MSE News: BT announces steep price rises for home phone and broadband – how to beat t

robin58

Well this is bad news for other people on other providers with line rental.

All the other providers base their rental prices on BT then pitch it just under.

ALL the companies use the line rental charge to part fund the FREE internet offers they give.

I am with Plusnet, BT's own little sister. Will be interesting on what they will now charge.

God help us all when BT merge with EE, then I expect everybody who has a broadband connection will be screwed over.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

I find it funny how people seem not to know about the cheap landline rentals offered by Falconnet (9.50 per month), Vivaciti and IDNet. The latter offering inclusive anytime calls to Landlines and Mobiles for £231 up front per year on a 30 day contract.

Instead people here seem to feel the need to waste life haggling with BT or jumping from BT to Sky to EE to Plusnet back to BT while trawling cashback websites.

http://www.vivaciti.net/phone
http://www.falconnet.co.uk/telephone.html

JJ_Egan

Vivaciti £78 new activation .

Falconnet call charges £1.14 pm ,Mobiles £5.10 pm

Confused.

kwikbreaks

The line rental on those may be cheap but it looks like broadband is pretty restricted download or expensive. I'm currently paying Plusnet £12 for their top fibre package. Getting a few quid saving on line rental wouldn't compensate for the far higher fibre charges. I don't use the landline for calls.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Vivaciti £78 new activation .

Falconnet call charges £1.14 pm ,Mobiles £5.10 pm

Confused.

New activation being if you do not have a line on the Openreach Network and one needs to be connected up. If you have an active line with BT then you can move to Vivaciti under a free transfer.

davieg11

Vivaciti unlimited fibre £37.20 per month. I don't think so!!!

PhylPho

Well, I haven't received anything from BT yet. But I am a bit confused about some of the figures quoted earlier on MSE and also various references to Vivaciti and other BR competitors.

I've just checked my BT account and as at April 5th last, I was charged £17.99 for one month's line rental (through to May), £18.00 for my BT Infinity 40Gb a month broadband (to May) and £1.20p for Caller Display.

That's £37.20p a month at the moment then for everything. (Note: the BT Infinity broadband charge is for a maximum usage of 20Gb a month . . . but with a further 100% added on by BT for nowt. 40Gb a month is more than enough for me and the missus.)

The quote I've had from Vivaciti -- which I thought was supposed to be a supplier which undercut BT -- is £37.20 a month for its fibre broadband and £11.40 a month phone line rental. Total: £48.60p.
As that package doesn't include Caller Display, then Vivaciti is £151.20 a year more expensive than BT currently is.

Vivaciti's package does allow unlimited broadband usage but that's of no interest to us; our monthly average is 36GB. It seems, as ever, that everyone's needs are different.

When we hear from BT about the new prices, I'll get in touch to say we're not paying them any more than we are now and so we're moving to Virgin or Vivaciti or Uncle Tom Cobleigh. In the past whenever I've done that, BT Retentions has always been very accommodating.

[Deleted User]

You can go here to see how the price rise will impact you:
https://www.bt.com/static/wa/account/pricechanges/login/login.html?s_cid=con_FURL_myprices

They'll show what you are currently paying, and what you'll pay after the increase. They also confirm how they will notify you in writing about the change.

stockton_2

PhylPho wrote: »

Well, I haven't received anything from BT yet. But I am a bit confused about some of the figures quoted earlier on MSE and also various references to Vivaciti and other BR competitors.

I've just checked my BT account and as at April 5th last, I was charged £17.99 for one month's line rental (through to May), £18.00 for my BT Infinity 40Gb a month broadband (to May) and £1.20p for Caller Display.

That's £37.20p a month at the moment then for everything. (Note: the BT Infinity broadband charge is for a maximum usage of 20Gb a month . . . but with a further 100% added on by BT for nowt. 40Gb a month is more than enough for me and the missus.)

.

£18 a month seems a bit steep for 40Gb.

Negotiating with BT is a haphazard event. It depends on whom you are talking with and how BT feels on that particular day.

It has been said many times before that you only really have a strong hand when your contract is up for renewal.

[Deleted User]

stockton wrote: »

It has been said many times before that you only really have a strong hand when your contract is up for renewal. Having had much recent experience of negotiation with BT I would caution everyone to read their email confirmation offer very carefully and if they are not satisfied then they have the right to cancel. Also I would caution against 18 months contracts. If you just say no they will usually agree to just a 12 months one.

12, 18 or 24 month contracts are almost irrelevant at this stage as BT are hiking prices every 10 months and that gives you an immediate right to exit penalty-free.