BT & The Use of Access Code Tel Nos

Leodogger

I have been using a telephone code access service for calling Spain and I was told the set up charge made by BT of 15p per call and 0.5p per minute after that for the calls. As I have made a few calls I wanted to check the actual cost (being a bit of a cynic when it comes to Sales speel for these telephone services), so I went online but the calls were not shown. So I have just rung BT and got entirely different info from them.

I carefully explained that I wanted the cost of using access telephone codes to call Spain (specifically routed through 0844 call codes), directed through my BT landline but obviously using a separate telephone service charge. The CS agent told me the call costs 15p set up plus 30p for the first minute and 0.5p per minute after that, so basically 0.45p at least for the first minute. When I asked for the cost of the calls I had already made, they stated I had been charged 0.21p for an 8 minute call and 17p for a one minute call, I am on a unlimited anytime plan so these calls are the only ones I would be charged for????

Is it me or do other people find BT Customer Service are completely uninformed about their own charges as the charges they made do not correspond with the info he gave me?

He said he would send me an email to explain what my call charges are and basically it directed me to their sales page explaining their different call plans ???? This did not answer my question which has nothing to do with call plans but specific charges for specific access code calls.

bubieyehyeh

For short calls you could use 18185.co.uk service (mentioned elsewhere on the site) it would cost 1p/min + 4p setup.

Leodogger

bubieyehyeh wrote: »

For short calls you could use 18185.co.uk service (mentioned elsewhere on the site) it would cost 1p/min + 4p setup.

Yes I am already a customer of 18185 but they charge more per minute for ringing Spain from a landline to a mobile phone (8p per minute), whereas the one I was using is 0.5 per minute.

Heinz

I never use 0844 dial-thru numbers but, if I did, I think I'd start by consulting the MSE International CallChecker for recommendations and the cost of calls from UK landlines to a Spanish mobile.

BT sales people (line most other telephone providers') are pretty clueless about their own call charges.

BTW, it's always best to specify when you're calling a foreign mobile number and not just say you're calling "a Spanish number" - most people would assume you mean "a Spanish landline" when you do the latter.

Leodogger

Heinz wrote: »

I never use 0844 dial-thru numbers but, if I did, I think I'd start by consulting the MSE International CallChecker for recommendations and the cost of calls from UK landlines to a Spanish mobile.

BT sales people (line most other telephone providers') are pretty clueless about their own call charges.

BTW, it's always best to specify when you're calling a foreign mobile number and not just say you're calling "a Spanish number" - most people would assume you mean "a Spanish landline" when you do the latter.

Thanks, that's exactly where I got the 0844 number from MSE Callchecker site. When I rang BT I explained that I was ringing a mobile from my BT landline but as you say they are pretty clueless by the sounds of it. I hope their accounts dept. are more accurate in their call charging when I get the bill !

Heinz

If you've succeeded in using the ½p/minute 0844 dial-thru to call a Spanish mobile, well done! We phone a relative in Spain at least once a week (40 minutes plus) and, if we can't get through to the landline number (using 18185), we text and wait for a call back.

Leodogger

Heinz wrote: »

If you've succeeded in using the ½p/minute 0844 dial-thru to call a Spanish mobile, well done! We phone a relative in Spain at least once a week (40 minutes plus) and, if we can't get through to the landline number (using 18185), we text and wait for a call back.

Isn't it expensive for them to ring you back ? My daughter was paying approx. £4 for 10 minute call using her mobile, which is why we said we would ring from this end. She still has to pay about half a euro to her Spanish mobile provider to receive the call of say 10 minutes but it is cheaper that way.

Ypaymore

Depending on what Spanish Mobile Network your calling you can get calls for 1.6p a minute without any connection charge by using
http://www.localphone.com/call/spain
so it could be more cost effective depending on duration of calls.

Access is via a dedicated 01/02/03 number so you would need inclusive landline minutes to benefit . Plus unlike using 0844 access numbers you don't start paying until your connected to your destination number.


Also have a look at www.viber.com this might be beneficial to you.

Leodogger

Ypaymore wrote: »

Depending on what Spanish Mobile Network your calling you can get calls for 1.6p a minute without any connection charge by using
http://www.localphone.com/call/spain
so it could be more cost effective depending on duration of calls.

Access is via a dedicated 01/02/03 number so you would need inclusive landline minutes to benefit . Plus unlike using 0844 access numbers you don't start paying until your connected to your destination number.


Also have a look at www.viber.com this might be beneficial to you.

Using the above localphone you are still paying twice the charge per minute, admittedly without the connection charge would once over 30 minutes duration you are being charged the same as the 0844 number.

I have heard about viber but this is similar to Whatsapp which we use at the moment, only difference being you can make the odd phone call if you have a strong enough signal in a free wifi zone. She has said that the signal in Nerja is not too good so the jury is out on how beneficial that might be for her to ring me instead of the other way around. Might look into downloading this too though to my mobile if my daughter can also use it.

Ypaymore

JWhite wrote: »

Using the above localphone you are still paying twice the charge per minute, admittedly without the connection charge would once over 30 minutes duration you are being charged the same as the 0844 number.

I have heard about viber but this is similar to Whatsapp which we use at the moment, only difference being you can make the odd phone call if you have a strong enough signal in a free wifi zone. She has said that the signal in Nerja is not too good so the jury is out on how beneficial that might be for her to ring me instead of the other way around. Might look into downloading this too though to my mobile if my daughter can also use it.

I did point out it would only be more cost effective depending on the duration of calls.

Leodogger

Ypaymore wrote: »

I did point out it would only be more cost effective depending on the duration of calls.

Yes I noticed. Do you know if there is an annual charge for using Viber ?