MSE news: BT set to hike call costs again

Consumerist

I've been using 1899.com for a few years now. Very cheap (1p/min to Italy) and free to UK geographical numbers (+ 5p call charge). :T

BT reserved for 0800 numbers and, at weekends, 0845 numbers (both free).

I rarely use BT otherwise.
.

Ypaymore

Consumerist wrote: »

I've been using 1899.com for a few years now. Very cheap (1p/min to Italy) and free to UK geographical numbers (+ 5p call charge). :T

BT reserved for 0800 numbers and, at weekends, 0845 numbers (both free).

I rarely use BT otherwise.
.

Sister company 18185 is cheaper for some calls,eg uk mobile.

laroc

I have just posted this to BBC Moneybox:-

BT raise cost of standard call by 34% from March 2009.

This increase fundamentally alters the one year contract I entered into with BT last March.
The contract seems to be entirely weighted on BT`s side, where they can amend any of their conditions of service at will.
This latest price rise which takes place in October must now infringe on the “unfair terms and conditions” of their contract.
This will make two fundamental changes to my contract within six months
BT obviously says they are abiding by the letter of the law, but they would say that wouldn’t they ?
Customers would be leaving in droves, if they had the opportunity.

Customers with such a massive change in their T & C`s should be given the chance to opt out of this contact without being penalised with massive penalty charges for exiting.
I cannot even change my calling plan without breaking the contract !
BT have you locked in, they can raise their charges to whatever they like (£50 per qtr rental ?) and there nothing their customers can do about it.
This surely cannot be right ?

ColinAllCars

laroc wrote: »

I have just posted this to BBC Moneybox:-

BT raise cost of standard call by 34% from March 2009.

This increase fundamentally alters the one year contract I entered into with BT last March.
The contract seems to be entirely weighted on BT`s side, where they can amend any of their conditions of service at will.
This latest price rise which takes place in October must now infringe on the “unfair terms and conditions” of their contract.
This will make two fundamental changes to my contract within six months
BT obviously says they are abiding by the letter of the law, but they would say that wouldn’t they ?
Customers would be leaving in droves, if they had the opportunity.

Customers with such a massive change in their T & C`s should be given the chance to opt out of this contact without being penalised with massive penalty charges for exiting.
I cannot even change my calling plan without breaking the contract !
BT have you locked in, they can raise their charges to whatever they like (£50 per qtr rental ?) and there nothing their customers can do about it.
This surely cannot be right ?

But you dont have to place your peak 01/02/3 calls through BT.;)

This is what BT say about changing the terms and conditions

1. Sometimes, we will need to change the charges and the terms and conditions of the service. We will publish details of all changes online at www.bt.com.
2. We will also let you know about a price increase or a change to the terms and conditions that we believe is likely to cause you material disadvantage at least one month before it happens. We will let you know about other price changes and changes to the terms and conditions with your next available bill or by an alternative method if this is simpler.
3. For changes we need to make to meet legal and regulatory requirements, we may not be able to meet the timescale detailed in paragraph 32. We will let you know about these changes as soon as we can.
4. If we have made a change which is to your material disadvantage, you will not have to pay a charge if you decide to end your agreement early, unless the relevant price terms say otherwise. However, once we have told you about such a change, you must let us know that you want to end the agreement within 10 days. When we make a change that we reasonably believe is to your material disadvantage we will also let you know that you may end the agreement early without paying a charge for doing so.

So if they believe it is likely to cause you material disadvantage you can end contract early.

Crabman

9.05p connection fee? :rolleyes:

It's hardly worth using the override providers in the callcheckers that are listed as cheapest if it's likely to be a short call.

E.g. a 1 minute call to Israel

Using the best 'simply dial' override provider = 0.5p per min + 9p connection
Using 18185 = 2p per min + 4p connection

18185 and 1899 are cheaper than the 'simply dial' provider for calls up to 3 minutes in duration.

Yet 18185, 1899 & 18866 are 19th, 20th and 25th in the Callchecker results table. It's not the fault of the callchecker and it's only a few pence but still for regular callers it all adds up.

Some action from the useless regulator would be nice but it'd probably be more productive to write to Father Christmas.

OldGreyFox

It can be cheaper still if you have inclusive minutes to use a supplier like www.localphone.com who dont raise a connection charge. EG 1.1p to Israel.