REF BT announces steep price rises for home phone and broadband – how to beat the hi

james_smitha

Regarding Martin's news item pertaining to BT announces steep price rises for home phone and broadband – how to beat the hikes.

No wonder they couldn't manage to offer me a meaningful discount. The staff probably knew then (about 2 weeks ago) that the outrageous price rises where immanent, so **had** they given me for example Line saver at I think £170 with Evening + weekend, the same as last year they would have been sacked very quickly.

I'd be interested to hear peoples' thoughts on giving up land line calls entirely, but instead a £5 or £6 mobile contract. So you just have the landline to receive if need be, but mobile as the first choice for all calls.

The difference is it is mainly BT, Sky and Virgin fighting over Sports & Movie deals

Ian011

As long as you get your broadband from elsewhere, BT Home Phone Saver at £20.99 per month for line rental, Anytime inclusive calls to 01, 02 and 03 numbers, caller ID, voicemail and a few other features, isn't too bad. Calls to mobile numbers are 6p per minute. The deal also currently includes calls to premium rate 0845 and 0870 numbers.

Other landline providers are starting to include calls to mobile numbers within their deals. BT is now seriously lagging in this regard. Sky includes them. TalkTalk offers an add-on or 'Boost'. Virgin offers an (expensive) XXL tariff.

Deals with Weekend or Evening and Weekend inclusive calls expose the caller to call costs of around 17p per call plus around 10p or 11p per minute when calls are made outside of the inclusive allowance. Just ten to fifteen minutes of this per week and you will have already spent more than a deal with Anytime calls would have cost.

People who pay a large amount for their mobile but make most of their outgoing calls while sat at home should also look at the Anytime deals available on their landline. There are big savings to be had.

brewerdave

I suspect that Plusnet,Sky and TT will quickly follow!
If you don't make many calls there are several options rather than the supplier's landline rip off call charges.
1.. Use an indirect access provider eg 18185
2. Get a cheap mobile PAYG deal
3. Get a VOIP service
If you use the home phone a lot,then the inclusive packages are the way to go.

james_smitha

Dicx Turpin had the decency to wear a mask!

Have a look at BT's new advert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B2a6l6wM2k

Eclipser

Is it not time that a Super Complaint was made by Which or some other consumer group about the increasing cost of Line Rental

AndyPK

So what is the new price of line rental then ?

Was £17.99

Quentin

New price is £18.99


http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/phones/2016/04/bt-announces-steep-price-rises-for-home-phone-and-broadband--how-to-beat-the-hikes?_ga=1.133535886.1834623824.1460788291

james_smitha

***andypk & quentin*** In this day and age of near zero inflation, in what way is a price rise of about 5% acceptable? I know people that would find a 5% pay rise most acceptable

mrschaucer

Just thought I'd put up a link to that BT home phone saver tariff as it's quite hard to find on the BT site. It's now £21.99 a month.

http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/55814/c/345

james_smitha

mrschauser at £21 and a few things like 1571 that are free any way I would expect a 3 year locked down price. Only Anonymous Call Reject costs any thing

mrschaucer

I'm merely giving more info following post #2. Neither recommending nor damning ...
Just saying that if you go to the BT site and put in a search for "home phone saver" you don't get very far.