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BT slashes consumer prices |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,884
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BT slashes consumer prices
BT is cutting prices for some consumer bundles - BT Together Option 2 is falling 28 per cent to £3.95 a month and BT Together Option 3 is down 31 per cent to £9.95 a month.
From 15 August, BT will offer free evening and weekend calls to anyone who signs an 18 month contract. From August, the telco will charge residential customers by the minute. From the end of the year, all customers can knock 25p off their line rental if they get bills online. From October, BT is cutting the price of non-geographic numbers such as 0845 and 0870. At the same time, BT will reduce different rates for calls from landlines to mobiles from 20 to just three. Broadband customers can sign up to BT's VoIP service for £4.95 a month - a 29 per cent saving. The move comes just weeks after Ofcom retail price controls on calls and line rental for BT customers, as of August 1. More on the BT website here. |
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#2 |
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Posts: n/a
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Aw...you got me excited there, £3.95 per month for BT Together Option 2
But then I read the small print and it is actually £14.95 per month Think I'll stick with the £11.00 per month for BT Together Option 1 ![]() Why pay £3.95 per month for something that you can get for free elsewhere? Now if BT offers that free from August 15th, I will be tempted, but I'll certainly be checking the small print before agreeing to any contracts. (I can't see this free offer on BT site yet) Last edited by dawson : 31-07-2006 at 16:44. |
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: NE Essex,6½m SSW of Sudbury TX
Posts: 7,107
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BT price changes (they're not all reductions)
There are some crafty little changes (some of which will be nice little earners for BT) being introduced as well:
Landline-to-mobile Price Changes From 1st October 2006, BT will simplify its landline-to-mobile rates for residential customers by introducing just three rates which will replace existing landline-to-mobile tariffs. Landline-to-mobile rates during the Daytime will be 13ppm (inc VAT), during the Evenings, they will be 8ppm and during the Weekend, they will be 5ppm (inc VAT). These rates will apply for calls to ALL mobile networks (except Hutchinson 3G) and will make it easier for you to manage your calls. Not only does this change make our pricing easier to understand but also ensures our prices remain among the most competitive in the market. Reductions in 0870 and 0845 rates From 1st October 2006, the call rates for residential customers making 0870 calls will be reduced to 7ppm from 7.51ppm in the daytime, reduced to 3.69ppm from 3.75ppm in the evening and remain at 1.50ppm at the weekend. 3p set-up fee applies. Also, the call rates for residential customers making 0845 calls will be reduced to 0.5ppm from 1.5ppm at the weekend and will remain the same at 3ppm in the daytime and remain the same at 1ppm in the evening. This change will mean our 0870 call rates are among the most competitive in the market. Call Set-up Fee From 1st October 2006, the minimum call charge of 5.5p for residential customers will be replaced by a call set-up fee of 3p that will be charged at the start of each phone call. The call set-up fee will be applied to national and local geographic calls, premium rate calls, NTS calls (e.g. 0845, 0870), international calls and landline-to-mobile calls. However, it will not apply to zero-rated calls included in BT Together Option 2 and 3, BT Together Local Calls Option or Evening and Weekend UK geographic calls of up to an hour for Option 1 customers for which a charge of 5.5p per call will apply. The new call set-up fee will apply to all customers on the Light User Scheme (LUS). The LUS rental rebate and threshold will be adjusted in the customer's favour to ensure customers continue to benefit from these services and that their bills do not increase by more than the rate of inflation as a result. For customers on In-Contact Plus, the 10p minimum call charge will be replaced by the 3p call set-up fee. More details on this can be found at bt.com/pricing. Whole Minute Charging From 1st October 2006, each call will be rounded up to the next whole minute for national and local geographic calls, international calls and landline-to-mobile calls. Minute rounding will not be applied to NTS calls or premium rate service calls and existing rounding rules will apply to these numbers. Calls made by In-Contact Plus customers will also be subject to this pricing, as will calls made by LUS customers. The LUS rental rebate and threshold will be adjusted in the customer's favour to ensure customers continue to benefit from these services. Other calls like 5.5p Evening and Weekend geographic UK calls on BT Together Option 1, any calls made within the inclusive calls packages on BT Together Option 2 and 3 and BT Together Local Calls Option will not be affected. For full details of which call types will be charged by the whole minute, visit bt.com/pricing. OTOH, there's a 25p reduction on your line rental if you opt for online (only) billing! That's less than it costs them to post the paper bill! http://www.callsave.bt.com/ Last edited by Heinz : 31-07-2006 at 16:45. |
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: NE Essex,6½m SSW of Sudbury TX
Posts: 7,107
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystic Eddy
BT Together Option 3 is down 31 per cent to £9.95 a month.
Last edited by Heinz : 31-07-2006 at 20:13. |
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#5 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Newcastle on Tyne.
Posts: 15,665
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As usual BT's 'simpler pricing' is full of nasty pitfalls and sneaky increases.
I'll stick with 'Talktalk' and get the free calls to my parents (who are on the same network) and continue to spend as little as possible with BT in order to qualify for the free 'caller display'.
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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: N. Ireland
Posts: 779
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Typical BT, the give a little and then snatch twice as much back with the other hand. It would make me reconsider moving away from them now tbh.
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Arley, Worcs
Posts: 1,334
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Guess I'll still be using 18185 and 1899 for my phone calls. They're still much cheaper than BT's new prices.
Does anyone still actually use BT for phone calls? If so, they must have money to burn. |
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#8 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Newcastle on Tyne.
Posts: 15,665
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Millions of people still use BT for their calls, it's called 'customer inertia' and BT rely on it to make their money.
A few months ago I must have had 2 or 3 phone calls and at least half a dozen letters from customer services in the space of a month trying to entice me back from 'Talktalk' (which I find ok for landline services),of course it didn't persuade me! |
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: NE Essex,6½m SSW of Sudbury TX
Posts: 7,107
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Quote:
Originally Posted by poppasmurf
Guess I'll still be using 18185 and 1899 for my phone calls. They're still much cheaper than BT's new prices.
Does anyone still actually use BT for phone calls? If so, they must have money to burn. |
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#10 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 10,276
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Made me think when I read about this today and i'm voting with my cash!!
No more rip-offf BT Broadband for me - I'm taking Orange's free offering which is faster and even with a 2GB cap should be sufficient. Free Voip calls too evenings and weekends and a free wireless router. Add to the deal a free nokia N80 and 325 x/net mins and 150 SMS + 100 mins offpeak calls from the mobile for £30 a month. No CPS either so you can use 18866 or buy the SkyTalk unlimited anytime landline calls package for £5 a month. Just looking at the savings. Previously paid £11 line rental to BT + £4 for off peak landline calls. £25 for BT Broadband and £25 to Vodafone for 200 Mins X/Net & 250 SMS. Total = £65 a month. Now £11 line rental to BT, £5 to Sky for anytime landline calls, £30 for Mobile , Broadband and off peak Voip landline calls. Total = £46. Saving £19 a month and I get more flexible calls to landlines, more inclusive x/net mobile minutes and faster broadband! with a free wireless router and a mobile phone that can display the Inernet via Wi-Fi .. so no nasty expensive data charges. Even better there is no connection charges or (like talktalk) hidden disconnection charges. Thanks BT for bringing the nasty per minute pricing to my notice as well as the uncompetitive broadband pricing. I think BT have well and truly speeded up the customer loss process for themselves. Last edited by wavejockglw : 01-08-2006 at 18:27. |
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#11 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Newcastle on Tyne.
Posts: 15,665
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Don't forget you have to maintain a Sky subscription to get the £5 a month Skytalk package.
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#12 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 10,276
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CHUTNEY
Don't forget you have to maintain a Sky subscription to get the £5 a month Skytalk package.
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#13 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 106
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Quote:
From 1st October 2006, the minimum call charge of 5.5p for residential customers will be replaced by a call set-up fee of 3p that will be charged at the start of each phone call.
I love this- BT are almost making out as if it's now 2.5p cheaper, whereas they're now charging you more, as you have to spend 4p cos of the bloody "round up to the nearest minute" scam. I seem to remember BT once advertising that they were much fairer than other companies because they measured to the second, and NOT to the next minute. Nice.
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#14 |
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Banned User
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Middle Earth.
Posts: 1,121
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DrNick2005
I love this- BT are almost making out as if it's now 2.5p cheaper, whereas they're now charging you more, as you have to spend 4p cos of the bloody "round up to the nearest minute" scam. I seem to remember BT once advertising that they were much fairer than other companies because they measured to the second, and NOT to the next minute. Nice.
Time for the remaining BT customers to switch to Primus 2, 1899 and 18185. For no monthly fee Primus 2 offers free evening and weekend calls. For no monthly fee 1899 offers calls to uk landlines for 3p per call. For no monthly fee 18185 offers calls to UK mobiles for 2p/min weekends and 5p/min weekdays (+4p connection). You can use primus 2, 1899 and 18185 from the same line. If you are a Sky customer and you make over 166 daytime calls each and every month, then Sky Talk may be for you, and you can also use 1899 and 18185 if you wished. Last edited by MadMulla : 16-08-2006 at 22:45. |
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#15 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Scotland, Dunfermline Area
Posts: 10,701
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I see thought that option 1 that im on and that a few others are on has not got any price cuts. Its good though that BT are bring the prices down a little for some but they are not bringing prices down for everyone. I get free evening and weekend calls thought BT Broadband Talk.
Darren Last edited by ney : 17-08-2006 at 06:59. |
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: NE Essex,6½m SSW of Sudbury TX
Posts: 7,107
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DrNick2005
I love this- BT are almost making out as if it's now 2.5p cheaper, whereas they're now charging you more, as you have to spend 4p cos of the bloody "round up to the nearest minute" scam. I seem to remember BT once advertising that they were much fairer than other companies because they measured to the second, and NOT to the next minute. Nice.
Clever BT! Each time you get through to someone's (free) 1571 answering 'service' because they're already engaged on a call, that's an additional ½p (9%) in BT's coffers. Last edited by Heinz : 17-08-2006 at 12:45. |
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Berwickshire (not Berkshire)
Posts: 738
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Is it not currently 5p min call charge peak and 5.5p offpeak.... not that I take much notice of BT prices only make 1 call a quarter on BT to keep the free CLI
![]() edit: I see it's 4.6p+VAT since April 2006. The robbing rascals. Last edited by JasonW : 17-08-2006 at 13:24. |
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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: NE Essex,6½m SSW of Sudbury TX
Posts: 7,107
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonW
Is it not currently 5p min call charge peak and 5.5p offpeak.... not that I take much notice of BT prices only make 1 call a quarter on BT to keep the free CLI
![]() edit: I see it's 4.6p+VAT since April 2006. The robbing rascals. Last edited by Heinz : 17-08-2006 at 13:55. |
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Arley, Worcs
Posts: 1,334
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Have you seen the latest cheeky BT ad.
The bloke announces sale prices are only on things we don't want, like waffle makers. But I think BT are cutting prices only on what I don't want, ie Option 2 and 3. Why not Option 1? Surely this is mis-representation? Just makes me even more convinced that BT is the most anti-customer company in this country. They're making out this is price cutting when in many instances its a price rise. Last edited by poppasmurf : 18-08-2006 at 17:01. |
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 229
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Hey, but dont forget you gett 100 free texts with option 2 and 200 texts with option 3 as standard
. What other land line company offers this? Surley thats gotta add value to the deals?
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Scotland, Dunfermline Area
Posts: 10,701
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There are a lot of us on option 1 still and there not many price cuts for us if any.
Darren |
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 127
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ney
There are a lot of us on option 1 still and there not many price cuts for us if any.
Darren Are you still using them for all the calls you make? |
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 127
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Quote:
Originally Posted by poppasmurf
Have you seen the latest cheeky BT ad.
The bloke announces sale prices are only on things we don't want, like waffle makers. But I think BT are cutting prices only on what I don't want, ie Option 2 and 3. Why not Option 1? Surely this is mis-representation? Just makes me even more convinced that BT is the most anti-customer company in this country. They're making out this is price cutting when in many instances its a price rise. If your still using BT for all your calls you could make savings by using an alternative supplier of calls.Bt allow you to do this,other suppliers dont. |
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#24 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Arley, Worcs
Posts: 1,334
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The BT operator told me that when 1571 answers because the number you are calling is engaged, you are not charged for the call. You are only charged if there is no reply to the number. From what has been said above, this now appears to be untrue. If this is so, then BT are effectively charging you for reaching an engaged number. There should now be a way of opting out of reaching numbers with the 1571 service when it is active.
I no longer have an answering machine as I know who's called by looking at my call list on my phone, and I can ring anyone I want to speak to, and ignore the junk. I don't want others to add to BT's overflowing coffers. |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Scotland, Dunfermline Area
Posts: 10,701
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blazor
Are you still using them for all the calls you make?
Darren Last edited by ney : 11-09-2006 at 19:10. |
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. What other land line company offers this? Surley thats gotta add value to the deals?