The UKs Cheapest Home Phones Solution Article Discussion Area

stonsey

Im currently paying £9.99 a month for unlimited broadband (deal offered by NTL when I rang to say I was swapping 18 months ago!) and £10.99 for line rental from BT - Calls go through Planet Talk.

I can't get Talk Talk so am thinking of taking up Virgins offer of free TV, free weekend calls and unlimited Broadband for £19.99.

Does anyone have any feedback on the pro's and con's of this package?

Many thanks

creddish

stonsey wrote: »

Im currently paying £9.99 a month for unlimited broadband (deal offered by NTL when I rang to say I was swapping 18 months ago!) and £10.99 for line rental from BTU - Calls go through Planet Talk.

I can't get Talk Talk so am thinking of taking up Virgins offer of free TV, free weekend calls and unlimited Broadband for £19.99.

Does anyone have any feedback on the pro's and con's of this package?

Many thanks

Depends on whether you want digital TV from Virgin and what TV package you want as opposed to maybe Freevew or Sky. Depends on you phone call pattern but likely to be more expensive with Virgin. If you cancel your BT Line rental you will lose access to cheap phone services such as 1899 and 18185 etc. Depends on what Broadband you have with Virgin now and what you can get with say Sky or other providers on your BT line. You need to compare costs depending on your needs or wants.

Why can't you get Talk Talk? Are you talking TT broadband or Phone or both?

I'm happy with my Virgin 4MB broadband for £10 per month (negotiated on a 3 monthly basis). I uses Freeview and a non-subscription Sky box for TV which costs nothing apart from purchase of boxes. I have BT Line rental and use Talk Talk because the majority of calls are to other TT Users so are free 24/7 and I get 30 minutes of mobile calls per month free with them (by negotiation). I use 1899 for other calls except use BT for some non-geographic calls. Total cost for all three services approx £24 per month.

Colin

stonsey

Thanks Colin

Talk Talk just say Im not in a FREE broadband area - so I could get it but it would be £15 month!

I have a freeview box so have no need to pay for digital TV but just saw it was free with Virgin and it would be useful to be able to watch again (Now seen PVR box on ebay which may be a better option!)

I think it might be better for me to stick with what Ive got as I currently get free weekend and evening calls with Primus /Planet talk and get £5 credit from them every 3 months. I mainly use my mobile during the day and to ring any mobiles as Im on a £25 per mth contract and the only time I use my landline during the day is when Im working at home.

Sarah

utilitybroker

stonsey wrote: »

Talk Talk just say Im not in a FREE broadband area - so I could get it but it would be £15 month!

Thats because they operate a two tier pricing policy.

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/0,1000000085,39287243,00.htm

This might be of interest to you. http://www.freeviewplayback.co.uk/

rhino69

Hi everyone.

After receiving my BT bill last week which included charges for late payment(Not True!) of £5.00 and a 'Processing Fee' of £4.50 I was incensed, especially as I received this bill on 07 June and they demanded payment by the 10th!

I have not used my landline for any calls as I have an Orange Package including Broadband giving me hundreds of free call minutes to Landlines and mobiles.

I called them and spoke to a very nice Irish lady who actually spoke understandable English unlike some customer advisors.

I made if quite clear that it is inappropriate for BT to expect payment within 3 days of receiving my bill - especially as the charge is payable IN ADVANCE for the line rental.
I pointed out that most BUSINESSES are allowed 30, 60 or 90 days or more to pay their bills. Do BT pay their suppliers within 3 days? - I think not!
This met with a babbled response followed by silence.

I said that I was willing to pay the bill there and then if they dropped the late fee and the 'Processing Fee'. She said that she would drop the late fee but that I wouldd have to pay the 'Processing Fee'

I told her that this is inappropriate and unless BT could produce concise and factual evidence to prove the cost of 'processing' my payment it MUST be dropped and said that I would complain forcefully against this which, as we've seen with the banks charges constitures a penalty charge that is unjustified.

She noted that I would complain. I then said that I would leave BT and rent my line from the Post Office who are offertiong cheaper line rental as they rent the lines from BT at wholesale prices.

I called the Post Office and asked questions about any problems that might arise with their connexions and was told that there would be no problems and that my broadband service would be unaffected.

Does anyone have any experience (Good or Bad) with The Post Office phone service?

Graham1

Post Office home phone service: Overall a positive experience. From 1'st July 2007 the Post Office are introducing a 3p connection fee (as others have posted). This is offset by having free evening and weekend 01 and 02 dialling (up to to 60 minutes per call).
They don't seem to block any of the 0844 etc. dial through numbers that other companies offer for cheaper international calls - maybe they will in the future.
I don't know if they are blocking 1899 and 18866 etc. access codes yet as it's ages since I used either. Their T&C would allow them to do so.
On the bills all calls below a certain value are not itemised, they are just lumped together.
Customer services is an 0800 number. I've never had to report a fault so I don't know how easy it would be to get an Openreach engineer to call.
The line rental saving is not very much as it's £9.95 per month if paying by direct debit.
If you go ahead make sure you get "recommended by a friend" to get the £10 credit.

Heinz

Are you aware that BT now operates the Post Office HomePhone service?

The good news is that their non-DD 'processing fee' is, at the moment, still only £1/month (£3/quarter) just like BT's was (and presumably you paid without question) until 1/5/07.

The better news is that Virgin Media's non-DD charge is £5 per month!

hurrah

Post Office phone service still being run by Cable and Wireless i believe,shortly to be taken over by BT.

Under investigation by Ofcom.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=331669&highlight=post+office+homephone

Have long running billing problems.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=447562&highlight=post+office+homephone

Charge for Caller Display where as with BT its virtually free.

camperdown_2

Recent attempts to use 1899 and/or 18185 have resulted in the usual "Zero pence per minute" announcement. Then, in place of the expected dial tone, there is a warbling tone which continues indefinitely.
I tried again today. Both of my calls were to 'TalkTalk' subscribers. I can't help suspecting an attack on the override providers.
Have others had similar experiences?

BritBrat

How would I know it was a Talk Talk customer?

I just used the 18185 to a BT line and it worked perfectly.