Dialwise charges

inforapenny_3

Can anyone tell me if the billing is per second as I can't find this info on their site. Also note that they charge as soon as connection is made, even if the dialed number is not answered.
From their site:- "When do call charges take effect?
You will be charged from the moment you are connected to our service, not the moment the call is answered at the other end."

Edinburghlass_2

As far as I understand it will be a flat rate charge of 5p for the call made whether you get through to the number or not.

thefirs

This will not be determined by Dialwise, but rather by your telecoms provider. E.g., BT will charge you a minimum of 5p inc VAT, so that's a minimum of 1.25 mins, but per second thereafter (though rounded up to the nearest penny now, I think). Calling from another mobile will normally be per second, though some providers charge a minimum fee or amount of time.

Nicholas

Not too impressed with Dialwise so far. By the time it connected me to the follow on mobile number I was ringing, a full 40 seconds had already passed.

What actually happened was I rang my wife's mobile this morning, and the first time the call did not seem to go through (but apparently it did because my wife tried answering the phone). So I redialled, and 40 seconds later I was reconnected with her mobile, but went to the answering machine as she was trying to ring me. She was then charged because the BT answer machine picked up her call. She then dialled up my mobile which I answered and we had our short conversation.

So 5p+5p+5p+ 20p(mobile to mobile) for a call that would only have cost 12p with 1899.

I would say it is worth using Dialwise if you are going to be on a call to a mobile for a least a minute or two, otherwise I think 1899 could still work out cheaper for very short calls (plus if no-one has answered within the first 5 or 6 rings I can hang up and quickly redial again without incurring any cost).

blinker

i'm now using a company called Swiftnet [their override service is mentioned on this site http://www.contactnumbers.com/mobile-override.php] for some of my calls from landline by dialling 1689before tha call

they have NO minimum charges at all SO if i use it before 0844.... even if the call is wrong/dead/unanswered etc i'm only charged exactly for the time spent online
% of pennies.

dag_2

they have NO minimum charges at all SO if i use it before 0844.... even if the call is wrong/dead/unanswered etc i'm only charged exactly for the time spent online

Maybe Swiftnet don't have a minimum charge - but unfortunately, their per-minute charge is a bit on the high side. You'd generally be better off using 1899.

Can anyone tell me if the billing is per second as I can't find this info on their site. Also note that they charge as soon as connection is made, even if the dialed number is not answered.

This is the same for all no-registration phone services that use an 08 or 09 access number.

The charge for the call will usually appear on your bill from BT - though it might appear on your bill from Telewest, NTL, Kingston Communications, or your CPS or WLR service provider. However, you will not be billed by Dialwise, Telesavers, Telediscount etc.

And the charge applies as soon as your phone is connected to the Dialwise or Telesavers service. So if you dial the access number, then hang on for a few seconds, then change your mind and decide not to dial the end destination number - you will still be charged the minimum by BT.

A similar principle applies to 0845 dial-up ISP's. If you dial the number, but you use the wrong username and password - or if you dial anyway without having registered to use the service first - you'll still be charged by BT for the call.

In its early days, I think Telediscount used to offer a "follow-on call" service - if you pressed hash twice followed by some other digit, it would disconnect you from the end destination number, but you'd still be connected to Telediscount, allowing you to make another call without incurring another minimum charge from BT. This is ideal if you plan to make lots of calls which are likely to be short, or be answered by machines - however, you have to remember not to hang up your phone by accident.

But I think they've withdrawn the follow-on call facility now, and I don't think anyone else does it either.

Point is - if you want to confirm the cost of using an 08 or 09 access number, and find out whether billing is per second or not, you need to phone BT, or your line service provider, and ask them exactly how much it costs to call that particular access number. Bear in mind that advertised rates are usually based on you having a BT line - and Telewest and NTL charges are usually higher.

BexTech

Nicholas wrote:

Not too impressed with Dialwise so far. By the time it connected me to the follow on mobile number I was ringing, a full 40 seconds had already passed.

What actually happened was I rang my wife's mobile this morning, and the first time the call did not seem to go through (but apparently it did because my wife tried answering the phone). So I redialled, and 40 seconds later I was reconnected with her mobile, but went to the answering machine as she was trying to ring me. She was then charged because the BT answer machine picked up her call. She then dialled up my mobile which I answered and we had our short conversation.

So 5p+5p+5p+ 20p(mobile to mobile) for a call that would only have cost 12p with 1899.

I would say it is worth using Dialwise if you are going to be on a call to a mobile for a least a minute or two, otherwise I think 1899 could still work out cheaper for very short calls (plus if no-one has answered within the first 5 or 6 rings I can hang up and quickly redial again without incurring any cost).

The reason why I hate dial-through is simply for the reasons you mention.

The reason why we never have voicemail switched on on either the mobile or landline, is for the reasons you mention above.

blinker

they have NO minimum charges at all SO if i use it before 0844.... even if the call is wrong/dead/unanswered etc i'm only charged exactly for the time spent online

Maybe Swiftnet don't have a minimum charge - but unfortunately, their per-minute charge is a bit on the high side. You'd generally be better off using 1899.


u are incorrect!
Swiftnet don't have minuimum charges & the 0844 number is 4p to a mobile.... therefore the call is simply billed by Swiftnet rather than BT... U get the best of both worlds
so whats this per-minute charge you are on about??

i call swiftnet on 0845 108 0191

Nicholas

BexTech wrote:

The reason why we never have voicemail switched on on either the mobile or landline, is for the reasons you mention above.

Slightly off topic, but how do I go about switching off the voicemail on my mobile phone (Orange PAYG)?

rich_the_moneysaver

call 1899 instead as they are tried and tested. Dialwise are cheaper in their `marketing `-but after trying and testing i`d stick with 1899.

pricefighter

rich_the_moneysaver wrote:

call 1899 instead as they are tried and tested. Dialwise are cheaper in their `marketing `-but after trying and testing i`d stick with 1899.

Dialwise and 1899 are in fact part of the same group.