MSE News: Escape BT contracts & beat price rises

Paranoid124

Paranoid124 wrote: »

Okay so heres (my) deal...

I currently have a weekend calls line rental deal with BT, and Unlimited Broadband with BEUnlimited.

My BT contract is coming up for expiry on 6th September this year, and I've never made a single landline call (only ever use my mobile!), I only need the line for the BE broadband which I'm more than happy with.

As I'm sure some people are aware, BT charge you for not making any phone calls, and so I typically pay £17.50 a month for the line rental, and then another £8.99 for the broadband.

SO...having read Martin's email today I was struck by how cheap the Primus deal was, which would in theory save me around £10 a month on the line rental.

Saw the post above saying Primus' customer service is terrible, but does anyone have experience of using Primus just for broadband? I've tried to read up about it online and getting confused as to whether the same BT line is used, with just calls being charged by a different carrier - in which case my broadband speed/reliability should be unaffected...is that right?

Any help would be great!

Should clarify the above...has anyone had experience of using Primus' line rental deal and only use it for broadband purposes...

Former_MSE_Archna

Waste_not... wrote: »

I'm sorry, but I wish Martin would stop suggesting that people should use Primus Saver. I have just had an awful experience trying to get a phone connection with them and their customer services are absolutely APPALLING. Check out the forums and you'll see I'm not the only one. Martin really should flag up some sort of 'health warning' for this company.

Hi Waste not - we carried out a customer service poll recently on the major telecoms providers and highlight the results in the home phones article, this allows people to weigh up the unbeatable price with the shaky feedback for themselves. We do it every six months so look out for it if you'd like to add your feedback.

DesG

Any chance we could remove some of the OT posts and discuss escaping from BT contracts :thumbsup:

Cheers, Des.

kehall

Can you switch providers to escape the BT contract (rather than terminating directly with BT) and retain broadband (from another provider anyway, not BT)?

sh1202

about 9 months ago i signed up to a 24 month deal with BT, principally to avoid having to pay the £130 connection charge.

anyone know if BT will attempt to claw back the £130 saving if i switch from them when they announce the price rise? also, i assume that they would require you to send back the router and bt vision box?

thanks

stephan

Skimbleshanks

I found out purely by accident that my Direct Debit was being increased, I had no e-mail warning me or any notification. I e-mailed BT and had a reply stating this was correct even though I'm approximately half way through a contract. I wrote again and received a phone call but unfortuntely couldn't understand the accent but as far as I could make out he was only confirming what the e-mail said.I found the clause in the Terms and Conditions which states if they increase the price to my disadvantage I can leave without paying the penalty. I informed them of this which was totally ignored, so I requested my MAC code which I received but I was informed I would be charged a fee of £108 to leave.
I feel they are treating me like an idiot and not addressing the issue and are either ignoring me or being obtuse hoping I'll go away!!:mad:

invisiblecabbage

Transformer wrote: »

Anyone got good suggestion for a firm that would do a package for unlimited broadband usage and calls, at the moment I average about 48-50.00 a month with bt and need to move on.

So as I am a pleb , I am mid way through bt contract with unlimited calls and broadband does that mean when notified I can tell them I wish to move on due to the price rise? Because I read it does then it doesnt in that you are put onto another yearly contract at 10.00, when I would prefer to leave.

I was in same boat as you yesterday. Had phone call from orange offering same deal as BT but for £29. So I phoned BT told them what orange had said and they reduced my £50 monthly costs to £26, same package. I have also stuck labels on all phones reminding us to use 18185 prefix during weekdays 7am - 7pm. (See my thread BT fights back)

HTH

rev_henry

This should work out very nicely for me, I'm moving into a new place in a couple of weeks but carrying on my Line rental saver,of which I have a month or 2 left, and having to start a new 12 month contract for the new property.

JuicyJesus

Sounds bloody marvellous! Will be eagerly awaiting the email in October and switching to Be post haste! Perhaps Be aren't the cheapest but they are pretty damn well regarded for broadband and a damn sight cheaper!

sly_dog_jonah

Our line rental saver expires early October so this will be perfect timing We had to start an 18month contract with BT when we moved house in December (in order to avoid £120+ connection fee) so will be able to jetisson BT line rental & Broadband with this escape clause. If we call up to invoke this though and BT offer to 'freeze' the prices for us for remainder of contract, can they wriggle out of the clause?