avoiding BT line rental charges?

doogstoos

Apologies is this has been covered anywhere!

I have a BT landline but use call 18866 so my bills with BT for phone bills are non-existent. However, I resent having to pay BT line rental (esp as this network was set up whilst nationalised and BT seem to have a total monopoly here).

Anyway, is there any way of avoiding BT's line rental charge? Any companies offer better deals or something?

many thanks for any advice. :rotfl:

Heinz

Yes, there are cheaper providers because the monopoly was taken away from BT and they now have to allow others onto/into the network. Some companies now re-sell BT lines (known as WLR - wholesale line rental) and others install their own equipment in BT exchanges (known as LLU - Local Loop Unbundling).

The usual selling point is 'one bill' rather than any significant reduction in price (some charge even more if things line Caller Display are taken into account).

I never understand the 'one bill' argument but, as Carol Vorderman keeps telling us, consolidating all your debts in one place is best, such things must be advantageous, mustn't they?

Seriously though, the downsides are the clincher for me. You have to have a BT line if you want to use a CPS (Carrier PreSelect) calls provider; Apart from not allowing CPS, other providers can also bar access to the likes of 18866, 1899; Although network line maintenance should be free of charge, stories of charges being levied have appeared.

Obviously, the inept manner in which BT announced what, in effect, is a 50p per month increase in the cost of line rental for those not paying by DD, has made many people ask questions such as yours.

Nevertheless, I still think the series of suggestions in my '6 steps' (under the 'HERE' link in my signature below) - No. 1 of which recommends retention of a BT line - are the best way for most residential users to save on their telephony costs.