Get rid of the BT + landline tax

xv_biker1
xv_biker1 Posts: 19 Forumite
in Broadband & internet access
Thanks to MSE for the guide on saving on broadband.
but im in a bit of an awkward position. I want to throw some competition at virgin for my broadband but the problem i have is i will not have a phone line. Even if the deal includes one i simply wont plug a handset into it because of all the junk calls (why i got rid of it in the first place)

So problem is as soon as you add on the BT landline tax £16 pm even with the cheapest £2 deals its £18 month for 2meg when im getting 20mb for £8 more.

Even more annoyingly is that a fibre connection which would definatly be competitive doesnt even use the copper cable is still tied into the tax.

is anyone else in this situation?

Comments

  • yangptangkipperbang
    yangptangkipperbang Posts: 1,811 Forumite
    Just why do you expect someone to supply you with a phone line for free ?

    Don't talk rubbish about a "tax" - if you want a landline plenty of people will offer one - but (not unreasonably !!) they would like you to pay for it !
  • cajef
    cajef Posts: 6,266 Forumite
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Post First Anniversary
    edited 5 June 2014 at 7:49PM
    xv_biker1 wrote: »
    Even more annoyingly is that a fibre connection which would definatly be competitive doesnt even use the copper cable is still tied into the tax.
    Who do you think pays for the installation and maintenance of the fibre from the exchange to the cabinet or your home, most fibre connections still used copper from the cabinet unless you have FTTP and of course the Openreach engineers always work for no pay out of the goodness of their hearts.
  • Uxb
    Uxb Posts: 1,340 Forumite
    This one comes up with weary regularity.
    I almost can't be arrrrrrrrseddd to explain it anymore

    Line rental in the UK comprises both the component of payment for receiving a voice service on the line and payment for the rent/maintenance/systems/backhaul/upgrades of the physical line to your address.
    In the UK OFCOM have decreed that these two components shall be lumped together and misleading called line rental. (the cost of a voice call being extra)

    Now they could equally decree that the rent/maintenance etc component is instead lumped in together with your broadband charge instead.
    Then we would have sky high broadband charges and only a small amount extra for having a voice service on the line

    .....but I'd bet the OP really really really would not like that!

    Particularly as there are more phone lines in total than BB+phone activated lines in the UK so your BB charges are being cross subsidzed by the line rental component paid by the phone only lines.

    OFCOM really are not stupid you see.

    PS If you were lucky enough to have a full FTTP connection from Gigaclear you would pay £37/month for their minimum package.
  • LogisticsGuy
    LogisticsGuy Posts: 30 Forumite
    Is there now a tax on line rental?
  • kwikbreaks
    kwikbreaks Posts: 9,187 Forumite
    No - apart I assume from V.A.T. as has always been the case. It's the op calling the necessity to pay for the wires that ADSL is delivered over a tax. In other words BS.
  • matelodave
    matelodave Posts: 8,606 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic First Post
    If you don't want a landline or can't/won't use virgin then there's always the option of satellite broadband - it's no cheaper but it might make you feel better. Theres another option just about to be launched in London which uses a form of wi-fi. Again not cheaper but doesn't need a land line
    Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large numbers
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