MSE News: BT cuts 'free' evening calls by one hour

Searcher2

WarriorPrincess wrote: »

Beware! We use 1899 almost all the time - to the extent that we made under 6 calls using BT in a quarter & were landed with extra low-use charges of £3.48 in our monthly bill: £2.50 Caller Display low use charge & £0.98 1571 low use charge. It's clearly their way of penalising people who use the 1899-type services. Since then we've been sure to make the 2 BT calls a month!

I don't fully understand though. If you are on BT evening and weekend tariff then you should be using BT for evening and weekend calls - these would count as calls using BT. It does for me. Maybe it is only the people who are on 12 month contracts (such as me) that this applies to?

ACDeag

WarriorPrincess wrote: »

Beware! We use 1899 almost all the time - to the extent that we made under 6 calls using BT in a quarter & were landed with extra low-use charges of £3.48 in our monthly bill: £2.50 Caller Display low use charge & £0.98 1571 low use charge. It's clearly their way of penalising people who use the 1899-type services. Since then we've been sure to make the 2 BT calls a month!

and you could be getting free calls at the weekend rather than paying 1899 for them and these calls would count to your 6 per quarter!

Little_Maya

There's something I don't seem to be able to find... does accepting the new terms mean that you effectively restart a rolling contract for a further 12 months from X date (when the changes come into force? or from the date you accept?) or does your renewal date stay the same?

MrGumby

Little_Maya wrote: »

There's something I don't seem to be able to find... does accepting the new terms mean that you effectively restart a rolling contract for a further 12 months from X date (when the changes come into force? or from the date you accept?) or does your renewal date stay the same?

Good question. I just phoned them (150) to ask and was assured that accepting the new terms would not start you on a new rolling contract. It would be interesting to know whether others get the same answer.

Incidentally, the notice period for switching from BT is 14 days.

Little_Maya

MrGumby wrote: »

Good question. I just phoned them (150) to ask and was assured that accepting the new terms would not start you on a new rolling contract. It would be interesting to know whether others get the same answer.

Thanks, going to see if I can get that in writing from them... just in case lol

Edit: have now raised a query through their website and have asked for reply by email...

Colin_London

Ypaymore wrote: »

O2 monthly line rental (with inclusive E&W calls) and caller display £11.25 and with basic 1571 £12.25,and no guarantee they want bring their time plans in line with BT. Plus you want be able to use indirect access like 18185.Plus 0845/0870 calls are not included in O2,s E&W plan.

£11.25 per month for Evenings & Weekends landline with Caller Display will do it for me.
Don't need 1571 - that's what our Answering Machine is for

Don't forget the regular price for BT Evenings & Weekends is £15.45. It's only the 'special reduction' for the rolling contract that brings it down to £12.50 per month. And, as the whole purpose of these changes is to get people off Evenings & Weekends what is the betting that the 'special reduction' on Evenings & Weekends will disappear after 1st April?

They don't need to tell us about such plans now as, after all, it's just a promotional discount they would be removing from new rolling contracts after that date. They are not changing any contracts currently in force so do not have to notify us.

Our contract renews on 14th April and I'm fairly certain BT will play this trick, so we will deffo be off to O2 Evenings & Weekends.

We'd still use the Tesco VoIP for the small number of calls we make at other times, even if O2 do come into line with BTs new definition of Evening.

MrGumby

Colin_London wrote: »

Our contract renews on 14th April...

My understanding is that your yearly contract doesn't "renew", it just rolls on, once it's been running a year. So, after the first year, you can cancel whenever you like (subject to 14 days' notice) without penalty.

Anyone know if that's correct?

ACDeag

MrGumby wrote: »

My understanding is that your yearly contract doesn't "renew", it just rolls on, once it's been running a year. So, after the first year, you can cancel whenever you like (subject to 14 days' notice) without penalty.

Anyone know if that's correct?

It renews unless you positively cancel it. BT at it's best!!!

linda_snell

I checked the t & cs and it looks like you can get out of 12 month contract but only if you let them know you don't want the new terms within 10 days. When I rang bt they said the change was due to customers wanting it as people do not get in until later - I was speechless, it is clearly a money making gesture, how many people ring anyone between 6 and 7 am unless it is an emergency, most people I know would panic at getting a call that early! I am overr 50 and bt calls have always been cheaper after 6pm they probabl even had a Beattie advert promoting it! :mad:

MrGumby

ACDeag wrote: »

It renews unless you positively cancel it. BT at it's best!!!

Yes, it renews, but not on an annual basis, unless I'm mistaken. It just rolls on, a day at a time forever (or until they enforce new contract terms, which no doubt they will, one day). In other words, after the first year, you're not tied in, just have to give 14 days' notice to cancel.