BT Payphone - debit card - be wary!!!!

buff-tom

Hi all, sorry if this is duplicated, I was short of cash the other day and needed to try and get in touch with my daughter. I used my debit card tried her number and got a message "sorry the person you are calling is unavailable please try later" tried a different number for her same message and tried the first number one last time.
I checked my bank statement today and found the 3 transactions on there first one £8.50 second £8.48 and third 61p. I checked the BT website and it says a connection charge of £1.20 - can they really charge £17 when you dont even speak to somebody?

scullster

Of course it depends on where you were calling.... but on the face of it, it looks like an error. Phone call to BT should resolve this quickly.


From the BT Website (http://www.payphones.bt.com/publicpayphones/paymentprices.htm):
"Call prices - 20p per minute. Minimum fee £1.20 (includes £1 connection charge) for Local and National* calls. Please call 0800 661 610 for current prices for your call.

*Excludes non-geographic numbers (e.g. 0845, 0870), Directory Enquiry calls, calls to premium rate numbers, mobile phones, international numbers, personal numbering, paging services and calls made via the Operator. Other restrictions apply."

moominhater

I also used a BT payphone on Monday using my debit card. I made 3 calls and got charged £6.56 5 times - over £30 for apx 5 mins usage. I called the free phone number - they said that the charges are pending and it will take upto five days to verify how much I have spent. In the mean time my bank account is now £30 down. Just hoping no direct debits come out before then, otherwise this could be a very costly experience.

Wish I'd seen this post before I made the call.

Won't be doing that again.

Flyboy152

scullster wrote: »

Of course it depends on where you were calling.... but on the face of it, it looks like an error. Phone call to BT should resolve this quickly.


From the BT Website (http://www.payphones.bt.com/publicpayphones/paymentprices.htm):
"Call prices - 20p per minute. Minimum fee £1.20 (includes £1 connection charge) for Local and National* calls. Please call 0800 661 610 for current prices for your call.

*Excludes non-geographic numbers (e.g. 0845, 0870), Directory Enquiry calls, calls to premium rate numbers, mobile phones, international numbers, personal numbering, paging services and calls made via the Operator. Other restrictions apply."

That is flipping outrageous. :eek:

How the heck do they justify that?

cord123

Grrrrrr BT!!! I swear they just make up their charges!

Fergie76

Not used a public phone for many a year, but when did they start charging connection fee's? Is this the same if you use coins?

People would be better off buying a £10 mobile, with £10 top-up.

Edit - just read the link above and it's 60p minimum if using coins.

Flyboy152

Fergie76 wrote: »

Not used a public phone for many a year, but when did they start charging connection fee's? Is this the same if you use coins?

People would be better off buying a £10 mobile, with £10 top-up.

Edit - just read the link above and it's 60p minimum if using coins.

:eek: Even more outrageous.

bap98189

Fergie76 wrote: »

Edit - just read the link above and it's 60p minimum if using coins.

Very few payphones accept coins nowadays. All the ones around here are credit/debit card only. Probably because so few people ever use them that it's not worth the hassle of sending an engineer round to collect the cash.

bap98189

Flyboy152 wrote: »

That is flipping outrageous. :eek:

How the heck do they justify that?

The costs of running a payphone (repair, vandalism etc. will be substantial). How many people ever use a payphone nowadays? I doubt many see more than 1 call a week. I would very much doubt any payphone nowadays makes money for BT.

catlad

can you still get them bt phone cards shame not everyone like to take their mobile phones out with them

Jeff_Bridges_hair

catlad wrote: »

can you still get them bt phone cards shame not everyone like to take their mobile phones out with them

No they dont do the old style phoncards anymore.. credit or debit. Or you can buy yourself an international calling card and ring home.

Scullster - that part you put up about pricing excludes calls to mobiles which means the OPs pricing sounds about right.

They cost a fortune to run still and they have to have them up so thats why they charge so much cos most people have mobiles now. Sad state of affairs i must say.