You've got to laugh (Orange again)

My Orange-user client, mentioned in an earlier post, was pretty-much ready to move to another supplier as she was quite interested in a package which included cheap phone calls.

Having identified a suitable alternative, I explained that the first step was to obtain a MAC (Migration Authorisation Code) from the existing supplier—there is an 'industry' agreement which obliges them to provide these though such applications often meet with determined resistance.

Asking for a MAC code tends to produce a knee-jerk reaction, usually involving a substantial cut in charges.

In this case, Orange offered the very-attractive 'HomeMax' package, which includes phone line rental with free evening/weekend calls and free broadband calls to 30 international destinations—all at a price around that of the previous broadband-only service.

I would explain that all PC-to-PC internet calls are FREE but this offer related to calling landlines using a mixture of conventional and internet phone calls.

On the face of it, a bargain not to be missed.

Although the existing broadband service was running well on a BT Voyager 2500V router, Orange insist on providing the customer with a 'Livebox' for the Homemax system—from the meagre instructions available, it is not clear whether this is technically necessary though they do suggest that the broadband phone service cannot be initiated until the Livebox is installed and recognised by the Orange server.

Normally, I would have set up the router by accessing it directly using it's IP (Internet Protocol) address but Orange simply provide a CD which is intended to guide you through the process.

Problem:   This particular customer had an Orange username containing a hyphen (-) and there was no way that the CD-generated form would accept a hyphen, either typed directly or copied and pasted.

Sometimes, you've got to laugh or you would cry.

Solution:   I got on to the help-desk using the number provided and spent about £5 on the pleasantries (hello, my name is Sally, what's yours, how are you today, etc) before explaining the problem which she obviously failed to grasp as her solution was to guide me through the process of typing a hyphen.

When I described the problem again, I was advised to call a different number where I could speak to a Livebox specialist (rather than a Keyboard Consultant majoring in hyphens).

Fortunately, my luck was in and I spoke to a competent person who, after another few pounds-worth of good-natured banter, was able to advise on setting-up the Livebox directly via it's IP address.

You also have to go through a 'pairing' process for every PC on the network rather than simply logging onto the network with a username and password.

In essence, they are operating MAC address control by default—each wireless network device has a unique MAC (Media Access Control) code and most wireless routers can be set up to allow only specific devices onto the network by reference to these codes.

Normally, you would set up the acceptable addresses directly into the router but the Orange Livebox goes though the process of detecting them though it still requires the username and password to make the connection.

To be quite frank, the Livebox is 'more trouble than my pet elephant' though most of the problems could be solved if Orange were to provide a comprehensive user manual.

Disconnections are frequent and the Livebox seems reluctant to recover from these automatically, unlike most other routers.

The usual solution is to reboot the router which can only be done by removing the power—literally, pulling the plug out. 

If you follow the Orange procedure literally, this involves pulling the power lead from the router, the telephone lead from the router, the microfilter from the telephone lead and the microfilter from the telephone socket—surprisingly, there is no 'eye of newt and toe of frog' involved in this ritual.

Recovery, at this point, usually involves the process of 'pairing' each computer to the router though I have discovered, by trial and error (mainly error), that removing the power lead and replacing it very quickly retains the previous settings.

My whole point is that we should not have to work-out the rules by 'trial and error' or expensive help-desk calls—they should be clearly written down.    

Comments

[Father Brian]

You are clearly a competent person, capable of following the technicalities of this complicated process. The majority of Orange customers are not, having been recruited by the slick advertising. How they are supposed to manage is beyond me.

I'm also concerned at Orange's control of the situation by its insistence on using custom hardware instead of an industry-standard router. I wouldn't be surprised if the Livebox collects information on internet usage for Orange. They would deny it but the Mandy Rice-Davies principle applies.

The help desks operated by these companies are thinly-disguised money generators, rather than genuine sources of information. Using 0870 numbers and worse, they fleece you for a fiver on the pleasantries before being completely unable to help.

This was my experience when my daughter opened a free (is anything ever?) email account with Tesco. Unable to connect, I spent about £12 talking to a bored woman who could offer no more advice than checking power and telephone line connections. Each 10-second silence racked up more money for Tesco, proving that "every little helps". I gave up in disgust, then discovered the solution by accident. When configuring your email client program, you had to add @tesco.net behind the user-name. Nowhere was this stated.

I know of people who have called these help lines three or four times to no avail, only to get the answer free of charge from their neighbour's geeky teenage son. It wouldn't cost ISP companies much to make comprehensive, easy-to-follow, instructions available to their users but they would lose a fortune on the hidden extras.