I knew about the difference in pricing when BT introduced Option 1, up until then, 0870 numbers did cost the same as national rate, and 0845 numbers did cost the same as local rate.
However BT introduced BT Together Options, and they discounted the prices, so local and national calls cost the same, and at discounted costs, then last year the removed the choice of having their standard tariff, but left the cost of calling 0870 and 0845 at this higher rate as companies still needed to earn their revenue from them.
What a swizz! Thanks BexTech. You always manage to supply good information and advice.
There must be loads of technophobes like me out there who pay out a fortune before finally seeing the light!
Kingston Talk More option 3 can be used as a CPS and is £12.99 per month on top of line rental. It offers the same features of BT Together option 3 but with 50 free inclusive minutes to call mobile phones at the weekend.
BT Together Option 2 gives free evening and weekend calls up to an hour at a cost of £5.50 on top of the £11 line rental.
You could have stayed on the option 1 service which gives you line rental for the £11, and then CPS your line to Primus Saver Option 2, for no monthly fee you get free evening and weekend calls for up to 90 mins, therefore saving you £5.50 per month.
Just thought I'd let you all know that I registered with 1899 a few days ago and have just checked my account online. It comes to the sum total of 27p for 9 calls including three of at least 30 mins to my family in Scotland. I'm so happy! I have estimated that the same calls would have cost around £4.50 with BT.
I Just changed to BT Option 2 from BT Option 1. Hope call prices for that dont change.
Darren
I thought about changing to BT Option 2 at first but worked out that you are paying about £1.37 a week or nearly 20p a day for your free calls. On Option 1 you get up to an hour for 5.5p on evenings and weekends so you would need to make at least 4 calls a day every day to get your money's worth.
I'm sure that if my calculations are wrong someone will very swiftly put me right. :rolleyes:
Not sure if you are talking to me there, BexTech, but I was talking about a while ago before I discovered this forum. I was trying to give my tuppence worth to ney. I am really happy with my decision to change to Option 1 with 1899 for daytime calls. I'll get round to adding Primus 2 for my evening and weekend calls eventually. I don't feel the need to rush as much for that as BT's rates for evening and weekend calls aren't that bad. It's their daytime rates that are the killers.
I would go with someone else but dont like the idea of the BT line getting fully tane over. I was with Tiscal for my Free weekend calls till I stoped that the other week.
Yes, don't go with anyone who takes over the line rental, that is a big no no.
But the good thing about Primus 2 saver, is only your calls go via them, your line rental remains with BT.
Any calls you then want to go back over BT you dial 1280 first. And any calls you want to go via 1899, you dial 1899 first, and any calls you want to go via 18185, you dial 18185 first.
Yes, don't go with anyone who takes over the line rental, that is a big no no.
But the good thing about Primus 2 saver, is only your calls go via them, your line rental remains with BT.
Any calls you then want to go back over BT you dial 1280 first. And any calls you want to go via 1899, you dial 1899 first, and any calls you want to go via 18185, you dial 18185 first.
Im on BT option 2 and also on the BT Friends & Family. Im ment to make a 10% saving on the numbers that on the list and a 20% saving to the best friends number that I have picked. Im also just in the lest 2 weeks now with BTYahoo broadband. I want a phone company that dont use CPS as im not to keen on that. So if I wanted I could still use BT and if I went with someone else could I still use my broadband for I pay that though BT.
Right think you might be getting a little confused here, not sure.
There is nothing wrong with a CPS supplier, what you want to avoid is a WLR supplier.
WLR not only take over your phone calls, but also your line rental, and therefore you are no longer with BT, nor can use use other suppliers.
CPS is where your line rental stays with BT, but calls are automatically routed via your chosen CPS supplier, unless you prefix the call to send to someone else.
Indirect carriers (such as 1899 and 18185) is where you dial a short code access number and that call is then carried by that network on a call by call basis.
Whether you have your calls via BT or via a CPS provider you BT broadband will remain the same.
If you choose another broadband provider they will bill you separately, it is not possible for BT to bill you for someone elses broadband, only their own broadband, but there is nothing stopping you choosing any broadband and having CPS or WLR.
By trying to have everything on one bill, you will be paying highly for the convenience.
As I said before the best option is:-
BT for line rental
Primus 2 for CPS
1899 for daytime calls
18185 for calls to mobiles and international
Whoever for your broadband.
With CPS you can still put calls back over BT by dialling 1280 as you still have BT line rental.
BT together 2 is costing you £5.50 per month, yet you can get the same from Primus 2 for £00.00 per month, except instead of calls up to 60 mins being free, calls up to 90 mins are free.
m419, you mention people paying over the odds for mobiles, yet you are with Telewest for the phone service, so you are paying over the odds for that (unless you work for TW).
ive always found TW telephone packages always to be cheap and also very user friendly, you know exactly what you are paying for.
Im thinking of later in the year going back to BT option 1 and getting BT talk for £2. That gives you free evening and weekend calls and day time dalls for 3p. Is it worth me looking into getting the service. http://www.bt.com/broadband/bb_info.jsp?targetSection=talk
Why pay 3p per min daytime, and why pay £2 per month for the 'free calls', when you can get those 'free calls' actually for free, and then also get daytime calls for 3p each, not per minute, from your regular landline.
Why pay 3p per min daytime, and why pay £2 per month for the 'free calls', when you can get those 'free calls' actually for free, and then also get daytime calls for 3p each, not per minute, from your regular landline.
It just looked good when reading about it and as I now got BTYahoo broadnand it seemed ok. You are always hearing that calls via broadband sometimes work out cheaper.
I have so far had over 10 months of unlimited calls to UK landline and many other countries, for just a few pounds, that's a few pounds for the whole 10 months, not a few pound a month.
You do not realise just how many companies now use 0845 and 0870 numbers.
the answer is really quite simple if you can't beat then join them!
If you check the WEB you will find that you can sign up...for free, to have an 0871 number directed to your fixed line. Then whenever anyone calls you via your 0871 number your making money.
So when you have to call a company via 0870 or 0845 and they ask for your number so that they can call you back just quote your 0871....
'O' and then don't forget when they call back to keep them talking or better still if you can put them on hold with music & keep telling them they are moving up the queue then so much the better
Comments
What a swizz! Thanks BexTech. You always manage to supply good information and advice.
There must be loads of technophobes like me out there who pay out a fortune before finally seeing the light!
www.kcom.com/talkmore
Darren
You could have stayed on the option 1 service which gives you line rental for the £11, and then CPS your line to Primus Saver Option 2, for no monthly fee you get free evening and weekend calls for up to 90 mins, therefore saving you £5.50 per month.
Primus 2: http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/saverproducts.aspx?source=saver
I thought about changing to BT Option 2 at first but worked out that you are paying about £1.37 a week or nearly 20p a day for your free calls. On Option 1 you get up to an hour for 5.5p on evenings and weekends so you would need to make at least 4 calls a day every day to get your money's worth.
I'm sure that if my calculations are wrong someone will very swiftly put me right. :rolleyes:
http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/saverproducts.aspx?source=saver
Not sure if you are talking to me there, BexTech, but I was talking about a while ago before I discovered this forum. I was trying to give my tuppence worth to ney. I am really happy with my decision to change to Option 1 with 1899 for daytime calls. I'll get round to adding Primus 2 for my evening and weekend calls eventually. I don't feel the need to rush as much for that as BT's rates for evening and weekend calls aren't that bad. It's their daytime rates that are the killers.
Darren
But the good thing about Primus 2 saver, is only your calls go via them, your line rental remains with BT.
Any calls you then want to go back over BT you dial 1280 first. And any calls you want to go via 1899, you dial 1899 first, and any calls you want to go via 18185, you dial 18185 first.
It is a win, win, win, win situation.
Is there a website for 1899 and 18185.
Darren
www.call18185.co.uk
Darren
There is nothing wrong with a CPS supplier, what you want to avoid is a WLR supplier.
WLR not only take over your phone calls, but also your line rental, and therefore you are no longer with BT, nor can use use other suppliers.
CPS is where your line rental stays with BT, but calls are automatically routed via your chosen CPS supplier, unless you prefix the call to send to someone else.
Indirect carriers (such as 1899 and 18185) is where you dial a short code access number and that call is then carried by that network on a call by call basis.
Whether you have your calls via BT or via a CPS provider you BT broadband will remain the same.
If you choose another broadband provider they will bill you separately, it is not possible for BT to bill you for someone elses broadband, only their own broadband, but there is nothing stopping you choosing any broadband and having CPS or WLR.
By trying to have everything on one bill, you will be paying highly for the convenience.
As I said before the best option is:-
BT for line rental
Primus 2 for CPS
1899 for daytime calls
18185 for calls to mobiles and international
Whoever for your broadband.
With CPS you can still put calls back over BT by dialling 1280 as you still have BT line rental.
BT together 2 is costing you £5.50 per month, yet you can get the same from Primus 2 for £00.00 per month, except instead of calls up to 60 mins being free, calls up to 90 mins are free.
ive always found TW telephone packages always to be cheap and also very user friendly, you know exactly what you are paying for.
http://www.bt.com/broadband/bb_info.jsp?targetSection=talk
Darren
I just can't see the point.
Why pay 3p per min daytime, and why pay £2 per month for the 'free calls', when you can get those 'free calls' actually for free, and then also get daytime calls for 3p each, not per minute, from your regular landline.
It just looked good when reading about it and as I now got BTYahoo broadnand it seemed ok. You are always hearing that calls via broadband sometimes work out cheaper.
Darren
I have so far had over 10 months of unlimited calls to UK landline and many other countries, for just a few pounds, that's a few pounds for the whole 10 months, not a few pound a month.
the answer is really quite simple if you can't beat then join them!
If you check the WEB you will find that you can sign up...for free, to have an 0871 number directed to your fixed line. Then whenever anyone calls you via your 0871 number your making money.
So when you have to call a company via 0870 or 0845 and they ask for your number so that they can call you back just quote your 0871....
'O' and then don't forget when they call back to keep them talking or better still if you can put them on hold with music & keep telling them they are moving up the queue then so much the better