18185 and virgin talk broadband bundle

digitaldug

I cuurently have a BT line and use 18185 to override. I'm thinking of switching broadband to virgin who have a 'bundle 3' package for 9.99 per month that includes free evening and weekend Uk landline calls (via CPS, NTL I believe). I want to continue using 18185 for all other calls. The 18185 website says I can, provided I dial 08081703703 first, then the target number. The downside is that I'll get charged 1p/min for the call (not 0p/min as is the case with calls from BT landlines) and I also have to wait for a voice prompt before dialling the target number, so I can't store the whole number combination (first + target number) for friends/family etc into my phone's memory. However, on the virgin site, under faqs, they say the following:

Question: I have Virgin.net Talk activated on my phone line - how do I make calls using another provider?

Answer: You can choose to route a call via BT by dialling the BT key number 1280 before dialling the destination telephone number. This call will then appear on your BT phone bill.

So does this mean I can program into my phone the prefix 128018185 and still get the standard (BT) 18185 service of 0p/min (i.e., 18185 billed rather than BT)?

Neil

hurrah

As you will be only cps your calls to Virgin Talk, and keeping your line rental with BT ,you will be able to use 18185 in the normal way. You just dial 18185 then the number,as you normally do.

digitaldug

hurrah

Thanks. Does this mean subscribing to NTL is different from Virgin Talk in the way that calls get routed through to them?

Neil

hurrah

digitaldug wrote:

hurrah

Thanks. Does this mean subscribing to NTL is different from Virgin Talk in the way that calls get routed through to them?

Neil

If you were to subscribe to NTL proper the first leg of call from your home to NTL Switch/ Exchange will go through the NTL Cable Network ,after it leaves the exchange it will be delivered by NTL,s preferred carrier for second leg of that call.Then when it reaches the destination exchange for the third leg it will either be delivered by Cable or BT,depending on who reciever of call uses.

If you Virgin Talk Cps your calls.First leg of call goes via BT from your home to BT exchange. Exchange recognises the call is to be cps and transfers it on to Virgin Talk,s preferred carrier for the second leg, and so on.

It is of course possible that Virgin Talk might well use the same carrier,s as NTL to deliver middle leg of call.

I hope this helps.

bbb_uk

Just a word of caution.

Virgin Talk's call charges (outside the inclusive evening & weekend geographical calls) are charged at NTL/Telewest's rates.

NTL/TW's landline service is currently THE most expensive landline provider - even BT are cheaper than them.

A perfect example of this is daytime calls to 0870 which are charged at 10p/min compared to 7p/min from BT and cheaper via Call18185.

Therefore for calls to 084x/087x, mobiles, daytime geographical calls then I recommend routing your call via Call18185 to avoid paying NTL/TW/VirginTalk's expensive rates.

Basically, route all calls via Call18185 except for geographical (those beginning 01 or 02) calls during the evening & weekend which can be carried by VirginTalk as its free (well included anyhow) in your subscription.

buglawton

If you are on NTL then 18185 direct does not work, you have to use an 08... prefix. In which case the 18185 call charges are higher. One of the reasons I keep a BT line despite being in an NTL area.

bbb_uk

buglawton wrote:

If you are on NTL then 18185 direct does not work, you have to use an 08... prefix. In which case the 18185 call charges are higher. One of the reasons I keep a BT line despite being in an NTL area.

VirginTalk use CPS to route their calls which I believe does get routed via NTL's network but as it's a CPS service only and your linerental remains with BT you can use the 18185 direct code as normal.

It's only when you're unlucky to have a cable landline, do you then have to use the 08 freephone prefix.

derrick

I currently use another telephone service provider that either requires me to enter a prefix before calling, or have a dialler box connected to my phone line. Can I continue to use this?

If you want to override Virgin.net Talk with a dialler or a four digit phone number, you can. We recommend that you make all your UK local and national calls using your Virgin.net Talk service as they are included within your monthly subscription.

Taken from HERE, but notice they do not clarify that,"all your UK local and national calls using your Virgin.net Talk service as they are included within your monthly subscription" are only for w/e & eve.

meanscot

I have signed up for Virgin Talk Bundle 2 starting 9 January 2007.
I note from the Virgin FAQ's and e mails that there is a connection fee of 6p for 0845 and 0870 numbers dialled direct.
I phoned virgin to ask about if there was a 6p connection charge if I used the 1280 BT override to make phone calls during the day when BT is cheaper than Virgin Talk and they said no connection fees would apply.
I then asked if 0800 calls were free and the Virgin operator thought that I should use 1280 then dial the 0800 number and ther would be no 6p connection fee charged by Virgin.
Can I use 1280 then the 0800, 0845 or 0870 numbers to avoid a 6p connection fee ?
Virgin Talk FAQ's don't seem to cover these points very clearly.

Can any forum members confirm that ther are no connection fees involved for using 1280 for all calls including 0800, 0845 and 0870.


meanscot :j

derrick

There should not be any because when you use a prefix number,1280, 18185, etc you are diverting away from your CPS, so they don't even know you are using the phone.

Heinz

meanscot wrote:

I have signed up for Virgin Talk Bundle 2 starting 9 January 2007.

Can any forum members confirm that ther are no connection fees involved for using 1280 for all calls including 0800, 0845 and 0870.

BT now have a 3p 'call set-up' fee (it's a connection fee by another name but at least it's half of NTL's) but Virgin/NTL will not charge you another fee for using that prefix.

In any case, 18185's per minute rates are, at times, less than BT's for 0845 and 0870 calls (if you have to make them and cannot find a geographical alternative on SayNoTo0870.com) so, as you will still have a BT landline are are only using a CPS provider for most of your calls, using 18185 or the 1280 prefix are both possible.