BT to amend residential prices - the ups and downs

DonnyDave

It's only the line rental charges for Options 2 & 3 that are reduced today.

Details here. Notice how they now state the price as the amount on top of Option 1.

JohalaReewi wrote:

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

It will cost 5.5p for upto 1 hour in the evening & weekend:

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.

rapido

. .

DonnyDave

So, for those who are staying on BT, what are the differences in the packages that would benefit moving up?

Mobile rates/charges are the same on all options, so during comparisons forget what you spend on mobile calls. Indeed, it's probably worth signing up for 18185 for mobile calls. The only difference is with calls to geographical (01/02) numbers.

BT Together Option 2 costs £3.95 more than Option 1 and includes all evening and weekend calls upto 1 hour. Daytime calls are the same as with Option 1. So the £3.95 covers all those 5.5ps for upto 1 hour.

That means that if you make 72 or more evening and weekend calls to geographical numbers you will benefit. Make less and you will be better off on Option 1. The question is, will people realise this or will they just 'guess' how many calls they make and move according to their perception of the 'Options'? Will they realise that mobile calls don't figure in the equation?

To go to Option 3 it costs £9.95. If each call costs an average of 6p, that's an equivalent of 166 calls.

The point is that it's reasonable for one to imagine that Option 2 is better than Option 1. But only at the evening and weekend; oh and remember BT has already had its axe on that; 6am to 8am are now part of the daytime.

mbailey

Revised BT Privacy Terms and conditions
BT Privacy helps stop unwanted sales calls by registering you with the Telephone Preference Service and giving you BT Caller Display at no extra charge.
From 1st October 2006, customers who do not make some chargeable calls with BT will be charged for BT Caller Display.
Customers with other call providers can still benefit from BT Caller Display at no extra cost if the following calls are made. Customers who bill monthly must make at least two chargeable calls with BT in that month, otherwise BT reserves the right to charge £1.75 a month for BT Caller Display. Customers who bill every three months must make at least six chargeable calls within those three months, otherwise BT reserves the right to charge £5.25 a quarter.
If you do not currently make calls with BT and would like to start making your calls with us again, please call 0800 121 8088. Alternatively, if you would like to make one-off calls that are chargeable to your BT bill then simply dial the numbers 1280 before you dial the phone number you wish to call.
Caller Display requires a compatible phone, (available at BT Shop online), a BT line and caller display equipment. Numbers will not be displayed if the call is from payphones, some switchboards, non-BT networks or where a caller's number is withheld.

Becareful of this one - BT will charge you £5.25 per quarter for caller ID if you use a CPS all the time!!!!

Victors_Bruvver

mbailey wrote:

Becareful of this one - BT will charge you £5.25 per quarter for caller ID if you use a CPS all the time!!!!

Phew!

I thought BT would get me somehow or other, then I realised that if I remmber to keep using them for my 0845 calls by dialling 1280 I would not get charged for Caller Display.

Am I correct in making this assumption please?

Prudent

Is it worth signing up for the free weekend and evening calls on option one for eighteen months?

MOCHA

I've just realised that people who use 1471+3 or 1571+0 will be paying a service fee AND a connection charge for their calls and you pay the service fee even if the call isn't answered! No wonder people call them Bumper Tariffs!

MOCHA

Prudent wrote:

Is it worth signing up for the free weekend and evening calls on option one for eighteen months?

I'd say no because you're tied in for at least 18 months. Check the small print carefully before rushing in.

Heinz

Prudent wrote:

Is it worth signing up for the free weekend and evening calls on option one for eighteen months?

Primus Saver Option 2 gives the same - with no 18 month tie-in.

DonnyDave

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 [highlight]at the start of each phone call[/highlight].

Why not call it a connection charge? Therefore will this apply to all calls; even those that ring unanswered?

I have always assumed that legislation such as the Communications Act prevented charging for:

• The initial ringing tone
• Engaged tone
• Unavailable; as in the case of a mobile phone out of coverage area or switched off
• Out of service; number unobtainable (NU) or not receiving incoming calls

Thus, the widespread prevailence of answering services and Ringback when the line is engaged.

Can someone clarify this?