BT's latest unnanounced charges?

P.Pilcher

Drunkster and everybody else: Thanks for your comments. It has been mentioned that this charge was notified to all BT customers in leaflets mailed to them with their bills. As I get paperless billing from them (to save their costs) I received no leaflet or any other form of notification from them that this charge was being imposed.
Yes, I am aware that BT have, for some time, been notifying me of the caller number for free, but if I could have avoided this charge by removing this option, why didn't the dusky lady have the intelligence to tell me this? I am aware that by taking up First Telecom's offer, I loose this facility unless I pay extra for it.
Although I appreciate that money saving needs some extra work, there is a limit and finding the code to dial in to make BT charge me for the call and then checking that First Telecom have not charged me for it as well plus the need to remember to do this twice in a quarter or is it twice a month, is, for me, going a bit too far.
I am sure there are other, even cheaper, options available but from First Telecom I have always received good service with any telephone enquiries answered promptly by a human being. This is worth a little. Anyway, I shall continually review the situation, continue reading this forum and move my suppliers when appropriate.

Once again, thanks for your comments.

p.p.

clark1982

if you receive your bill online, BT always send you a email to remind you that the bill is ready to view.

in that email there is a link to https://www.bt.com/update

this directs you to the important changes about your service.

payless

Heinz wrote: »

Your title may be your perception but, in reality, the 'if you don't make 2 chargeable calls per month you'll be charged for these services' has not been concealed (leaflets which accompany bills have been providing warnings).

I think you have bitten off your nose to spite your face by moving your line rental.

I moved one of my lines to post office ( to save £80 over a yr) ... then back to BT , this was easy ( now goty sky talk package)

My other line was with BT, but with Talktalk call package, and Broadband .. when this was converted to Free BB, TT took the line also .... after poor service I asked BT to take it back.... a lot of hassle mainly on TT side.

Just need to remember to do the 2 call pm

Cumbrian_Male

Be aware that BT is to start charging for 1571 if you don't route calls through them £1pm £3p quarter. was in last leaflet.

I refuse to opt out of paper bills for this reason, I wouldn't look at online billing.

I pay line rental monthly by DD.

BritBrat

Be aware that BT is to start charging for 1571 if you don't route calls through them £1pm £3p quarter. was in last leaflet.

Thats great news, lets hope more people dump 1571.

BexTech

BritBrat wrote: »

Thats great news, lets hope more people dump 1571.

I've never liked 1571, don't like paying to find out the number was simply engaged or the person I was calling was a little slow to answer.

Heinz

BritBrat wrote: »

Thats great news, lets hope more people dump 1571.

I agree (as the 'DUMP 1571' link in my signature verifies).

However, it's only 2 chargeable calls per month (or 6 per quarter if you're billed quarterly) so it'd cost 11p or 33p for both the Caller Display and 1571 Calling Features - pretty good value IMHO.

dlnk

I've just spoken to the bank. It costs each company precisely nothing to collect Direct debits from us and exactly the same to receive a bacs payment. How can this 4.50 be legal?

utilitybroker

dlnk wrote: »

I've just spoken to the bank. It costs each company precisely nothing to collect Direct debits from us and exactly the same to receive a bacs payment. How can this 4.50 be legal?

This subject was discussed here at some length.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=400053

dlnk

Thanks, utilitybroker. You might try calling bt, though. I have just spoken to a manager at customer services who has refunded the charge for this bill, whether i move to direct debit or not!