Post Office Homephone up go call charges.

joepublican

I noticed this statement on PO Homephone site.

"Effective from 24th April 2006, the price of calling Premium Rate Services will be increased by 10%. This increase applies to calls to Premium Rate Services charged both by the minute and by the call. Additionally, the cost of using Operator Services will also be increased. For further information contact our Customer Care Centre”

I phoned their customer service to enquire what they meant by Premium Rate Services. They said all Non Geo numbers starting 084/087 ,and that calls to them will be increased by 10% in price.

The cost of calling is definitely not falling. I guess they have to get their £50 credit back somehow.

DonnyDave

joepublican wrote:

The cost of calling is definitely not falling. ...

The Office of Incompetency would say that this is free competition, but I thought the point of competition was to bring prices down.

Silly me. It's all about perceived prices and that's what all the nice marketing is about. Boring price lists are of no interest or importance to Joe Public, and that's what the UK telephone industry plays on. So when a premium rate number is advertised and it states the price from a BT landline. All of those who have gone with another provider, such as the Post Office, look at the price to call eg. 25p per call, and call, thinking it will cost that. Because of ineffective regulation, the Post Office is allowed to add 10% onto what the caller thinks that they are paying.

Graham1

Looks like there will be a lot of people switching out again once their 6 months is up.

RoyRace

I'm sick of going into the PO and standing in a big q only to be asked by a "floater" if I have a BT line so they can sell me their damn service.

utilitybroker

RoyRace wrote:

I'm sick of going into the PO and standing in a big q only to be asked by a "floater" if I have a BT line so they can sell me their damn service.

Unless they come up with something else, once the £50 offer finishes the PO offer want be very attractive!!!!

Beancounter

Graham1 wrote:

Looks like there will be a lot of people switching out again once their 6 months is up.

Won't we need to staywith them 9 months to take advantage of the £50 credit. if £25 is credited on the 2nd quarterly bill and the other £25 on the 3rd then that makes 9 months?

Graham1

Well the first bill came about 10 days after being connected. So probably 6 months 10 days plus however long it would take to switch out would be the minimum.

Unless, of course, they claw back anything if you cancel that early, in which case 9 months might be safer.

COLLY-WOBBLES

I applied for the Post Office home phone with £50 deal on 29-January - and STILL I've not been connected. have just called them up and was told that because they had so much response to the offer they have a back-log - and they have no idea when the switch will take place - absolutely crazy!

Graham1

I see that Toucan Telecom are now offering £8.99 line rental and charging 3p connection fees to 0845 and 087 numbers.

So the trend of the companies seems clear, line rental costs are going down and call costs (especially NGN number costs) are going up.

bixbarton

Question: if you've signed up to PO Homephone for your line rental, does this then mean you cannot take CPS from someone like JustDial or Primus?

pricefighter

bixbarton wrote:

Question: if you've signed up to PO Homephone for your line rental, does this then mean you cannot take CPS from someone like JustDial or Primus?

Yes.Your Line Rental has to be with BT, if you want to CPS your calls.

Also if you use Caller Display,the PO will charge you £1.75p a month extra rental for this,making PO monthly line rental with caller display £11.70p.While BT for same thing is £11.

Now that £50 credit on your bill promo has finished, the PO deal is not that attractive.