BT- lacking transparency!

The_Fat_Controller

@Ftba.d you MUST have been notified at least 10 days before you were moved onto the full price contract, that is now part of the conditions of service.

BT may well not be selling any further ADSL/FTTC services over the phone line where a voice service is included in areas where FTTP is available, but that is business decision.

There are absolutely NO ISPs providing ADSL/FTTC services that automatically include a voice service who have disconnected the landline because a customer does not want to use it.

born_again

Ftba.d said:I just find it incredibly frustrating I was rolled over onto the most expensive package when on system they had notes that I didn’t use a landline and had no use for it however the response I got today was ‘you paid highly as you were off contract all these months and it was your responsibility to contact us’. A way to ensure customer loyalty and make a customer feel valued !

You were not rolled onto a expensive contract. The discounted contract you were on ended. You then went onto the full price for the product.

I was on a £80 18 month contract with Virgin. When it was due to end it would have gone up to £140. Called them up & got a better deal @£80 even though it was the same price as pervious contract.

Get into the habit of anything like this. Add to you calendar so you get a alert a month or so before renewal. So you can then look at changing to a new contract. 👍

Aylesbury_Duck

Ftba.d said:

The_Fat_Controller said:

ISPs WILL advise when a contract is coming to an end, I am pretty sure OFCOM have mandated that in the last couple of years to stop customers rolling onto more expensive month-to-month deals.

@Ftba.d you are mistaken about broadband-only contracts over the phone line, there has not been any change, however FTTP with real fibre cabling is now being rolled out and that service does not need any phone service, it can be an option.

Sorry, but you haven't done your research and consequently do not understand how the system works.

EDIT IN : I found this with a simple G search

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/guides/end-of-contract-notifications-broadband-and-mobile/

I am only going on what BT have told me , no research at all my end .

They said they have only offered broadband only package in last six months and whereas you needed a landline once upon a time , it is no longer the case . They said however in some areas households may still require a landline to access broadband.

Who knows ? I just find it incredibly frustrating I was rolled over onto the most expensive package when on system they had notes that I didn’t use a landline and had no use for it however the response I got today was ‘you paid highly as you were off contract all these months and it was your responsibility to contact us’. A way to ensure customer loyalty and make a customer feel valued !

That's where you're mistaken.  They don't care about loyalty or perceived value.  The pricing model of almost all utility companies is to hook new customers in on good rates, and then because of typical customer inertia, those "loyal" customers end up subsidising the acquisition of new customers on discounted rates.

Sorry to say that it is your responsibility to check statements, direct debits, etc. and understand what contracts and pricing you are on and when they end or change.  You could pay someone to manage it all for you, but the utility providers aren't going to undermine their own business model.  Looking at it purely selfishly, as someone who does keep track of these things and shops around regularly, I need people like you to keep doing what you were doing else I end up paying more to cover the costs of babysitting other customers.  Cynical I know, but that's the game we're in.

oldagetraveller1

And the end of contract date is accessible in "My BT". Mine is.

Jenni_D

It also shows you in the My BT app, if you select Products then Broadband.

Ftba.d

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Ftba.d said:

The_Fat_Controller said:

ISPs WILL advise when a contract is coming to an end, I am pretty sure OFCOM have mandated that in the last couple of years to stop customers rolling onto more expensive month-to-month deals.

@Ftba.d you are mistaken about broadband-only contracts over the phone line, there has not been any change, however FTTP with real fibre cabling is now being rolled out and that service does not need any phone service, it can be an option.

Sorry, but you haven't done your research and consequently do not understand how the system works.

EDIT IN : I found this with a simple G search

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/guides/end-of-contract-notifications-broadband-and-mobile/

I am only going on what BT have told me , no research at all my end .

They said they have only offered broadband only package in last six months and whereas you needed a landline once upon a time , it is no longer the case . They said however in some areas households may still require a landline to access broadband.

Who knows ? I just find it incredibly frustrating I was rolled over onto the most expensive package when on system they had notes that I didn’t use a landline and had no use for it however the response I got today was ‘you paid highly as you were off contract all these months and it was your responsibility to contact us’. A way to ensure customer loyalty and make a customer feel valued !

That's where you're mistaken.  They don't care about loyalty or perceived value.  The pricing model of almost all utility companies is to hook new customers in on good rates, and then because of typical customer inertia, those "loyal" customers end up subsidising the acquisition of new customers on discounted rates.

Sorry to say that it is your responsibility to check statements, direct debits, etc. and understand what contracts and pricing you are on and when they end or change.  You could pay someone to manage it all for you, but the utility providers aren't going to undermine their own business model.  Looking at it purely selfishly, as someone who does keep track of these things and shops around regularly, I need people like you to keep doing what you were doing else I end up paying more to cover the costs of babysitting other customers.  Cynical I know, but that's the game we're in.

This unfortunately makes a lot of sense … I was surprised when I expressed that due to this situation I was will be changing provider rather than exist with one who I feel hasn’t been fair , they were not bothered in the slightest ha! They have probably got their money’s worth through me existing all those years and not checking for cheaper and more fine tuned packages .

It is a sad state of affairs when as a paying customer you can’t rely on the moral compass of a company in looking out for the customer and ensuring he / she is not paying over the odds when they could receive the same service for half the price at their company .

Not a bad suggestion to pay someone to oversee these things as God only knows what other utilities I am flushing too much money into it BT is a reflection on how these companies now operate .

Thanks 

littleboo

You would have been told that you contract was coming to an end, and what the new price was. Its has been a requirement for over two years. (unless you have been out of contract for > 2 years)

Aylesbury_Duck

Ftba.d said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Ftba.d said:

The_Fat_Controller said:

ISPs WILL advise when a contract is coming to an end, I am pretty sure OFCOM have mandated that in the last couple of years to stop customers rolling onto more expensive month-to-month deals.

@Ftba.d you are mistaken about broadband-only contracts over the phone line, there has not been any change, however FTTP with real fibre cabling is now being rolled out and that service does not need any phone service, it can be an option.

Sorry, but you haven't done your research and consequently do not understand how the system works.

EDIT IN : I found this with a simple G search

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/guides/end-of-contract-notifications-broadband-and-mobile/

I am only going on what BT have told me , no research at all my end .

They said they have only offered broadband only package in last six months and whereas you needed a landline once upon a time , it is no longer the case . They said however in some areas households may still require a landline to access broadband.

Who knows ? I just find it incredibly frustrating I was rolled over onto the most expensive package when on system they had notes that I didn’t use a landline and had no use for it however the response I got today was ‘you paid highly as you were off contract all these months and it was your responsibility to contact us’. A way to ensure customer loyalty and make a customer feel valued !

That's where you're mistaken.  They don't care about loyalty or perceived value.  The pricing model of almost all utility companies is to hook new customers in on good rates, and then because of typical customer inertia, those "loyal" customers end up subsidising the acquisition of new customers on discounted rates.

Sorry to say that it is your responsibility to check statements, direct debits, etc. and understand what contracts and pricing you are on and when they end or change.  You could pay someone to manage it all for you, but the utility providers aren't going to undermine their own business model.  Looking at it purely selfishly, as someone who does keep track of these things and shops around regularly, I need people like you to keep doing what you were doing else I end up paying more to cover the costs of babysitting other customers.  Cynical I know, but that's the game we're in.

This unfortunately makes a lot of sense … I was surprised when I expressed that due to this situation I was will be changing provider rather than exist with one who I feel hasn’t been fair , they were not bothered in the slightest ha! They have probably got their money’s worth through me existing all those years and not checking for cheaper and more fine tuned packages .

It is a sad state of affairs when as a paying customer you can’t rely on the moral compass of a company in looking out for the customer and ensuring he / she is not paying over the odds when they could receive the same service for half the price at their company .

Not a bad suggestion to pay someone to oversee these things as God only knows what other utilities I am flushing too much money into it BT is a reflection on how these companies now operate .

Thanks 

The thing is, you may very well be invested in these companies, if not directly in shares, then possibly as part of an ISA and much more likely with a pension.  Investors expect profits and dividends, so you may be on both sides of the same coin here.  One as consumer wanting a cheaper deal, the other as investor wanting to maximise profits from consumers.

Ftba.d

littleboo said:

You would have been told that you contract was coming to an end, and what the new price was. Its has been a requirement for over two years. (unless you have been out of contract for > 2 years)

Hi 

No I didn’t get told . However my contract came to an end 18 months ago . 

They are now saying they don’t have to tell people as it’s seen as cold calling , their words not mine 

Pollycat

Ftba.d said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Ftba.d said:

The_Fat_Controller said:

ISPs WILL advise when a contract is coming to an end, I am pretty sure OFCOM have mandated that in the last couple of years to stop customers rolling onto more expensive month-to-month deals.

@Ftba.d you are mistaken about broadband-only contracts over the phone line, there has not been any change, however FTTP with real fibre cabling is now being rolled out and that service does not need any phone service, it can be an option.

Sorry, but you haven't done your research and consequently do not understand how the system works.

EDIT IN : I found this with a simple G search

https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/guides/end-of-contract-notifications-broadband-and-mobile/

I am only going on what BT have told me , no research at all my end .

They said they have only offered broadband only package in last six months and whereas you needed a landline once upon a time , it is no longer the case . They said however in some areas households may still require a landline to access broadband.

Who knows ? I just find it incredibly frustrating I was rolled over onto the most expensive package when on system they had notes that I didn’t use a landline and had no use for it however the response I got today was ‘you paid highly as you were off contract all these months and it was your responsibility to contact us’. A way to ensure customer loyalty and make a customer feel valued !

That's where you're mistaken.  They don't care about loyalty or perceived value.  The pricing model of almost all utility companies is to hook new customers in on good rates, and then because of typical customer inertia, those "loyal" customers end up subsidising the acquisition of new customers on discounted rates.

Sorry to say that it is your responsibility to check statements, direct debits, etc. and understand what contracts and pricing you are on and when they end or change.  You could pay someone to manage it all for you, but the utility providers aren't going to undermine their own business model.  Looking at it purely selfishly, as someone who does keep track of these things and shops around regularly, I need people like you to keep doing what you were doing else I end up paying more to cover the costs of babysitting other customers.  Cynical I know, but that's the game we're in.

This unfortunately makes a lot of sense … I was surprised when I expressed that due to this situation I was will be changing provider rather than exist with one who I feel hasn’t been fair , they were not bothered in the slightest ha! They have probably got their money’s worth through me existing all those years and not checking for cheaper and more fine tuned packages .

It is a sad state of affairs when as a paying customer you can’t rely on the moral compass of a company in looking out for the customer and ensuring he / she is not paying over the odds when they could receive the same service for half the price at their company .

Not a bad suggestion to pay someone to oversee these things as God only knows what other utilities I am flushing too much money into it BT is a reflection on how these companies now operate .

Thanks 

Don't you think you have some personal liability to check that you are on the correct (for you) contract.

I regularly check my mobile contract to see if there is a better or cheaper product.