By Ewan MacLeod in Orange — Jul 4, 2008

Orange is redeemed in my eyes ... I think!

I’m very impressed with Orange. Very.

I was just checking out the cost of an Nokia N82 and browsing the price plans when I got a little window pop-up on my screen asking if I needed help.

My gosh! A mobile operator, trying to help folk online!

Vodafone famously has a brilliant ‘Forum Intervention Team’ — but they intervene (as per their name) rather than pop their head in the door when you’re browsing their site online.

It seems Orange have gone all modern on my ass.

Fresh from announcing a fair use bundle of 500mb of data on most of their price plans, they’re now helping customers who are browsing their site. Smart. Very smart.

It’s been a long time coming. I’ve been calling for mobile operators to add this sort of service for a long time. I’d actually like to see something even better — a kind of ‘mobile concierge’ so that if you’re thinking of joining an operator, you can pop into chat with someone and, provided you’re spending a decent amount of cash, say 100/month — someone will hold your hand through the entire process and sort it out for you.

Anyway here’s my experience with the Orange Live Chat adviser….

System@Orange: Welcome, thanks for your question, we’ll be right with you

System@Orange: Christine M has joined this session!

System@Orange: Connected with Christine M

System@Orange: Welcome, thanks for your question, we’ll be right with you

Christine M@Orange: Hello Ewan MacLeod, I’m Christine

Christine M@Orange: How can I help you today?

Ewan MacLeod: Christine, good to hear from you

Ewan MacLeod: I’m wondering about Unlimited Data

Ewan MacLeod: is that integrated into your price plans now?

Christine M@Orange: It is a bonus feature on some of our fantastic tariff’s at the moment. Is there a specific tariff you have been looking at?

Ewan MacLeod: not really — I’m thinking something at around 30 odd pounds per month, with an Nokia N82

Christine M@Orange: Let me just look into that for you.

Ewan MacLeod: excellent

Christine M@Orange: What do you use your phone for at the moment other than browsing and downloading from the internet?

Ewan MacLeod: a range of calls and texts Christine

Ewan MacLeod: I don’t have a specific bundle in mind

Christine M@Orange: We have an excellent range of tariffs designed to suit you needs. Would you say you call or text more?

Ewan MacLeod: gosh, I don’t really mind Christine

Ewan MacLeod: what do you have there? the key for me is the monthly cost and unlimited data

Ewan MacLeod: the rest, well, I really enjoy unlimited landline calls

Ewan MacLeod: and I’d like a few hundred texts at least

Christine M@Orange: For ? we have some excellent tariff’s. With the dolphin packages for ? you receive 600 anytime minutes and unlimited texts with the unlimited mobile browsing as a bonus.

Ewan MacLeod: ah now, can I ask you a slightly geeky question Christine

Christine M@Orange: Of course.

Ewan MacLeod: when you say ‘unlimited mobile browsing’ — I like to take photos, videos and the like and send them straight up to the internet

Ewan MacLeod: so the majority of my data usage would be ‘data’ and now mobile browsing

Ewan MacLeod: sorry, i mean, ‘and not mobile browsing’

Christine M@Orange: That’s absolutely fine within this tariff. You would be able to do all of that within your allowance. Is there a specific phone you are looking at just now as there are some I can recommend that would be good for using the internet.

Ewan MacLeod: The Nokia N82 has been calling my name, Christine

Christine M@Orange: I think that tariff would be the best for you and the phone is free on this tariff.

Ewan MacLeod: remind me of the cost per month of that one, Christine?

Christine M@Orange: That tariff is the Dolphin 35 for only ? per month, including VAT.

Ewan MacLeod: On my screen, the cost figure comes through as a fancy japanese character!

Christine M@Orange: That’s saving you ?each month if you bought instore rather than online. How does that sound?

Ewan MacLeod: ? — that’s what it looks like — could you tell me the number of pounds per month (sorry!)

Christine M@Orange: ? per month. Let me know if that figure doesn’t come through.

Ewan MacLeod: i’m afraid it doesn’t!

Ewan MacLeod: could you type the numbers as a word! weird!

Ewan MacLeod: (Could be my apple machine)

Christine M@Orange: Sorry.Thirty pound per month. How does that sound?

Ewan MacLeod: ah perfect

Ewan MacLeod: that’s good

Christine M@Orange: If you add the phone and tariff to your basket you will continue through the easy steps of buying your new phone.

Ewan MacLeod: ok i shall do that

System@Orange: The session has ended!