BT to amend residential prices - the ups and downs

mobilegossip

Victors_Bruvver wrote:

So what happens to little old me please?

I am on Option 1 and have for at least a year now been using the MSE suggetion of dialling 1899 during the day and signing up with what was JustCall for evenings and weekends.

Poor old brain is now starting to get confused, or is this what BT want it - confuse us poor old !!!!!!s?

As long as you stick to what you are doing nowt happens.

You still pay £11 to BT for your line rental.

Your calls will still be billed and routed by 1899 and Just Dial Saver !!!, so any BT set up charges will not effect you as you are bypassing them.

mobilegossip

bbb_uk wrote:

I would say it effects everyone from 1st August onwards.

Your bills will be reduced if you are on BT's option 2 or 3 but for those on Option 1 or making a chargable call on option 2 or 3 (ie to 07x, 8x, 09x numbers), you will pay an extra 3p from 1st August.

BBB_Uk the 3p set up fee doesnt start to 1/10/2006

bbb_uk

mobilegossip wrote:

BBB_Uk the 3p set up fee doesnt start to 1/10/2006

my mistake I just assumed they were all happening at same time.

Victors_Bruvver wrote:

So what happens to little old me please?

I am on Option 1 and have for at least a year now been using the MSE suggetion of dialling 1899 during the day and signing up with what was JustCall for evenings and weekends.

Poor old brain is now starting to get confused, or is this what BT want it - confuse us poor old !!!!!!s?

My mistake (again) I should have been more clearer. These changes will only effect anyone making their calls through and getting charged for their calls by BT.

Those using Call1899/18866/18185 will not be affected by any of the changes announced by BT as these calls are carried by and billed by Call1899/18866/18185.

Heinz

Reducing the monthly charge for BT Together Option 3 (excluding line rental) by 31% (to £9.95) means it's now 5p less than DOUBLE what Sky now charge for the same thing (OK, you have to be a Sky subscriber - but 8 million of us are now).

MOCHA

The 'connection charge' is unnecessary and greedy IMO, and the 'per minute pricing' is as bad as the old days of unit charging. They've been able to charge 'per second' for over ten years now so why go backwards? (Yes I know it's to make more money!)

DonnyDave

MOCHA wrote:

The 'connection charge' is unnecessary and greedy IMO, and the 'per minute pricing' is as bad as the old days of unit charging. They've been able to charge 'per second' for over ten years now so why go backwards? (Yes I know it's to make more money!)

Indeed, the title of this thread is misleading! How are BT to take "the axe" to charges? Look closer.......

See here for some examples of the increases.

Now, taking into account the per minute charging and "setup fee", the real average pence per minute is actually higher than it at first appears. This example uses a 3p/min call rate as an example and shows that it is usually higher than this apparent rate:

• Call length: 2 mins, total charge 9p, average 4.50p/min
• Call length: 2min 10s, total charge 12p, average 5.54p/min
• Call length: 2min 20s, total charge 12p, average 5.14p/min
• Call length: 2min 30s, total charge 12p, average 4.80p/min
• Call length: 2min 40s, total charge 12p, average 4.50p/min
• Call length: 2min 50s, total charge 12p, average 4.24p/min
• Call length: 3min, total charge 12p, average 4.00p/min

Of course, this all comes just after the statement on the dropping of Retail Price Controls on BT after BT's "assurances" (sic). :rolleyes:

mobilegossip

Good job we have still got https://www.1899.com just 3p connection then 0p aminute for 01/02 calls from a BT line.

DonnyDave

From here:

Landline-to-mobile Price Changes

From 1st October 2006, BT will simplify its landline-to-mobile rates for residential customers by introducing just three rates which will replace existing landline-to-mobile tariffs. Landline-to-mobile rates during the Daytime will be 13ppm (inc VAT), during the Evenings, they will be 8ppm and during the Weekend, they will be 5ppm (inc VAT). These rates will apply for calls to ALL mobile networks (except Hutchinson 3G) and will make it easier for you to manage your calls. ...

So calls to mobiles will cost a minimum of 16p/min, 11p/min and 8p/min during daytime, evening and weekend, respectively after 1 October.

Notice how the 'reductions' come in today so that they can have good press and that the per minute charging and "call setup fee" come in on 1 October. Who's betting that BT will have a promotion or something around that time? A bit like politicians burying bad news.

JohalaReewi

So no change for those using 1899, 18185 and Primus Saver

The connection fee plus calls rounded to minutes is a rip off.

The current min call charge is 5.5p. Under the new regime, the cheapest possible daytime geographic call will be 3p + 3p = 6p. At evenings and weekends it will be 3p + 5.5p = 8.5p (or have I missed something?).

Heinz

JohalaReewi wrote:

At evenings and weekends it will be 3p + 5.5p = 8.5p (or have I missed something?).

You've missed that evening/weekend UK 01/02 calls for BT Together Option 1 customers remain at 5.5p (i.e. no additional 'Set-up Fee').

Call Set-up Fee

From 1st October 2006, the minimum call charge of 5.5p for residential customers will be replaced by a call set-up fee of 3p that will be charged at the start of each phone call.

The call set-up fee will be applied to national and local geographic calls, premium rate calls, NTS calls (e.g. 0845, 0870), international calls and landline-to-mobile calls. However, it will not apply to zero-rated calls included in BT Together Option 2 and 3, BT Together Local Calls Option or Evening and Weekend UK geographic calls of up to an hour for Option 1 customers for which a charge of 5.5p per call will apply.