BT vs Talk Talk for pensioner

cobster

Hi
I wonder if anyone can help please. My aged aunt was on the Light User Scheme with BT and as they are stopping this plan we need to swap it over to something more cost effective.

Currently the line rental is with BT and will cost £11.25 per month plus their Weekend & Evening Call package (about £5.49 I think). She has had a call from TalkTalk call offering her a new plan saying that they would take over the payment of the landline rental and that it will stay with BT and then the package for Evening and Weekend Calls would come in at £3.99 per month so making it rather competitive to BT (she won't use

I've had a quick scan through the main site and see that it is important to keep the landline rental with BT so that if we need to move in future it is easier, etc. I just need to know if the line does stay with BT if TalkTalk pay for it?

Many thanks in advance for helping me and my 82 year old Aunt who calls TalkTalk ChatChat!!

Cobster

Browntoa

post office at £11.75 is slightly cheaper and offer free mobile calls at the weekend (Talk Talk and Post office take over control of the line but its maintained by Bt up to the local exchange and By Openreach up to the premises on behalf of Talk talk and the Post office))

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/jump2?catId=68600711&mediaId=19300217

inclusive line rental - no need to pay BT
inclusive evening and weekend calls - to UK landlines and 0845/0870 numbers1
inclusive weekend calls - to UK mobiles as well as our top 40 international destinations1
inclusive calls anytime - to other Home Phone customers1
no long contract and no minimum tie-in

1carminestocky

If your aunt is still actually on LUS I was under the impression that none of the other phone providers could attempt to 'poach' her until she wasn't, if you get my drift.


PS The figures you are quoting for inclusive calling plans look very much like 24/7 anytime and not just evenings and weekends, btw. If she only requires evenings and weekends the cost would be less.

alared

If your aunt is still on LUS

---

do nothing.
BT don`t really have a clue how to go about changing people off the LUS and are hoping people like you do their dirty work for them.
I know of people who have been moved by BT onto BT Basic even though they don`t qualify for the new package.
It`s all a bit hit and miss with them.
They sent out letters with a slip attached for you to send back if you agreed to be put on their £11-25 evening and weekend package.
But why should you agree?
Just sit tight and do nothing and wait and see what happens,chances are Bt will move her onto the Basic tariff at £4-95 a month.
They`re just a bunch of chancers who couldn`t run a bath!

PlutoinCapricorn

BT Basic is only suitable for people who make very few phonecalls - see other threads about this, the charges are very high for people who exceed their allowances. I get the impression that your aunt likes to talk!

1carminestocky

PlutoinCapricorn wrote: »

BT Basic is only suitable for people who make very few phonecalls - see other threads about this, the charges are very high for people who exceed their allowances. I get the impression that your aunt likes to talk!

Too right it is!

How much does BT Basic cost?

The BT Basic line rental is only £13.20 every three months (including VAT), and you can pay your bill however you like.

Your line rental includes a call allowance of £4.50 every three months (this includes VAT). This means that if your phone calls to normal UK or international destinations never go over that amount, your bill will never be more than £13.20 every three months (including VAT).

Your £4.50 call allowance covers national, local and international calls. The number of calls you can make depends on the length and type of calls you make. If you call a National or local number, it will be calculated on a 9.78 pence a minute rate (plus 2.93p for each call). International calls are calculated on the standard BT calling package rates.

If you go over your £4.50 call allowance, you'll pay 9.78p a minute (plus 2.93p for each phone call) for all normal UK calls and all other types of calls will be charged at standard BT calling package rates. If you don't use up all of your call allowance, you can't carry this over to the next three months.

http://www.btplc.com/inclusion/Needh...Basic/cost.htm


Does this £4.50 per month on those crazy rates not equate to just a little over 1x 1 minute call per day?

Heinz

1carminestocky wrote: »

Does this £4.50 per month on those crazy rates not equate to just a little over 1x 1 minute call per day?

It's £4.50 per quarter, not per month!

OldGreyFox

cobster wrote: »

Hi I just need to know if the line does stay with BT if TalkTalk pay for it?

If you move (pay) your line rental to another supplier eg Talk Talk you are no longer a BT Customer and will be subject to the new suppliers T&C .

Does your aunt make many calls if so what time of day normally?

1carminestocky

Heinz wrote: »

It's £4.50 per quarter, not per month!

Good God! So it is!! Even more scandalous IMO. When my dad eventually gets moved off the LUS scheme (we are keeping our heads down at the moment, lol, and have heard nowt) he won't qualify for BT Basic anyway as he doesn't get a qualifying benefit so I will be moving his phone line elsewhere.

alared

1carminestocky wrote: »

When my dad eventually gets moved off the LUS scheme (we are keeping our heads down at the moment, lol, and have heard nowt) he won't qualify for BT Basic anyway as he doesn't get a qualifying benefit so I will be moving his phone line elsewhere.

Chances are with BT being in total chaos over this,they`ll move him to Basic.
I personally know of three people who have been moved and not one of them are on any kind of benefit.
BT are basically (no pun) hoping you`ll do their dirty work yourself,hence their letter with the slip to send back agreeing to be moved onto Eves & weekends at £11-25 a MONTH

1carminestocky

He absolutely insists on paper billing also (even though I am very happy to administer his accounts online) so that would be another £1.25 per month, I believe? Plus he pays quarterly (I am working on him with this one, lol) so I'm assuming that would be another wad extra? :eek: