International & UK CallChecker discussion

Lobsc

I had just returned from a holiday and wasn't aware of these new charges. My service provider BT had not informed me of these changes so when I wanted to make a call to India I looked up the MSE call checker and spoke for 46 minutes still thinking that the connection fee was 15p. I was very shocked when I saw my bill showing £5.38 instead of 38p I thought it was the service company charging me this and they brought the new change/charges to my attention. I am trying to take this up with BT as they should be responsible for informing their customers. Their support has been very poor - their system has been down every time I call. Also, I would like to know how can these changes make things clearer when I still don't know the Access charge and the Service charge.

Ian011

BT's Access Charge is 9.58p per minute, rising to 10.24p per minute in Sepember 2015.

The service you were using has to tell you the Service Charge on their website and any other promotional material.

As the first thing you do on the MSE Callchecker is select which network you are using to make the call, it should show both the Access Charge for that landline or mobile provider and the Service Charge for each of the listed numbers.

MSE has failed to make the necessary changes to adapt to the new system and most of the prices haven't been updated from the old pre-July system.

terra_ferma

Having used 0844 numbers for years, from a BT phone, I'm now looking for an alternative.
My trusted callchecker is all but useless now....
What services are people using to call European countries (about 30 mins a day)?
I've seen a few on previous posts, will check them out.

terra_ferma

Skype looks like the cheapest, is the service reliable and the quality of the calls good?

buglawton

terra_ferma wrote: »

Skype looks like the cheapest, is the service reliable and the quality of the calls good?

Lately I've found it excellent quality. Worth checking the all-you-can-eat monthly country specific or world deals too.
With everyone having a smartphone in their pocket that can do Skype, the greedy landline purveyors are going to have a disruptive shock coming!

terra_ferma

buglawton wrote: »

Lately I've found it excellent quality. Worth checking the all-you-can-eat monthly country specific or world deals too.
With everyone having a smartphone in their pocket that can do Skype, the greedy landline purveyors are going to have a disruptive shock coming!

We are going to give it a go

buglawton

Oh and don't forget, 18185 and 1899 still exist if you prefer to make calls through a landline handset. Access is via Freephone number or a short code. Lately I've been having initial connection issues though - once you get a good connection the rest of the call is fine.

These are pay as you go companies with reasonably low call setup charges.

drwwalter

I just phoned BT as well as the Post Office who told me that there is a NEW ACCESS charge of 9.53p / min when calling 084, 087 as well as 18185 numbers. Therefore the international call checker is now defunct and misleading.

buglawton

drwwalter wrote: »

I just phoned BT as well as the Post Office who told me that there is a NEW ACCESS charge of 9.53p / min when calling 084, 087 as well as 18185 numbers. Therefore the international call checker is now defunct and misleading.

That's interesting, I'll check the BT bill I manage since my elderly mother has 18185 coded into her phone address book.
No warning on 18185's website about new per-minute access charge when calling 18185.
Looks like the convenience benefit of dialling a short code (and therefore of having a BT line) just vaporised, everyone must use 0808.
If this is the case then naughty, naughty 18185 for not flagging this up in big red capital letters.

Ian011

The Access Charge applies only when calling numbers starting 084, 087, 09 and 118. BT has declared this charge is 9.58p per minute when you call these numbers direct from your BT landline.

If you use the 18185 service you will pay the rates they advertise for calls to various numbers. If you call an 084 or 087 number via the 18185 service (irrespective of whether you dial 18185 or their 0808 number to connect to the service) then their Access Charge will apply instead. There's one problem with that. 18185 haven't declared their Access Charge for calls to 084 and 087 numbers.

In all cases you also pay the Service Charge advertised by the organisation that you are calling.