NTL or BT?

Diminutive

Hi!
We've just moved location from Kent to Loughborough. We were with BT in Kent, with virgin.net unlimited 8meg internet. We had Option 1 with BT which I believe was £11 or there abouts and £24.99 for the broadband. The actual telephone Bill for the three month period was £60... so an average of £20 per month. (The line rental was paid at the start). We had freeview for television, so no cost other than the box there! I make that roughly £55 for phone, broadband and internet. BT gave us an install date of the 13th (which 2 weeks ago when we moved in was ages!) Though its pretty close now.

Now in our new place, we have been unable to get the freeview working. There is an arial cable coming through the wall, presumably to a roof mounted arial. Our freeview box just says "No signal", and our television shows complete static. The previous tennants obviously had NTL because they are NTL boxes installed with the cables still there. When we put a cable from the NTL thing near the television socket (its a different socket type), we get quite a clear picture on the television ! But only 2 channels, and on the wrong numbers. I'm guessing our television just needs retuning.... though I lost the original remote and only have a 99p shop universal remote that works for basic things but not the menu for retuning! The freebox will just constantly say No signal even if the NTL cable is put close.

Now in frustration at BT's 2 week wait, we signed up with NTL, their £37 for television, phone and 4 meg broadband (£7 more for the faster speed). At first they said they'd be able to install it on the 12th but now have turned around and said the 17th.

As far as I can tell, BT have said I can cancel with them.... as long as its before the 13th despite still having contract remaining with them because of the move. And virgin I have no contract with, and have been told that if we know longer have a BT line then we wont get charged the £50 leaving fee.

So now what should we do?

In summary, BT is 4 days sooner than NTL.
If NTL have similar call charges, there's a £2 difference in BT/Virgin's favour.
NTL however will also provide television, fixing our no TV problem. And theres £27 in quidco over the NTL sign up


Sorry this is so long! any advise would be appreciated!!

BexTech

The only advice I can offer is having a phone line from NTL wasn't a good idea, you now have higher call costs and are prevented from using the best options to reduce your call costs down to virtually nothing.

With a BT line you can get caller display for free (chargeable on NTL) your calls could automatically go via Primus Saver 2, so your evening and weekend calls to UK landlines would be free, daytime calls could have gone via 1899 so your UK landline calls would be 3p for the entire call, not 3p/min.

NTL charges 3p/min to UK landlines at all times when not inclusive on your call package, NTL charges more for 0845 and 0870 numbers, if you can't find an alternative on SayNoTo0870.com. Mobile calls could have gone via 18185 for 2p/min weekends and 5p/min weekdays, look at how much NTL want to rip you of for those.

Though you could use 1899's cable access number, but is mire long winded and instead of zero pence per minute + 3p as it is from a BT line, it's 1p/min +3p.

colinw

BexTech wrote:

With a BT line you can get caller display for free (chargeable on NTL) your calls could automatically go via Primus Saver 2, so your evening and weekend calls to UK landlines would be free, daytime calls could have gone via 1899 so your UK landline calls would be 3p for the entire call, not 3p/min.

Is caller display really free with BT. I thought you had to make 6 chargable calls per quarter for it to be free? I am split at the moment between going to telwest for phone / broadband or sticking with BT and using Primus Saver 2 and their broadband.

BexTech

Yes, you now need to make 6 calls per quarter with BT to receive the free caller display service.

bbb_uk

colinw wrote:

Is caller display really free with BT. I thought you had to make 6 chargable calls per quarter for it to be free? I am split at the moment between going to telwest for phone / broadband or sticking with BT and using Primus Saver 2 and their broadband.

As mentioned by BexTech, you do have to make 6 calls per quarter to get free caller display but it can be any type of call and generally I ensure calls to 084x/087x are routed via BT.

Telewest/NTL are the most expensive landline telephony provider in the UK so I wouldn't recommend them. As mentioned earlier, you have a plethora of choices available if you use BT but you severely limit your choice if using a TW/NTL line.

In fact, Telewest/NTL are more expensive than BT as well now.

There is nothing stopping you from using TW for their broadband and using a BT line and making use of the many, many other cheaper providers out there for your calls. This is exactly what I do.

See here for the cheapest providers available for those paying their linerental to BT; and see here for the current cheapest option if you decide to use a NTL/TW line (not recommended).

acezing

bbb_uk wrote:

it can be any type of call

It has to be a chargeable call.So an 0800 one would not count.

colinw

I think I will stick with BT and use Primus for broadband. I might just drop the Call Display, either that or make 6 cheap phone calls each month.

acezing

colinw wrote:

I think I will stick with BT and use Primus for broadband. I might just drop the Call Display, either that or make 6 cheap phone calls each month.

You only need to make 2 calls a month. Minimum cost of about 2 offpeak calls say 12p.

colinw

My mistake. I meant 6 cheap calls per quarter.