I recently bought a Samsung SGH E250i from the Orange mobile shop on pay as you go (with £20 prepaid credit).
The Orange website identifies this as an E250, a tri-band phone, as does the Samsung website. On the box, however, it only lists two bands (900 and 1800MHz) and when you turn the phone on, it says GPRS Dual Band phone.
So I phoned Orange and, eventually, got through to Varun, who checked the data, and assured me that, despite what it said on the phone, it was a triband phone which would work in America: the dual-band message was "something to do with the internet".
Not convinced, I phoned Samsung. They confirmed, after investigating the menu functions, that the E250i is indeed a dualband phone and not a triband phone.
Furthermore, a week later, I am still waiting for my £20 prepaid credit to show up. I spoke to Amit on the Orange helpline on Friday. He took 30 minutes, but assured me that my credit would appear in 30 mins. Four days later, I am still waiting.
The amount of time I have spent on the phone to Orange already this week, I cannot face trying to lodge an official complaint as well, so I am posting the information here.
Gold star to the Samsung helpline, and also the Orange returns lines, who have been as efficient, helpful and knowledgeable as one could hope for. The Orange helpline appears completely useless.
The Orange website identifies this as an E250, a tri-band phone, as does the Samsung website. On the box, however, it only lists two bands (900 and 1800MHz) and when you turn the phone on, it says GPRS Dual Band phone.
So I phoned Orange and, eventually, got through to Varun, who checked the data, and assured me that, despite what it said on the phone, it was a triband phone which would work in America: the dual-band message was "something to do with the internet".
Not convinced, I phoned Samsung. They confirmed, after investigating the menu functions, that the E250i is indeed a dualband phone and not a triband phone.
Furthermore, a week later, I am still waiting for my £20 prepaid credit to show up. I spoke to Amit on the Orange helpline on Friday. He took 30 minutes, but assured me that my credit would appear in 30 mins. Four days later, I am still waiting.
The amount of time I have spent on the phone to Orange already this week, I cannot face trying to lodge an official complaint as well, so I am posting the information here.
Gold star to the Samsung helpline, and also the Orange returns lines, who have been as efficient, helpful and knowledgeable as one could hope for. The Orange helpline appears completely useless.