Any Way to Suspend your Broadband Contract?

Leodogger

We are going to be out of the country for a few months and I rather object to paying for a service I won't be here to use. I already have paid BT 12 months in advance last November for my telephone contract.

Can I suspend the broadband contract, or do I have to cancel it and restart it ?

Browntoa

Cancel and restart

penrhyn

Wont that attract the £30 odd termination charge?

Collabora

Call them and ask what can you do

duchy

Then it may be cheaper not to cancel and take the hit on the monthly charge -or when you re-order BB use a different ISP to avoid the charge.

I don't know what BT charge but using Sky as an example BB is 7.50 a month but there is a low use rate (BB lite) which is free with line rental . If BT do something similar could you downgrade to the low usage whilst you are away ?

Leodogger

duchy wrote: »

Then it may be cheaper not to cancel and take the hit on the monthly charge -or when you re-order BB use a different ISP to avoid the charge.

I don't know what BT charge but using Sky as an example BB is 7.50 a month but there is a low use rate (BB lite) which is free with line rental . If BT do something similar could you downgrade to the low usage whilst you are away ?

I decided to look up the cancellation charges and as you know BT make it as complicated as possible to find out their charges but after "drilling" down the various tariff charts, I have managed to find out that it would cost £20.70 per month to cancel the BB for months left on the contract PLUS a £30 "cease" to the service for as they call it "their costs", rubbish as usual, and approx. £9 per month for the phone service for the months remaining of the contract. The only cost you may get out of is the £30 cease cost if you are moving to another area where BT cannot supply you with the service !! As we are not moving or going with another company for a few months, this would not apply so all charges would in effect have to be paid.

Robbing b*********s !!

It would appear it would cost me more to cancel for a few months rather than to leave the contract running.

I am considering just cancelling the lot and going with another company, BT are such thieving dogs !

Leodogger

Probably I would be better off just waiting until my 12 month phone contract comes up for renewal and then cancelling the whole package.

My only problem is I have an "unlimited anytime" call plan which is really useful as I am at home all day and ring relatives a lot but no-one else seems to offer a similar plan that I can find.

duchy

I thought most do something similar - Sky certainly do £5 per month on top of line rental of 16.80 unlimited landline calls 24/7. Virgin do the same.

Collabora

JWhite wrote: »

My only problem is I have an "unlimited anytime" call plan which is really useful as I am at home all day and ring relatives a lot but no-one else seems to offer a similar plan that I can find.

not looked far have you

TalkTalk offer a

Anytime UK calls
Applies to UK numbers starting 01/02/03/0845/0870 only (excludes calls to Channel Islands, dial-up internet, indirect access & all other numbers). Max 60 minutes/call then charged at standard rate. The standard rate for calling UK landlines is 11.5p/minute. Calls to 0871 will cost no more than 14.16p/minute & to 070 no more than 50.88p/minute. All chargeable calls subject to 16p connection fee.

http://www.sky.com/shop/terms-conditions/talk/code-of-practice/tariff-guide/

Unlimited calls at any time for Sky Talk Anytime customers to UK landlines

Leodogger

I have just been doing some research and Plusnet seems to offer a good package but obviously only until the deal runs out. My contract doesn't end until end of October so perhaps a company i can look at then.

They have a 12 month contract anytime calls package with unlimited BB up to 17mb for £7.50 (1st 12 mths) plus £15.95 line rental. There is an "upfront" cost of £5.99, in fact I find the price package a little confusing, in fact what does the "1st Yr" cost of £40.99 mean, £7.50 x 12 is £92? :

• • First 12 months: £7.50 p/m
  • Thereafter: £14.99 p/m
  • Up-front cost: £5.99
  • 1st year cost: £40.99
• • Line Rental: £15.95 p/m
  • 1st year cost: £232.39

Am I missing something ?

Leodogger

duchy wrote: »

Then it may be cheaper not to cancel and take the hit on the monthly charge -or when you re-order BB use a different ISP to avoid the charge.

I don't know what BT charge but using Sky as an example BB is 7.50 a month but there is a low use rate (BB lite) which is free with line rental . If BT do something similar could you downgrade to the low usage whilst you are away ?

That sounds good but don't think BT do a low user rate, in any case I would presume that they would still class this as breaking the contract, but I may be wrong.