The UKs Cheapest Home Phones Solution Article Discussion Area

billsavings

Mike_by_the_Sea wrote:

why not both use Skype

Heres why not : http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/07/skypein_problems_continue/

murphydavid

Thanks Heinz and Howie That was very helpful and will definitely save me money.
I am still strugling with my decision of weather or not I should transfer to the Talk Talk pakage.
The clause in their terms and conditions is
"If you are an LR Services Customer and elect to use another provider for some or all of your calls we may, at our sole
discretion, decide to: (i) bar your use of IDA codes; (ii) charge you a higher fee for your use of the LR Service; or (iii)
disconnect your LR Service (or Broadband Service if applicable)."
I have mailed them and await their reply.
Does anyone know if cheapestchat falls into their definition of being another provider? I expect it does and they are unlikely to make an exception just for me.

billsavings

Cheapest Chat access is via a normal geo number so their not likely to bar that.CC also charge 4p connection.

Do you use caller display TT charge for this BT dont.Do you want paper billing TT have apparently started charging for this.Then theirs the fault reporting and customer service issues.

Heinz

murphydavid wrote:

I am still strugling with my decision of weather or not I should transfer to the Talk Talk pakage.
The clause in their terms and conditions is
"If you are an LR Services Customer and elect to use another provider for some or all of your calls we may, at our sole
discretion, decide to: (i) bar your use of IDA codes; (ii) charge you a higher fee for your use of the LR Service; or (iii)
disconnect your LR Service (or Broadband Service if applicable)."
I have mailed them and await their reply.
Does anyone know if cheapestchat falls into their definition of being another provider?

Clever wording there and, being suspicious by nature, I'd note the "at our sole discretion" part in particular.

We know they've barred prefix access numbers to some cutomers and it's not a giant leap to imagine what they could do with 0844 gateway numbers.

If you're really considering taking what I always describe as the 'leap of faith' in the direction of the Talk Talk 'free' broadband package, I'd recommend you read THIS press report or THIS THREAD or Martin's summary thereof:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]TalkTalk Customer Poll Result: Not good but better than expected[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
In last week's e-mail I asked those who'd switched to [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]TalkTalk's*[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] home phone and 'free' broadband package for feedback to see whether the huge publicity about abysmal service stacks up. The results show a substantial number have had major problems and delays, yet they're still in the minority. Most have either been problem-free or had some initial delays, but are problem-free now. Overall my summary is that if you want a guaranteed hassle-free speedy broadband connection, don't use TalkTalk. Yet as it's hugely price competitive, if cost is your priority and you can cope with the risk of some delay - go for it.[/FONT]

Mike_by_the_Sea

I would have thought they that would be skating on thin ice if they tried to bar LR Services Customers (I now know what LR stands for - Line Rental ) from using these types of non-geographical numbers. (0844 etc), although I do share the skepticism from Heinz.

I do have a question though, if you did use something like the cheapest chat number, how much, if anything, do you get charged by your existing provider, whoever they may be. As non-geographical numbers are currently usually excluded from call packages, would you be charged for the call via cheapest chat and also charged the going rate by your provider, or am I missing a trick somewhere?

Heinz

Mike_by_the_Sea wrote:

I do have a question though, if you did use something like the cheapest chat number, how much, if anything, do you get charged by your existing provider, whoever they may be. As non-geographical numbers are currently usually excluded from call packages, would you be charged for the call via cheapest chat and also charged the going rate by your provider, or am I missing a trick somewhere?

You'd be charged whatever your calls provider decides to charge for the 0844 (or whatever) number you dialled (you pay them, the 0844 'owners' take their cut from the number's use, you don't pay them separately).

It is known, for example, that OneTel used to to charge 10% more than BT to call such numbers. Don't know whether Talk Talk learned that little trick when they took them over though.

billsavings

Mike_by_the_Sea wrote:

I would have thought they that would be skating on thin ice if they tried to bar LR Services Customers (I now know what LR stands for - Line Rental ) from using these types of non-geographical numbers. (0844 etc), although I do share the skepticism from Heinz.

I do have a question though, if you did use something like the cheapest chat number, how much, if anything, do you get charged by your existing provider, whoever they may be. As non-geographical numbers are currently usually excluded from call packages, would you be charged for the call via cheapest chat and also charged the going rate by your provider, or am I missing a trick somewhere?

When you sign up for their line rental service you agree to place your calls through them,so they can bar indirect access numbers and do.

The Cheapest Chat Sevice is a top up service via a premium number,and you access it via a normal geographical number.

At least if you keep your line rental with BT and just CPS your calls to another supplier,you can use indirect access numbers like 18185,and override back to BT away from your cps supplier by using the 1280 facility.

utilitybroker

I understand you can get around the barring by using 18185 etc Freephone 0808 numbers,but your find most rates are higher then using 18185 direct.

murphydavid

[QUOTE=I_do_have_a_question_though,_if_you_did_use_something_like_the_cheapest_chat_number,_how_much,_if_anything,_do_you_get_charged_by_your_existing_provider,_whoever_they_may_be._As_non-geographical_numbers_are_currently_usually_excluded_from_call_packages,_would_you_be_charged_for_the_call_via_cheapest_chat_and_also_charged_the_going_rate_by_your_provider,_or_am_I_missing_a_trick_somewhere?[/QUOTE]

First - yes cheapestchat say you will be charged for the call via cheapest chat and also charged the going rate by your provider.
But
The Talk Talk 3 plan gives you inclusive (ie free) calls to numbers starting with 02.
Ive not used cheapestchat yet (having only just discovered there existance from Howie - above - thanks again) But it appears that to use them you have to use 2 numbers (an 0907 number to top up your credit (whatever that is) and a 02084 number) of which the second number is the one you spend a long time using and that starts with 02. (and is the one giving 0.5/min calls to Switzerland)

murphydavid

utilitybroker wrote:

I understand you can get around the barring by using 18185 etc Freephone 0808 numbers,but your find most rates are higher then using 18185 direct.

Can you run that by me again - What exactly would you dial to get around the barring? (I presume you mean someone who has been barred by Talk Talk)