"harrogate3" <harrogate3@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:h88Lh.12179$GI.3824@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...
>
> "Mark" <markincambs@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:m1oov2tkb5ondvpollfaiuo802d27l8pks@4ax.com...
>> On Fri, 16 Mar 2007 19:47:12 GMT, Brian A
>> <no_spam_bca1000@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> >On 16 Mar 2007 12:29:25 -0700, "dg" <drgreen2k@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >>I am finding that I don't need all my free minutes and texts from
> my
>> >>contract plan, and may not use any some months.
>> >>
>> >>I've seen some good offers from various PAYG plans, so I am
>> >>considering moving to one of these.
>> >>
>> >>There is a potential big cost saving, but are there any
> disadvantages
>> >>in moving to PAYG?
>> >>
>> >>Cheers
>> >>
>> >>dg
>> >Disadv.
>> >1. Sometimes you have to pay to access voicemail.
>> >2. You might run out of credit.
>> >3. You have to pay to complain to customer services.
>>
>> add also that call forwarding (diverts) to anything other than
>> voicemail are normally not possible, AFAIK.
>>
>>
>
> It is also reputed that at times of heavy system usage contract
> customers will get system priority over PAYG.
>
> Also, generally speaking PAYG only works overseas if the country being
> visited has a PAYG system of its own - Belgium being a good example of
> where (Orange) PAYG does not work. Contract is universal.

Not true. The problem is connected with the charging systems used by the
home and host network. Virgin pre-pay works in Belgium and also, for
example, in Sri Lanka and India despite the fact that Virgin occasionally
believes (according to the tubbies) that their pre-pay service doesn't work
in Sri Lanka. It works with some networks and not with others. If Orange
doesn't work at all - with any network - then this is a flaw with Orange's
restrictive roaming service.