Excell Communications provide discounted telephone deals, and always insisted that they were a reliable company. Today we learnt that they are going into administration, that they are probably bankrupt and going out of business.
I had several problems with them, and since blogging about them here have discovered that many more people have had problems too. Namely being mis-sold 2 year contracts, or if not mis-selling, just being unclear with the details of the contract. (Please note that this is the UK mobile phone company, not Excell Communications Inc., the American telecommunications company).
I have not received my cash back for October yet, but one of our readers (thanks Saj) got this response today (update – I too have received this response now):
Further to your enquiry with your redemption, I would like to inform you that Excell Communications (Shropshire) Ltd has signed a notice of intent to go into administration.
The appointed administrator will be contacting you within the next week in regards to any outstanding discount that may be owed to you.
I am sorry if this is not the outcome or response you were looking for, however it is something that you need to be made aware of.
Regards,
Excell Communications (Shropshire) Ltd.
What I suggest you do is calculate how much discount is due to you until your Orange plan expires and send a letter with the details to the administrators once this comes in. Hopefully they will then pay the “outstanding discount”. Orange have confirmed that they cannot cancel accounts or reduce tariffs, so it is down to the administrators to provide a refund, or customers will get nothing.
Administrator: Begbies Traynor
I just spoke to Excell Communications and they can only read out a statement, which is more or less what is posted above. They have told me that Begbies Traynor is the administrator that will be writing to clients in the next week.
They can be contacted on 0845 678 2900 or via their website: begbies-traynorgroup.com/begbies-traynor
Personally I still have 17 months on my account, and 1 past one is unpaid. So that is around £700 out of pocket I will be if this does not get paid. That could break my business this year.
Updates – Stuart Box, Premier Phones, WatchDog, Midland and Orange
Thanks to all the readers here we have several interesting updates on this. It seems that Stuart Box really is scamming us all good and proper. Even though Excell is going into administration, his other phone business is still running and taking on new business, using the same databases and offering the same deals. We are pretty sure they use the same VAT number and same Orange
Message from Midland Communications Distribution Ltd
This was received by Colin Dix (Webologist reader) on December 2nd:
“We are aware that Excell Communications has gone into administration. As we are a part of Orange, we will try and help you with your problem.
Please provide the following information in order that we may assist in resolving your issues with Excell Communications:
The letter from Excell Communications stating what your offer was
The last statement received from Excell Communications
Copy of your Orange bill requiring cash back paymentThe above information can be sent either by:
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 0115 9873667
Post: Midland Communications Distribution Ltd
Unit 1 Colwick Quays Business Park
Colwick
Nottingham
NG4 2JYKind Regards
Midland Communications Distribution Limited”
Premier Phones
Saj, another of our readers (who is also doing a great job at digging for more information) found this connection. The Premier Phone Shop uses is “copyright Excell Communications” and “Excell Communications Partner”. See footer of this screenshot (click to enlarge):
In addition to Premier Mobile Stuart Box also seems to be behind Wolvesmobile and B2Bmobile (these details found on the Wolves Football website and Excell Website, although details have been updated).
Vincent (another commenter below) left his details on Excell’s website and received a call back from another company, a good indicator that they are carrying on their business under a new name. He did not catch the name of the company though.
Wolves Mobile
We spotted on the Wolves Mobile page that they were once a partnership of Excell Communications, but are now partnered with B2B Mobile. Excell Communications has just been closed down and transfered to B2B Mobile. Stuart Box is trading under a new name.
If there are any Wolverhampton Wonderers fans here, or anyone on the board – please raise this as a concern. Your sponsors are helping ruin businesses all across the country.
Here is the Wolves Mobile (wolvesmobile.co.uk) page that confirms their partnership:
The connection has been removed from the corporatewolves.co.uk website, but here is the Google cache that shows that they were with Excell / Stuart Box (sorry about the highlighting, its a Google cache thing):
Orange
Many of us are Orange customers, and have found them to be totally unwilling to assist in any way. They are happy to use third party salesmen to get new business, but take no responsibility for the welfare of their customers. Saj has suggested we all write to Orange, and provided a template for a letter below. Maybe if enough people write then they will take special action to give us a better contract that we can afford.
Most of us have expensive business contracts, not because we wanted them, but because Excell Communications phoned us just prior to our contracts expiring, masqueraded as Orange (when they called me they said they were calling from Orange Business Team) and then got us to agree to a contract before we knew what the real deal was. Orange really should take some responsibility.
Orange say that their hands are tied, that they cannot review contracts until the 12 month review, and only then reduce the tariff to the next level down. For most of us that is still too expensive.
A Plea To Orange
Please could you offer all Excell Communication clients to chance to move to a new contract, even if a non-business contract. You have many good value SIM only plans (this is all I ever wanted as I use my own Android phone and not the one bundled) and the Dolphin Plans. Offer a transfer and repair some of your reputation – your customers will really appreciate this. You are only losing some business accounts that were won for you by way of deception from Excell Communications.
BBC Watchdog
Many of our readers have already contacted Watchdog about this, Anna has provided some details to make it easier for everyone to contact them:
Write to Watchdog: BBC Watchdog, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS
Please remember to include photocopies of any paperwork as originals cannot be returned.
Text Watchdog: You can also text Watchdog on 83199. Please start your message with the letters WD and be sure to give your name and location. Texts are charged at standard rates.
You can also send stories online: http://bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory/
Watchdog Disclaimer: “Any details provided here will not be passed outside the BBC or its agents and will only be used to contact you about your story or comment. Your details will be stored securely on our database which is only accessible for researchers working on Watchdog and other BBC Consumer Unit programmes.”
Action Plan
The suggested action plan, as devised by our readers, is as follows:
1) Write / Email / Contact Orange. See what they say Log it then post your responses here let everyone know what Orange Position
2) Contact WatchDog
As for the administrators contacting us i don’t really hold any hope on excells website it already says there is lack of funds for unsecured creditors which is us.
3) Contact the Administrators
Begbies Traynor should be writing to us soon, but best to send a letter of concern now with your details.
4) Contact Midland Communications Distribution Ltd
Send details as requested above.
5) Update us how you get on
If you make any progress please update us here. We are all entitled to equal treatment, whether it is by Orange, the administrators or the distribution company.
6) Legal Action?
Hopefully it will not come to this, but as Stuart Box appears to still be trading, still selling Orange mobile deals, then he should not be able to walk away from these contracts so easily. If anyone does have skills in this area, then set something up. Hopefully Orange or Watchdog will ensure that this is not required though.
