I just cann't get my head around this bit of Gobbledegook from BT's latest Update brochure:-

"From now on, if a product or service is provided, changed or given up on the first of the month, we'll calculate the charge or refund until the end of your current billing period by dividing the quarterly charge by the appropriate number of complete months. If the charge occurs after the first day of the month, fees will continue to be charged or refunded until the end of the current billing period, based on the remaining number of days within that period. "

Instinctively I just know it's going to cost me more , but the statement appears totally confused and meaningless.   Can anyone tell me what it's supposed to mean ?

I recently had a BT line changed over into my name.   While BT confirmed it would happen on 30 September (after a weeks notice), they didn't actually do it until 3  October (ie beyond 1st of the next month).  Have I been stiffed again ? (I'm billed quartely)

...er, quite.

I don't know and you probably have been stiffed. May I refer m'learned friend to this site?

The Golden Bull awards

Thanks for that.   I doubt if it'll win any prizes, but I've nominated it just the same.

I think this clause was introduced after BT had to compensate customers who claimed they hadn't been refunded the right amount due to there being a different number of days in each month.

If a product is paid for quarterly, but is then cancelled after a month, they are saying that they will refund 2/3 of the cost. But if it was made later in the month, they will refund the number of days reamining.

Otherwise, suppose you take out the service in June then cancel after a month. Prevously customers complained they were owed 62/92 as a refund, rather than 2/3 (as July and August both have 31 days).

The same is true of how much customers pay when taking out a service part-way through a month.

It shouldn't make any difference to you, you will pay for the number of days' service you receive. BT are just covering their backs to avoid claims from awkward customers who have spotted a loophole!

Maybe it's not half as bad as I'd feared then   and as  my recent experience of changing over a line [ see thread:-  
http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?board=news;action=display;num=1128982940  ]  perhaps confirms.    Thankyou for your explanation.  
I've also asked BT to explain it to me too and wait to see if that'll make it any clearer.