HELP telediscount problems with bt

Ypaymore

semtal wrote: »

@Ian011, Ypaymore From what I've read, my options using a BT landline to call the USA are as follows:

3) Use my 'Inclusive calls'/minutes to 0845 and 0870 numbers (as BT says 'from 7pm to 7am on weekdays and all weekend, for up to an hour') with a site like amigodial. That's not really an option though, as I talk to family and friends for several hours at a time. Can you hang up after an hour and just redial/'reset the clock' or is 'up to an hour' your lot?

You cant use the inclusive 0845/0870 numbers to make indirect intl calls.

Calls to dial-up Internet, Calling Card and Dial-through access numbers)are excluded.


http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/12732/~/how-much-do-0845-and-0870-numbers-cost%3F


What you can do though in the case of the USA and some other destinations use http://callsdiscount.com/uk/ 0161 3113111 Manchester UK Geographical Access Number from your inclusive minutes,and redial after an hour.

Or use http://www.doubledial.co.uk/cheap_calls_to/united_states 0333 access number.

dialdfordave

Ypaymore wrote: »

You cant use the inclusive 0845/0870 numbers to make indirect intl calls.

Calls to dial-up Internet, Calling Card and Dial-through access numbers)are excluded.

That really depends doesn't it?

Do the numbers act as a dial-through indirect access number or do they issue an 0870 number which connects directly to the destination?

Also BT are not magic - they would need to know that the particular number is being used as a "dial through access number" and then specifically configure their billing system to charge callers for it.

If in doubt, make a short call and see how it get's rated on your on-line billing. I'm sure in the overwhelming majority of cases there will be no charge.

semtal

Apologies for the delayed reply.

Many good posts here and food for thought!

I tried the 18185 service and have a few more questions. I was hoping to use the multi quote option but I must be doing something wrong as the quoted posts aren't coming up.

Anyway...

1) I signed up for 18185 and provided my payment details. The first eyebrow raiser was the pop up window taking me to another URL (myaccount.finarea.ch). For those in the know (be it 18185 users and general net-savvy people) is this URL legit for the 18185.co.uk website?

2) I took the plunge anyway as I was desperate to find at least one good option. Several 'test' calls were made using their system (dail their number, then in my case, a USA number). The 18185 site listed the calls on their site at more or less the 0.5 to 1p per minute range, but I've yet to check my credit card statement to be certain that's all I'll be charged. When I went to check my BT itemised usage NONE of the calls showed up, apart from one, with a price of 0.000p for a 6 six minute phone call. What's going on there?

Am I going to be hit with extra/hidden charges from the 18185 site? Will BT hit me with some kind of added charge when they send out a new bill? There is no hint any additional charge from my BT current usage, with just the one test call (from 10 calls made) listed.

I really don't want any further surprises, which is why I'm asking. The whole 18185 system sounds dodgy to me. I hope someone here can explain the difference between that and how the old telediscount type services worked.

3) I tried BT's 'International Freedom' as well. Knowing I had plenty of free hours to spare I made a call that lasted roughly 4 hours. BT showed that call in the current usage with a charge of roughly £2. How am I still being charged if I'm meant to have 100 hours of 'free' calls?

Thanks in advance!

semtal

dialdfordave wrote: »

You can hang up after an hour and redial. You should be aware though that BT has a "fair use policy" in effect limiting you to a maximum of 1000 minutes or 150 calls per month to 0845/0870 numbers. This is mentioned on the amigodial web site.

If you make more than 1000 minutes of calls per month then you could consider a combination of such a service along with 18185 for example.

The_Groat_Counter wrote: »

Thanks for the clarification and further explanation Ian.

The old days of being easily able to get half-penny a minute calls* to lots of international destinations from a BT line without having to fuss around with opening accounts or buying calling cards are well and truly over!

(* Mustn't forget there was always a per-call connection charge as well though - but it was still amazing value!)

Apologies for the additional post but this caught my eye. Is 18185 still valid? Are there other companies that use that style of dialing a short series of digits, followed by the number you want to connect to?

Ian011

semtal wrote: »

1) I signed up for 18185 and provided my payment details. The first eyebrow raiser was the pop up window taking me to another URL (myaccount.finarea.ch). For those in the know (be it 18185 users and general net-savvy people) is this URL legit for the 18185.co.uk website?

18185 is owned by Finarea in Switzerland.

semtal wrote: »

Am I going to be hit with extra/hidden charges from the 18185 site? Will BT hit me with some kind of added charge when they send out a new bill? There is no hint any additional charge from my BT current usage, with just the one test call (from 10 calls made) listed.

Finarea will charge the rate that was advertised on their website on the day that you made the call.
BT will charge you nothing (unless you forget to dial 18185 first).

semtal wrote: »

I really don't want any further surprises, which is why I'm asking. The whole 18185 system sounds dodgy to me. I hope someone here can explain the difference between that and how the old telediscount type services worked.

Services operating via "service numbers" (084, 087, etc) require that you pay both your landline or mobile provider and the international dial-through provider. With 084 and 087 numbers the payment to the international dial-through provider is the Service Charge that is collected by your landline or mobile provider and which they then pass on. This pays for the international leg of the call. The Access Charge is the payment to your landline or mobile provider for the UK leg of the call. Before 1 July 2015, BT's part of the total call cost (now separately declared as the Access Charge) was effectively zero.

Where an international dial-through provider has a short access code starting with a 1, you pay nothing to your landline provider. Instead, the international dial-through provider sends you a monthly bill. The same is true for services that use an 080 number. You pay nothing to your landline or mobile provider for the UK leg of the call and the international provider sends a separate bill. Likewise for dial-through services operating on 03 numbers, as long as you have an inclusive allowance to cover the call, calls to 03 numbers will attract no charges from your landline or mobile provider, you'll only pay the international provider for the international leg of the call.

semtal wrote: »

3) I tried BT's 'International Freedom' as well. Knowing I had plenty of free hours to spare I made a call that lasted roughly 4 hours. BT showed that call in the current usage with a charge of roughly £2. How am I still being charged if I'm meant to have 100 hours of 'free' calls?

You should hang up and re-dial before 60 minutes (some landline providers have a 30 minute limit) has elapsed to avoid the rest of the call becoming chargeable.

semtal wrote: »

Is 18185 still valid? Are there other companies that use that style of dialing a short series of digits, followed by the number you want to connect to?

Yes, 18185 is still valid. Apart from 18185, the other well known numbers are 18866 and 1899. All three are owned by the Swiss company Finarea.



See also
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5292529
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5219071

giraffe69

4) Using some kind of Skype service, via the Internet (not for me).

Sounds like overcoming the Skype phobia might be the best solution.

semtal

Ian, thank you for explaining further. It seems 18185 (so far) are providing a cheaper service, just like you have explained. That said, in the month or so I;ve been with them they've bumoed up their price to a US 'fixed' line (even though I know I'm calling a US mobile, which is meant to be 1p per minute from '0.5p' to '1.5p' per minute.

I seem to recall you saying companies couldn't charge half a penny and would round it up. Is that correct?

Also, I had a look around for the other Finarea sites, but they seem as outdated as the 18185 site. All mentioning NTL and Telewest customers (???).

Are these Finarea sites listed on MSE? The ones I have my Google search are call1899.co.uk and call18866.co.uk.

Ian011

semtal wrote: »

I seem to recall you saying companies couldn't charge half a penny and would round it up. Is that correct?

The Service Charge element of the cost of a call to an 084, 087, 09 or 118 number, including VAT, must be a whole number of pence. There is no such restriction on the Access Charge for those calls, nor on the cost of any other types of calls.


And, to answer an earlier question... Ofcom publishes a list of allocated Access Codes (numbers starting 1xx) in a spreadsheet in the Numbering Downloads section of their website.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/numbering/#access
Scroll down past the Directory Enquiries listings and look for entries designated 'Indirect Access'.

semtal

Where can I validate that I have the legit sites for those other numbers you provided?

semtal

Okay. I found them on the MSE call checker.

I still need to know why calls using the 18185 service aren't showing up on my current usage / itemised bill with BT. It's like the calls don't exist to them. That can't be right.