BT light user rate

Lyncroft

When I went onto the Light User scheme I said I had a mobile phone. Wouldn't put me on it so I said I got rid of it. Worked and went onto Light User. Also had dial up internet.

When I went to broadband my ISP said I had to come off the light user scheme as there may be problems with my connection otherwise. I didn't know enough about it so had to come off it. It's a shame because I hardly ever use the phone and my bills were really low. Rip off BT.

normanmark

Lyncroft wrote:

When I went onto the Light User scheme I said I had a mobile phone. Wouldn't put me on it so I said I got rid of it. Worked and went onto Light User. Also had dial up internet.

When I went to broadband my ISP said I had to come off the light user scheme as there may be problems with my connection otherwise. I didn't know enough about it so had to come off it. It's a shame because I hardly ever use the phone and my bills were really low. Rip off BT.

Its not Rip off BT, if you can afford to pay for broadband then its expected you can pay for your line rental

hammy_the_hammer

hra wrote:

BT also told me that today I was not eligible to go on the Low User Scheme because I use the Internet, even though I only have dialup, not broadband.

Are they entitled to do this and where is it documented?

I even checked with a supervisor who said the same thing, though first tried to give a different reason (that the Low User Scheme would end up costing me more) but after I pointed out my dialup access is to a freephone number, he simply said it was an "incompatible product" and if I did join the scheme, any attempt to use the Internet would result in my being put straight back on my original tarrif!

you would be excluded under the first clause
ie ... a telephone service provided by another supplier, either directly or indirectly

the scheme is there to protect the vulnerable as a 'lifeline' ....not there for people to abuse the system

hra_2

Just heard back from BT with a different and longer exclusions list which does prohibit dialup. I'm going to ask where this is published and why the dialup restriction isn't mentioned in the version in their Pricing Summary, but here it is:

The Full Exclusions to this service is as follows:

Customers cannot have the Light User Scheme with the following:

More than 1 line in the property (BT or non-BT, even if in a relatives name).
Access to other operators via BT line (either directly or indirectly) eg:
Indirect Access or CPS.
More than one telephone line at the same or different address, eg: second home
or holiday home.
Discount Packages eg: Friends & Family, BT Togther CallMobile, BT Together
International Option.
Service provided by a Mobile Network Operator.
BT Home Mobile plan.
Payphones.
BT Res Official Lines
ADSL/ISDN/BT Highway.
Business Lines.
PABX Lines
BT Bill Direct
Temporary Service Lines.
Lines provided by another Service Provider.
Burglar alarm lines or lines with ICB (except Lifeline alarm systems).
Outgoing Calls Barred for non-payment.
Any BT Broadband/other dial-up or Broadband ISP?s.
eBilling
A number of 0800, 0808 and 1xxx numbers are barred as some of these allow access
to Indirect Access service providers. The numbers are constantly being updated.

Parisien

Is one surprised in caveat ridden/small print GB?

NO!!!


GB used to be known to the car makers and lots of other branches of multi-nationals, as Treasure island due to the high mark ups the poor ignorant GB purchser would endure...now it seems the worst offenders are indigenous!

hammy_the_hammer

sometimes I despair ....the light user scheme is for people believe it or not who are light users. to access the internet using a modem uses dial tone and then you use the line for however long ergo you aren't a light user.
ultimately feel free to complain to bt or ofcom ....the end result may be that they withdraw the scheme...which of course will only affect the vulnerable

Lyncroft

Why don't BT just say that then publicly as an addition to the whole raft of conditions. The thing is they're not exactly clear with much of their pricing policies so it's no surprise that people look for ways round them. Look at the thread about their recent price rises - it's full of confusion.

bbb_uk

Lyncroft wrote:

Why don't BT just say that then publicly as an addition to the whole raft of conditions. The thing is they're not exactly clear with much of their pricing policies so it's no surprise that people look for ways round them. Look at the thread about their recent price rises - it's full of confusion.

BT are like most other companies especially with regards to telephone companies. Every teleco that I can think of (inc mobiles) hide a lot of things in their t&c and try and hide how much some calls cost (specifically 084x, 087x, 09x).

The thing is I believe that the BT Light User Scheme and In-Contact Plus are loss-makers for BT and BT have to recoup the costs in other ways. BT have already tried to remove these two tariffs but Ofcom forced them to keep them and even though BT have more freedom due to removal of some regulations the one thing Ofcom has forced BT to do is to continue these tariffs along with some price control constraints to prevent BT from increasing these two tariffs and thereby forcing most people to move to Option 1.

No other teleco (NTL/Telewest, etc) offer any tariffs along these lines for exactly the same reason as BT wanted to get rid of them.

As I said earlier, BT are in no way different from most other companies except BT has a lot of regulation to prevent things like the removal of these schemes/plans but yet no other teleco has to.

Steve_xx

bbb_uk wrote:

BT are like most other companies especially with regards to telephone companies. Every teleco that I can think of (inc mobiles) hide a lot of things in their t&c and try and hide how much some calls cost (specifically 084x, 087x, 09x).

The thing is I believe that the BT Light User Scheme and In-Contact Plus are loss-makers for BT and BT have to recoup the costs in other ways. BT have already tried to remove these two tariffs but Ofcom forced them to keep them and even though BT have more freedom due to removal of some regulations the one thing Ofcom has forced BT to do is to continue these tariffs along with some price control constraints to prevent BT from increasing these two tariffs and thereby forcing most people to move to Option 1.

No other teleco (NTL/Telewest, etc) offer any tariffs along these lines for exactly the same reason as BT wanted to get rid of them.

As I said earlier, BT are in no way different from most other companies except BT has a lot of regulation to prevent things like the removal of these schemes/plans but yet no other teleco has to.

BT are different from other UK operators in that they are the still the dominant operator in the UK. No other UK operator has an equal or significant market presence in the way that BT has. Therefore, it is right and proper that BT should be obliged to provide a lowcost service for those who cannot afford the regular service. And it follows that these lowcost services are funded from other more profitable parts of the network service.

Now that BT is free to enjoy more freedom due to the recent deregulation, it will be interesting to note whether or not it decides to markedly increase its line rental charges. If it does decide to increase its line rental charges then this will affect other telcos too, since wholesale rates may be affected by any adverse movements in line rental charging. OFCOM may well well have to regulate BT again in this area if it fails to be sensible.

bbb_uk

Steve_xx wrote:

Now that BT is free to enjoy more freedom due to the recent deregulation, it will be interesting to note whether or not it decides to markedly increase its line rental charges. If it does decide to increase its line rental charges then this will affect other telcos too, since wholesale rates may be affected by any adverse movements in line rental charging. OFCOM may well well have to regulate BT again in this area if it fails to be sensible.

Ofcom do have some assurances by BT concerning this area. As you're probably aware, we have no idea what they were so will just have to wait. I suspect it'll have been that they wont increase linerental above a certain percentage each year (or something along those lines).

I've got a feeling that another linerental increase of 50p maybe on its way before the end of year and like the last increase, it will only affect those on Option 1 as its these customers that BT hate because they know that most are using CPS.

But of course, Ofcom in their 'livin in a perfect world dream', believe that competition alone would prevent this and other price increases but yet Ofcom haven't completed their investigation on competition in the landline teleco area yet.