Worth me reprogramming my orchid dialler ?

Jon_S_4

Below i have listed my current dialling 'rules' using my orchid dialler, its been some months since i checked on prices and now ive looked i see some calls can be made cheaper with other carriers.
I dont want to have to keep monitoring prices all the time, do the carriers that offer cheaper calls put their prices up after an initial cheaper option ?

thanks


01/02 Geographic off peak -'primus' (CPS)
01/02 Geographic numbers peak. 1899.
Landline to mobile. 18185
0844/0871 BT at all times (1280 to bypass CPS).
0845 Peak. (dialaround) (1280 to bypass cps) 0844 462 9191
0870 Peak 18185
0845/0870 Evenings and Weekends BT (1280 to bypass CPS).
Directory Enquiries 0800 0192 190
international landline and mobile 18185

Heinz

Jon_S wrote:

01/02 Geographic off peak -'primus' (CPS)
01/02 Geographic numbers peak. 1899.
Landline to mobile. 18185
0844/0871 BT at all times (1280 to bypass CPS).
0845 Peak. (dialaround) (1280 to bypass cps) 0844 462 9191
0870 Peak 18185
0845/0870 Evenings and Weekends BT (1280 to bypass CPS).
Directory Enquiries 0800 0192 190
international landline and mobile 18185

I'd change the ones I've highlighted in red.

After 18185 amended their prices the other day, I recommended to my daughter that she changed her Orchid program in relation to calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers.

Her providers and Orchid program were very similar to yours but, now, I have recommended all 0845 and 0870 calls go via 18185 at all times because, from 1/10/06, their prices compared with BT will be:

0845

Weekdays BT - 3p connection + 3p/minute
18185 – 4p connection + 3p/minute

Evenings BT – 3p connection + 1p/minute
18185 – 4p connection + ½p/minute

Weekends BT – 3p connection + ½p/minute
18185 – 4p connection + ½p/minute

0870

Weekdays BT - 3p connection + 7.11p/minute
18185 – 4p connection + 5p/minute

Evenings BT – 3p connection + 3.69p/minute
18185 – 4p connection + 3p/minute

Weekends BT – 3p connection + 1½p/minute
18185 – 4p connection + 1p/minute

As you can see, with the exception of the 1p higher connection charge, 18185 equals or, in most cases, beats BT at all times (although, as they do for calls to UK mobiles, some dial-through [0844] providers may offer cheaper rates, I ignore them because of their sometimes transitory nature and the consequent need to repeatedly update the Orchid program).

Additionally, 0800 0192 190 has long since ceased to work and, AFAIAA, the cheapest now (apart from free online sites) is 118226 (run by BT) - 23½p flat fee for a single enquiry. This is not the service recommended by Martin but, as that recommendation is more than 9 months old, that's not surprising.

Jon_S_4

Thanks Heinz, again a very comprehensive reply! I apreciate you taking the time.

So my orchid dialler rules now are:

01/02 Geographic off peak -'primus' (CPS)
01/02 Geographic numbers peak. 1899.
Landline to mobile. 18185
0844/0871 BT at all times (1280 to bypass CPS).
0845 Peak. (dialaround) (1280 to bypass cps) 0844 462 34 34
0845 Evening 18185
0845 Weekend BT (1280 to bypass cps)
0870 At all times 18185
Directory Enquiries 118226
international landline and mobile 18185

Does this look ok ?


thanks

Heinz

Sure does - the only possible problem is with your 0845 peak routing but you'll realise if they change rates because it just won't work (they have to change the access number to change the rate).

gavinp

How does this affect using BT Privacy to get free caller-id if no calls are made using BT ?

Thanks

Gavin

Heinz

gavinp wrote:

How does this affect using BT Privacy to get free caller-id if no calls are made using BT ?

It's something to watch of course (a minimum of 6 calls per quarter) but, on the face of it, the programming sends the below 4 types of call via BT.

0844/0871 BT at all times (1280 to bypass CPS).
0845 Peak. (dialaround) (1280 to bypass cps) 0844 462 34 34
0845 Weekend BT (1280 to bypass cps)

Personally, I've got my local Indian takeaway's number programmed into my phone with a 1280 prefix. As they don't open until 6pm, I know I'll be making 5.5p calls whenever I call and, TBH, I know that'll take care of well in excess of the required 6 chargeable BT calls per quarter.

Jon_S_4

Heinz wrote:

Sure does - the only possible problem is with your 0845 peak routing but you'll realise if they change rates because it just won't work (they have to change the access number to change the rate).

Thanks Heinz, at the moment the dialaround rate for 0845 numbers is 2p per min. will stick with that as long as its the cheapest.

gt94sss2

Landline to mobile. 18185

One more thing to keep in mind is that with the switch to per minute billing by BT, Talktalk (both of which will also introduce connection charges) and 1899/18185 etc, that depending on how long your average "calls length to a mobile" is that a CPS carrier (like Primus) who still charges by the second (for short calls) or Primus's mobile bolt on (capped at 20p/call) if your calls to mobiles tend to be longer may be cheaper for calls to mobiles.

Regards
Sunil