Phone/broadband/cable or Sky package

jchrishall2000

Hi :j ,
I currently have a Sky kids/family package (£21 per month I think), BT Option 1 and BT Broadband (£24.99 per month). This piecemeal approach is costing me a bit too much and I susoect that I could rationalise to 1 integrated package and save money. However, my work currently pays for my home phone and so this suits nicely. If I could demonstrate that, for example, ntl's all-in-one package for phone/broadband/cable was cheaper, then I think work would pay, saving me a packet each month!!!!
Can anyone suggest an integrated package or solution here? I don't really think I need BT's 2MB monthly download allowance - I phoned them to check this and the service was pretty poor (they muttered something about an online meter which will tell you how much you use monthly although all I can find is an example program of 'typical' monthly usage. They promised to "look into it" and get back to me, which -of course- they never did). So I've decided that my inertia is costing me money and it's time to STRIKE BACK!!!! Please help me - have any of you got good experience of integrated monthly packages (ntl/telewest/Tesco????) and should I change? Also, I asked BT what happens if I go down to the 1MB broadband package but exceed the monthly limit........they told me I would then be "charged extra" "How much?" I asked. "Er, we'll get back to you" was the answer. They never did.......
So what's the most economical solution?
Phew!
Thanks
Chris

Heinz

Can only give some input on the BT BB side.

I started off on BT Basic BB (which, just to cause confusion with their telephone package 'BT Together Option 1', they now appear to call 'BT Broadband Option 1').

That was (and is) £17.99/month for 1Mb speed with a 1Gb download limit. Didn't worry me because I'm not into music or video but, with plenty of normal surfing, I quite often got close to the 1Gb (there was an online usage checker - which has gone now).

Anyway, a few months ago I received a letter telling me the 1Mb was being increased to 2Mb wherever possible and the 1Gb limit was being increased to 2Gb - but that most people didn't need to worry too much because, if they didn't regularly exceed 2Gb, there'd be no extra charge.

So I don't know what they're telling you - £24.99 must be for far more than 2Gb, mustn't it?

OTOH, there's £7 saved - just downgrade to BT Broadband Option 1.

BTW, none of BT's regular BB prices is £24.99/month (see the BT website). The nearest appears to be Option 3 - £26.99/month (although that's £24.99 for the first 3 months) with a 20Gb limit!

headcovers

Heinz wrote:

........................................- £24.99 must be for far more than 2Gb, mustn't it?

If the OP is paying £24.99, then they are on BT Broadband Option 2 with a 6GB download limit.

jchrishall2000 wrote:

Also, I asked BT what happens if I go down to the 1MB broadband package but exceed the monthly limit........they told me I would then be "charged extra" "How much?" I asked. "Er, we'll get back to you" was the answer. They never did.......

I think you are getting a bit mixed up between the speed of your connection (1MB) and the amount of data that you are allowed to download (6GB). You will not be able to exceed your speed limit, but you might exceed your download limit. I seem to remember it was something in the region of £1.50 per GB, but don't quote me. It was on their website somewhere so I will have a look and get back to you, if I can.

Edit: Here you go - straight from the website:

BT_Website wrote:

What happens if you exceed your usage guideline?
Should you regularly exceed the usage guideline associated with your product by a large amount then we will contact you with a view to moving you to the most appropriate product for you.

If you are already on the maximum usage product (BT Broadband Option 4) and you regularly exceed the top 40GB usage guideline by a large amount each month then we may raise a charge for your excess usage. The charge will be £1.00 (including VAT) for every GB you use over the usage guideline. We will always contact you prior to this to give you fair warning.

Remember the vast majority of our customers find that the usage guideline for their product is suitable for their needs. If you do not exceed your guideline, or only occasionally exceed the guideline, we won't contact you.

Just click your account on your BT home page and click the "What's this?" link next to your download limit.