switching phone providers

suesaver

New to this so it may have already been covered - but

I want to save money on my home phone charges. I am with BT option 1 and have internet broadband with Virgin (£14.99 a month). The virgin t and c say that I have to be with BT to get the package deal - so How can I save if I am tied to BT?

pricefighter

Place your peak 01/02 calls through https://www.1899.com, 3p a call not a minute.

Use https://www.18185.co.uk for your Mobile and Peak NGN calls.

CPS your E&W calls to http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/SaverProducts.aspx?source=saver
to get FREE calls to 01/02 numbers.

Use the BT 1280 override facility to put your E&W 0845/0870 calls through BT who are the cheapest at these times.

Use the FREE DQ service 0800 0192 190.

Consider getting an Orchid Dialer so you dont have to remember what access code you should be using.

suesaver

thanks - so might be being thick here - but is it just the line rental that I have to stay with as far as the Virgin T and C are concerned?

pricefighter

Yes. You can do what you like with your call traffic.I have Virgin Broadband and do precisely what i advise in my recommendations.

You can start saving money straight away by using 1899 for all your 01/02 calls until you have Free E&W calls in place.

suesaver

thanks again - looking through your advice what do you mean by:-

'cps' your evening and weekend calls - what does cps mean?

what is the BT 1280 overide facility - is this just a prefix number?

pricefighter

CPS is short for Carrier Pre Select .Its where you choose a supplier other then BT to deliver your calls,(But keep your line rental with BT) theirs no need to use an access code like 1899.The exchange automatically routes the call traffic over your preferred supplier who will bill you for your calls.You can override this by using a short code like 1899 to place your traffic through another supplier at times convenient to you.

1280 is a short code that allows you to override your call supllier and route your calls through BT at BT rates. Useful if BT are cheaper EG/0845/0870 offpeak,or if your chosen call suppliers network is faulty.

Heinz

CPS = Carrier PreSelect. That means you have a BT line (and pay your line rental to them) but preselect another carrier to carry all* your calls. That is so that you get your calls for less than BT charge (e.g. Primus Saver Option 2 gives you free calls to UK 01/02 numbers evenings and weekends whereas, BT charge 5.5p for such calls and limit their length to an hour for that price).

* Unless you use a prefix code to send a particular call on another route. In most cases, that means using a 1280 prefix to 'hop back onto' BT for an 084/7 call, using a 1899 prefix to use call1899.co.uk for 3p connection and 0p/minute weekday calls to UK 01/02 numbers or using a 18185 prefix to use 18185.co.uk for 4p connection and 5p/minute weekday calls to UK mobiles (4p connection and 2p/minute at weekends).

suesaver

thanks to both

so I ring up and register with planet talk and then register with 1889 and 18185 companies and use their prefix when appropriate, opting back into BT with 1280 prefix if I want to use BT

think I've got it :j

pricefighter

Heinz.

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pricefighter

suesaver wrote:

thanks to both

so I ring up and register with planet talk and then register with 1889 and 18185 companies and use their prefix when appropriate, opting back into BT with 1280 prefix if I want to use BT

think I've got it :j

You dont have to wait till you get your calls put over Planet Talk to sign up for 1899/18185 .You can register with 1899/18185 today and start saving right away.

Just in case they tell you their capacity is full. Follow instructions in this thread!!! http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=90711