perfect supplier.

I summary, I'd say that "No, you can't" to the OP (any more than you can in the UK - if you were the supplier, you wouldn't offer that, would you?), and customer service can be decidedly flakey over here (but then we all knew that anyway, didn't we?) 

[/quote]

Actually we can do that in the US; the supplier offers it as a "vacation" service.

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[quote user="Gardian"]

The OP's question was about 'occasional' ADSL usage, and we all get in to a debate about the best method to shaft a less-than-perfect supplier.

[/quote]

I thought I had answered with details of Orange's own ADSL 'without ties' offer. But perhaps I imagined it. [;-)]

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