Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

getafairdeal

Senior_Paper_Monitor wrote: »

My theory is that if the lap-top is connected to broadband by wi-fi (generally much easeir to do when travelling than locate an ethernet plug), then the Linksys (UW) internet phone adaptor router is attached to the lap-top (with a crossover cable - peer to peer network - rather than a patch cable) then it should 'work as advertised'.

It might be necessary to set the lap top to act as an internet server in this case but that shouldn't be beyond the 'wit of man'.

There is a 'back up plan' involving a mini-hub behind the lap-top using standard patch cabling - but hopefully not necessary.

Can't find a crossover cable to test it at the moment - will pick one up over the weekend if necessary, run some tests and post results one way or another on here by Tuesday (ish).

Let me stress this is to be of assistance (and I want to find out - would be well useful to me) rather than promote anything!

Have you found out if this is possible yet?

Thanks

Dean

janninew

NigeWick wrote: »

Mine doesn't come until about the 20th, so I am not having any trouble. I think the e-mail was a "belt and braces" effort in case Royal Mail went on strike again.

I am an independent distributor with Utility Warehouse and the views I express may not be shared by the company.

I never get my bill through the post, I always get it online as it seems to come a week or so earlier! Maybe there is a problem with the web-site as it seeems to be going really slowly today (at least when I log on!)

1carminestocky

Got (5!!) copies of my bill in my email account this morning after requesting it yesterday. Just over £50 when I expected it to be £45-ish. There are a few calls to a certain mobile that I recognise as the number of my youngest son's GFs. He's been carpeted and ordered to pay the £4 they cost so back down to £46 for:

Gas 732
Electric 421
Phone line rental
Unlimited broadband
All calls

Mustn't complain.

Incidentally, we've taken advantage of a great Boots deal this morning:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2070875

PS Ordered the Fuji J29 camera that is (allegedly!) on half price offer at £89.99, and 3 bottles of the ludicrously-priced Aussie shampoo that Mrs Carmine insists on using :mad: Biill came to £100.46 with free delivery. Got 3400 points (equates to £34 to spend in Boots), £3.50 topcashback cashback and £8 off my UW bill (8% cashback this month with the UW card at Boots). Effectively £45.50 discount off a £100 spend! :beer:

janninew

1carminestocky wrote: »

Got (5!!) copies of my bill in my email account this morning after requesting it yesterday.

Me too!! I must have requested 5 copies from the UW web-site and they eventually came through to my e-mail account in the early hours. They must have been having some problems, as every other month I receive my bill 5 mins after requesting it!

My transfer to EDF seems to have gone through no problems and my last meter readings are on my bill. It all seems to have gone very smoothly so far!! :T

1carminestocky

Nice one, janninew! And how much do UW owe you this month?

janninew

1carminestocky wrote: »

Nice one, janninew! And how much do UW owe you this month?

They only owe me £8.49 this month, I have spent quite alot on the card getting prepared for my new arrival. Still not bad though as I've had my heating on quite abit.
I will be spending lots this month on Xmas pressies, the 8% cashback in Boots will make alot of difference as I get quite alot of presents in their 3 for 2 offer. My Mum (who also has a card) spends alot in Boots too, so I should be getting a tidy little sum back from UW next month! :T

Senior_Paper_Monitor

1. Mr Fairdeal - efforts using crossover cable failed miserably - couldn't get the laptop to 'see' the VOIP device (might still be my level of competence is the problem rather than the theory - networking skills of a rubberplant). I have ordered a miniswitch and should arrive any day (must stop loaning my spare kit out to solve otehr's problems) - will try that and update you once it arrives.

2. Mr Paymore - an interesting question ! 'Fare use' is always a diffcult term to define - and different companies apply different terms, but usually applied to data transfer rather than voice usage. If (as we are) a sole trader, working from residential address (correctly licensed/insured and paying business rates etc, before anyone else tries to have me closed down for malpractice ) and not promoting the number (directories etc - which are the main benefit of 'business lines') I am not sure any provider would object - Virgin seem perfectly happy with our using their 2 lines (in addition to the UW ones) for 1600 contract minutes of calls to mobiles every month (and that's obviously not just being used to stay in touch with my kids - even if I had any). Also certainly UW encourage their IDs in training to make use of as many UW facilities as possible and 'bragg' about that to potential clients. I suspect they are not going to want to 'shut me down' even if providing them very little business.

Ypaymore

Senior_Paper_Monitor wrote: »

Also certainly UW encourage their IDs in training to make use of as many UW facilities as possible and 'bragg' about that to potential clients. I suspect they are not going to want to 'shut me down' even if providing them very little business.

If a customer who wasnt a distributor did it, would they have the benefit removed,like the T&C suggest.

Senior_Paper_Monitor

As I thought my previous post made clear - I have no way of telling, and the definitions of 'fair use' and 'business use' are open to much debate.

My guess is a sole trader, working from residence, not promoting the number publically would not incur any problem (as I don't/haven't with other providers over many years).

1carminestocky

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=17134419#post17134419

Seems like even the regular experts on the phones forum have no real idea of the level of enforcement of their respective phone provider, either, judging by the surprising paucity of replies.;)