BT Basic Line Rental: Get a landline for £4.50/month

BT_company_representative

Hi Saeed,

Info on when the connection fee applies is available here:

https://www.productsandservices.bt.com/btbusinessOrders/control/termsandconditions?docId=25017&pageTitle=%20New%20line%20connection%20charge

If you're still having problems with this drop me a PM.

All the best,

Stephanie
BT Support

Graham1

If I am reading the BT price list correctly the cost of 0870 calls on BT Basic are now cheaper than calls to 01/02 geographic numbers (4.5p/min during daytime vs 9.78p/min) and 0870 calls are included in the BT Basic inclusive call allowance. Is this correct ?

http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/Public/current/Cust_Opts_Res_boo/FrameworkImpl55289.htm#FrameworkImpl55289

Bogof_Babe

Graham1 wrote: »

If I am reading the BT price list correctly the cost of 0870 calls on BT Basic are now cheaper than calls to 01/02 geographic numbers (4.5p/min during daytime vs 9.78p/min) and 0870 calls are included in the BT Basic inclusive call allowance. Is this correct ?

http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/Public/current/Cust_Opts_Res_boo/FrameworkImpl55289.htm#FrameworkImpl55289

BT have now made 0870 and 0845 calls free on most (if not all) tariffs, but beware because they now apply the old 0870 charges to 0871 and 0844 numbers, and you will find that many companies now use these instead, so it's not much of a bonus really.

Graham1

Yes, the BT Basic help line confirmed to me that calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers are inclusive (free up to 1 hour) at the weekend even on BT Basic and they say at other times 0845 1.96p/min daytime, 0.49p/min evening, 0870 4.5p/min daytime, 1.45p/min evening with 2.95p call set-up fee.

It does seem a bit bizarre - as calls to 01/02 numbers on BT basic are 9.78p/min even at the weekend.

I also notice a lot of the on-line BT information on BT basic is now out of date on this issue.

I guess the 0870 call costs on BT Basic will increase to 5.25p/min from 1'st October in line with the unlimited weekend plan.

If anyone notices a charge for an 0845/0870 number weekend call while they are on BT Basic please post your experience.

PGSchick

BT_company_representative wrote: »

Hi PGSchick,

The Light User scheme was withdrawn from service recently becuase it was not necessarily beneifitting those customers in most need of it. Our research showed that that only around 60% of light user scheme users were from low income households. BT and other stakeholders, including consumer organisations, supported this view and worked to develop a new social
telephony scheme, BT Basic, to replace the light user scheme and BT's other social telephony scheme, in contact plus. The eligibility criteria for BT Basic have been developed as a result
of an Ofcom consultation involving a variety of stakeholders. it is designed to ensure that this highly subsidised scheme is available to those who genuinely need it. We have also undertaken an extensive consultation with consumer groups which included age concern to launch BT basic and designed it in a way that benefits people who otherwise could not afford a telephone line. Customers must receive, or be eligible for, income support, income-based job seekers allowance guaranteed pensions credit or the new employment support allowance to qualify. To ensure customers who qualify are those that need it most.
BT basic has been designed specifically for people on lower incomes who use the phone infrequently but rely on it for emergencies. BT is one of the only companies that offer a social telephony scheme for consumers and we believe BT basic offers the right level of help to
consumers who are not able to afford mainstream telephone packages. I am aware that there are exceptions and not all benefits do qualify as may be in your case.
Customers who are not eligible for BT basic or wish to use the phone on a more frequent basis are advised to perhaps consider moving to our Evening & Weekend call package.
Letters were sent to all customers advising of this and of the minimum contract period it entails.
All letters were enclosed with a coupon which the customer was asked to complete and return to switch packages. In addition a telephone number was also included so that customers could call with any queries. As things stand LIght User Scheme is no longer available. If you wish me to have a look at your account please PM your account details and I will do this and get back to you.

Many Thanks
Donna
BT Support

Why would I want you to look at my account when BT seem to happily be leaving me alone on a tarriff that suits me that you say doesnt exist, I'm not insane you know, although I am wondering if you are. Also a lot of the elderly dislike claiming any kind of benefits as they are seen as handouts, I know my parents would have to be desperate before they did so even if they were entitled and there isn't a damn thing I can do about that.

I'm currently working out whether changing to another provider when BT shoves me off of light-user arbitarily onto some other phone plan I dont want, or whether just cancelling the phone completely makes more sense. Last quarter I believe I made 1 phone call, thats 1 in 3 months. Maybe I'm odd but I prefer talking to people in person, its always nicer

Graham1

Graham1 wrote: »

If I am reading the BT price list correctly the cost of 0870 calls on BT Basic are now cheaper than calls to 01/02 geographic numbers (4.5p/min during daytime vs 9.78p/min) and 0870 calls are included in the BT Basic inclusive call allowance. Is this correct ?

http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/Public/current/Cust_Opts_Res_boo/FrameworkImpl55289.htm#FrameworkImpl55289

It seems the last part of that statement is actually NOT correct. Although the BT online price list says the costs of 0870 calls can be taken from the inclusive call allowance on BT Basic I've just had confirmation that is a mistake in the price list document. 0870 calls are charged during the week and the BT Basic inclusive call allowance cannot be used to pay for them. They are going to fix the price list document.

claretblue

I've been away for a few weeks and just got back home.
Guess what? It's now 12 WEEKS since requesting the application form and still nothing! This following THREE requests and TWO "interventions" from the BT Company Representative on this forum.
I think the message BT IS sending is quite obvious by now. I'll be contacting Ofcom
about this ridiculous behaviour shortly.

Foxy16

Hi, sorry if this has already been asked I have glanced through most of the pages and not found the answer. I am on BT Basic and pleased that unlike the LUS you are now allowed Broadband, and have decided to sign up with Plusnet, do I have to notify BT that I am going to have Broadband, if so what No: do I need to call and what do I say. Thanks for any help.

Heinz

No, you don't.

claretblue

On Monday I reported that no BT Basic application form had been received after 12 WEEKS! Today, Wednesday, my mother received a letter from BT informing her that she was not eligible for the BT Basic Service . . . . . .wait for it. . . . . .because she had not completed her application form and returned it within the specified timescales!
Just HOW do you handle such incompetence?
And there was I. . . .thinking no-one could possibly match Tiscali for such gross stupidity!