MSE News: BT now charges for 1571 calls – opt out to avoid £42/year bills

Former_MSE_Helen · 7 January 2014 at 7:53PM

"BT now charges for its previously-free 1571 answer phone and caller display services - so opt out now to cut costs..."

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BT now charges for 1571 calls – opt out to avoid £42/year bills

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Heinz · 7 January 2014 at 8:36PM

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=12555509&postcount=27

Ectophile · 7 January 2014 at 9:17PM

If you're currently working through a 12 or 18 month contract that will expire before the end of the year, then think twice before agreeing to the free caller display deal. You will be locking yourself into a new 12 month contract for a lousy £1.75 a month discount.

I am going to wait until my current 12 month contract expires, then phone up BT and tell them I want a proper discount. It's worked for the last 2 years, and I expect it to work again. If it doesn't, I'll take my business elsewhere.

mjm3346 · 7 January 2014 at 9:47PM

They are also going to charge £3 a month from Feb for the old Hub phone numbers, which were previously free.

Someones got to pay for the "Free" BT Sport.

Grumpyswife · 8 January 2014 at 1:29AM

Ectophile wrote: »

If you're currently working through a 12 or 18 month contract that will expire before the end of the year, then think twice before agreeing to the free caller display deal. You will be locking yourself into a new 12 month contract for a lousy £1.75 a month discount.

I am going to wait until my current 12 month contract expires, then phone up BT and tell them I want a proper discount. It's worked for the last 2 years, and I expect it to work again. If it doesn't, I'll take my business elsewhere.

I've just renegotiated my deal - told them how much PlusNet would charge! In another 12 month contract but also got BT Privacy (includes Caller Display) and a discount off the broadband as well. Was told to ring again when the 12 months was up and they'd give me a discount again on the next contract period.

So, don't pay the asking price!

Oh, and now on double the speed as well - hovering around the 60MB mark.

tiggybear · 8 January 2014 at 9:16AM

We binned BT years ago - not just because of the pricing hikes of BT but because mobiles are now so much cheaper.
We have now replaced our BT line with a PAYG mobile SIM in a mobile that we just have in the home and give that out as our 'home' number. I'm not sure this is the place to tout a specific company but on that SIM we only have to pay 3p per minute if we need to use that phone to make outgoing calls which is cheaper than out BT rate was, and of course caller display is free and there is no monthly outlay.
We still use our individual mobiles as personal phones outside the house and have 1000s of inclusive minutes on them for keeping in touch with friends etc. Yes they are contract SIMs but one contract provides 7000mins, unlimited texts and unlimited internet tethering all for £15.
The only thing we miss out on is fast broadband for streaming films but find a mobile broadband setup fast enough for our alarm and CCTV systems to still operate.
All in all we have saved a lot of money a month by ditching BT for mobile. And of course no annual tie-in for (most of) the services.

MillicentBystander · 8 January 2014 at 11:21AM

How much longer can this company get away with claiming BT Sport is 'free'? Surely the regulator should be looking at this.

Lil_Lady · 8 January 2014 at 11:31AM

I saw the MSE link and checked mine and guess what, BT hadn't updated my product details online and it still says

My Phone
Unlimited Anytime Calls
Your call plan is for 02089******

Inclusive calls to anytime day, evening and weekend

Included in your phone package
Unlimited calls to UK landlines at any time
Plus 1/2 price pence per minute rates to mobiles
Inclusive calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers at any time
Get BT privacy, BT answer 1571, and BT 1471 calling features at no extra cost

They haven't changed the online details to include the charges
, so I'm 'discussing' it now, they say the charge is still valid, I say on my bill in black and white it says updated 6th Jan 2 days after your charges came into effect and you say its free on my bill
and included in my phone package

Lindalou · 8 January 2014 at 12:47PM

I paid for my BT line rental for 12 months in advance at the beginning of December, but I notice on my monthly bill this time I have still been charged for caller ID, even though it is free with 12 month contracts. I went online and chatted to a customer support employee, who confirmed that it should be free. He ordered a new contract for caller ID and is going to refund what I have already paid on my next bill.
The purpose of this post is just to advise BT customers who have paid the 12 month rental in advance to check your bill !! If it has happened to me, how many countless others will be paying this charge without realising. £1.75 does not make a noticeable difference to your bill to make it stand out as an error. But BT must be raking in thousands of £1.75's per month! Please check!

Patr100 · 8 January 2014 at 3:57PM

This BT help page linked below is slightly out of date but it gives you an idea of what you will see if you log in . Scroll right down and make sure nothing is checked that you don't want then follow the pages to confirm the "order".

http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/47926/c/345

If you are not not sure or don't want to phone then use the following form
http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/47926/c/345

(thanks to Heinz on the other thread) , using the form I got a confirmation I was not on 1571 by the next morning.

babyhk · 8 January 2014 at 4:53PM

Thanks for this alarming news.
Just phoned the 0800 number given and asked to key in my phone number.
Get voice message asking me to call back later as there is a technical fault!

MSE News: BT now charges for 1571 calls – opt out to avoid £42/year bills

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