See here  Click on calling feature prices and you will see that TT have started charging 50p a month for the 1571 basic Voicemail Service which is foc on BT.(they kindly? give you first month free.) :-?

~ Edited by Dave: Link shortened so it fits better.

bigjohn wrote on Jan 6^th, 2006 at 5:04pm:

See here  Click on calling feature prices and you will see that TT have started charging 50p a month for the 1571 basic Voicemail Service which is foc on BT.(they kindly? give you first month free.) :-?

I see that they can still put "FREE" in the table (with an *, of course) so as, at first, not to appear as though they are charging for something that BT doesn't.

More on MSE here.

Just a thought; perhaps they are getting ready to make or reduce caller ID to compete with BT's 'free' caller ID. BT has counter-acted removing the charges for caller display by increasing the line rental.

Dave wrote on Jan 6^th, 2006 at 5:23pm:

I see that they can still put "FREE" in the table (with an *, of course) so as, at first, not to appear as though they are charging for something that BT doesn't.

I'm pretty sure that the ASA would still say that is misleading due to the fact that it is only free for a month despite the fact it has small print.  I read in an ASA adjudication that something (can't remember what) that a company was advertising for free was still found to be misleading simply because the "free" was for a very, very limited time.

As you say they appear to be purposely doing this to make it seem like it is "free" on the chance that many people will miss it and not realise until they get their bills in and at which point it is to late and if anyone complains then TT will simply point them to their website.

The problem being is that the ASA doesn't cover websites.

T T are also putting up their line rental on 1/2/2006 from £9.99 to £10.49. So a customer on BT Opt 1 would pay £11 a month and get free 1571 and caller display thrown in.Where as the same service on TT would be £10.49 + 50p 1571 + £1.50p Caller display. =£12.49  Nearly £18 a year more. So much for competition!!!

bigjohn wrote on Jan 6^th, 2006 at 5:46pm:

Nearly £18 a year more. So much for competition!!!

"Well, if most don't notice, we get away with it."

I still go back to BT Standard which, excluding call allowance, cost £7.35 per month. Of course, the likes of Mr Livingston, CEO of BT Retail arranges his statistics to show that prices have gone down. An interesting presentation here.  ;)

Dave wrote on Jan 6^th, 2006 at 5:59pm:

Of course, the likes of Mr Livingston, CEO of BT Retail arranges his statistics to show that prices have gone down.

As they say:

"There's lies, damn lies, and statistics!"

P.S. I didn't actually type "darn", I typed a word that is pronounced the same as "dam", but the forum software seems to think that it should be 'corrected' to a 'softer' word, even tho' that makes it into a mis-quote of the original.

First month free?   Rubbish - that's billing one month in arrears. >:(

I am with Talk talk and still get the service free because i signed up when it was free. I notice thou when BT put there prices up talktalk do the same :(