Cheapest Home Phones Discussion

FL · 7 September 2007 at 6:25PM

What is the best provider of free/cheap evening and weekend calls. I am on the £3 a month package with Primus and want to try and get them for free.

10_66 · 8 September 2007 at 7:38AM

The following links should help. On the first link scroll down until you reach "Cheapest Phone Alone Solution". The second link expands further on the first.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/home-phone-calls

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=1598074&postcount=3

FL · 8 September 2007 at 8:13PM

10_66 wrote: »

The following links should help. On the first link scroll down until you reach "Cheapest Phone Alone Solution". The second link expands further on the first.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/home-phone-calls

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=1598074&postcount=3

Hi I am a Sky customer and thought about the option of Free Sky talk. Bit worried about the 6p charge for non inclusive calls. Might try it for a few months and see how it works out.

FL · 10 September 2007 at 12:22PM

I rang up as someone suggested on the thread and I managed to be transferred from the old package where I paid £3 but was given £5 credit a month to the free calls option. My old package had ended.

spiritwish · 14 September 2007 at 10:37PM

Talk Talk were a nightmare in the early days when I first took out the contract. Useless customer service. However - all seems ok now and had no problems once was finally up and running.

clipboard2 · 15 September 2007 at 12:30AM

Recently applied to switch to TalkTalk (Talk2 International). I'm currently using BT/Primus 2 for landline and Virgn Media for broadband, and TalkTalk had recently become available in my area.

Being a moneysaving clipboard, I haggled in CPW and got them to agree to give me £20 cashback if I signed up, which I did. This was in Reading btw.

Back home that evening discovered could get £32 cashback if I signed up to same online via quidco. Oh Noo!! So same day I cancelled my CPW contract (14 day cooling off period) in triplicate - phoned callcentre, emailed and sent letter. Was assured cancellation was done, and after 4 days I sucessfully applied online via quidco.

The Talktalk process rolled on, however - they sent me 3 separate mini modems. Rang Talktalk CS (0808 1009250)to advise of their generosity, and the advisor told me to (quote) "sell 2 of them on ebay"! Yep, really!

And a couple of days ago, I received a £20 cheque in the post from the CFW Refunds Department! :j . Oh well...

Joco · 19 September 2007 at 7:02PM

For once I cannot agree with Martin's advice - AVOID TALKTALK at all costs if you value your sanity. I changed to their Talk3 International plan in order to get 'Free' Broadband a year ago and never was connected despite dozens of calls to call centres all over the world. Four letters (sent between Jan and Aug this year) went unanswered until I finally sent one with an Ombudsmans office reference to a name and address supplied by them. I was tied into an 18-month contract (in whose small print is a disclaimer stating that they cannot guarantee you will receive the service!!). After hundreds of wasted hours of my life and life-shortening stress and frustration I have finally negotiated £100 compensation plus refund of my set-up costs and the £70 penalty for early termination of contract.

Rather than use TalkTalk, it is best to contact other suppliers who will usually match the lowest price you can find from a rival company, even if they do not advertise the fact. I now have a Virgin telephone line, free anytime national calls and broadband all for just over £20 a month.

My tips are
- pester the sales departments on freephone numbers and don't waste months trying to get the service you've paid for - ask the ombudsman's office for advice
- send a registered letter to head office
- don't be fobbed off with excuses/insultingly small offers of compensation

-

carotravel · 19 September 2007 at 8:39PM

I'm also stuck in the BT trap of currently no active line so guess I'll use BT for line rental.
So,who gives a good stand alone package for landline calls & broadband?
(I don't have sky or want a tv package)
Looks like I had a lucky escape by not signing up to TalkTalk

Heinz · 20 September 2007 at 8:54AM

carotravel wrote: »

I'm also stuck in the BT trap of currently no active line so guess I'll use BT for line rental.
So,who gives a good stand alone package for landline calls & broadband?
(I don't have sky or want a tv package)
Looks like I had a lucky escape by not signing up to TalkTalk

Welcome to the MSE forums carotravel.

My advice would be to consider voice telephony and broadband separately.

For voice telephony, please click the 'HERE' link in my signature below.

For broadband, Martin's article may help you decide.

carotravel · 20 September 2007 at 11:14AM

Thanks Heinz, the phone stuff all looks a bit too complicated for me, but i will look at getting broadband seperate to phone, maybe I'll get a mobile that has free landline calls.

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