BT Misleading 18m packages

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  • mnbvcxz
    mnbvcxz Posts: 382 Forumite
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    mije1983 wrote: »
    If you have the evidence of their 'fixed price contract' advertising then you should. If not, what about their advertising are you going to complain about?

    If a significant amount of typical people read an advert and misunderstand the offer, even if it is technically accurate, then that advert is surely the definition of misleading?

    I'm not sure anyone in the last three years or so has actually received the price shown in big print on the advert for the full contract length. (Ok unless you include the small print).

    An accurate advert would read something like "Prices start from this price and will rise during your contract".

    I would consider that a valid complaint. Though I've been wrong before...
  • mnbvcxz
    mnbvcxz Posts: 382 Forumite
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    edited 1 July 2018 at 11:54PM
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    ValiantSon wrote: »
    By all means complain that the practice of increasing prices during a supposed fixed discount period is wrong, but don't labour the point by inventing some byzantine and arduous task in finding a new deal.

    Then you are a better man than me. Personally it takes me at least an afternoon.

    Wading through all the different options from each isp and the different configurations of deals that vary every week drives me up the wall. The comparison sites are never totally accurate for my exchange either.

    I just want to do it once, pick one and not have to think about it again for the next 12 to 18 months.

    Not to mention the fear every migration that it might go wrong and end up in a mess.

    But maybe that's just me being disorganised.

    Still as they say, first world problems, blessed to have problems such as these I guess.
  • mije1983
    mije1983 Posts: 3,665 Forumite
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    Or in other words, providers could tempt customers in with very low special offers, then jack up the rates when competitors aren't offering special deals?

    It is possible, but generally when provider X hikes their prices other providers try to take advantage of the churn that happens, and tend to have decent deals in order to entice people from provider X.

    mnbvcxz wrote: »
    I would consider that a valid complaint.

    Then complain to the ASA. If everyone waited for someone else to do it, nothing would ever get done!
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 5,186 Forumite
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    mnbvcxz wrote: »
    If a significant amount of typical people read an advert and misunderstand the offer, even if it is technically accurate, then that advert is surely the definition of misleading?

    When you say "misunderstand" you surely mean don't bother reading it? Godd luck in complaining to ASA that people don't read the full advert.
    I'm not sure anyone in the last three years or so has actually received the price shown in big print on the advert for the full contract length. (Ok unless you include the small print).

    Talktalk customers do. The downside is it's Talktalk.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 5,186 Forumite
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    cjdavies wrote: »
    If I wanted to return in future, when I am considered a new custome for deals/cashback?

    They usually state no contract within the last 12 months but it may depend on their targets for that particular month. I'm surprised they didn't at least try to retain you.
  • pmduk
    pmduk Posts: 10,655 Forumite
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    They usually state no contract within the last 12 months but it may depend on their targets for that particular month. I'm surprised they didn't at least try to retain you.

    Virgin regularly try to 'shake off' unprofitable customers. IIRC, the poster is a rather heavy data user which may explain the laxity in their retention efforts.
  • ValiantSon
    ValiantSon Posts: 2,586 Forumite
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    mnbvcxz wrote: »
    If a significant amount of typical people read an advert and misunderstand the offer, even if it is technically accurate, then that advert is surely the definition of misleading?

    No, that is the definition of not reading carefully.
    mnbvcxz wrote: »
    I'm not sure anyone in the last three years or so has actually received the price shown in big print on the advert for the full contract length. (Ok unless you include the small print).

    I've just completed an 18 month discount with SSE where I got the advertised rate of £21per month (unlimited 76 Mbps fibre; line rental and anytime calls) for the full 18 months.
    mnbvcxz wrote: »
    An accurate advert would read something like "Prices start from this price and will rise during your contract".

    No, that would be a misleading advert, because the initial price is fixed, rather than, "starting from," and it also doesn't show what the current normal price is. The current wording is both accurate, and is not misleading (assuming people bother to read it, and have the reading comprehension skills necessary to understand it - a failure in either of these areas is not the advertiser's fault).
    mnbvcxz wrote: »
    I would consider that a valid complaint. Though I've been wrong before...

    Nope, no grounds for a complaint. The intellectual capacity of the general public is not valid grounds.
  • Marvel1
    Marvel1 Posts: 7,176 Forumite
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    They usually state no contract within the last 12 months but it may depend on their targets for that particular month. I'm surprised they didn't at least try to retain you.
    pmduk wrote: »
    Virgin regularly try to 'shake off' unprofitable customers. IIRC, the poster is a rather heavy data user which may explain the laxity in their retention efforts.

    Sorry should have stated this in my first post, I downloaded about 900Gb in 3 months
  • mnbvcxz
    mnbvcxz Posts: 382 Forumite
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    I should have emphasised that when I said no consumer had achieved the full contract at the advertised price I was referring to BT consumer customers. Sorry that was unclear. I appreciate other isp's have completed contracts without price rises.


    As to whether the BT contract was sufficiently clear in its meaning to the consumer I can only say that for me it was not. I was surprised the price rises applied to me. I had assumed that as it kept saying get a special price and 18 months in big letters that the note about prices changing must refer to the out of contract prices and options..

    Make of that what you will.
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
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    Think its more that we don't look when we are buying and dont look either when we get the signup email .
    Or we only see what we want to see .

    Looking at signing up today on BT web site we have a lot of details to read .
    >>>


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