Telesavers: 1p/m but much more on actual bill

LeifGR

I am new to the Telephones forum so bear with me...

Am on BT and have been using the UK and international Callchecker for a while now and use either 1899 or Telesavers (0844 861 2525) for UK 01xx/02xx calls. Telesavers calls are supposed to be charged at 1p/m, but checking my latest BT bill I see that all of the 0844 861 2525 calls have been charged at more than 1p/min. The shorter the call, the higher the per minute charge - one call, quoted by BT as having a duration of 1 second, has been charged at 5.5p! Most calls are between 1.7p and 3p/minute and only the longest call (17 minutes) cost 1p/minute; the cheapest call cost 2.6p for 3 seconds duration.

What am I missing here? It does not seem to line up with any kind of startup cost, either - it just seems that there is some other kind of mechanism at play here, making call costs consistently higher than what is advertised by Telesavers.

Has anyone else noticed something similar or have I missed something obvious here?

reddwarf2002

I think it's the minimum call charge you are getting confused with. I think BT has a minimum call charge of about 6p. I'm not sure on the exact figure but it is roughly that, even if the call length is 1 sec!!

LeifGR

Yes, I thought there might be a minimum charge/start-up fee, but I have a call of 3 seconds charged at 2.6p, three calls of 4, 6 and 9 seconds all for 2.7p each, etc. - so what is the minimum call charge? If it is really 6p, I must be getting a really good deal...:rotfl:

If you plot the per minute charge against duration, you get an inverse power curve, not a threshold like you would get with a minimum or set-up charge.

Ypaymore

When you call an 0844 number BT charge a connection fee 3p prior to 1/8/2007 ,and 6p since then,also you start paying as soon as you hit recorded announcement,and you are charged if you are not connected.

Would be cheaper if you used www.18185.co.uk for peak 01/02 calls just 5p connection(You dont pay if not connected),and at Evening and Weekends if you used Primus Saver 2 for FREE 01/02 calls.
http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/SaverProducts.aspx?source=saver

A_Nice_Englishman

I think you should be paying BT 6p, plus 1p per minute (rounded to the next higher second) including VAT (5.1p /0.851p excluding VAT). The 6p is a 'call set up charge' not a minimum fee i.e. it is always in addition to the per minute charge. Your figures don't seem to fit in with this though. Hmmmmm

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/consumerProducts/pdf/SpecialisedNos.pdf