Small overcharging problem with 18866...

sweep9

Just found out that if you ring somebody with BT 1571 answering service and they're on the 'phone, you get charged on 18866 but not if you ring via BT.

(Now that has to be the tightest complaint I've ever made. It's only 1p for god's sake!!!)

allthatmularky

God that's shocking - now that's what I call rip off Britain - where's the number for Watchdog

Smartasss

Don't even think you are correct, sweep9!

If you connect to a 1571 (or any other) answering service, then you do get charged for the call.

If you rang from a BT line direct, you would be charged BT's minimum charge (4.94p).

If you rang using 18866, you would just be charged the usual 1p.

BaritoneUK

I am very confused- dialing 1571 from my BT line has always been free. I only pay the subscription for it (I am on the non-free version which lets you have your own personalised message) Why are you saying you pay for it? And what does this have to do with 18866? You didn't dial 18866 before dialing 1571 did you? Why would you do that when it is free?

sergeant121

Just found out that if you ring somebody with BT 1571 answering service and they're on the 'phone, you get charged on 18866 but not if you ring via BT.

(Now that has to be the tightest complaint I've ever made. It's only 1p for god's sake!!!)

If someone with a BT landline has the (free) 1571 'answering machine' service activated, incoming callers get connected to that immediately if the line is engaged with an incoming or outgoing call (i.e. the call is connected even though the line is engaged and the caller starts paying call charges).

There is no difference if the caller is using BT, OneTel, a mobile or is calling from Japan - call charges start when 1571 'answers' the call.

Seems reasonable to me ...........

sweep9

OK then... why does my orange mobile phone say call length 00:00:00 and no charge appear on the bill after I hang up when BT 1571 answers the call???

sweep9

PS...

If anybody is in two minds over 18866 or 1899... don't be!

Just do it! (Apologies to nike). SIGN UP!!!

I've calculated I've saved £7 in the 16 days I've been signed up!!

gt94sss2

OK then... why does my orange mobile phone say call length 00:00:00 and no charge appear on the bill after I hang up when BT 1571 answers the call???

Orange's billing system doesn't charge for calls under 3 seconds long (or it never used too anyway)

Regards
Sunil

Smartasss

Hi sweep 9.

Your complaint was that you got charged 1p using 18866 but nothing using BT when the call was answered by 1571 voicemail - which I posted was incorrect info.

You now say you are doing this via Orange mobile???

How do you use 18866 for only 1p on an Orange phone?

sweep9

You misunderstood...

I didn't use 18866 via orange to call the number in question. I just used standard orange.

Smartasss

sweep9 wrote:

You misunderstood...

Maybe I did, but I don't quite understand your problem!

This was your original post:

Just found out that if you ring somebody with BT 1571 answering service and they're on the 'phone, you get charged on 18866 but not if you ring via BT

As previously posted, this isn't the case!

It is in fact cheaper to reach an answering machine via 18866 than via BT!