MSE News: BT to announce price hikes this weekend

NossenBer

I just noticed my broadband had increased from £16 to £17 / month when I got my bill. There was no reference to the price increase on the bill. I understand they notified customers in September by email / letter but I still think they should highlight increases on the bill - more likely that customers read the bills than other correspondence. I phoned to complain about this as I think it is sneaky - even electricity and gas companies highlight price increases on their bills and they are not exactly known for good customer service. The customer service rep kept on going on about how committed BT is to customer service and on challenge reverted to the fact that BT had already notified customers of the increase. I stated that one cannot say one is committed to customer service is one will not even deign to indicate there has been a price increase when issuing the bill regardless of previous communication.
To make matters worse, on checking I found I am on a 12 month contract expiring in February. I asked how they could increase prices during a fixed term contract and was told this is in their t's and c's. My response was of course - I really do understand how much you care about customer service now, i.e. you don't! Given that the mobile telecom customers were taken to task for increasing prices during fixed term contracts, how can BT get away with this. Surely the regulator should be concerned?

NossenBer

My complaint to Ofcom:
"You will recall that there was an outcry a couple of years ago regarding mobile operators increasing prices during fixed term contracts ('fixed means fixed' campaign. It now appears that fixed line operators are doing the same. I have a 12 month broadband contract with BT and have noticed an increase in price has been applied during the period. I accept that BT has a right to do this under its contract terms although I would argue that this is an unfair contract term. It is also shocking customer service that the increase was not highlighted on the bill (although I accept there may have been prior communication). If electricity or gas companies levied an increase during a fixed term contract there would rightly be an outcry so why not with telecom companies. Moreover, the increase does represent an unfair contract term because even if one tries to leave within the 30 days after notification of the price increase, one inevitably effectively incurs exit penalties because the various fixed contracts for different services are not coterminous e.g. my broadband term differs from my line rental term, so I would lose out by changing provider. I suggest that Ofcom gives consideration to mandating that telecoms operators are prohibited from raising any prices during a fixed term contract."

roxy28

VisionMan wrote: »

I also got the email and my contract is up for renewal. So I rang retentions and after some negotiation

Is there a direct number for retentions , or do customer services put you through?

Darkslider

Sorry for the thread bump but didn't think it was worth starting a new one.

Just had my renewal through for my BT Line Rental Saver, I paid for the year upfront at the start of my contract last year which runs out on Feb 25th 2015. Partner has already taken out a cheap Sky TV only package as she had a pretty good 'come back to us' offer after leaving Sky for BT a year ago. The BT TV box has been appalling despite being replaced during the year, it's just not a patch on the Sky box, slow, clunky and frequently crashing, so we decided we couldn't bear another year of BT TV.

However the phone and broadband side (76mb Infinity Fibre Optic) from BT have been spot on, so I'd like to keep these if possible. Once we're out of contract is my only option to pay the £169 for the years line rental again, or should I look at transferring the phone and broadband to another supplier?

Quentin

You don't have to pay another year upfront. If you don't you will go onto a rolling monthly contract which means you keep your options open to move elsewhere at any time (assuming you have completed any minimum period contract). (eg. Sky may offer you a good deal to switch to them)