Cheapest Home Phones Article Discussion

vigman

Watch out if you take any BT package.

Last June I opted for the pay a year upfront line rental. I also had unlimited anytime package.

I have been very ill since and only because of a line fault, looked at my three last bills.....and nearly died of shock!

At the same time as taking the payment for the annual line rental they CANCELLED my unlimited anytime package (charging me 55 quid for the pleasure of something I didn't want!) but then charging us HUGE bills for all the daytime calls, even local ones.

I rang to explain, but they say I have basically waited too long before drawing this to their attention even if the cancellation was their fault. I told them that as our bills were always 50-60 GBP per quarter on unlimited anytime and as I have been seriously ill, this was the first time I had seen the online accounts.

I know it is my fault that I have taken so long to notice the huge bills (180 ish pq), but it is their fault that I have been charged for any calls in these periods after they cancelled my unlimited package without my permission.....

Vigman

Doc_N

vigman wrote: »

Watch out if you take any BT package.

Last June I opted for the pay a year upfront line rental. I also had unlimited anytime package.

I have been very ill since and only because of a line fault, looked at my three last bills.....and nearly died of shock!

At the same time as taking the payment for the annual line rental they CANCELLED my unlimited anytime package (charging me 55 quid for the pleasure of something I didn't want!) but then charging us HUGE bills for all the daytime calls, even local ones.

I rang to explain, but they say I have basically waited too long before drawing this to their attention even if the cancellation was their fault. I told them that as our bills were always 50-60 GBP per quarter on unlimited anytime and as I have been seriously ill, this was the first time I had seen the online accounts.

I know it is my fault that I have taken so long to notice the huge bills (180 ish pq), but it is their fault that I have been charged for any calls in these periods after they cancelled my unlimited package without my permission.....

Vigman

I can almost guarantee you that if you explain all this in an email to the BT CEO ([EMAIL="ian.livingston@bt.com"]ian.livingston@bt.com[/EMAIL]) someone in his team will contact you and you'll get a full refund of any overcharge.

BT_company_representative

Hi vigman,

If you haven't got this sorted yet, send us your details if you want and we'll get all this fixed for you. You can find our "Contact us" link by going to my profile page.

All the best,

Stephanie

vigman

Unfortunately, I have to hold my hands up and say I made a mistake.

I was in shock after losing my job and although my intention was to pay a cheaper one year in advance rental fee, the phone transcripts show that I asked for the unlimited evening and weekend calls even though I was already on the anytime unlimited. I said that I was out most daytimes except Fridays (which was the work pattern I had just lost, so shows what a state I was in!!)

I was offered a transcript of the calls.

I compounded the error because as I thought I wasn't paying for any calls, I didn't check my online bills for the next three quarters (at the same time being very physically and mentally unwell) until I had the line fault this week.

BT have refunded the 55 GBP cancellation/package change fee and have given me 30GBP as a goodwill gesture.

Credit where it is due, Jacqueline from the CEO's office was very helpful in going through this.

Moral: Do not make financial decisions when unwell or in shock and always check all accounts, paper or online!

Vigman

KeithL_3

kagel wrote: »

Just be aware that if you dispute your bill with this company they will just send it straight to a debt collecting agency regardless of what they are telling you on the phone.

I have had a dreadful experience with them and for a £52 all inclusive package I now owe them £178.

They just say the same things over the phone and when I send emails I get a standard response and nothing back in relation to my dispute.

Thay told me they would get back to me within 14 days and instead I got my phone line cut off, a threatening letter from a debt collection agency and a bill that had trebled.

I rang the debt collection agency up immediately and explained the situation. I was told that it happens alot with car phone warehouse customers!

Please be careful and ensure you read all the small print. Talk Talk may be cheap but don't have a complaint or dispute with them otherwise it will cost you much more than its worth!

I'm going to quote this mail as it totally encompasses my experiences with TalkTalk and their "customer services". The account is my mothers and she is elderly, in sheltered accomodation and easily confused, it appears that she has had EVERY SINGLE ONE of her conversations regarding their take over of the line from BT to them ignored. I have tried to talk to them and been refused the option of talking with supervisors who are capable of answering any question that isn't in their script, they hung up on me, so how is that service! I have been given NO path to further our complaints so I will resort to the ombusdsman and we will be seeking compensation, I explained that the line was required for medical contact reasons but they've disconected it anyway. A more "don't give a damn" attitude I have never met in a major company.Oh, and the reason for the debt - they appeared to have cold called and taken over the line from BT and ignored all requests to cancel, including my mothers last resort to stop the automatic debut payments, how many ways can someone be told that we do not want your services and that there is clearly something adrift, how many ways can they fail to listen - it seems that the answer is simple, in every way, they have failed to listen.

waqas

currently with Primus and can't wait to leave (contract ends next month) what is the cheapest any time provider out there?

Thanks

Update: Went for BT, about £2 more than TalkTalk but I have never had isues with BT in the past.

StevieJ

waqas wrote: »

currently with Primus and can't wait to leave (contract ends next month) what is the cheapest any time provider out there?

Thanks

Update: Went for BT, about £2 more than TalkTalk but I have never had isues with BT in the past.

Begs the question, why?

Doc_N

StevieJ wrote: »

Begs the question, why?

Maybe because of the last couple of posts and TalkTalk's lousy reputation?

midnightraider

hmc wrote: »

can i ask if sky phone line rental is reliable and is it a free phone number to ring if there is a problem please. never been with anyone apart from bt and have been with aol for years with no problems. not sure i would get a cheaper deal though, currently bt £15mth line rental and aol £7 mth for broadband and all calls

I've just signed up with Sky last week, they offered me £1 line rental per month for the first 12 months. I was paying BT £13 so the saving was astronomical! I was cancelling Sky Sports at the time to also save money so I bit his hand off haha.

I still put them up against each other and rang & told BT what I was getting elsewhere and they said the best they could do was £11.90 and gave me a bit of bumf of "benefits". No brainer for me really - saved nearly £150. The saving will pay for Sky Sports when the footie season starts again too haha.

I've had Sky Broadband for years too - never had any problems. I'm sure the Unlimited Broadband is only about £7.50 so overall you're probably saving money.

Not sure about free phone number sorry.

nt2000

midnightraider wrote: »

I've just signed up with Sky last week, they offered me £1 line rental per month for the first 12 months. I was paying BT £13 so the saving was astronomical! I was cancelling Sky Sports at the time to also save money so I bit his hand off haha.

I still put them up against each other and rang & told BT what I was getting elsewhere and they said the best they could do was £11.90 and gave me a bit of bumf of "benefits". No brainer for me really - saved nearly £150. The saving will pay for Sky Sports when the footie season starts again too haha.

I've had Sky Broadband for years too - never had any problems. I'm sure the Unlimited Broadband is only about £7.50 so overall you're probably saving money.

Not sure about free phone number sorry.

Yea I was offered the same deal when I called sky to cancel my phone package. Seems great.

1. Does changing line rental provider affect broadband speed?
2. If I want to transfer back to bt in 12 months what is the cost?

Any help welcome.
Thanks