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

Mark_In_Hampshire

ACDeag wrote: »

Also the whole principle of auto-renewing of contracts should be banned, this does not happen anywhere else or by any other Telecom company as far as I am aware.

It happens with car insurance. I lived with relatives for a short period. My car insurance ran out after I moved. Knowing this, I got quotes and went with another company. My brother handed me the demands from Tesco motor insurance when I visited months later. As far as I was aware, I was buying insurance for a year, not in perpetuity. I never did respond to those

luci

Heinz wrote: »

If you are talking about using 18185 to call mobiles, you're wrong there. Use of the 18185 prefix takes a call off the BT network and so no BT call set-up fee is payable.

However, 18185's connection charge of 5p would apply.

Sorry, no it's the ones that usually start 0871 or 0844 to call mobiles or 0844 to call the US. I couldn't understand why they total call cost was more than 0.5p/min and I was told it was the connection fee.

ACDeag

Mark_In_Hampshire wrote: »

It happens with car insurance. I lived with relatives for a short period. My car insurance ran out after I moved. Knowing this, I got quotes and went with another company. My brother handed me the demands from Tesco motor insurance when I visited months later. As far as I was aware, I was buying insurance for a year, not in perpetuity. I never did respond to those

Car insurance might be an exception so that people don't drive around uninsured because they have failed to ring their insurers up. That would make some sense.

Searcher2

I've just got a reply from a nice man in India who claims I am not being materially disadvantaged by the changes in contract.

"I am sorry to know that you are unhappy with the introduction of new price changes and wish to cease the service in future.

Please find the explanation of your concern raised in the previous contact.

1. Terminate my Unlimited Evening & Weekend Plan with Friends & Family Mobile contract without charge in accordance with your T&Cs 45 to 48 as of 31/3/2010 due the fact that as of 1.4.10 I will be materially disadvantages by your contract change.

Explanation:

The statement mentioned in section 48 states "If we have made a change which is to your material disadvantage, you will not have to pay a charge if you decide to end your agreement early, unless the Tariff Guide says otherwise".

I would request you to Click the term "Tariff Guide" which will lead you to a screen which says that if you are enrolled in a contract with BT and have been availing the benefits of the existing package, ceasing the service before the term period will lead to cancellation charges associated with the package.

2. Change my contract to the Unlimited Weekend Plan - standard plan as of 1/4/2010 with no charge.

Explanation:

I could see that you are in a contract for Evening calls + Friends and Family Mobile till 16/12/10 hence, downgrading the package would certainly lead to cancellation charge of £7.50 multiplied by the remaining months in your contract. Therefore, I have not executed your request to change the plan.

3. Confirm that you have registered my request for points 1 and 2 and will act on it.

Explanation: I have given you the reason in point 1 and 2.

4. Confirm how much notice I need to give to leave BT once I am on the Unlimited Weekend Plan.

Explanation: 14 days notice is required to close your telephone account.

I have carefully evaluated your account and found that our existing package Evening calls + Friends and Family Mobile is meeting your usage and benefiting.
If I talk about the rental charges then it's evident from the account that you are paying the basic rental of £12.79 each month including VAT.

As you have agreed for 12 months contract you are receiving the benefits of free evening and weekend calls up to an hour to local and national land line numbers within UK. In addition, you are receiving mobile calls at a discounted price of 7.2 pence per minute instead of the actual price 12.5 pence per minute in daytime time. Please note that mobile calls at a discounted rate is available 24 hours on your line so you don't have to make mobile calls specifically in evening or weekends.

If I talk about your recent bill dated 12/01/10, there were 68 ocassions when calls were made to local and national land line number within UK. You were not charged for these calls only because of the existing package on your account.

In other words, you are paying the basic rental charge and availing the maximum benefit. All our customers get free voicemail with 1571, free caller identification with 1471, free calls to customer service and can manage their account online….for free!"

So this bloke says they can change the contract as much as they want, it can disavantage customers and it is tough.

JimmyRutter

I just had a call from BT after I emailed them (again asking to be replied to by email) and they first said they would pass me to the cancellation team. The lady then said that it would cost £44 to cancel from April as I am in contract till September. I read out the T&Cs and said I was at a material disadvantage and so should be able to cancel without penalty. I was placed on hold for several minutes to then be told that it would need to be escalated and they would get back to me within 5 days.

medic1978

Looks like everyone is getting different responses. Here's the reply to my email:

I realise that you are unhappy with the price changes and the change of time for evening calls which will be effective from 01/04/10. You can avoid these price changes by signing up to the Unlimited Anytime Plan (UAP), offer available from 22/01/10 till 31/03/10. Please click:

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayCategory.do?categoryId=CON-HOME-PHN-R1

Our terms and conditions do say that we may change our prices, terms and conditions. We are legally obliged to notify you of these changes at least one month before this happens which is what we have done in this instance.

Your feedback is important to us. I have documented your complaint on your account and will be referred to the relevant team for consideration. The complaint reference number is XXXX

After consulting with my manager and as a gesture of goodwill, I have changed the package to the basic line rental (Unlimited Weekend Plan) without the cancellation charges. The order reference number is XXXXX. This change will be effective on your account within the next 24 hours. Please be assured that you are not in a contract with BT for this plan.

Thank you for your patience in this matter. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.

So, presumably they have downgraded me early without charge? maybe i'll ring then tomorrow to check?

Searcher2

Having had a quick look through the Tariff Guide I can't see the bit corresponding to the terms the BT bloke is referring to

i.e. "I would request you to Click the term "Tariff Guide" which will lead you to a screen which says that if you are enrolled in a contract with BT and have been availing the benefits of the existing package, ceasing the service before the term period will lead to cancellation charges associated with the package."

I've asked him to tell me what page they are on - but if anyone else knows please drop a reply!

Mark_In_Hampshire

Searcher2 wrote: »

I've just got a reply from a nice man in India who claims I am not being materially disadvantaged by the changes in contract.

Searcher2 wrote: »

So this bloke says they can change the contract as much as they want, it can disavantage customers and it is tough.

BT are not the sole arbiter of what is and what is not material disadvantage.

If the price increases, or a change is made to the pre-agreed terms without any realisable benefit to go with it, it is very difficult to see how it is not to the customer's material disadvantage in these circumstances.

Unless, that is, you happen to be the type who gets out of bed at 06:00 in the morning and immediately starts making phone calls.

Mark_In_Hampshire

Searcher2 wrote: »

if you are enrolled in a contract with BT and have been availing the benefits of the existing package, ceasing the service before the term period will lead to cancellation charges associated with the package

That's nonsense. The existing package, e.g. the orignal terms as agreed are not at issue. The new ones are.

Mark_In_Hampshire

Jill_ wrote: »

Maybe someone can explain to me how you've been disadvantaged as you are still getting 12hours evening rate? Or how you are disadvantaged if you never make calls between 6-7?

Just because you haven't made calls between 18:00 and 19:00 does not mean that you aren't going to.

The argument could work in reverse however. If you frequently make calls between 06:00 and 07:00 then you will probably not be materially disadvantaged by the change.

Now how many people do that?