BT Collect Call Charges

sf76

I've just received a BT bill that had two calls on it that were reversed charged from abroad in April this year.

The calls are genuine and were made by me to my wife...

one for 3 minutes at a cost of £43.40
one for 10 minutes at a cost of £75.70

I've checked with BT and they claim that is the rate and that have to pay up.

These costs seem extortionate to me. Yes I reversed the charges but no-one stated what the call would cost and I had no reason to think the rate would be so different from making an outgoing international call.

Can BT just charge what they like for something like this?

Do I have any comeback, based on the fact that the charge is disproportionate to the service received?

If anyone has any info or suggestions, it'd be much appreciated...

Browntoa

Bt prices are here

http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Inland_Operator_boo/2-1114_d0e1.htm

it was the operator reverse charge ??

not 0800 reverse

iniltous

It is a huge bill for 2 short calls, but I think your anger is misplaced, you say you should have been told the charges, but obviously by the company you made the call with, not BT, after all BT had nothing to do with the call except terminating the call and paying the company that originated it, and then reclaiming the fee from you,
Check with the company you made the calls with,what the connecting charge and price per minute was, I doubt BT are adding anything to the bill, its not what you want to hear but you should have checked first what the call was going to cost

TCMDCFC

sf76 wrote: »

I've just received a BT bill that had two calls on it that were reversed charged from abroad in April this year.

The calls are genuine and were made by me to my wife...

one for 3 minutes at a cost of £43.40
one for 10 minutes at a cost of £75.70

I've checked with BT and they claim that is the rate and that have to pay up.

These costs seem extortionate to me. Yes I reversed the charges but no-one stated what the call would cost and I had no reason to think the rate would be so different from making an outgoing international call.

Can BT just charge what they like for something like this?

Do I have any comeback, based on the fact that the charge is disproportionate to the service received?

If anyone has any info or suggestions, it'd be much appreciated...

Nothing to do with BT whatsoever, if you have issues with the cost of the call you should contact Phone Pay Plus. Apparently as I new user I can't post links but Google them.

sf76

thanks for the feedback...I followed the BT link below but this was for UK Collect Calls but it did then lead me to find BT's international tariff for Collect Calls at:

BTService...list/public/current/Int_Operator_boo/2-1119_d0e1.htm

I know a couple of you said its not BT but if they can publish the tariff as above, isn't it them hiking up the charge?

Buzby

It is very complex since deregulation. You don;t say how the calls were initiated - whether you used a third party connect firm (like 0800 Reverse) or used the BT International Operator to connect the call. If the latter, the prices you saw are correct for their provision of that service, but not those by other firms.

Frankly, even if they charged £10/min, you still wouldn;t have a leg to stand on. The responsibility remains with the call RECIPIENT (on a transfer-charge call) to be aware of the costs. If you don;' know, don't accept the charge. This is what commerce is all about - it doesn't have to be reasonable, just what the market will stand.

It remains cheaper to stick in a few Euro coins into a payphone and ask the recipient to call YOU back, saving a fortune.

iniltous

sf76 wrote: »

thanks for the feedback...I followed the BT link below but this was for UK Collect Calls but it did then lead me to find BT's international tariff for Collect Calls at:

BTService...list/public/current/Int_Operator_boo/2-1119_d0e1.htm

I know a couple of you said its not BT but if they can publish the tariff as above, isn't it them hiking up the charge?[/QUO

Heinz

More like passing on what they're charged after adding their mark-up.