Query on line rental

fredsnail

I've finally talked Mum into comparing prices for her home phone.

She's concerned that if she changes her current BT line rental as part of the move to cheaper prices, that it will be harder to move again in a year or 2 if there are cheaper deals then.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you have to go back to BT before moving again (this is her assumption) and pay a reconnection charge?

Thanks

fs

macman

No, you can just switch from one non-BT supplier to another, or back to BT. However you will normally be tied in for at least 12 months when you switch.

Heinz

However, one or two of the 'other providers' may make moving difficult (I've read on MSE of subscribers being told that they were locked in a new 18 month contract which had allegedly started, without the knowledge of the subscriber, because the provider had - again allegedy - changed its computer billing system).

TBH, the monthly saving on line rental is unlikely to be more than about £1, whoever she changes to.

macman

Would really need to know her calling habits/requirements to say what savings could be made on the call package. As Heinz says, saving on line rental alone is minimal, so if she's on for example BT Unltd Evening and Weekend, it's hardly worth it.

Heinz

Everyone is different but my personal experience is that 'those of a more mature age' (no disprespect intended to anyone reading) tend to be happiest with an all inclusive package so they can just pick up the phone and dial without worrying about the cost.

Bearing in mind that a 5 minute weekday daytime geographical call on BT now costs at least 36p, one such call every 2 days would justify changing to their £4.95/month Unlimited Anytime Plan.

Inactive

macman wrote: »

No, you can just switch from one non-BT supplier to another, or back to BT. However you will normally be tied in for at least 12 months when you switch.

But not always, my provider has a 30 day contract.

fredsnail

She doesn't use the phone a great deal (mainly to call family etc, but does use the phone during the daytime occasionally). She got talked into the BT 12 month contract when the salesman told her it wouldn't cost any more - but when the bill came it did cost more.

She's looking for a cheaper package possibly including broadband as the bill is normally £50-£60 a quarter including line rental (currently paying broadband to another provider). She has Sky and has been looking at their package initially.

Thanks for all the comments and advice.:beer:

fs

macman

Sounds to me like she is on the wrong tariff and making more than a few daytime calls. Is she on the Unlimited Weekend and Evening Calls tariff? If so, assuming payment by direct debit and online billing, the quarterly bill should be £33.75 if no chargeable daytime calls. If she's actually spending £50-60 then she needs to go onto the Unlimited Anytime tariff at an extra £4.95 per month.
Then, assuming no mobile or premium rate nos, she can make unlimited daytime calls and the bill cannot be higher than £48.60 per quarter.
Broadband changes the picture if she wants to have a bunfdle, but these are not always the best deals and you need to advise what exchange you are in order to see what the LLU options are, these will be the best deals. Or check samknows.com.
Sky Base broadband is a capped 2MB service with a very small data allowance (2GB).

fredsnail

She doesn't want DD or paperless billing (bad experience in the past). I think she's on the free weekend/evening calls - which is when she does most of her calls.

macman

fredsnail wrote: »

She doesn't want DD or paperless billing (bad experience in the past). I think she's on the free weekend/evening calls - which is when she does most of her calls.

That doesn't compute. Even if you add the £12 per quarter she's throwing away there by not using DD and paperless billing, that's only £45.75 maximum, So she must still be making £5-15 of exclusive calls each quarter to get a bill of £50-£60. Switch to Unlimited tarrif at £4.95 per month and it cannot possibly cost any more-and she doesn't have to worry about using the phone in the day any more.

BT_company_representative

Hi Fredsnail,

If you are concerned that you mother is on the wrong package drop me a PM and I will check it out for you.

Cheers

Shane.