Thinking of switching to OneTel

Nicholas

bbb_uk wrote:

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 can sort of see where you are coming from. The only thing that I would say is the sort of person to use 18866/1899 would probably also join talk talk or OneTel?
What happens if their lines get choked as well (overide back to BT for 5.5p?)

bbb_uk

Nicholas wrote:

...What happens if their lines get choked as well (overide back to BT for 5.5p?)

I suppose it is possible but chances are both OneTel and TalkTalk's lines can probably handle a lot more calls than the likes of Call18866/1899. I personally haven't had a problem with OneTel's lines being busy but I did once using Call18866 at the weekend (before OneTel service came into action). But yes, then I can imagine it being a BT override job at 5.5p for upto an hour if both were busy.

Nicholas

Just one last thing I want to tie up before I jump for OneTel:

Earlier forums mentioned about some difficulty using BT's 1571 service when they signed up for OneTel's CPS.

Are you able to keep BT's 1571? Does OneTel's CPS system automatically route the 1571 call through to their answer service? Indeed is there anything better about OneTel's 1571 compared to BT's?

Edinburghlass_2

The answer to that one is simple, keep the BT 1571, don't touch the Onetel service.

BexTech

My sister switched to OneTel from TalkTalk, because she forgot she was getting both free evening and weekend calls from TalkTalk and was pressured into changing to OneTel and British Gas.

The BT 1571 still works with OneTel CPS, she is however switching back to TalkTalk, as the rest of the family is on TalkTalk and OneTel has 'crap customer services' in her words, which I can't argue with.

bbb_uk

The only thing that puts me off slightly with TalkTalk is that calls on TalkTalk are only free upto 70mins per call, a charge is made thereafter unless you disconnect and reconnect again.

OneTel don't have this limit though.

But then TalkTalk do free calls to other TalkTalk users anytime of the day.

Choice, choices!

asot

OneTels customer service is extremely poor compared to BTs, imparticular they continued charging a dead member of my family for months after they died refusing to let us pay for their final bill. Furthermore I have heard poor reports of customer services being in India etc.

Add to that the disadvantages it brings with using services such as Call18866 (you have to use the 0808 number) and I can't believe your thinking of switching for the sake of 76p!

Nicholas

asot wrote:

Add to that the disadvantages it brings with using services such as Call18866 (you have to use the 0808 number) and I can't believe your thinking of switching for the sake of 76p!

I am not planning to transfer my phone line over to them, after the advice that given in this thread, but I am considering using their CPS service ie pay line rental to BT as normal and basically use them for free weekend calls but not much else. Is that where you got the idea about the 0808 number?

Another thought, though, would OneTel not be a little upset if enough people only let their override go through at weekends, and use 18866 at all other times?

Will they know this is happening, or will they think the line belongs to some tight-!!!!!! that only makes free weekend calls?

Heinz

Nicholas wrote:

Another thought, though, would OneTel not be a little upset if enough people only let their override go through at weekends, and use 18866 at all other times?

That's what I - and a good few others on here - do all the time (oh, I use 1899 sometimes too for mobile and some international calls and dial 1280 to hop back onto BT on the very few occasions that I dial an 0845/0870 number).

Nicholas

Soooooooooo,

I am on the verge of signing up. Before I do so, I was wondering if I have to sign up via direct debit, because once my 20 pounds are used up, I will only be using them for freebie calls anyway.

Do they charge any more (or allow you to) for paying via online banking each time, or saying you will pay your phone bill via credit card?

I have looked at their FAQs but they are not exactly comprehensive.