We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Bt and Orange Home Starter

Options
mau408
mau408 Posts: 178 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
I'm sorry I haven't managed to find the answer on previous forums. Various people have touched on the matter but not quite given a way of solving this problem.

I have signed up to BT Option 1 free evening and weekends for 12 month contract at £11.25 (in march) and Orange Home Starter £9.79 including calls. However the 1280 override code doesn't seem to work as the calls do not appear in my BT statement.

It states in the BT contract you have to make one chargeable call a month. How can I do this when the 1280 prefix override doesn't seem to work? Is anyone else having the same problem?

Thanking you in advance.
«13

Comments

  • Heinz
    Heinz Posts: 11,191 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    edited 17 August 2009 at 8:54PM
    BT Together Option 1 (now called the Unlimited Weekend Plan) only gives inclusive 01, 02, 03, 0845 & 0870 calls at weekends (not evenings and weekends). With the exception of 0845 & 0870 calls though, it won't matter to you because your Orange calls package includes evening and weekend 01, 02 & 03 calls.

    Anyway, it sounds like Orange have joined Sky, Talk Talk and AOL by changing to WCLI (which means the 1280 prefix will no longer work for those who've left their line rental with BT).

    The workaround appears to be to get a BT Chargecard and make some calls using that (calls are charged to your BT account if you specify that when ordering). Be careful using it though, calls are expensive.

    Update 17/8/09. BT company representative has now done an about-turn on this and confirmed that chargecard calls do NOT count as chargeable calls. http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...3&postcount=11
    Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.
  • mau408
    mau408 Posts: 178 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    I'm on BT unlimited evening and weekends.

    I've just ordered my chargecard. Thanks Heinz!
  • BT_company_representative
    BT_company_representative Posts: 1,861 Organisation Representative
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Hi Mau 408! I would like to clear up any confusion here. The one chargeable call per month which you refer to on your post relates to customers who make at least one chargeable call per month, from their BT line which entitles them to automatically receive inclusive UK Weekend Calls as part of their BT package. Customers who do not make at least one chargeable call per month with BT will be charged for calls at the standard rate. If your calls are with another provider then this does not affect you. I would add though that if you have the BT Caller Display service or BT Answer 1571 service then you must make 6 chargeable calls a quarter or 2 chargeable calls per month to ensure that you are not charged for the two services.

    Hope this helps

    Ann

    BT Support
    Official Company Representative
    I am the official company representative of BT. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"
  • mau408
    mau408 Posts: 178 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks Ann. I'm pretty sure I have caller display service. So I need to make 6 chargeable calls. Can you confirm I can do this on a chargecard?
  • BT_company_representative
    BT_company_representative Posts: 1,861 Organisation Representative
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Hi mau408! 6 calls made via the chargecard per quarter will enable you to get free Caller Display if that service is on your line.

    Anne

    BT Support
    Official Company Representative
    I am the official company representative of BT. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"
  • i have recently taken out the free reconnection offer with BT. part of the xontract is that i make at least 10 chargeable calls per month, these can be done at the weekend when they are free. i have also taken out home broadband with orange and part of that offer is that i get free evening and weekend calls. ive called BT to check that by using the override code 1280 at weekends that this would allow me to make the 10 chargeable calls, but the operative i spoke to said they did not know if it would work, and if not i would be billed the full reconnection charge. has anyone else had this problem? and does the override code actually work?? i don't want to get a huge £122 bill for the reconnection!!
    thanks!
  • Heinz
    Heinz Posts: 11,191 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    1280 no longer works with AOL, Talk Talk and Sky Talk because they've changed to WCLI - but I can't be sure about Orange.

    The quickest way to find out is to activate BT's Charge Advice facility (it may not work* on your exchange but it still works on some - mine included). Then make a call (an inclusive call will do) with the 1280 prefix and see if you immediately receive a Charge Advice callback.

    * If you cannot activate Charge Advice, the next quickest way is to make a chargeable call with the 1280 prefix and check your BT online account tomorrow.
    Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.
  • one_2
    one_2 Posts: 15 Forumite
    Hi mau408! 6 calls made via the chargecard per quarter will enable you to get free Caller Display if that service is on your line.

    Anne

    BT Support

    Anne - are you sure about this? I have just received my latest BT bill and dispite having eight chargable calls made by a BT Chargecard on the same bill I have been charged for low use of 1571. I've rung up BT but they told me that chargecard calls didn't count.
  • I also need to know whether or not using a chargecard to make 10 calls will count towards my 10 calls for a free connection.

    I have the line installed and want to go with orange for my internet (free with my mobile contract) but I won't do this if I am going to have to pay £6.90 a month because I cannot make 10 calls per month, chargeable by BT.

    Help please!! Thank you.
  • BT_company_representative
    BT_company_representative Posts: 1,861 Organisation Representative
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Hi All,

    I am sorry for the conflicting information regarding calls made using the BT Charge Card. I have had confirmation from the BT Charge Card and Calling Features departments, that call made using the Charge Card do not count towards the chargeable calls, one has to make in order to receive BT Answer 1571; Caller display or the free connection offer. The reason is because in order to have these services free a number of chargeable calls have to be made from the line that the service is active on.

    The BT Charge Card is a separate service that allows you to make calls aboard and have them billed on your BT bill.

    Thanks

    Patrick

    BT Support,
    Official Company Representative
    I am the official company representative of BT. MSE has given permission for me to post in response to queries about the company, so that I can help solve issues. You can see my name on the companies with permission to post list. I am not allowed to tout for business at all. If you believe I am please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.