Trapped with BT

Laety2511

Hi, I hope you guys can help/advise me.
I registered with BT last year when moving in my new home, and got phone and broadband. Due to my silly mistake I thought it was a package for 12 months.
Yesterday I received an email to say that my phone was due to expire and either pay 12 months upfront for equivalent of £13 ish, or pay monthly for just under £17. I called to find out about Broadband (which has not been great since we got it) and she said I had another 6 month of this.
I asked if I could have another supplier for my phone as post office is doing £10 a month if we pay a year upfront but she said not because my broadband included "week end calls" so wont be working with the other supplier.
So I m basically left with paying full price per month for another 6 months then can be "free", or pay £87 cancellation fee for the broadband and phone offer.
Or pay another year of phone line with BT and be again 6 months not in sync with broadband contract and will never be able to get out of it unless I pay the hefty fine...
Has anyone had this issue before?
It confused me that they say phone and broadband are 2 things different yet the broadband includes a phone deal...
Thanks a lot for any help!

[Deleted User]

Laety2511 wrote: »

unless I pay the hefty fine...
Has anyone had this issue before?

There is no "fine", it's a an Early Termination of Contract fee(ETC). There are numerous threads about this on the forum. You are made aware of the minimum term when you sign up. Any attempt to leave prior to the end of the minimum term will obviously mean you have to pay the remaining rental you agreed to pay at the start.

It appears you signed for eighteen months, but paid upfront for a year on your line rental. The fact that your line rental is due for renewal does not mean that you can otherwise cancel. If you don't pay in advance, your line rental will revert to monthly payment and you'll be paying the full cost for it.

If you want to leave without penalty, you'll simply have to pay monthly for all services for the next six months.

JJ_Egan

Your line rental contract has ended .
Your broadband contract is still valid for another six months .
Two real choices one pay off your contract or two continue your valid contract and pay six months line rental .
Choice if you move to most ISPs is that you can take a line rental advance twelve months and save a bit . Taking out a new broadband contract is usually a contract for 18 or 24 months .If you do move suggest you find out what the contract is before ending up in the same situation .

As to your broadband not being very good what have your ISP said when you reported the fault have they carried out line tests etc .

Possible get out of contract is found the MSE post BT to raise charges .
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5043853

Laety2511

Hi Thanks, Yes I remember I was trying to choose quickly in the middle of moving home, that will teach me! I just saw on this website that EE is offering up to £100 to switch to them (to cover the costs of early termination, plus other deals on the top of it that could make it worth while... trouble is they have all terrible performance and customer services review... so its like picking the best of a bad bunch
We did try to solve the issue with BT with several phone calls and tests etc.. the broadband is just not great, never been. when we stream (Netflix) some days it just cannot cope...

JJ_Egan

EE suggest you read the problems posted here first .

Unless you move to Virgin cable all the broadband comes down the same BT line and moving may not solve poor broadband .Problems can be your wiring your wifi the router the external BT cable the exchange etc .

lonestarfan

If you are in an area where you can get Virgin cable then I'd recommend you try that as you can get cashback and the reliability and speeds is good. I've often been tempted to move from Virgin cable when I see cheaper BB prices but tbh the reliability always makes me stay.

Laety2511

unfortunately we are not.. as yes I heard good things about this cable...