MSE News: BT to end paperless billing discount

gowgowuk

Mark_In_Hampshire wrote: »

Line rental rise = yes, because it's a price rise

Removal of paper free billing discount = no, because it isn't a price rise. It's the removal of a voluntary discount which they weren't obliged to give anyway.

Just my take, welcome other opinions.

Hi,

But since there is a price rise applied at the same time as the removal of paperfree billing, can we invoke that to cancel our account (or at least to be allowed to switch to the line saver contract)? I'm also in the same situation, recently renewed after talking to customer service whop assured me there would not be any change to my bill after the december 70p price rise...

Heinz

Mark_In_Hampshire wrote: »

Line rental rise = yes, because it's a price rise

Removal of paper free billing discount = no, because it isn't a price rise. It's the removal of a voluntary discount which they weren't obliged to give anyway.

Just my take, welcome other opinions.

That's what I would have said a while ago but I'm not so sure about that now because, as I luv cats quotes in post #48 above, BT's terms state:

If BTPS (British Telecom Payment Services) makes a change to your material disadvantage, you may terminate your BT Telephony Services, BT Total Broadband or BT Vision agreement.

That does not specify it has to be a price rise and removal of a discount can only be seen as a 'change' too.

Unless, of course, their crafty accounting systems means paper free discount had nothing to do with BTPS.

US4

SKY now offer 12mths upfront @ £9.95, only issue is can't use 18185/1899 I believe so the 12.5p connection fee plus 7.6ppm could prove costly, and the unlimited @ £5/mth still means you pay 12.5p per mobile connection and 10.2ppm so not great.

Does Primus allow CPS ?

Mark_In_Hampshire

Heinz wrote: »

That's what I would have said a while ago but I'm not so sure about that now because, as I luv cats quotes in post #48 above, BT's terms state:That does not specify it has to be a price rise and removal of a discount can only be seen as a 'change' too.

Unless, of course, their crafty accounting systems means paper free discount had nothing to do with BTPS.

BTPS hasn't made any change at all. Such a change would be, for example, increasing the charge to pay your bill.


However that's nit-picking pedantry really because BT Retail has made a change, and the same legislation covers that also.


The increase in line rental is to the customer's material disadvantage. So the customer should be able to invoke the escape clause.


In this respect the withdrawal of the paper free discount would not appear to be relevant because the escape opportunity is provided by the other change anyway.


As an aside, if BTPS were to make a change, for instance increasing the charge to pay your bill to £100 per payment, you could invoke the right to have your "agreement" with them voided. But then theoretically you wouldn't have any way of paying your bill. It's cleverly done.

Heinz

US4 wrote: »

SKY now offer 12mths upfront @ £9.95, only issue is can't use 18185/1899 I believe so the 12.5p connection fee plus 7.6ppm could prove costly, and the unlimited @ £5/mth still means you pay 12.5p per mobile connection and 10.2ppm so not great.

Does Primus allow CPS ?

Those with Sky line rental should use 18185's freephone gateway number (08081703703). Not as cheap as being able to use the 18185 prefix on BT but, at 5p connection and 1p/minute for UK 01, 02 and 03 calls, a lot cheaper than Sky's own non-inclusive charges.

Only BT allows CPS calls providers (if you can find a suitable one these days).

Similarly, only BT must allow prefix providers like 18185 to be used with its line rental.

US4

Thanks Heinz, just spoke to a BT CSA who advised I could make 2 BT calls by dialling 1280 - does this work with SKY, as will then be cheaper going with BT Line Rental Saver, ?

Crabman

US4 wrote: »

Thanks Heinz, just spoke to a BT CSA who advised I could make 2 BT calls by dialling 1280 - does this work with SKY, as will then be cheaper going with BT Line Rental Saver, ?

We are with AOL for broadband and calls and I was advised by a BT rep that we can not use 1280 to make two qualifying calls per month.

Heinz

Crabman is correct. You cannot use the 1280 override facility if your calls are with AOL because they are one of the former CPS calls providers who have changed to providing your calls via BT Wholesale's WCLI (Wholesale Calls Line Independent) offering which means your calls are carried on the BT network - so using the override code does nothing (you cannot be diverted onto the BT network when you're already there).

US4

Offer from BT of £12.60/mth or LRS £10+£1.50 for no calls so less than current £12.65, but more the LRS, and certainly better than £14.60, but if I agree to these 12mth options, will I lose my CPS use of 1899/18185.

Don't really want to go with SKY as their tariff will wipeout my £1/mth 1899 charges,

jem16

US4 wrote: »

will I lose my CPS use of 1899/18185.

These are not CPS providers. CPS is where all your calls are taken off the BT network and are routed elsewhere. You are simply using a code access each time you want to use 1899/18185 but your calls are still with BT so you have no problem.

You may just need to check if you need to make some minimum amount of calls which you would do at the weekend.