Orange Mobile UK BlackBerry Service
Editorial Rating
Overview:Based in Bristol, Orange Mobile UK is one of the area’s largest mobile providers. The company originated in France and now serves most of Europe and the Caribbean, and even has service in Israel. They are also the only company to carry the Apple iPhone in France.Pros: With the option of having a 12, 18, or 24-month contract, Orange customers aren’t locked into a long contract that they may not be happy with. The prices are also pretty reasonable for the plans, and you can combine your BlackBerry plan option with whatever voice plan you want. This means that you can keep it at a relatively low cost if you wish, or get as many minutes as you want without having to be locked into a strict voice and data plan. Orange also has a comprehensive insurance program which is included with most plans. Cons: Plans come with only 6 MB of data use, so if you email a lot, then you’re going to be constantly paying overlimit charges of £1.70. There are out-of-plan hidden costs, too. Although many plans include unlimited landline use, the minutes are capped at 3000 a month. Detailed Provider Information:Voice Plan Options: As BlackBerry service is an add-on, you will need to choose a voice plan in order to activate your mobile email. You can choose between an 18-month or 24-month contract. The monthly minute range is between 400 minutes and 800 minutes. The price ranges from £30 to £40. With the lowest plan, you get unlimited texts and 1 MB of data. You also get Orange Care, which is their insurance program for your phone. The next plan gives you 50 texts and unlimited UK landline calls, as well as 2MB of data. Finally, the £40 plan gives you unlimited UK landline calls and 3 MB of data. You also get 200 texts. Voicemail is included and Orange Care is available on all plans. However, Orange to Orange UK Mobile calls are 10p per minute, as are standard UK landline calls. If you call to another UK mobile network, the cost is 25p per minute.Data Options: Orange BlackBerry customers get 6 MB of data per plan. Overlimit charges are £1.70. There are three BlackBerry plans. The 12-month plan is £10.00 a month; the 18-month costs £6.00 a month, and the 24-month costs £5.00 a month. As of this writing, Orange is offering this service as free for the first six months on the 18 and 24-month plans. Messaging Options: You can message the traditional way or through video messaging, which allows you to send a 10-second clip to your recipients. Video messaging costs 42.6p per message. Customer Service: Orange has both personal and business customer service, with several numbers and an email contact option. You can also choose to go one of the many Orange locations within the UK. Contract: You can choose a 12-month, 18-month or 24-month contract. However, BlackBerry plans are only available with a contract. There is a charge to break your contract. Messaging: Text messages are 10p per text, if they aren’t included on your plan. International Calling and Messaging: Orange has an international site, where you can find out how much your rates will be to the specific country you’re calling. Roaming charges may also apply. Find out here. Video messaging costs 42.6p whether you’re sending it in the UK or overseas. Roaming Charges: There are international roaming charges for calling overseas. Activation Fee: You may be asked to pay a deposit before any services will be offered to you. Additional Features: You can choose to download ringtones, games, wallpapers, and more with Orange. Downloading charges may apply. Insurance: Orange Mobile has an extensive insurance plan called Orange Care which is included with all of their plans. This gives you insurance against loss or theft of your phone. However, each claim has a fee of £15.00. They will send a new phone or try to repair it if at all possible.  Phones:Orange offers the BlackBerry 8100 Pearl. They are also one of the only companies to offer the 8820. Both models have a wide, colorful screen and smooth detailing.Some Additional BlackBerry Models Available: BlackBerry 8820 Coverage Map: You can search for mobile coverage in your area using this link. |
Very limited data plans. Maximum is 30MB per month for £8 ($16). Purports to support EDGE but rarely does. Mostly GPRS which is very slow.