1.3m BT landline customers face bill hike of up to £54/yr - MSE News

mrsdoyle

Will this affect BT Basic customers ?

JJ_Egan

Have you had an email ??

if not and it is unclear ask your BT members community forum .

oldandwizend

CraftyCow said:

I don't trust BT, as every time I have moved house, they have failed to provide me with a reliable phone for a week to a fortnight when it is most needed for reconnection of all the other services! I have then been forced to rely on my mobile for everything. So I don't want all my eggs in one basket. If I want to call a mobile no. I will use my mobile.
However, the way they have done it means whatever I choose to do, (even nothing being the option to move to their new plan), I am then committed to a new contract for 18-24 months! I just object to being railroaded into a rise of 7.75%+! It really should be illegal.

Fail to understand why you feel that you are committed to a new contract. As per BT Terms & Conditions Calling Plans are on a 30 day rolling contract - see BT Residential Tariffs document (UK Calling Plans & Popular Call Prices section), which is available on their web site.  If you are already mid contract then you can change/add/remove a Calling Plan at any time (subject to 30 day rolling contract) without a new 18-24 month contract for your main telephone/broadband.

Greengage

JJ_Egan said:

Have you had an email ??

if not and it is unclear ask your BT members community forum .

I don't know if this is the intention, but that actually sums up BT in 2020 very succinctly.  If you need help or advice about BT ask the customers (it's a customer-to-customer forum) because the company thinks it has more important things to do at the moment than resource customer services adequately.

spenderdave

The headline of this topic is a bit misleading. BT are moving all their customers to their new tariff packages which have been available for new customers for nine months or so. They have taken the unusual step of moving by default the old weekend free tariff users to anytime at extra cost without pointing out to them that the PAYG and 700 (or 500 for some) minute options may be a better deal for them. 'Face bill hike' is nonsense, they get a reduction if they move back to PAYG if they no longer want to make calls, but they have to ask for the change themselves.

Greengage

I suspect the headline on the MSE News page was deliberately designed to grab attention which it needs to since BT seem to be relying on an email delivering the change by default notification.  But it's the timing of this which is the most sinister - you have the next 6 weeks in which to act  as a BT customer wishing to opt-out; if the last 4 months have been anything to go by (judging by huge numbers of complaints on the BT Community Forum) many won't have the time and patience and will question how a move like this right now squares with these BT website banners:

Scot_39

Just spent 35 mins on phone trying to find out what this means for parents - as even I was confused by terrible e-mail. 
They appear to be overpaying current BT offers - by nearly £10 - but no movement on this unless lock in.

They used to pay £9.99 extra till Mar/Apr ?, now £10.11 - so not quite £10.50 min as MSE article.

The BT e-mail they got only mentions three options

- default do nothing pay extra £4.50, 
- the 700 mins limited plan - can be done online - with URL - but no price (£7 for new)

- serving notice to leave BT completely.

Obviously a ploy to get many to phone and be persuaded to lock-in, but suspect lots but not enough to hurt BT will go for option 3 and leave.

Turns out the 700 min is not an option for all - even if cap suits - as not all plans can switch - and tel operator said online route defaults to selecting a new fixed term plan for many if select (she said "hopefully" with warnings)

Parents cannot take the 700min for £7 option - reason - have an old phone plan tied to broadband - that includes 'unlimited weekend calls' - even if was completely irrelevant with an unlimited anytime add-on.  And BT no longer offer this with 700 deals.

If want it they would have to renegotiate a new deal - and be asked to lock in for another 24 months if do - which they are unwilling.

For my case told only therefore have options of

1) pay the extra £4.50
2) cancel the Unlimited plan
Above post suggest to do simply online as above - but might do over phone when next visit - just in case tries to also lock in.

I haven't paid for calls for years - since went unlimited on mobile - but my parents use too many minutes - c350 - or £75+ to pay - actually more during lockdown - but 700 for £7 would have been good for them - but at their usage levels even £15 a bargain by BT standards - so guess they will just pay the £4.50.

Good luck all.

Scot_39

spenderdave said:

The headline of this topic is a bit misleading. BT are moving all their customers to their new tariff packages which have been available for new customers for nine months or so. They have taken the unusual step of moving by default the old weekend free tariff users to anytime at extra cost without pointing out to them that the PAYG and 700 (or 500 for some) minute options may be a better deal for them. 'Face bill hike' is nonsense, they get a reduction if they move back to PAYG if they no longer want to make calls, but they have to ask for the change themselves.

Problem is not all get the 700 mins but will ultimately benefit from having a plan - so BT wins £4.50 from how many of 1.3m on old rolling plans - or c £50 guaranteed for another 2 years if lock in.

Rationalisation yes - but in BTs favour not customers.

oldandwizend

Scot_39 said:

Just spent 35 mins on phone trying to find out what this means for parents - as even I was confused by terrible e-mail. 
They appear to be overpaying current BT offers - by nearly £10 - but no movement on this unless lock in.

They used to pay £9.99 extra till Mar/Apr ?, now £10.11 - so not quite £10.50 min as MSE article.

The BT e-mail they got only mentions three options

- default do nothing pay extra £4.50, 
- the 700 mins limited plan - can be done online - with URL - but no price (£7 for new)

- serving notice to leave BT completely.

Obviously a ploy to get many to phone and be persuaded to lock-in, but suspect lots but not enough to hurt BT will go for option 3 and leave.

Turns out the 700 min is not an option for all - even if cap suits - as not all plans can switch - and tel operator said online route defaults to selecting a new fixed term plan for many if select (she said "hopefully" with warnings)

Parents cannot take the 700min for £7 option - reason - have an old phone plan tied to broadband - that includes 'unlimited weekend calls' - even if was completely irrelevant with an unlimited anytime add-on.  And BT no longer offer this with 700 deals.

If want it they would have to renegotiate a new deal - and be asked to lock in for another 24 months if do - which they are unwilling.

For my case told only therefore have options of

1) pay the extra £4.50
2) cancel the Unlimited plan
Above post suggest to do simply online as above - but might do over phone when next visit - just in case tries to also lock in.

I haven't paid for calls for years - since went unlimited on mobile - but my parents use too many minutes - c350 - or £75+ to pay - actually more during lockdown - but 700 for £7 would have been good for them - but at their usage levels even £15 a bargain by BT standards - so guess they will just pay the £4.50.

Good luck all.

Maybe it is contract specific but as soon as I got email I logged on and cancelled Unlimited Anytime. All processed OK  and reverted to Unlimited Weekend Calls with no mention of new contract. Have just logged on to account  and next bill shows refund for unused Unlimited Calls Plan and inclusion of Weekend Calls at no charge! I went through the process of changing my calling plan. to see what was available. Options available were 700 minutes (£7), Unlimited evening and Weekend (£4.55) and My Anytime and Mobile (£12) so it looks as though the 700 minutes option for your parents may be available! I suspect that BT people themselves get confused by the numerous contracts, discounts, options etc. so it may be worth logging on to parents account and see what actually is available.

Scot_39

CraftyCow said:

I don't trust BT, as every time I have moved house, they have failed to provide me with a reliable phone for a week to a fortnight when it is most needed for reconnection of all the other services! I have then been forced to rely on my mobile for everything. So I don't want all my eggs in one basket. If I want to call a mobile no. I will use my mobile.
However, the way they have done it means whatever I choose to do, (even nothing being the option to move to their new plan), I am then committed to a new contract for 18-24 months! I just object to being railroaded into a rise of 7.75%+! It really should be illegal.

Was told parents would not be locked in - by accepting the default increase - or by cancelling it completely - but would be if wanted the Limited 700/£7 deal.

Also operator implied the reason they were not told the price in email - as was likely to get lost in the new contract rate / discount.

However - above from oldandwizened appears to contradict what I was told - so might ask again - but she definitely said it would trigger a new package if selected the option - repeatedly - as complained quite strongly the email did not mention that risk.