Cheaper ADSL

frak

Hi all, maybe that subject is a little misleading. But you can cut the cost of owning ADSL.
If like me you have no use for a landline(all my mobile calls are free) you can have adsl on incoming calls only. This works out at about £3 a month line rental from BT. Not the biggest money saving tip ever but am sure there are people out there who didnt knwo this as it is not widely publicised and bt are reluctant to tell you about it.

dan

paul_h

frak wrote:

Hi all, maybe that subject is a little misleading. But you can cut the cost of owning ADSL.
If like me you have no use for a landline(all my mobile calls are free) you can have adsl on incoming calls only. This works out at about £3 a month line rental from BT. Not the biggest money saving tip ever but am sure there are people out there who didnt knwo this as it is not widely publicised and bt are reluctant to tell you about it.

The terms and conditions for the 'incoming calls only' line rental from BT, or 'InContact Plus' as they call it, states that you cannot use this service if you also have a mobile phone.

http://www.bt.com/btcom_redirectLink.jsp?action=redirectLink&targetLinkID=PIS_In_Contact_Plus&vStore=1314&obsPage=%2fPricing%2fpis_summary.jsp%3fshowsub%3dPIS_Residential&obsOID=30181&obsType=LINK

Basically, the t&c state that if you have any other means of making outgoing calls, you cannot use InContact Plus. But how would they know if you have a mobile or are using voip for calls?

Could be a very interesting discussion, but maybe this should be moved to the Telephones Board?

frak

Unless i am missing something i cant see where it states i cant make a call on a mobile phone. I dont want to sound rude but frankly that is ridiculous. BT can't tell me when and where i can make a phone call. the only thing i can see in the t&c's is incoming calls cant be used as an additonal line in a househol that already has a normal service. Are BT going to cut off my phone line if i am using my mobile phone while i am work ? i have a phone in work that i can make outgoing calls on, does this also mean they will cut off my line. Simple answer is no.

In addtion if you have incoming calls only you will be able to use a VOIP service like Skype.

dan

frak

my apologies there i just reread the t&c's
i can see it now, but i still dont know how they can stop me using a mobile in my own house. in fact i bet they are violating some kind of law there. I'd liekt o see them try and cut me off for that reason

paul_h

I thought you were getting a bit over-excited there!

It's always been the case for the InContact, and also for the low-user scheme. T&Cs are legally binding both ways, and you agree to abide by these when accepting the service.

However, I bet there's a lot of people on these schemes with a mobile in their pocket! Anyone else care to put their hands up and confess?

frak

I am sure the t&c's are legally binding but to me its almost like a radio broadcaster saying you can own a tv if you listen to the radio. Madness. Next they will be sayign i cant eat cheese on a thursday if its raining as its part of the t&c's of the incontact service.

paul_h

If you look at the full t&c for InContact Plus here

http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/current/docs/Exch_Lines.boo/12731.htm

and scroll down to the 'Eligibility' bit, there are many exclusions.


Customers with any of the following lines are not eligible for In Contact Plus:

Any other residential line either at the same or at different premises.
Integrated Services digital Network (ISDN) lines.
Lines used exclusively in connection with a burglar alarm or other monitoring device.
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Lines (ADSL).
Households which have telephone service from another telephone operator (either directly or indirectly) whether at the same or different premises.
Households which have telephone service provided by a mobile Network operator.

...among many others.

frak

lol
that rules out 99% of the population by my reckoning.
Certainly anyone who goes to work and has a telephone in their office.

paul_h

frak wrote:

lol
that rules out 99% of the population by my reckoning.
Certainly anyone who goes to work and has a telephone in their office.

Yes, I think that's the idea...

BT are a law unto themselves, and OFCOM seems to let them get away with anything, in return for a few worthless concessions...

xueta

When these light user schemes first started up, they were intended to provide a service for elderly, low-income customers who only wanted a phone for emergencies. They were originally only offered to BT customers who could prove from their past bills that they made few outgoing calls. If for any reason these customers subsequently 'went over' the low-user limit, then the low cost service would no longer apply and the standard tariff would be charged.

I guess similar ways of checking eligibility will still apply now i.e. they could check from past bills what your usage was. They would certainly suspect an alternative phone service was in use if your usage were suddenly to drop and they could then refuse to supply you at the discount rate.

I guess some customers will try to connect using the low user schemes and then when they try to connect to ADSL, they will find that they are switched to the higher rate tariff! Beware!

frak

i've not had a bt phone line for 9 years until now
I guess my previouss outgoing call bills with them are pretty low, at least for the last 9 years anyway.