Cheapest Home Phones Article Discussion

Heinz

Snapelover wrote: »

My elderly parents want to move from BT to a cheaper supplier, possibly Primus. They do use override providers through the day.

They currently have caller display with BT (as it is a free service) but it costs £2.50 per month with Primus. Will they be put on a like-for-like service with Primus? Do they have to inform Primus that they don't want this or any of the other chargable services?

If they change, Primus will carry over all BT add ons - but charge for them.

Primus have only undertaken to allow the use of indirect access providers like 18185 until the end of this year.

Override providers (the ones with 0843/4 and 0871/2 numbers that you have to dial before dialling your target number) are unaffected of course because they are just phone calls.

Victors_Bruvver

I am considering signing up br BT Line Rental Saver but I have for many years been using 1899 during the day and Primus Planet Talk for my off peak and weekend calls. It also give me the option to make overseas calls using whoever is the cheapest when I check the MSE call checker site.

This combination works for me and I am quite happy to continue with these providers. However I read somewhere, was it Heinz?, that once you sign up for LRS you lose those other carriers due to the BT contract they impose on you. I also thought that they was a way around this predicament, is there?

Heinz

When you phone for anything, BT will try to get you to 'bring your calls back to BT' if you currently use a CPS provider.

I recently had tremendous problems trying to get them to cancel their cancellation of my Primus CPS after I had phoned to negotiate another years' discount on my broadband - despite the fact that I repeated at least NINE TIMES during the call that I did NOT want to bring my calls back because I was happy with my CPS provider and the agent had assured my each time that there would be no affect on my CPS status.

There is no reason for you to 'bring your calls back to BT' when taking out LRS - but repeatedly mention you do not want to and query your continued CPS status when you call.

Doc_N

For what it's worth, I've had LRS for a while now (more or less since it was intoduced) and have never had a problem using 18185 etc.

That's not to say this won't change at some point, though, and Heinz's advice is, as always, sound.

Victors_Bruvver

Thanks both Heinz and Doc N.

Did I imagine it or is there a post lurking somewhere here on the forum that suggests insisting on speaking with a UK based office and not one that has been outsourced overseas?

I have not tried calling BT yet and just sent them an enquiry via their 'user unfriendly' web form and now waiting for someone to contact me.

TOPSie

I am currently a Virgin National customer for calls and broadband. But being National I need a "BT Line" which I current pay BT for the line rental. However I believe that the physical wire is configured into some Virgin equipment at the exchange (LLU ??). I am no fan of BT but I am happy with the Virgin service. Can I transfer my line rental element from BT to Primus (£7.99 a month - i.e. about half price) but keep all the Virgin benefits - including the Virgin exchange equipment (I noticed a definite increase in broadband speed when Virgin got the LLU equipment in the exchange).
Or should I ask Primus directly??

Tripledrop

I was looking to change to the cheap Primus line-only package, and when I enter my phone number, choose that I can currently make calls (ie phone line is active) and that my provider is Sky, I get this message:

In order to switch your home phone service to Primus, you need an active BT
phone line. Please contact BT directly on 0800 028 4474 and get your phone line
reconnected or installed. There may be a charge for this.

Why does it matter that I'm with Sky? I don't want to have to change back to BT just to change again to Primus! Or am I misunderstanding?

Heinz

Tripledrop wrote: »

Why does it matter that I'm with Sky? I don't want to have to change back to BT just to change again to Primus! Or am I misunderstanding?

Sky lines are normally LLU (off the BT network) and Primus are unwilling to spend time and money trying to get your line reconnected to BT so they can take it over.

Tripledrop

Ah ok, so is there a way to check?

Heinz

Tripledrop wrote: »

Ah ok, so is there a way to check?

See what http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search says for your exchange.