B T price changes

loulou41

Heinz, is caller display free, thinking of dumping 1571, cannot be bothered to make 2 calls through bt to qualify? I think I have the option of cancelling 1571 by logging in my account. If I do manage to make 2 calls/6 calls, will one of these calls be enough for the free unlimited W/E calls or do I have to make 3 chargeable calls per month? I guess, if I pay quarterly, I can make 3 calls, it does not have to be in a month? It's just remembering to make them. Am I correct? Before it did not matter as I could just make a few calls in the evening for 4.5 but now since bt is charging more, I am thinking of just using their phone line. I am also with sky but cannot be bothered to transfer on their phone package, I am a very light user. Thanks

Heinz

loulou41 wrote: »

Heinz, is caller display free, thinking of dumping 1571, cannot be bothered to make 2 calls through bt to qualify? I think I have the option of cancelling 1571 by logging in my account. If I do manage to make 2 calls/6 calls, will one of these calls be enough for the free unlimited W/E calls or do I have to make 3 chargeable calls per month? I guess, if I pay quarterly, I can make 3 calls, it does not have to be in a month? It's just remembering to make them. Am I correct? Before it did not matter as I could just make a few calls in the evening for 4.5 but now since bt is charging more, I am thinking of just using their phone line. I am also with sky but cannot be bothered to transfer on their phone package, I am a very light user. Thanks

Gasps for breath.

Caller Display and 1571 each require you to make 2 chargeable calls per month (if you're billed monthly) or 6 chargeable calls per quarter (if you're billed quarterly) via BT. Those 2 or 6 calls can be the same calls but the need to make them does mean Caller Display and 1571 are not totally free.

If you stay on the Unlimited Weekend Plan (BT Together Option 1 as was), you need to make one chargeable call per month via BT or else BT will charge you for any weekend calls you make via them. I'd be very careful about making those calls each month - it could be costly otherwise. Of course, the 2 (or 6) calls you make to keep 'nearly free' Caller Display and/or 1571 would count so there'd be no need to make another chargeable call.

I use a CPS provider and am staying on the Unlimited Weekend Plan. I don't care about free calls on BT because I get longer free calls on Primus. However, I do want Caller Display - so add a 1280 prefix to my local Indian Takeaway's number when I call them most Friday evenings before 6pm. I used to wait until 6pm and make those calls for 4½p but, now, will be getting my meal a little earlier but paying 9¼p (10p from 1-4-08) for the call (6p connection + 1 minute at 3¼p [4p from 1-4-08]).

allanmc

Heinz wrote: »

Thanks for the vote of confidence (for those wondering, the acronym stands for "If It Works, Don't Fix It!).

However, another poster raised the possibility of opting for the BT free Unlimited Evening & Weekend Plan to 'save the hassle of ' signing up for Primus Saver Option 2. It's a variation on the 'one bill is easier' argument (which I've never understood - but I have the time to spare) but, provided 90 minute free calls (instead of BT's 60 minutes) and/or calls to mobiles capped at 20p for up to 20 minutes is not an issue for you, I have to admit it's a possibility.

Indeed, the Heinz (Orchid) program would work perfectly with it too.

Keep it up Heinz,

I really am on your side with this. Indeed, I have been doing my own, Heinz style, multi vendor plan for the past few years.

I am aware, due to personal experience, that not everyone in a household has the same enthusiasm for this kind of thing as we do and a less "complicated" solution, that is almost as competitive, may be a more suitable option in those cases. This will also be easier for those that cannot connect all of their home phones to an Orchid box.

This is not supposed to make you redundant, indeed, your daytime, mobile and international recommendations are all still perfectly valid if someone decides that the slightly "easier", mostly BT, option is better for them. If they decide that they want to save as much as possible, then they should follow your plan to the absolute letter, as it is unbeatable and very flexible.

I am just trying to make people aware of this competitive new BT option so that they can make a more informed decision on what the best plan of attack for their home phone solution is.

I am not a bad person, really. I'm just a guy who decided to try and help inform people after being unable to find any mention of this option on the forum. What is wrong with that?

More power to your elbow. :T :T :T

PS. I think you may get your Caller Display for free if you went for the BT Option 2 with the 12 month rolling contract, You would also save yourself 10p calling the Indian and get to eat at your normal time........................just joshing Heinz. Caller display is included with Option 2 but am not sure if you would still need to make "chargeable" calls.

gt94sss2

mike_the_bike wrote: »

I can't believe i'm typing this but after being messed around by a bunch of cowboys allegedly offering Broadband i'd ideally like to transfer my broadband to BT...As I have my phone/line rental with them do BT offer any complete phone/broadband package like CPW/Tiscali????

BT do have what they call 'BT Value Bundles' - I don't know exactly what they offer but I think its a discount of £6 per month for the first 6 months followed by a monthly discount of £1.50 assuming you have a BT line/ADSL + BT Vision

Regards
Sunil

Heinz

allanmc wrote: »

PS. I think you may get your Caller Display for free if you went for the BT Option 2 with the 12 month rolling contract, You would also save yourself 10p calling the Indian and get to eat at your normal time........................just joshing Heinz. Caller display is included with Option 2 but am not sure if you would still need to make "chargeable" calls.

I'm not risking it anyway.

I've just had a call from BT (in India) in response to my e-mail querying exactly that point.

After I'd spent 5 minutes trying to educate the guy on the concept of 'inclusive' calls actually being calls which are chargeable but for which payment is included in the overall cost, I gave up and accepted his scripted mantra that a chargeable call is a chargeable call is a chargeable call!

allanmc

Heinz wrote: »

I'm not risking it anyway.

I've just had a call from BT (in India) in response to my e-mail querying exactly that point.

After I'd spent 5 minutes trying to educate the guy on the concept of 'inclusive' calls actually being calls which are chargeable but for which payment is included in the overall cost, I gave up and accepted his scripted mantra that a chargeable call is a chargeable call is a chargeable call!

Good for you Heinz,

I didn't think I would get you on board but I couldn't resist being a little devil. Sorry about that.

If I find out about whether there are any terms and conditions on the BT Privacy (including Caller Display) with the Option 2 package I will let you know. I know someone who may know what the answer might be.

gt94sss2

Heinz wrote: »

After I'd spent 5 minutes trying to educate the guy on the concept of 'inclusive' calls actually being calls which are chargeable but for which payment is included in the overall cost, I gave up and accepted his scripted mantra that a chargeable call is a chargeable call is a chargeable call!

Interestingly, the BT Price list entry for BT Privacy at Home - which is the legally definitive entry (not other BT web pages) - no longer makes any references to chargeable or inclusive calls.

It now simply states that

- In order to be eligible, Consumer customers must make at least 6 calls with BT per quarter.
- Caller Display is offered free of charge to customers who continue to make calls with BT.

Regards
Sunil

allanmc

gt94sss2 wrote: »

Interestingly, the BT Price list entry for BT Privacy at Home - which is the legally definitive entry (not other BT web pages) - no longer makes any references to chargeable or inclusive calls.

It now simply states that

- In order to be eligible, Consumer customers must make at least 6 calls with BT per quarter.
- Caller Display is offered free of charge to customers who continue to make calls with BT.

Regards
Sunil

Very interesting Sunil.

That means that it may be free to all BT Privacy registered punters.

To be honest I have never been charged for it and I have been on CPS with TalkTalk for the last few years. I try to remember to make BT calls now and again but am 100% sure that there will be months in which I haven't remembered and have never been charged.

This means that Heinz can save his 10p, still have his 90 min calls via Primus to his local curry house and doesn't have to change his digestive schedule.

I have emailed an old BT friend to see what they can find out on this BT Privacy thingy. Hopefully they will concur with your findings, if they can be bothered replying. I will post their answer here; if I get one.

allanmc

Here is the answer from a person who trains UK call centre staff for a very big UK telecoms company:

"Because the calls were made via BT (even though they were FREE) the fact that they were made in BT network means no charge for caller display"

That only clarifies it for BT Option customers I'm afraid. They were unsure of exactly how it would affect CPS or override customers and were a bit reluctant to find out once they found out why I wanted to know. I didn't want to push it and get them into trouble. Sorry.

Heinz

allanmc wrote: »

Here is the answer from a person who trains UK call centre staff for a very big UK telecoms company:

"Because the calls were made via BT (even though they were FREE) the fact that they were made in BT network means no charge for caller display"

That only clarifies it for BT Option customers I'm afraid. They were unsure of exactly how it would affect CPS or override customers and were a bit reluctant to find out once they found out why I wanted to know. I didn't want to push it and get them into trouble. Sorry.

Surely, by definition, anyone using a CPS calls provider will be a BT Option customer because you can't have a CPS provider without a BT line.