Thinking of switching to OneTel

Nicholas

pricefighter wrote:

You can elect to CPS to another carrier the day you join/rejoin BT if you want to.There is nothing to say you have to wait a certain period to CPS.The minimum term applies to line rental only.

I took out a line with BT this year and i CPS it straight away,no penalties were incurred.

Yes you always have got the BT Overide option.

It says on the Onetel site that the £20 credit if you sign up online, is for calls only, and is applied to the first bill.If you dont use it up on the first bill. it doesnt indicate if it is carried forward or not.

What a coincidence. I rang BT as I could not find my T&C's and they said the same thing. Really drums home what Martin MSE said about BT not being able to stop you from using anyone else's services.

Wonder if I should jump straight away, or wait to see if the offer improves (if regret waiting if the offer is withdrawn or reduced). Decisions decisions.

Edinburghlass_2

You won't be tied into a year with Onetel for CPS, so if a better offer comes along, off you go :j

Nicholas

Edinburghlass wrote:

You won't be tied into a year with Onetel for CPS, so if a better offer comes along, off you go :j

I was thinking along the lines of OneTel reintroducing the offer they had earlier in the year giving weekend and evening phone calls free.

And what is this greasypalm thing others are talking about? Is the 12 pounds from that in addition to the 20 pounds that OneTel give you?

bbb_uk

Edinburghlass wrote:

...I think you would need to check the BT T&C's. I got caught out with them years ago but at that time I had to stay with them for a year but I think bb.uk quoted a different length of time recently.

For brand new connections that have never benefited from BT before then its is a 12month contract along with a new connection fee of £75 but for reconnections (the house has in the past had BT even if it wasn't by yourselves) then it is only a 3month contract with free reconnection.

Yes, you can at any time opt to have your calls carried by another provider like OneTel/TalkTalk, etc and BT are powerless to stop you. I know this as in April we switched from T'west to BT and as soon as BT was up and running, switched our calls only to OneTel. The same day in fact I requested OneTel to handle my calls.

I'm just guessing here but I can imagine the minimum term of 3months (reconnection) / 12months (new connections) is for line rental and BT would stop you if you tried to transfer your line rental within your minimum term contract.

Also, note that requesting OneTel (or TalkTalk) to handle your calls takes about two weeks. This is not the fault of OneTel/TalkTalk nor BT really as it is OfCOM that stated there should be a cooling-off period in case we change our minds.

In the meantime though to save money until OneTel free weekends start, you can register for Call18866 and use them straight away (after they have processed your application).

Nicholas

I am already with 18866 so the only way I will be saving is on weekend calls.

Just been reading some older posts about OneTel, and some are complaining about the lack of customer service (which you would expect in all fairness - something has to give). Others are complaining of calls appearing from 4 months previously on their bills - ie time lag.

As I would only be using them for weekends (other than to mobiles until my 20 pound credit is used up) I don't think I should be that concerned on that score?

The main point, though, is should I decide some time in the future that I have had enough of them, do I ring them up to cancel or do I ring BT to do it for me?

ps Do they accept DD?

Edinburghlass_2

Should you decide to go with another supplier as a CPS, they would get in touch with Onetel for a transfer date although it is probably as well to cancel them yourself as well, once you get a date.

As previously said I was with Onetel prior to going with TalkTalk, never had any problems as such, nor did I have any billing problems and I paid them by direct debit.

Its human nature that as a rule people post when they are having problems and don't bother so much when they are happy with a service. You just need to look on the Vent Board to find it is much busier than the 5 Star board

Nicholas

Edinburghlass wrote:

Its human nature that as a rule people post when they are having problems and don't bother so much when they are happy with a service. You just need to look on the Vent Board to find it is much busier than the 5 Star board

Good point and so very true.

bbb_uk

Nicholas wrote:

I am already with 18866 so the only way I will be saving is on weekend calls.

That is true. Remember though that very occasionally Call18866/1899 get really busy at weekends and you therefore can't use them without having to re-dial a few times first. This, I believe, is to be expected as the weekend is the most busiest times of the week with most people off work and with everyone wanting to make calls for just 2p per call. That is why, it is recommended to use OneTel/TalkTalk for their free weekend calls.

I agree with Edinburghlass, you can pay by DD to OneTel and I've never had any probs with billing, etc.

Also, now there should be no need to ensure you cancel OneTel if you decide to move as according to OfCOM rules both the existing and new CPS provider have to provide you with written letters informing you of your change of provider and from what date. OneTel letter would say you are leaving us on such a date, and obviously the other provider's letter would say you are joining us on such a date.

If on the other hand, you don't get a letter from OneTel to this effect it may be better to give them a quick call just to let them know that you are transferring call providers on such a date but that shouldn't be necessary.

derrick

Early this year a relative moved into his first house, BT box already fitted and previously used, he got reconnected for free and within 6 weeks moved to telewest, cancelling his BT line with no problems whatsoever, he did say that BT could not force you onto minimum contracts, since some sort of regulation, so I cannot see where the OPs 3 month minimum comes in.

bbb_uk

derrick wrote:

Early this year a relative moved into his first house, BT box already fitted and previously used, he got reconnected for free and within 6 weeks moved to telewest, cancelling his BT line with no problems whatsoever, he did say that BT could not force you onto minimum contracts, since some sort of regulation, so I cannot see where the OPs 3 month minimum comes in.

I know when we joined (reconnected) to BT he informed us of a 3month minimum term but we could leave before that and pay a small cancellation fee which I think just worked out what we would have paid BT in line rental for 3months. Therefore leaving after 1 month, would mean we would have a cancellation fee of about £20 (the remaining two months line rental). I'm not sure of any regulation around this but it may have changed since. In fact on our paperwork, it clearly indicated we were on a 3month minimum term contract with them.

In comparison to other companies, I suspect if we decided to go back to telewest (wouldn't like because of their rip-off charges) then I'm sure we would be stuck on another 12month contract with telewest even for a reconnection and I'm not sure if reconnection would be completely free!