cheap calls to mobiles from virgin landline

Tribulation

Hi all, am thinking of switching from BT to Virgin.

What was putting me off is I make a fair number of calls weekdays before 6pm to mobiles and currently use 18185 which costs 6p per min.

With Virgin it's 15.68p per min (or 10.5p if I pay £1.50 per month).
With a virgin phone line, 18185 is 10p per min.

Have had a quick look around. Came across http://www.05pence.co.uk (I know there's many more to research through, first one I picked using this sites ukcallchecker) and it seems that I can dial their number and get calls 24/7 to mobiles for just 4p per minute.

If that is true, I'll swap to Virgin. Anyone used them or similar with virgin and can confirm I've understood it correctly please?

Edit: seems I picked the cheapest with 05pence, next cheapest is 1pence which is the same company but charge 5p per min

OldGreyFox

Your notice that the call price quoted on the call checker is from a BT line . Virgin Media charge more to call 0844/0871 numbers in general . They also charge you nearly 7p a minute to call 0845 numbers.

Tribulation

05pencs faq says

When calling from a landline your call will be charged just at our rate. Your telecom provider will only apply a connection fee: BT applies a minimum connection fee of 5,4p per call only if the cost of the call is less than 5,4p. NTL charges 5p and Telewest charges 6p for 08-numbers and 10p for 09-numbers:

Does/Can my provider or supplier surcharge your rates?
The rates to our access numbers are regulated by Ofcom, the UK telecommunications regulator. It is common practice for all landline service providers to adhere to the charges set by Ofcom, whereas mobile operators do not. When calling from a landline your call will be charged just at our rate. VAT already included.

That implies I only get a connection charge from Virgin, although it does say NTL so might be out of date.

Just checked Virgins non residential price tariff and it seems to have every number but one beginning 0844399, I wonder if this means they block the number?

But it does list the 5p a min option from 1pminute (same company) which uses the number 0844542 which is in price band PG6.

According to the new tariff form 1st Oct 2009 PG6 is 9.70p connection plus 7.82 per minute. So this looks like it will cost me 12.82p per min :mad:

Tribulation

OldGreyFox wrote: »

They also charge you nearly 7p a minute to call 0845 numbers.

According to Virgins new price list, both 0845 and 0870 calls are 9.79p connection them 9.79p per minute ??????

If you have an account with 18185, you can use their 0808 number (which is free with Virgin, I've just checked) and get 0845 calls for 3p a min and 0870 for 5p weekdays and 1p weekend.

This is getting complicated, I would have thought Virgin would be more competitive

utilitybroker

Tribulation wrote: »

According to the new tariff form 1st Oct 2009 PG6 is 9.70p connection plus 7.82 per minute. So this looks like it will cost me 12.82p per min :mad:

Your pay exactly what it says on the tin. Not an extra 5p on top.;)

Tribulation

utilitybroker wrote: »

Your pay exactly what it says on the tin. Not an extra 5p on top.;)

Ah, OK so the 5p per min 1pminute is quoting is with them presuming I'm paying 5p per min for the number rather than the 7.82 that Virgin charges.

So it would still be cheaper me using them at 7.82 p per minute than the 15.68p daytime (or 10.60p if I was on talk mobile) Virgin charges

Stuart_W

Join the Phone Co-op's Caller Plus tariff on your virgin landline.

You can then access 0844 and 0871 numbers at the same price as BT per minute (so a 5p/min 0844 number actually costs 5p/min) - and you pay per second with NO connection fee and a minimum call charge of just 1p +VAT.

You would have to ring 0800 781 5xxx to access The Phone Co-op
then the 0844 number to access which ever indirect supplier you're using.
And then have to ring the person you're calling.

A lot of numbers, but potentially a lot of saving, too.

Their new Global Bolt-ons look interesting and don't yet know if they are available to cable customers.

BexTech

Tribulation wrote: »

This is getting complicated, I would have thought Virgin would be more competitive

Cable for years and even Virgin since Telewest:NTL using the brand name have said the phone service is their cash cow. They have no interest in being competitive they was to make money from the phone service to cover the 'discounts' they give to the packages by having a landline. Crazy they don't want to encourage people to use the phone, all it does it annoys people and they use the phone less or move, like at one time thousands each month were dumping cable phone.

Tribulation

BexTech wrote: »

Cable for years and even Virgin since Telewest:NTL using the brand name have said the phone service is their cash cow. They have no interest in being competitive they was to make money from the phone service to cover the 'discounts' they give to the packages by having a landline. Crazy they don't want to encourage people to use the phone, all it does it annoys people and they use the phone less or move, like at one time thousands each month were dumping cable phone.

I'd have stayed with BT if I could have got the other services without the phone.

But seeing as Virgins price structure on say broadband works out as follows:
50mb: £28 with a phone line costing £11 making £39.
50mb: £38 without a phone (meaning I'd still have to pay BT line rental)

or the fact that I don't seem to have the option to purchase their TV service without the phone, I might as well take it.

I rarely use BT for actual calls, all are diverted else where (have orchid dialer) . If I can avoid it, I won't actually use Virgin for any calls either.

On the plus side I've earned £150 going through quidco for my Virgin package which means even after paying their £49 install fee for their v+ box and £20 for BB activation I'm still £81 in profit, plus I get £20 credited to my account from Virgin, so I'm not going to loose out in my first year