From 23/3/05, from 1p to 2p.

See HERE.

Yes ah oh, I guess it was just too cheap to last at 1 p!

Nevertheless they are still the cheapest. Also they are having a Spring sale you can call for 1 p per minute:

Australia
Canada
France
Germany and
Ireland.

But hold on a minute, the last time I called Germany I used 1899 and it is only 3p connection and 0p per minute. That's not such a good sale then?

Yes I agree pud, so do I. I note that I have wrongly stated "1 p" for 1899. I will correct it.

But what I meant was I called for 3 p for the duration of the call  - not 1 p per minute!

Lets not get carried away here.  When 18866 first came out they were charging 1 p connection fee.  I now realise that they are charging a 2 p connection fee.  That is a 100% jump in charges.  Therefore it seems evident that this was a loss leader.

Given that it is now possible for those citizens with an existing domestic BT analogue landline to get a combined line rental and unlimited UK standard land line calls (any number beginning 01 or 02) for £19.50 per month (see www.lowerhomebills.co.uk) it makes 18866 a less attractive offer.

If you make more than 475 calls per month, which is about 15 calls per day, 18866 will be more expensive.  

No such thing as a free lunch  ;)

wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2005 at 11:30am:

Lets not get carried away here.  When 18866 first came out they were charging 1 p connection fee.  I now realise that they are charging a 2 p connection fee.  That is a 100% jump in charges.  Therefore it seems evident that this was a loss leader. Given that it is now possible for those citizens with an existing domestic BT analogue landline to get a combined line rental and unlimited UK standard land line calls (any number beginning 01 or 02) for £19.50 per month (see www.lowerhomebills.co.uk) it makes 18866 a less attractive offer. If you make more than 475 calls per month, which is about 15 calls per day, 18866 will be more expensive.   No such thing as a free lunch  ;)

However, the £19.50 per month charge applies every month - even when you're away on holiday.

18866's charges only apply when you make calls using their prefix.

That's why I'm sticking with BT Together Option 1 @ £10.50 per month and calls via 18866.

For those mere mortals who do not make as many calls per month as that I think that 18866 is still the cheapest, and they know it which is why they have felt they can double their connection charge.

However we still have to remember that this is the sole charge for a UK landline call of any (supposed) duration - 2p.
Granted that after about 1.5 to 2 hours you usually get cut off anyhow, it is still nevertheless very cheap?

wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2005 at 11:30am:

When 18866 first came out they were charging 1 p connection fee.  I now realise that they are charging a 2 p connection fee.  That is a 100% jump in charges.

When Call18866 first came out they were also charging 1p per minute in addition to the 1p connection fee (for UK landline calls).

Daniel

I intend to sign up but wondered if there is a reward if referred by an existing customer??

If so, anyone willing to strike a deal? ;)  We'll both probably get a reward for the referral and the new registration...  ;D

Smasher, I would be willing to strike a deal; but the problem is there are no deals to be had!

18866 are the lowest cost because they control their costs. They do this by Internet based operation only and credit/debit card billing by CA. So they do not give any rewards I am afraid.

Pity that since we could have cut our costs even further. Sorry. But they really are the cheapest.

That is very sad - Onetel offers £20 to both the existing customer and to the new customer as well!  8)

No harm in trying, eh?

It is fair comment about the inclusive minutes thing.

In fact it's feasible to envisage a "home-made" 18866 service. You could split a £10/month unlimited package between say 20 users quite effectively (in the same way an ISP splits modem usage, ie contention ratio). 20 users at say 5 calls a day, that's 150 calls a month each times 20=£30/month, for a £10/month line. And because you're charging per call, those people who are heavy users (1000 calls per month rather than the low average of 150 mentioned here) will be using the £10/month service -- and so won't be denting your shared line model too heavily (and people who hog the line by calling the same person for hours and hours without break, over and over again, are rare and can be kicked off after an hour and a half anyway).

Now I know there are other costs involved, but you see where I'm coming from.

In fact the more I think about it the more I'm convinced this *is* pretty much the model 18866/1899 are using. Assuming that the overhead cost of running the prefix service isn't too high (and note that it appears it *is* too high for the 0808 number as they charge per minute on that service) this system has the potential to be *very* profitable.

It would also explain the occasional failed connection (more subscribers than lines), the cutoffs (they cut you off when they need the line for other customers) and the coyness about the company (it's a loophole and they don't want their provider to know about it).

Of course it could just be that they're using spare capacity on leased lines (I know that Global Crossing -- AKA the old British Rail Telecom -- provide ex-rail businesses with leased lines at low cost, with no call charges, and still make profit).

Can you call 0845 and 0870 numbers for free with the inclusive minutes options?

8) 8) 8)
NO!!! For 18866 charges to NGN go to www.call18866.co.uk. Go into the quick rate check look up UK0845,and UkNationalrate and there your find there charges!!! In fact i dont think any company includes NGN numbers in there free or cheap minutes, thats one of the reasons this forum exists.