Orchid Dialler Discount 10 December 2004 at 6:57PM in Phones & TV 871 replies 150.5K views

MSE_Martin

Update note 24 May. Orchid Dialler is now giving MSE users a 20% discount if bought through its new webshop. Details are below.

Orchid Dialler boxes are something i already recommend in my home phone article. Effectively it allows you to pre-programme the box so calls are automatically put the choosen provider. Especially useful for those using call18866 and other numbers in combination.

Anyway as the email below details as many of their custom comes from this site - they're offering a discount. (obviously there is no financial link between MSE and Orchid)


Dear Martin

Thanks to you we are saving £££s using the Fantastic 18866 phone service. We are a supplier of Dialler boxes which are being purchased in greater numbers by 18866 users.Our Dialler boxes ensure that ALL calls go over the 18866 service,no need to remember to pre dial the 18866 number.

We sell Diallers Direct to end users at £9.99 for a single carrier or £14.99 for a multiple carrier version.

If MoneySavers quote "MoneySaving Expert" when placing their orders we will give them a 10% discount.

Update: In order to get the 20% discount they need to register on the website, and enter discount code "3" when promted. https://www.orchid-electronics.com.

This is an excusive deal to Moneysavingexpert.
MoneySavers can get information on our Diallers at http://www.orchid-telecom.com/.

The Orderline is 01572 717888

ginger_nuts

this may sound silly but can these dialers be used with cordless phones ,also my internet is a dial up connection will it cause a problem with that .

stub451

this may sound silly but can these dialers be used with cordless phones ,also my internet is a dial up connection will it cause a problem with that .

Yes and No.

Yes. The dialer plugs into the base unit and the BT socket. All your other cordless phones get the benefit of the one dialer.

No. Just prorgam the dialer to route your internet connection at the cheapest rate (e.g. cheapest for 0845 numbers) and problem solved.

dusiepooley

Wouldn't you have to make an awful lot of calls to make it worth spending £9.99 on the dialler though when the calls themselves are free? In fact with 18866 you would have to make 999 to make it break even? Maybe I am just being a bit thick..................... ???

MartinF_2

Hi All

I have been using 2x Orchid V4 diallers for about 2 months now. ( I had two cordless base units at different ends of the house so I needed 2 units but most folk will only need one).

The units plug in betwwen the first BT box and all your phones. It picks up the dialling and routes the call to whatever providers you want depending on the type of call.

As example here is my current setup:

local/national calls - 1866 (1p connection +free )
calls 0845,0870 - BT ( cheapest currently ? )
calls (premium ) - barred
calls 118XXX - the directory enquiry of your choice
calls to USA/Canada - 1899 (3p connection + .5ppm )
calls to Australia - 18866 (1p connection + 2ppm )
other international calls - 18866

The dialler will also alow you to send calls to different providers at certain times of the day as it has a built in clock.

Therefore if a provider offers free nighttime calls you can route those calls to that provider whilst daytime calls go to another provider.


It does take a while to figure out the different functions.

As one can change things on a daily/hourly basis if needed , it means your family do not have to remember prefixes and remember which provider is cheapest for the type of call they are making.

All in all I am very pleased with the Orchid dialler and the help-line service.


HTH

Martin

daymondharris

Just ordered 3!! got my 10% discount too. very helpful man thanks alot. Will let you know ::)

digital

I have been using 2x Orchid V4 diallers for about 2 months now. ( I had two cordless base units at different ends of the house so I needed 2 units but most folk will only need one).

The units plug in betwwen the first BT box and all your phones.

I bought one of these at the beginning of the week. Does what it says on the tin, and the email support is outstanding. However, I'm trying to understand why you needed two. If you have one plugged into your BT master socket then shouldn't it intercept all calls from all extensions in the house?

As example here is my current setup:

calls 0845,0870 - BT ( cheapest currently ? )

I checked 18866 and 1899 when I set mine up and it appeared that 1899 was cheapest, although I couldn't find BT's rates on BT's site (!) and had to get them from Tiscali's.

Therefore if a provider offers free nighttime calls you can route those calls to that provider whilst daytime calls go to another provider.

TalkTalk are currently offering free evening and weekend calls for 12 months if you sign up with them. You also get £20 for signing up and whoever refers you also gets £20. However, I'm currently trying to clarify how the £20 is paid. The web site says 'cash' but, depending on who you speak to at TalkTalk it might be a credit on the account. Even one of their customer service people admitted she was getting conflicting information!

It does take a while to figure out the different functions.

A whole new vocabulary!

As one can change things on a daily/hourly basis if needed , it means your family do not have to remember prefixes and remember which provider is cheapest for the type of call they are making.

Which goes a long way to answering the point that it will take a while to cover the initial cost. On this basis I bought the V4 at £5 more for the added functionality.

MartinF_2

Hi digital,

The reason I needed 2x diallers was that at the BT entry point there is no socket just a box.

Therefore I reckoned that it was cheaper to buy 2x diallers rather than pay BT £xx for an engineer visit to convert the entry box to a socket.

Most folk with modern BT sytems should find the socket at the BT entry point and just insert the Orchid between that and the rest of the house system.

Re your query as to whether BT were cheapest for 0845/0870. I took for gospel a post earlier in this forum that said BT were currently cheapest.

Of course,things are changing almost daily so we need a watch out for rate changes.

I did suggest to the very helpful chap at Orchid that they offer a "current cheapest" schedule for downloading but he did not think it worth while.

I think Orchid usually supply these dialler direct to the telco's in 'ooos preprogrammed so the sale of a few singles will not set them on fire.

They are tho' so very helpful when I asked all the usual newbie questions.

Really Orchid need a simple "Janet&John"style handbook as the current manual assumes knowledge of phrases like "router code" "product population" "carrier codes" and similar phrases. One soon gets the hang of it though.

Martin

leaphaze

According to https://www.saynoto0870.com BT is cheaper nights and w/e at 1p per min. 1899 is 3p per min at all times.

(back to the main subject) I've had an Orchid dialler for several months. Takes a while to get used to the software, but all the info is in the documentation. Well worth the cost, I think.

mary

The cynic in me was slightly amused to see the Contact No for this company is an 0870 number, I thought the idea was to save money!

stellagypsy

Mary - I noticed that too! I just went on to "saynoto0870" and got the geographic number.

Also - I had a nightmare trying to programme my dialler when I was on NTL but am back with BT now (not for that reason, just that NTL are CRAP) and tried again - bingo! it worked first time. I had to e-mail Orchid and they responded promptly and answered my question, even offered to ring me to talk me through it if I still couldn't do it. Great customer service.

HTH, Stella