BT Together Option 1 - Have I got this right?

valmiki

Hi folks

I noticed the recent BT Option 1 free weekends calls offer.

Pay the normal line rental, £11 a month or whatever, then get free weekend calls. BUT I must make one 'chargeable' call.

Now the tricky bit

I use an Orchid dialler, to reroute all my calls through 18185. I can reroute all my weekend calls through BT at the flick of a switch

What does count as a chargeable call? If I reroute all weekend calls through BT, then I'll never make that chargeable call (since all calls outside the weekend will still go through 18185), hence I won't get my free calls

HOWEVER

If I don't get my free calls, then the weekend calls (or at least the first one) will be charged - does this count then as my chargeable call?

It's like the chicken/egg situation that I can't get my head around!

I did try asking BT a little earlier, but just had instead someone trying to sign me up to the evenings & weekend package, and couldn't answer my question. Obviously the Jim Henson Workshop is missing a few muppets this evening.

Could someone please explain or point me to the right direction? I did try search but not found anything.

cheers

valmiki.

Heinz

What I do is use the 1280 prefix to override my Orchid and call the Indian, Chinese or Thai to order my weekly takeaway on a Friday evening - that easily covers the 6 calls per quarter necessary to qualify for 'free' Caller Display and to cover this new requirement.

At the moment, each of those calls costs me a flat rate 4½p but, from 1-4-08, they'll cost me 6p 'call set-up fee' plus 1½p/minute. Annoyingly more costly but still not a lot to pay for Caller Display and free weekend calls (if I ever have to use BT at the weekend).

valmiki

Know what you mean, unfortunately I don't have anything regular that I can call like that!

Short of setting a reminder to have to do this, I can't see a way round this. Anyway, would I have to do this for the free weekend calls?

It's a shame I can't program the dialler to make some 'chargeable' calls, but I'm pretty sure that BT know that anyway :rolleyes:

Heinz

valmiki wrote: »

It's a shame I can't program the dialler to make some 'chargeable' calls, but I'm pretty sure that BT know that anyway :rolleyes:

Although it makes use of a CPS* calls provider, my suggested Orchid program includes using BT for a number of chargeable calls (for which BT is actually cheapest) so reviewing your own program might solve your problem.

* which, mainly, provides free evening and weekend calls for no monthly fee - as BT Together Option 2 now does if you agree to a 'rolling' 12 month contract.

valmiki

Heinz wrote: »

.... my suggested Orchid program ....

wow looks like I've missed out on a lot! need to do some reading...

JustPassingBy

valmiki wrote: »

Hi folks

What does count as a chargeable call?

A chargeable call is one where you give BT some money.

If I reroute all weekend calls through BT, then I'll never make that chargeable call (since all calls outside the weekend will still go through 18185), hence I won't get my free calls

I wouldn't quite look at that way myself. The free weekend calls are automatically included so will be available each time you use the phone midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday. Month after month you can benefit. Until BT decides to exercise its right to move you onto its Line Rental Plan because you make no chargeable calls. There is speculation that the likelihood of this happening is low.

If I don't get my free calls, then the weekend calls (or at least the first one) will be charged - does this count then as my chargeable call?

What will happen after April 1st is a bit murky. No published Line Rental Plan is available yet.

Brian.

gt94sss2

valmiki wrote: »

I noticed the recent BT Option 1 free weekends calls offer.

Pay the normal line rental, £11 a month or whatever, then get free weekend calls. BUT I must make one 'chargeable' call.

Why not sign up to BT's offer of free evening and weekend calls (option 2) for no additional charge - as long as you agree to keep your line rental with them for 12 months.

You can then route your evening and weekend calls via BT - and your daytime ones via 18185. It also means you don't need to worry about 'chargeable calls'

Regards
Sunil

Nicholas

gt94sss2 wrote: »

Why not sign up to BT's offer of free evening and weekend calls (option 2) for no additional charge - as long as you agree to keep your line rental with them for 12 months.

You can then route your evening and weekend calls via BT - and your daytime ones via 18185. It also means you don't need to worry about 'chargeable calls'

Regards
Sunil

BT aren't exactly going out of their way to simplify the process! So let me get this right.....if you aren't planning on leaving BT (for line rental) and don't mind continually being locked in, then you never pay the £3.45 or £2.70 ever?

Personally, I don't give a monkeys if BT changed me from Option 1 to "Line Rental Plan" as I never really use them for calls. The only thing that would concern me, however, is losing my free caller display. So, if I joined up for free evening and weekend calls, I would have to make a "chargeable" call during the day on a weekday? Surely that would work out more than making a couple of evening calls on Option 1 (on the asumption that BT are going for minute billing).

Or did I read on another thread that caller display is free with option 2?

Mind you, all hypothetical at the moment as I still have over £30 credit with Primus when I joined through uSwitch a couple of years ago...

So methinks stick with BT Option 1, make my work number my best friend, and give it two rings a month outside of office hours, ((6p+1.5p)*0.8)*2 = 12p a month on top of my now £10.50 a month line rental.

Just a shame that most people out there (I'm talking about the ones that would never come onto this site or just plain complacent) won't be taking any action. BT could end up losing money rather than gaining if everyone was switched on.

Nicholas

valmiki wrote: »

Hi folks


What does count as a chargeable call? If I reroute all weekend calls through BT, then I'll never make that chargeable call (since all calls outside the weekend will still go through 18185), hence I won't get my free calls

HOWEVER

If I don't get my free calls, then the weekend calls (or at least the first one) will be charged - does this count then as my chargeable call?

It's like the chicken/egg situation that I can't get my head around!


cheers

valmiki.

So, taking it one step further...if a customer was on Option 3 and made free unlimited geographical calls 24/7, the only way they could make a "chargeable" call would be to ring a non-geographical number 0845, 0870 or ring a mobile.

The water's getting murkier all the time

Sooler

valmiki wrote: »

Know what you mean, unfortunately I don't have anything regular that I can call like that!

Short of setting a reminder to have to do this, I can't see a way round this. Anyway, would I have to do this for the free weekend calls?

It's a shame I can't program the dialler to make some 'chargeable' calls, but I'm pretty sure that BT know that anyway :rolleyes:

You can dial a speaking clock on 01352 838081
http://blog.rac.me.uk/2007/06/17/free-uk-speaking-clock/

So you can make 6 chargable calls to it for 6 x ( 6p 'call set-up fee' plus 1½p/minute) = 45p

JustPassingBy

Nicholas wrote: »

So, taking it one step further...if a customer was on Option 3 and made free unlimited geographical calls 24/7, the only way they could make a "chargeable" call would be to ring a non-geographical number 0845, 0870 or ring a mobile.

The term "chargeable call" is only used in connection with Option 1. With Option 3 all calls to 01, 02, 03 and 05 numbers are inclusive and money has changed hands. So the answer to your implied question is "no".

Brian.