Are First Telecom any good?

namford

Hi all

Uswitch seems to think that First Telecom will save me money on my home phone bill, but I wondered if anyone could recommend or give me any feedback about First Telecom?

I'd appreciate knowing if they live up to their promises and if anyone's had any problems with them?

Thanks very much!
Namford

April2

At first glance, their prices are nothing to shout about:

Weekday UK calls 2.5p/minute (BT 3p/minute, 18866 2p per call)
Weekday evenings 1p/minute (5.5p up to an hour, 18866 2p per call)
Weekends 1p/minute (5.5p up to an hour, 18866 2p per call)

0845 calls weekdays 3.9p/minute (BT 3p/minute)
0845 calls weekday evenings 1.5p/minute (BT 1p/minute)
0845 calls weekends 1.4p/minute (BT 1p/minute)

0870 calls weekdays 7.9p/minute (BT 7.51p/minute)
0870 calls weekday evenings 4.2p/minute (BT 3.75p/minute)
0870 calls weekends 2.9p/minute (BT 1.5p/minute)

Firsttele.com aren't even mentioned (which tells me a lot) in Martin's article on the subject.

In summary, the current 'best' advice for BT landline customers appears to be:

(1) Leave line rental with BT (downgrade to BT Together Option 1 so you just pay £10.50/month by DD for line rental).
(2) Sign up for Carrier Pre Select (CPS) with OneTel (StandardUKTalk) - no subscription fee but you get free UK 01/02 weekend calls and free 118111 Directory Enquiries.
(3) Sign up for call18866.co.uk and use the 18866 prefix for all weekday/evening calls to UK 01/02 nunbers (2p per call).
(4) Sign up for call1899.co.uk and use the 1899 prefix for calls to mobiles (3p connection and 10p/minute during the week and 3p connection and 3p/minute at weekends).
(5) Use the 1280 prefix to route any 0845 or 0870 calls you have to make back onto BT.

Smiley_Mum

I used First Telecom for a good while before going over to other telecom providers, Primus I think was one and then to 18866/1899, and just have basic rental on BT. I never really had any problems with them at all, always pretty good. I signed up with them in 96 and then they changed hands to Atlantic Telecom, then Breathe then back to First Telecom. Didn't have any problems with them at all. I remember though when I stopped using the account as I used it regularly and this guy called me and said they had great new rates on offer etc, and I told him about 18866 and he was speechless and that was that.