[Heinz]

PLEASE NOTE THE BELOW SUGGESTIONS RELATE TO STANDARD (P.S.T.N.) TELEPHONY ONLY AND DO NOT CONSIDER INTERNET (VOIP) TELEPHONY OR 'BUNDLED' BROADBAND AND VOICE TELEPHONY OFFERS NOW ON THE MARKET. PLEASE REFER TO OTHER THREADS IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING ANY OF THOSE.

A VARIATION OF THESE '6-STEPS' IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT (as was formerly recommended in paragraph [2] below) WISH TO or CANNOT SIGN UP TO A CPS CALLS PROVIDER. SEE HERE.

[1]. Stay with BT for your line rental but make sure you are on 'The Unlimited Weekend Plan' (formerly known as BT Together Option 1) and don't pay extra for their Friends & Family Mobile, Friends & Family International or International Freedom Add-ons, they're not worth it (don't forget to cancel it/them if you have previously subscribed). The cost, which includes free basic 1571 (but please don't use that), Caller Display (see step [6] below) and Premium Rate call barring (if you want it/them), is currently £12.79ж per month incl. VAT if you pay by Direct Debit or £14.29 per month if you pay any other way. ж£11.54 (£12.04 from 1-10-2010 unless you want to lend BT money by paying up-front for 12 months line rental) if you opt for online only billing too and so qualify for the £1.25/month paper-free billing discount.

You may be able to find (slightly) cheaper line rental but, if you change, it's likely you'll regret doing so because access to CPS (Carrier PreSelect) providers - such as step [2] below - will cease to be available and some of the other options below may cease to be available (e.g. [a] Talk Talk have barred access to indirect [4 or 5-digit prefix] providers like the one detailed in step [3] below and [b] Virgin Media, apart from not allowing access to 4 or 5-digit prefix providers, has started barring 'gateway' providers like those listed in the MSE International CallChecker).

[2]. As your Carrier PreSelect (CPS)Ф calls provider, sign up for Primus Penny Mobile 2 CPS (which, apart from giving you the same free evening and weekend calls of up to 90 minutes each to UK 01/02/03 numbers which Primus Saver CPS does, also caps calls to UK mobiles at 20p for up to 20 minutes). Be very specific about the name of the package though - it's not advertised and so is not often asked for. Even though there's no monthly subscription charge for either, they give you free evening (6pm to 8am Monday to Friday) and weekend (effectively, 6pm Friday to 8am Monday). Phone 0800 036 0094.

EDIT 16 April 2009 : During 2009, Primus's Indian Call Centre personnel continued to deny all knowledge of Penny Mobile 2 CPS and, occasionally, even suggested that Primus Saver CPS required an 18 month contract. I sought written clarification from them on 21 February 2009 but none was ever forthcoming. As a result, for those who are not already on Primus Saver CPS or their similar Penny Mobile 2 CPS package, I have no option but to now recommend BT's Unlimited Evening & Weekend Plan via a 'renewable' 12 month contract instead - rather than attempting to get sense out of Primus's India-based personnel.

[3]. Sign up online with 18185.co.uk (there's no monthly subscription charge) and use the 18185 prefix for:

(a) weekday daytime (7am to 7pm Monday to Friday) calls to UK 01, 02 & 03 numbers - 5p each (regardless of duration);
(b) all calls to 056 numbers - 5p each (regardless of duration);
(c) all calls to UK mobiles (075, 077, 078 & 079 numbers) - 5p connection + 6p/min. weekdays (6p**/min. weekends);

** Use 18185's freephone access number, 0808 1 703 703, instead of the 18185 prefix for this price.

[4]. Use BT (dial a '1280' prefix to 'hop back onto BT' if you have a CPS default calls provider) for all 0500, 055, 080x, 0843, 0844, 0845, 0870, 0871, 0872, 0873 and 00800 (international freephone)calls.

[5]. Use the MSE International Callchecker to find up-to-date details of the cheapest options available for your international calls.

[6]. Call 0800 121 8000 and use the automated service to get 'free' Caller Display - OK, this isn't a cost reduction item per se (unless you've been paying BT for that service), but it is very handy. Bear in mind though that BT impose a £2.59/month charge for this facility if you don't make at least 2 chargeable or inclusive calls via them per month if you are billed monthly (or 6 per quarter if you are billed quarterly).

N.B. I do not imply that the above are always the cheapest options (e.g. the MSE UK Callchecker sometimes shows providers that offer 1p/minute cheaper weekday rates to 0870 numbers and, from time to time, providers offering cheaper rates than 18185 to call mobiles pop up) but, as sensible compromises between money-saving and ease of use, I believe they'll suit most people.

If you follow the above recommendations and use one or more Orchid LCRs to implement their use, a suggested program is shown HERE. The no-cost alternative, of course, is to simply cut and paste the relevant parts of this post and print out a sheet to keep by the phone.