18866 connection charge to 4p (merged)

digital

HC wrote:

I looked into the Orchid dialler, but I have three digital cordless phones connected to a base downstairs, and two 'normal' phones upstairs.

I have a similar arrangement with just one Orchid which is plugged into the main BT socket where it enters the house. The cordless base phone, and the extension lead for the 'normal' phone, are now plugged into the Orchid rather than the main BT socket. Works fine.

Pazuzu

I have tried to sign up for 1899 approximately six times over the past three months but each time get a "failed" email - they blame oversubscription. When I started to get the busy tone & had to make 20 + attempts to get through on 1866 I signed up to 18185 -on the first attempt ( hoorah, someone wants my £££) but now find that this service too is saturated at weekends.This might just be on my local exchange I suppose.
I wonder if a dialler, like the Orchid unit, would be a sensible investment. Call charges are low since I started using these override providers but I have quite high charges due to a forgetful relative who keeps phoning my mobile. I do want them to get through to me but at a rate of 10 -15 calls per day it soon mounts up if I have to revert to BT at weekends.

utilitybroker

To sign up for 1899 read this sticky.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=90711

1899/18866/18185 probaly all go over the same network ? So your get congestion on all of them depending on where you are in UK.Nothing to do with BT,s exchange.Just that they havent taken into account the growth of traffic.Some parts of UK are fine.

A Orchid dialler is always a good bet,and your soon get your money back.

To avoid the weekend congestion problem,and save some money,why not register for Primus Savers free Evening and Weekend Call Offer.

Steve_xx

utilitybroker wrote:

To sign up for 1899 read this sticky.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=90711

1899/18866/18185 probaly all go over the same network ? So your get congestion on all of them depending on where you are in UK.Nothing to do with BT,s exchange.Just that they havent taken into account the growth of traffic.Some parts of UK are fine.

A Orchid dialler is always a good bet,and your soon get your money back.

To avoid the weekend congestion problem,and save some money,why not register for Primus Savers free Evening and Weekend Call Offer.

You're wrong.

It does have something to do with BT's network as these carriers don't have their own networks. Instead they buy network time from network service providers like BT and they then resell it to you and I.

At the weekend in particular, there is no congestion, that's why tariffs at the weekend are generally lower than they are during the weekday, daytime period.

utilitybroker

Steve_xx

(Are you sure i am wrong?) (When the call hits the local exchange it sends the the call via whatever network(circuits) 1899/18866/18185 happen to be using.) It is their where the congestion lies!!! Not at the local exchange.
You could make the same call using the same exchange via BT,or a CPS supplier,and get through without any problem.

You obviously havent been reading the numerous complaints about weekend congestion,on 1899/18185/18866,posted on this site week in and week out,for some considerable time.It is not an isolated incident!

Steve_xx

utilitybroker wrote:

Steve_xx

(Are you sure i am wrong?) (When the call hits the local exchange it sends the the call via whatever network(circuits) 1899/18866/18185 happen to be using.) It is their where the congestion lies!!! Not at the local exchange.
You could make the same call using the same exchange via BT,or a CPS supplier,and get through without any problem.

You obviously havent been reading the numerous complaints about weekend congestion,on 1899/18185/18866,posted on this site week in and week out,for some considerable time.It is not an isolated incident!

1899/18866/18185 do not have networks of their own. When the calls hit the local exchange it gets routed by BT, along its network, and more than likely it is delivered by BT at the other end, if the 'b' end subscriber is a BT customer. Or, the call may break out of BT's network onto one of the mobile or overseas networks, depending on where you make the call to.


1899/18866/18185 buy network time from BT, but it may well be that the bandwidth they have at their disposal at any given moment is insufficient to carry the amount of calls they have pending.

It is incorrect to say that the network is congested. It is correct to say that 1899/18866/18185's bandwidth is limited. BT's exchanges rarely suffer from congestion and this is especially so during off-peak periods.

Further, you have made a distinction between the likes of 1899/18866/18185 and CPS services. In fact, they are one and the same thing, ie they all use routing digits to steer calls through BT's network. The only distinction being that CPS is carried out automatically at the exchange, whereas you personally dial the 1899/18866/18185 routing digits.

utilitybroker

I dont remember saying that 18185/1899/18866 had their own network.But is not possible they have some leased bandwith/circuits.

Yes i agree that BT is probaly used at both ends of call for 01/02 calls.But what proof do you have that BT deliver their calls for them for the middle part of the call journey they could be using someone like eg Colt or Energis or using Voip to deliver could they not.

I havent suggested the problem lay with BTs exchanges.Far from it.

As far the user is concerned their is a distinction between using CPS and a short code .One normally requires some action from the user(unless he has a smart box) the other does not.

Steve_xx

utilitybroker wrote:

I dont remember saying that 18185/1899/18866 had their own network.But is not possible they have some leased bandwith/circuits.

Yes i agree that BT is probaly used at both ends of call.But what proof do you have that BT deliver their calls for them for the middle part of the call journey they could be using someone like eg Colt or Energis or using Voip to deliver could they not.

I havent suggested the problem lay with BTs exchanges.

Yes, it is the case that they lease bandwidth.

Yes it is so that they could be using COLT, Energis and the like for portions of a calls journey. But I think each time they swapped service provider en route they could incur a charge, but yes, they may just do that.

You say that you have not suggested that the problems are at BT's exchanges,which I accept. So where is it that you think the problems lay?

Regarding CPS. Your original mention of this was a reference to the success that you felt was normally had when using CPS as opposed to 1899/18866/18185 services. I pointed out that there is no distinction between these two, except to say that one process is carried out at the 'a' end of the call, whereas the other is carried out at the exchange. Therefore using CPS as opposed to predialling the routing digits is not a guarantee of a successful call.

utilitybroker

The point i was trying to make was that 1899/18866/18185 were probaly to blame, not the BT Exchanges as at their 1899 etc Peak Weekend Times, when lots of folks use their cheap services,they havent got enough leased bandwith to deliver the traffic.Having said that do tell people on some codes they cant join because they have reached capacity.(Unless you are aware of the register your mobile first loophole ).

bikeman

j-baby-scotland wrote:

Also worth bearing in mind... BT charge for engaged lines... 18866 don't...

NOT TRUE!!!!
PLEASE ENSURE OF YOUR FACTS BEFORE POSTING RUBBISH LIKE THIS