When did BT start charging for Caller Display

amd

Just got my new BT e-bill - calls are with Tiscali - usual service charge but they've also charged me a "one-off" £7.01 which comprises £4.46 for Caller Display and £2.55 for BT Answer 1571. Both of these were free before and I don't remember being advised they'd changed! Bit miffed to say the least! What the heck is that all about - and why are they labelled "one-off" !!!

Just looked back to previous bills and they'd charged same amounts in November too but nothing in Feb! I hadn't bothered to look at the Nov bill before today - typical.

roddydogs

Isnt caller display always extra?

lilac_lady

Virgin charges £1.75 per month for caller display. Maybe it's free as part of a package from BT and you've changed your one?

amd

Going by the following small print I'm obviously not making enought calls! Only because I've finally trained my family to use 1899 before every call - except at weekends! So much for saving money!

TAKEN FROM BT'S WEBSITE:
"BT residential customers making some calls on the BT network can opt in to receive Caller Display for free, subject to availability. Analogue lines only. Caller display equipment required. Numbers will not be registered if the call is from payphones; some switchboards; non-BT networks; or where a caller's number is withheld. Allow 28 days for activation of telephone preference service. Terms and conditions apply."

"Customers who do not make chargeable or inclusive calls with BT will be charged for BT Answer 1571 standard service. Customers who are billed monthly must make at least two chargeable calls with BT in that month or BT will charge (incl. VAT) £1.00 a month for the standard BT Answer 1571 service. Customers who are billed quarterly must make at least six chargeable calls with BT within that quarter or BT will charged (incl. VAT) £3.00 a quarter."

Heinz

amd wrote: »

Going by the following small print I'm obviously not making enought calls! Only because I've finally trained my family to use 1899 before every call - except at weekends! So much for saving money!

All you have to do is train them to use a 1280 prefix for UK 01/02/03 calls of less than an hour at weekends (I assume that you're on BT's Unlimited Weekend Plan so you get such calls free at weekends - and they count as 'qualifying calls' for free Caller Display and, if you must use it [please don't], 1571).