Hi,
Just heard on the News that onetel (the service that I use) has been bought out by Carphone Warehouse's TalkTalk. I  use Onetel for telephone calls at evenings and weekends when they are free and their 2mb Broadband. This costs £24.99 a month, does anyone know if I will be better off or worse off with TalKTalk and should I ditch BT line rental go with TalkTalk ? One last thing, can one still use '1899' and '18185' with TalkTalk?

Many thanks

Just had a quick call to Onetel HO to find out latest position, was told that they had only been officially told of takeover at 10 o'clock so information was sketchy. Advised that takeover would take effect on 31st Dec and Onetel customers will retain their existing packages for the immediate future whilst Car Phone rebrand Onetel into TalkTalk and add on any TalkTalk benefits such as free calls between TalktTalk customers. When pressed how long existing Onetel packages would continue she confessed she did not know-must be worrying as she probably did not know if her job was secure. Contact no for Onetel is 0207 1818000 ask for the Managing Directors team in London.

Carphone Warehouse have purchased OneTel and Tele2 - see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4541148.stm

Which means our choice of supplier is gradually being eroded.

Its not a good idea to move your line rental from BT for a number of reasons. One being if you use Caller Display you get it free with BT, and other suppliers charge for it wiping out and more, any savings you would have made. TT can bar access to 1899 etc if they want to BT can't.

The BBC new bulletin  says they will bring all products under just Talk Talk brand. Presumably this means JDS as well. As you will see they have also purchased Tele2.

Another point will they now allow access to cable customers as OneTel do at the moment.

bigjohn wrote on Dec 19^th, 2005 at 10:36am:

The BBC new bulletin  says they will bring all products under just Talk Talk brand.Presumably this means JDS as well.As you will see they have also purchased Tele2.

Ouch.  That leaves Tiscali as TalkTalk's only serious major competitor.  British Mafia vs Italian Mafia.  Surprised to hear Tele2 is selling out as they are a worldwide operation.  However I don't think Tele2 can have enjoyed the odd nature of the uk marketplace and its lack of proper competition.

Even more reason to send an email to dunstonec@cpwplc.co.uk (Charles Dunstone Managing Director of CarPhoneWarehouse who own TalkTalk) asking why his company wants 0870 scamming to be allowed to continue unchecked.

See the full 18 page disgrace by Mr Dunstone's CarPhoneWareHouse/TalkTalk at www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/nts_forward/responses/af/cw.pdf

cranhill wrote on Dec 19^th, 2005 at 8:51am:

Hi, should I ditch BT line rental go with TalkTalk ? One last thing, can one still use '1899' and '18185' with TalkTalk?

Alternative line rental suppliers can bar calls if they so desire  to access numbers like 1899,where as BT cannot.If you have free caller display with BT and its important to you,other providers charge between £1.50 and £1.75p a month to provide it.So this in fact normally wipes out any savings you might make on cheaper line rental.If you have a fault you have to reprt it to new provider,they then reprt it to BT if appropriate,possibly lengthening time for repair? You can longer use 1280 ovverride button for free to get say cheaper NGN calls E&W.Etc Etc

wrote on Dec 19^th, 2005 at 11:24am:

Ouch.  That leaves Tiscali as TalkTalk's only serious major competitor.  British Mafia vs Italian Mafia.

Not forgetting the Cable Mafia Nthell/Teleworst.

They don't operate out here in the manure filled countryside south of Dorking which is presumably why I didn't think of them.

Nthell, telewhat,  they dont operate in the mists of the flatlands of shooting farmers commonly known as The Fens.