Moving from BT Light User Scheme

ellielovesem

Hi All - Can anyone give me some advice? I'm currently on BT light user and have now been informed that I am no longer eligible for this plan.

My question is, I'm thinking about going with Sky talk but keeping the BT line. Currently I'm not able to move onto another plan because they still see me as being a basic user (I haven't notified BT of my next move yet). Do I need to get my BT account moved to either of the 'free' plans before I can contact Sky? I'm happy to commit to a 12 month line rental contract with BT as I am keen to keep that line but will I then be committed to to the calls package as well and therefore not be able to transfer to Sky Talk?

Any advice gratefully received.

Heinz

You have to have a calls plan associated with line rental - so opt for the Unlimited Weekend Plan then (no monthly cost) and then you can opt for Sky Talk as your CPS carrier.

Remember though that Sky now uses WCLI and so use of the 1280 prefix will not allow you to route calls via BT to 'qualify' for free Caller Display and/or basic 1571 (so BT will additionally charge you for those if you use them) or to avoid Sky's excessive charges for 0845/0870 calls.

Update 3-8-09. Sky now includes 0870 calls in its Sky Talk call packages.

http://www.sky.com/Assets/PDF/StaticFiles/5434510.pdf

PlutoinCapricorn

BT are taking everyone off the Light User tariff sooner or later, it is being discontinued. The question is, what tariff will they put you on? Did they ask you anything?

macman

Surely everyone will be migrated to the Unlimited Weekend Plan unless they request otherwise?

ellielovesem

Thanks Heinz.

Pluto - they have sent me a letter of notification a couple of weeks ago and have offered me the free evenings and weekends package that Heinz has mentioned. All I need to do is send back the slip that came with the letter to confirm I want to go for this. I guess I will now put this in the post at the weekend!

aamuk

Don't take the free weekends and evenings package as BT will tie you into a 12 month rolling contract. As Heinz mentioned, go for just the unlimited weekend plan as there will be no such tie up. You will then just be able to take up the sky talk offering, but remember to get rid of BT privacy if you intend to go for that option.

I suppose BT have just sent you that evenings and weekend form to get you to commit for 12-months, whilst probably if you did nothing you would be automatically moved to the unlimited weekend plan when they end your LUS.

Heinz

No, don't accept the Unlimited Evening & Weekend Plan because that probably involves the 'renewable' 12 month contract.

Tell them you want to go onto the lowest package - the Unlimited Weekend Plan - instead.

EDIT - Cross-posted with aamuk (I'm a slow typist).

ellielovesem

Just read the small print on the BT website and you are right about no 12 month contract on the weekends package. As far as I can see logging into my BT account I haven't been changed to a different plan as yet, I'm expecting a reminder letter before they make any further changes but who knows?!

Thanks for the advice about the privacy option, I do have this so will remove it ASAP.

BT_company_representative

ellielovesem,

What Heinz and others have said is spot on, if you are going to make your calls through another service provider it is more cost-effective to go for the Unlimited Weekend plan with BT.

If you do not sign up to a special offer with your calling plan (i.e. are paying the full price for it) then you will not enter a new 12 month contract.

I hope this has helped clarify the matter!

Cheers,

Stephanie
BT Support

The_Truth_is_Out_There_3

What BT don't tell you:-
16. By agreement with Ofcom, BT is currently in the process of introducing a new low user scheme called BT Basic which will eventually replace the two existing low user schemes, In Contact (63,000 customers) and the Low User Scheme (1.1M customers). We understand from contact with BT that it plans to have the first customers on BT Basic by the end of January 2007 and all low users on the new scheme by the end of June 2007.
Ofcom has insisted that the two current schemes cannot be withdrawn until the new scheme has 600,000 customers using it.
Source: communicationsconsumerpanel.org.uk/downloads/Policy/Ofcom's work priorities and Plans/Annual Plan/N6.pdf
I phoned BT and told them that I did not want to go onto BT Basic. I am now back on the LUS until it closes. If everyone else does the same they will never get 600,000 customers they need and will not be able to close the Light User Scheme.