Primus billing query using dial through

fbrj

I have been on Primus Saver Option 2 for about 3 months. I pay my line rental to BT (option1) and use an Orchid dialler.

Today I received a bill from Primus and there are some items on it that I do not understand how they have been calculated.

For all my mobile calls my dialler routes these through PhoneCheap (dial through No 08444620002) , which is at an advertised rate of 2p/min and is confirmed as such when the call is made.

My Primus bill shows the following (extracted from the bill)

BT Local call rate 8444620002 04.57 (ie 4mins 57 secs) Peak 16.6p (ex VAT)
BT Local call rate 8444620002 02.08 Peak 7.2p
BT Local call rate 8444620002 01.11 Off peak 4.0p
BT Local call rate 8444620002 01.35 Off Peak 4.0p

From the last 2 items it seems that there is a minimum call charge applied - but I cannot see how the 16.6p has been calculated. I would have expected 4.95mins x 2p = 9.9p. [Also is the quoted rate of 2p/min pre or post VAT?]
Does anyone have any idea...and, if so, would their explanation also explain the 2nd item of 7.2p. Obviously the amounts are fairly immaterial...it is really the principle that I don't understand!

hurrah

The 2p is inclusive of vat.
A minimum call charge of 4p does apply on Primus.

I agree with you the first 2 amounts you quote appear to be wrong. The 2p rate should be the same 24/7 .Unless they apply some mark up at peak rate.

redux

I'd look up the rate for 0845 calls - the fact that they mention local rate, and peak/off-peak makes me wonder if they have substituted in a different tariff.

fbrj

I have e-mailed Primus for an explanation - I will report back when I hear......

hurrah

Their FAQ says.

How am I charged for calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers?
These types of number are non-geographic and are charged according to BT rates.

But i think your find they charge them at BT,s old standard rates and not the newer rates.

The best thing to do when your dialling 0844 on primus is use the 1280 overide an put it through BT.

Heinz

See below for Primus's reply to a query about their NGN call charges. As you will see, although they list 0844, 0845, 0870 and 0871 numbers separately, they quoted only 2 sets of prices - one for 0844/5 calls and the other for 0870/1 calls.

0845 numbers

Eco 0.85p/minute - Off-peak 1.26p/minute - Peak 3.36p/minute

0844 numbers

Eco 0.85p/minute - Off Peak 1.26p/minute - Peak 3.36p/minute

0870 numbers

Eco 1.7p/minute - Off-peak 3.36p/minute - Peak 6.73p/minute

0871 numbers

Eco 1.7p/minute - Off Peak 3.36p/minute - Peak 6.73p/minute


Eco being weekends (Fri midnight- Sun midnight)

Off Peak being evenings (6pm-8am)

Peak being daytime (8am-6pm)

All those prices are excluding VAT and, if you add VAT in, the 6.73p peak rate to 0870 numbers for example becomes 7.91p. That is the BT non-discounted rate (those of us on BT Together Option 1 are charged 7.51p/minute).

So, at 3.36p/minute excl. VAT for that Peak 4m 57s call, Primus would charge 16.632p excl. VAT (the same as they would for an 0845 call).

They're likely to lose money on calls to some 0844 numbers (the ones which should be charged at 5p/minute incl. VAT at all times at least) and on calls to 0871 numbers which, at all times, should be charged 10p/minute.

So, it's swings and roundabouts time. Clearly, paying BT non-discounted 0845 rates for 0845 calls and for some 0844 calls is going to be more expensive on Primus but calls to a 10p/minute 0871 number at 2p/minute at the weekend instead of 10p/minute will be a bargain!

hurrah

Might be worth checking with Primus again!!!

moonrakerz

The OP by fbrj made me check my Primus bill and surprise, surprise mine was the same.
Obviously you need (as stated) to get back onto BT for the 0844 dial-throughs.
I have been into CW for my Orchid dialler and I see that Orchid, as usual, are well up with the hunt. They have carrier codes starting 1280 then adding some dial through numbers - I use Phone Cheap 0844 462 0002 for mobiles and 0845.
All I had to do was select 128008444620002 from the drop down list.


PS: Thanks fbrj !

PPS: Where have the thanks buttons gone !

fbrj

Heinz wrote:

See below for Primus's reply to a query about their NGN call charges.....

Thanks for that Heinz - you seem to have hit the nail on the head! [I haven't yet heard back from Primus]. So it looks as if I have been charged nearly 4p/min (3.95p to be precise!) instead of the expected 2p/min during peak times - not that much of a saving, having rejigged my Orchid dialler away from 18185 during the week (5p/min + 4p connection charge)!!

However thanks to moonrakerz post No 8 above - it seems all is not lost...I hadn't realised that good old Orchid has provided some 0844 nos pre-fixed with 1280 so that these calls are routed through BT - I'm not sure I would have even have thought to have looked! Faced with the prospect of dialling 12808444620002 followed by an 11 digit mobile number I was just about resigned to resetting my dialler back to 18185 (which will probably be inevitable once PhoneCheap adjust their rates.....)

About time that "Thanks" button was fixed!!

theloft

Well I fixed the "Thanks" button for you guys!!! Seriously though, this is getting out of hand, using one company for this call and another for that, I have just signed up with Primus and am not looking forward to pre-fixing calls with 1280 etc. We are retired and don't use the phone that much and always try to use a freephone number if possible, so have not considered an Orchid dialler, would it be worth it for us ? If only there was a really good company that was cheapest for all calls !!

fbrj

theloft wrote:

Well I fixed the "Thanks" button for you guys!!! Seriously though, this is getting out of hand, using one company for this call and another for that, I have just signed up with Primus and am not looking forward to pre-fixing calls with 1280 etc. We are retired and don't use the phone that much and always try to use a freephone number if possible, so have not considered an Orchid dialler, would it be worth it for us ? If only there was a really good company that was cheapest for all calls !!

I think the general consensus is that no one telco will be cheapest for everything - ie you have to jump about for each time/type of call.....an excellent starting point is if you look at any post from "Heinz" you will find a link (right at the end of his post) to a suggested initial set up....which is why you need a dialler (Orchid). I've had one for over a year and it is excellent. It is easy to change the configurations....and Orchid will do the first one for you. One of the biggest consumers of ££ is calls to mobiles and many calls overseas...if you don't make many of these..the urgency of Orchid etc..is probably not so great....