BT Phone Contracts - Beware 'Auto-Renewing' onto new contract

johnson293 · 25-02-2010, 16:44

As some customers may have signed up for BT Vision under one of BT's Phone/BB/TV bundles, I thought this was relevant to this forum...

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/new...ntract-tie-ins

It seems that BT's phone contracts now automatically renew after the initial term, and research has shown that the sales team rarely advise of this when taking an order.

Not sure if this auto-renew also happens on BB and/or vision contracts now, either.

So if anyone has signed up to BT phone for BB and Vision within the last 12 months, and is considering moving on, then you need to ring them beforehand, otherwise you'll automatically be rolled onto a new min. term contract, with a penalty for cancelling.

noise747 · 25-02-2010, 17:12

The Auto renew on phone contracts have been around for a while, I am on Free Evening and weekends and, if I enter into a Auto renew contract I get it all for free, other wise I have to pay extra on top of my line rental. My contract for the phone ends in May I think, I will not allow it to renew.

The anytime package is also on a renewable contract as well or it was. for some reason I just had a look at Bt site and they seem to have done away with the Evening and weekends, just having Free Weekend calls or the Anytime and i can't see anything about a renewable contract on there, so maybe it have changed.

It think it is only on the phone packages that Bt have a renewable contract, my broadband contract ended in December and is just rolling along, and the couple of people I know that uses Bt vision and have a subscription is also out of contract and just paying on a monthly basis. We know this as someone acting on behalf of Bt phones every month or so to offer a few quid off per month or in the case of BTV something free for a while just to get us to recontract.

timboy · 25-02-2010, 17:25

They send out a letter with the renewal date on it a month before the renewal takes place so the vast majority of people will be aware when the contract will renew and can call to have it cancelled.

johnson293 · 25-02-2010, 18:15

Why the need to 'auto-renew' though?

Most other contracts with other services (be it TV, phone, BB or utilities) with a minimum term just go onto rolling 30 day notice terms once the initial term is up.

Although, I suppose BT have to do something to try and keep their existing customers.

Matterhorn · 25-02-2010, 20:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnson293

Why the need to 'auto-renew' though?

Most other contracts with other services (be it TV, phone, BB or utilities) with a minimum term just go onto rolling 30 day notice terms once the initial term is up.

Although, I suppose BT have to do something to try and keep their existing customers.

yeah, you now have to opt out rather than opt in.

Shady practice but BT aren't alone, sign of the times, especially for BT.

noise747 · 26-02-2010, 11:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matterhorn

yeah, you now have to opt out rather than opt in.

Shady practice but BT aren't alone, sign of the times, especially for BT.

As i said above, looking on their website it seems like only two phone packages are now available, weekends, only which comes as part of your normal line rental and anytime, which you pay £4.99 on top of your line rental, the latter have a 12 month contract, but nothing at all about a renewable contract. so it seems like Bt have done away with it.

Getting rid of the evening and weekend package is not a good idea, but then they made that package a waste of time anyway. Roll on when my contract is over, I will be looking elsewhere for phone calls.

considering Orange for broadband and phone now anyway.

scotty2808 · 26-02-2010, 13:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

As i said above, looking on their website it seems like only two phone packages are now available, weekends, only which comes as part of your normal line rental and anytime, which you pay £4.99 on top of your line rental, the latter have a 12 month contract, but nothing at all about a renewable contract. so it seems like Bt have done away with it.

Getting rid of the evening and weekend package is not a good idea, but then they made that package a waste of time anyway. Roll on when my contract is over, I will be looking elsewhere for phone calls.

considering Orange for broadband and phone now anyway.

i don't take any phone package. my line rental is ~£11.50 a month.

i use my free Broadband Talk line with my broadband and get unlimited evening/weekend calls that way.

zcrafts · 26-02-2010, 14:40

Recently I faced problem with there email service as well

Matterhorn · 26-02-2010, 18:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotty2808

i don't take any phone package. my line rental is ~£11.50 a month.

i use my free Broadband Talk line with my broadband and get unlimited evening/weekend calls that way.

http://www.productsandservices.bt.co...ON-HOME-PHN-R1

not possible to now have a BT package without a 'call plan'

the £11.50 l/rental includes free weekend calls.

noise747 · 27-02-2010, 08:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotty2808

i don't take any phone package. my line rental is ~£11.50 a month.

i use my free Broadband Talk line with my broadband and get unlimited evening/weekend calls that way.

You still get free weekend calls with that. That was my plan was to go for line rental only and use Broadband Talk, but broadband talk is so bad, I gave up on it. I don't know if it is my router or the phone itself, but the quality is not good. Anyway when I changed from my old phone company to Bt, I decided to go for the evening and weekend package as it did not cost me any extra.

Wish I never bothered now and stayed where I was

noise747 · 27-02-2010, 08:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matterhorn

http://www.productsandservices.bt.co...ON-HOME-PHN-R1

not possible to now have a BT package without a 'call plan'

the £11.50 l/rental includes free weekend calls.

It have been that way for a while and most phone companies have a free weekend calls in with line rental.

Matterhorn · 27-02-2010, 10:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

It have been that way for a while and most phone companies have a free weekend calls in with line rental.

P!sses me off no end though.

I never use the land line.

spaceman05 · 27-02-2010, 18:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matterhorn

P!sses me off no end though.

I never use the land line.

not got many friends then

, only joking

Matterhorn · 27-02-2010, 19:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaceman05

not got many friends then

, only joking

ahh.. big man eh?

just far too many mobile minutes to use.

noise747 · 28-02-2010, 09:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matterhorn

P!sses me off no end though.

I never use the land line.

I think it is about time we had cheaper landline like they do in the states, then we can add on calls if we want or go for VoIP.

25-02-2010, 16:44	#1
johnson293 Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 1,243	BT Phone Contracts - Beware 'Auto-Renewing' onto new contract As some customers may have signed up for BT Vision under one of BT's Phone/BB/TV bundles, I thought this was relevant to this forum... http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/new...ntract-tie-ins It seems that BT's phone contracts now automatically renew after the initial term, and research has shown that the sales team rarely advise of this when taking an order. Not sure if this auto-renew also happens on BB and/or vision contracts now, either. So if anyone has signed up to BT phone for BB and Vision within the last 12 months, and is considering moving on, then you need to ring them beforehand, otherwise you'll automatically be rolled onto a new min. term contract, with a penalty for cancelling.

27-02-2010, 18:39	#13
spaceman05 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,113	Quote: Originally Posted by Matterhorn P!sses me off no end though. I never use the land line. not got many friends then, only joking

27-02-2010, 19:31	#14
Matterhorn Inactive Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 729	Quote: Originally Posted by spaceman05 not got many friends then, only joking ahh.. big man eh? just far too many mobile minutes to use.

25-02-2010, 17:12	#2
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	The Auto renew on phone contracts have been around for a while, I am on Free Evening and weekends and, if I enter into a Auto renew contract I get it all for free, other wise I have to pay extra on top of my line rental. My contract for the phone ends in May I think, I will not allow it to renew. The anytime package is also on a renewable contract as well or it was. for some reason I just had a look at Bt site and they seem to have done away with the Evening and weekends, just having Free Weekend calls or the Anytime and i can't see anything about a renewable contract on there, so maybe it have changed. It think it is only on the phone packages that Bt have a renewable contract, my broadband contract ended in December and is just rolling along, and the couple of people I know that uses Bt vision and have a subscription is also out of contract and just paying on a monthly basis. We know this as someone acting on behalf of Bt phones every month or so to offer a few quid off per month or in the case of BTV something free for a while just to get us to recontract.

25-02-2010, 17:25	#3
timboy Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 26,386	They send out a letter with the renewal date on it a month before the renewal takes place so the vast majority of people will be aware when the contract will renew and can call to have it cancelled.

25-02-2010, 18:15	#4
johnson293 Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 1,243	Why the need to 'auto-renew' though? Most other contracts with other services (be it TV, phone, BB or utilities) with a minimum term just go onto rolling 30 day notice terms once the initial term is up. Although, I suppose BT have to do something to try and keep their existing customers.

25-02-2010, 20:02	#5
Matterhorn Inactive Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 729	Quote: Originally Posted by johnson293 Why the need to 'auto-renew' though? Most other contracts with other services (be it TV, phone, BB or utilities) with a minimum term just go onto rolling 30 day notice terms once the initial term is up. Although, I suppose BT have to do something to try and keep their existing customers. yeah, you now have to opt out rather than opt in. Shady practice but BT aren't alone, sign of the times, especially for BT.

26-02-2010, 11:19	#6
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by Matterhorn yeah, you now have to opt out rather than opt in. Shady practice but BT aren't alone, sign of the times, especially for BT. As i said above, looking on their website it seems like only two phone packages are now available, weekends, only which comes as part of your normal line rental and anytime, which you pay £4.99 on top of your line rental, the latter have a 12 month contract, but nothing at all about a renewable contract. so it seems like Bt have done away with it. Getting rid of the evening and weekend package is not a good idea, but then they made that package a waste of time anyway. Roll on when my contract is over, I will be looking elsewhere for phone calls. considering Orange for broadband and phone now anyway.

26-02-2010, 13:03	#7
scotty2808 Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 435	Quote: Originally Posted by noise747 As i said above, looking on their website it seems like only two phone packages are now available, weekends, only which comes as part of your normal line rental and anytime, which you pay £4.99 on top of your line rental, the latter have a 12 month contract, but nothing at all about a renewable contract. so it seems like Bt have done away with it. Getting rid of the evening and weekend package is not a good idea, but then they made that package a waste of time anyway. Roll on when my contract is over, I will be looking elsewhere for phone calls. considering Orange for broadband and phone now anyway. i don't take any phone package. my line rental is ~£11.50 a month. i use my free Broadband Talk line with my broadband and get unlimited evening/weekend calls that way.

26-02-2010, 14:40	#8
zcrafts Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 22	Recently I faced problem with there email service as well

26-02-2010, 18:11	#9
Matterhorn Inactive Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 729	Quote: Originally Posted by scotty2808 i don't take any phone package. my line rental is ~£11.50 a month. i use my free Broadband Talk line with my broadband and get unlimited evening/weekend calls that way. http://www.productsandservices.bt.co...ON-HOME-PHN-R1 not possible to now have a BT package without a 'call plan' the £11.50 l/rental includes free weekend calls.

27-02-2010, 08:50	#10
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by scotty2808 i don't take any phone package. my line rental is ~£11.50 a month. i use my free Broadband Talk line with my broadband and get unlimited evening/weekend calls that way. You still get free weekend calls with that. That was my plan was to go for line rental only and use Broadband Talk, but broadband talk is so bad, I gave up on it. I don't know if it is my router or the phone itself, but the quality is not good. Anyway when I changed from my old phone company to Bt, I decided to go for the evening and weekend package as it did not cost me any extra. Wish I never bothered now and stayed where I was

27-02-2010, 08:51	#11
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by Matterhorn http://www.productsandservices.bt.co...ON-HOME-PHN-R1 not possible to now have a BT package without a 'call plan' the £11.50 l/rental includes free weekend calls. It have been that way for a while and most phone companies have a free weekend calls in with line rental.

27-02-2010, 10:56	#12
Matterhorn Inactive Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 729	Quote: Originally Posted by noise747 It have been that way for a while and most phone companies have a free weekend calls in with line rental. P!sses me off no end though. I never use the land line.

28-02-2010, 09:06	#15
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by Matterhorn P!sses me off no end though. I never use the land line. I think it is about time we had cheaper landline like they do in the states, then we can add on calls if we want or go for VoIP.

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BT Phone Contracts - Beware 'Auto-Renewing' onto new contract