Our landline is Onetel, directly through the exchange, using a BT line.  I also use 1899, 18185, and occasionally 18866.  For roughly the past week, I cannot use any of the '18' numbers, as I cannot get past the 2nd digit of the city/town code.  For example, I live in Hereford, and would dial 1899 01432 267***. Now I get "The number you've dialled has not been recognised" as soon as I dial the '1' of the Hereford code.  This is also happening if I try to dial London, Leicester, Loughborough, Bristol, etc.    I have checked my accounts with all three '18' providers, and they are all up to date. Is anyone else also having this problem.  Many thanks.

If I'm reading your post correctly, you have OneTel set up as your CPS (Carrier PreSelect) calls provider but still pay your line rental of £11 per month to BT.

If so, you should, like I do, be able to use any of the prefix-dial companies because use of the prefix bypasses the CPS arrangement at the exchange and sends the call out via 1899, 18185 or whoever.

So, if you are still paying your line rental to BT, they cannot prevent your use of prefix-dial providers and the circumstances you report sound like a fault - report it to 151.

OTOH, if you have transferred your line rental over to any of the companies now re-selling BT lines (OneTel alias TalkTalk alias CarphoneWarehouse alias Tele2 alias JustDial among others do so), they can, if they want, bar your use of prefixes.

I suggest the ever incompetent and dishonest TalkTalk who have acquired Onetel have forcibly transferred you on to one of their wholesale line rental packages without your permission but not told you.  Hence why you can't call 1899 etc.

What happens if you dial 150 or 151 on your phone.  Do you get BT or get TalkTalk or get a message telling you to dial your telephone service provider's customer service number (a sure sign you are no  longer a BT line rental customer).

If 150 no longer gets through to BT call BT on 0800 100150 and check if you are still one of their line rental customers or not.

Hi, I use Onetel using a BT line (pay Rental to BT) and have had  no problems using 1899 & 18185 . I also use Onetel for my Broadband which is costing me £24.99 a month. This contract ends at the end of May so I will be looking for a new IP.

cranhill wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 7:41am:

Hi, I use Onetel using a BT line (pay Rental to BT) and have had  no problems using 1899 & 18185 . I also use Onetel for my Broadband which is costing me £24.99 a month. This contract ends at the end of May so I will be looking for a new IP.

There is no OneTel any more of course.  Its all now part of the evil TalkTalk empire run by Mr Charles Dunstone and co.  So watch out they don't move you to their Wholesale Line Rental product without your permission.  Although Ofcom have previously ruled that TalkTalk can't do this without the permission of a customer they seem to go ahead and do it anyway sometimes.

On Broadband for a quality service provider with good speeds at all times and fantastic customer service why not consider www.newnet.co.uk who have a broadband service with a 2Gb data cap for £12.99 per month (with another and any subsequent 3Gb data blocks buyable for £2.70 if you need them) or with a 25Gb data cap for £18.99 per month.

Or see www.adslguide.org.uk/isps/summarylist.asp?order=tco8192k for more information on the cheapest 8Mbps ADSL Max broadband providers.  Whatever you do though avoid Prodigy Internet at all costs as they have a horrendous reputation.  The discussion forums at www.adslguide.org.uk give you more idea of what customers think of each broadband provider's service.

Thanks to all - I contacted BT who tell me there is nothing wrong with my line.  Reading all the posts about Talk Talk, I have moved away from being diverted at the exchange, and will in future dial their prefix to use Onetel over weekends (if that system still works) - anyone have any idea what their prefix is?  And I STILL have the same problem - this is one very frustrated person!  >:(
Broadband keeps crashing - on BT broadband, so am also looking at going wireless as I am using an 8 port router (my son has misplaced my 4 port router), and this b****y system just crashes all the time.  Now I have disabled the network, and I have two very unhappy kids, but at least broadband is not crashing all the time.
If anyone has advice on this further problem, all suggestions happily accepted!

Paula,

What you say doesn't quite make sense to me as if you are still with BT for line rental you should be able to use 1899, 18866 etc even if your calls with no prefix are diverted automatically via the CPS system (which dials the Onetel code automatically in effect if you do not use another code like 1899).

Have you tried dialling 12801899 and then the number or 1280 and 18185 and then the number?  It suddenly occurs to me that tricky anti competitive bovver boys TalkTalk who own Onetel have blocked use of 1899, 18185 etc in some way using the CPS system or some new anti competitive change in how it works that the saps at Ofcom have agreed to.

If you dial 1280 then 1899 that forces the call to route to 1899 via BT so TalkTalk can't get in the way to stop the call.  It seems TalkTalk will stop at nothing to try to force customers to pay their high prices.  I suggest you cancel with TalkTalk by considering one of the cheap phone calls options listed at www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1095003038,99872,#alone

By the way have you checked the credit card you are using to pay 1899, 18185 etc to make sure they haven't been closed down due to you being issued with a replacement credit card with a new Expiry Date that you haven't updated on the 1899 website?  If that had happened then you would just not be able to use the service.


Quote:

The Primus Saver 2 tariff offers ‘free’ evening and weekend calls to UK landlines without any monthly fee; for this most companies charge around £4/month.   Actually after talking for 90 minutes you’re charged, yet defeat this by putting the phone down and redialing before then. You can’t sign up online (call 0800 036 0094) though it does bill via e-mail.  As this tariff isn’t commonly sold, ensure you get the right one. It’s suitable for all but those calling landlines more than 10 times during mid-week daytimes. Then Euphony's £7.25 ‘free calls at all times' is cheaper than using the override providers below for those calls. MAY 8 STOP PRESS UPDATE!!! Get Paid £2/month for free evening and weekend calls.   While the above Primus tariff is only available if you go direct, it offers a product via price comparison websites called Primus Free Talk 2, which also has free evening and weekend calls.   This tariff costs £2.99 a month, yet during May, via a deal it's got with a price comparison website, get it and it’ll actually rebate you £15/quarter on-top - effectively paying you £2 a month to have the free calls.  View/Apply this special rebate tariff*.

Did you realise NGM that you offered the info about newnet.co.uk, but neglected to mention that they are 0845 & 0870?  :)

Need Help/Information?
Sales: 08700 590 590
Support: 08700 599 599

&

Telephone contacts:
General enquiries:
01329 226722         (looks like they own the sequence)
Fax: 01329 226721

Helpdesk and Support:
08700 599 599

Accounts:
01329 226720

Sales:
0845 684 0845

Web Hosting and Broadband sales:
08700 590 590

NGM, believe me, I have tried everything, and all I get is the message that the number dialled has not been recognised, or words to that effect.  Regarding Onetel, I have been wanting to get rid of them for a long time, as I am not a fan of TalkTalk, and actually don't want to divert any business their way at all (this can happen if one of us forgets to dial 1899 or 18185).  This evening I was trying to get through to my daughter in Leicester for her birthday on both landline and mobile, and could only get through after dialling 14577 and then her number - I used them ages ago and am still in credit!  If I just dial direct, that is no problem at all, but obviously then I don't have the advantage of the cheap call providers.
I will look at the other sites that you have recommended - once again, many thanks.

NGM, me again - have just reread your post, and yes, I did check my account with all three - 18185, 1899 & 18866, and all is fine, no problems on that score.

a very nice man wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 8:47pm:

Did you realise NGM that you offered the info about newnet.co.uk, but neglected to mention that they are 0845 & 0870?  :)

They do state clearly on their website under Contact Us ( www.newnet.co.uk/pop/ ) :-  "Telephone call charges - Call charges to 0870 and 0845 numbers will vary according to your telephone line provider. Users with BT lines will not pay more than 8p/minute for calls to 0870 and 4p/min for calls to 0845 numbers - less during evenings and at weekends. Please contact your telephone service provider to determine exact charges for these services."

So it seems like unlike some companies they have even applied the ASA ruling to their website content.

Anyhow the geographic alternatives for their two NGNs are both listed in this website's verified numbers database:-

NewNet    0870 0599599 =    01329 226724    ISP. Tech Support
NewNet    0845 6840845 =    01329 226722    ISP. Sales

Can you name me one uk ISP who does not use 0845 and/or 0870 numbers for their tech support line these days?  At least unlike sharks like Plusnet they have not deliberately blocked the NGN alternative.

I admit that using an NGN for their Sales number does seem a bit like an own goal although both the General Enquiries and Accounts departments do quote normal 01329 Geographic Numbers for some reason though.  I think you will find that it all has to do with the number of calls and type of call handling equipment used to handle Tech Support and Sales vs the other two.  If only those useless - Ofcom/OFTEL had invented normally price 03 NGNS 15 years 11 years ago! >:( >:( :'(

Paula wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 9:37pm:

NGM, me again - have just reread your post, and yes, I did check my account with all three - 18185, 1899 & 18866, and all is fine, no problems on that score.

I still think its probably to do with TalkTalk some how though as they are proven serial blockers of all competitive services.

If you dial 150 on your phone do you get BT customer services still rather than a recorded announcment telling you to redial your telephone service provider's customer service centre on the number they gave you?  If you get the latter message then you are on TalkTalk Wholesale Line Rental, although you then ought not to be able to dial the 14xxx service you mention either.  Although perhaps TalkTalk is just blocking the main companies they don't like such as 1899 and 18185?

Also have you tried raising a fault on the 18866 or 1899 website about this problem?  Not I admit that they are the best company at dealing with fault reports.

Paula wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 9:32pm:

NGM, believe me, I have tried everything, and all I get is the message that the number dialled has not been recognised, or words to that effect.

I reckon it's time to take a step back before moving on.

1. Phone 0800 800 150 and tell BT you'd 'like to come back'.  They should then write to you and tell you the date on which your calls will again start to be routed via BT (2 to 3 weeks is typical).  OneTel (in one of their guises) may also write (more likely they'll phone) to try to talk you out of leaving.  Make it very clear (they record calls) you are going back to BT and wish to leave them.

2. If you haven't already, register for online BT account management and, a day or so after your calls revert to them, make a call on BT (i.e. no prefix).  Check online the next day that the call is shown.

3. If, after reverting to BT, you are still getting the same problem using 1899, 1815 etc., report it as a fault to BT (151).

Heinz wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 9:54pm:

3. If, after reverting to BT, you are still getting the same problem using 1899, 1815 etc., report it as a fault to BT (151).

Heinz,

But if Paula dials 150 and still gets BT customer services and if 151 still gets her through to BT Faults and not a recorded announcement telling her to call her service provider then she is still with BT and just has CPS with TalkTalk.

Ultimately BT on either 150 (if she still has line rental from them) or on 0800 100150 if 150 doesn't work because her line rental is no longer with BT should be able to confirm whether or not she is still a BT line rental customer.

Heinz & NGM, my line is definitely rented from BT. When dialling 150, I get through to BT.  I have already told BT that I would 'like to come back' and have had letters from both BT and Onetel, one thanking me, and the other asking me if I really want to leave Onetel!  I am already registered for BT online account management and should be back with them within the next 10 days or so.

Have just looked at the Primus website, and remembered that 14577 is actually Primus Planet talk - their prepay carrier.  I will definitely explore their Saver 2 package, but only wish that I could dial a prefix instead of having it diverted at the exchange - any suggestions?  (Between husband and kids, they get so confused with sometimes having to dial prefixes and other times not to, I would rather train them to use different prefixes ALL the time - yes, I have put typed reminders at both telephones.)

Many thanks once again - this website is a lifeline when I am thinking of throwing PC, broadband and phones out the window!  I also have a good laugh at all the different topics and answers.

Sorry, my replies seem to be 2 posts at the moment!  
I will try raising a fault on the 18866 or 1899 website about this problem, but will not hold my breath - if they are anything like Skype there will not even be a response relating to my particular problem; Skype simply refer to their FAQ's - but that is another problem completely which I won't go into now.

Paula,

Logically there must be some kind of problem with your 1899 or 18185 account for you not to be able to use their service.  Why not try closing the account down online and then starting up another one using a different credit card with them a few days later (once the closure has gone through)?

Are you sure with a household your size you wouldn't be better off with an All Calls package covering all 01/02 numbers without any prefix dialling so not confusing the rest of the household?    Euphony Talk All Calls is £7.25 per month for all uk 01/02 numbers up to one hour in call length:- www.euphony.co.uk/land_2.htm  Or Eclipse will do you all 01/02 calls for only £5.99 per month if your broadband is also with them.  And their main broadband services are now only £15 per month.  See www.eclipse.net.uk/index.cfm?id=talk_res  Or Tiscali will do you all 01/02 calls for only £2 per month on top of their expensively priced £17.99 2MB broadband service.  But Tiscali's broadband is widely reputed to be so bad I wouldn't even begin to consider that last option.

But taking the Eclipse deal £6 = 200 calls per month or 7 per day on 1899 at 3p per call.  Are you sure your 1899 bills are actually averaging under £6 per month in your family environment?

wrote on May 22^nd, 2006 at 10:36pm:

Are you sure with a household your size you wouldn't be better off with an All Calls package covering all 01/02 numbers without any prefix dialling so not confusing the rest of the household?    Euphony Talk All Calls is £7.25 per month for all uk 01/02 numbers...

The current cheapest all-inclusive calls to geographical (01 & 02) numbers is currently (until the end of this month) Primus Option 3 when signing up via Uswitch.com.  Normally its £8.49 per month but if you sign-up via Uswitch then you can get a £5 credit each month (applied quarterly) for 12 months which effectively will make it only £3.49 for 12months.  Primus don't have a call length restriction unlike Euphony.

As mentioned earlier, this is a special offer that ends at the end of this month (May).  More information can be found on MSE site here but please ignore Martin's update stating the offer has ended.  It did in April but opened again for this month only but Martin has forgotten to amend his post.

bbb_uk wrote on May 23^rd, 2006 at 4:31am:

The current cheapest all-inclusive calls to geographical (01 & 02) numbers is currently (until the end of this month) Primus Option 3 when signing up via Uswitch.com.  Normally its £8.49 per month but if you sign-up via Uswitch then you can get a £5 credit each month (applied quarterly) for 12 months which effectively will make it only £3.49 for 12months.  Primus don't have a call length restriction unlike Euphony. As mentioned earlier, this is a special offer that ends at the end of this month (May).  More information can be found on MSE site here but please ignore Martin's update stating the offer has ended.  It did in April but opened again for this month only but Martin has forgotten to amend his post.

Interesting information bbb_uk. However my sister gave me what I thought was going to be a Sipura SPA-3000 ATA but in fact turns out to be a uk specific Linksys SPA-3000 ATA from Microwarehouse (same electronics but more pretty silver box from Linksys although the Microwharehouse website did show it as being the Sipura when the order was placed) for my birthday which I am about to try to get configured with VoipCheap and/or VoipDiscount (VoipCheap seems to have the best prices for onward forwarding to my United Mobile Liechtenstein SIM card when I am away as this charges nothing for incoming calls).   However I see the Finarea Voip brands have now limited free calls to 300 minutes a week which is annoying so looks like I will need to set up VoipCheap and VoipDiscount and keep a book of calls I make.  Perhaps the Primus option would have been less hassle and saved the 65 quid cost of the ATA.

Actually I might sign my mum up on the Primus deal as I'm sure she makes at least 4 calls  a day and Voip is much too fiddly for her.

I'm slightly concerned though that the £5 a month credit is only a credit against the cost of making future calls with Primus though (eg 0870 mobile etc or after the 12 months to 01/02 numbers) and not a credit against the actual monthly cost of the package.  Can you confirm the situation here bbb?

Are you sure with a household your size  NGM - you make me laugh!  Household is not sooooo big - John & I at home, plus 16yr old with us, and 2 away at uni.  Then there is 1 exchange student from Germany - great kid - going home at end of June.  And that's it. ::)
Have 8 port router for all the PC's as oldest son is computer geek, and always busy doing something PC related, and he swopped my 4 port for an 8 port, and now 4 port is somewhere with all the other stuff in the loft (does that sound familiar?)  Am on classic broadband with BT, and not keen to change as don't want to lose 20Mb download.  When all the kids at home, I need that amount as they always seem to be on their PC's.
Finally, will most probably be changing to Primus Talk Option 3.  I do about £7.00 calls per month on 1899, but that includes calls to family in SA, so I reckon the move to Primus will be a good one.  German exchange student uses 18185 as his private number so he can keep account of his calls, and that works well.  I use 18185 for calling kids on mobiles, and calls to 0870 numbers in uni halls in Leicester.  Have managed to find land line number for Loughborough Halls, so that one is easy.  Cheers for now. :)  [smiley=dankk2.gif]

Paula wrote on May 23^rd, 2006 at 11:40am:

Are you sure with a household your size  NGM - you make me laugh!  Household is not sooooo big - John & I at home, plus 16yr old with us, and 2 away at uni.  Then there is 1 exchange student from Germany - great kid - going home at end of June.  And that's it. ::)[smiley=dankk2.gif]

Hi Paula,

Well I take your point but in my one person household I manage to get billed for about £4 to £ 5 of calls every month with 1899.   Mind you that's because I moved to the Post Office for the £50 + £15 cashback on line rental so don't have any free evening or weekend calls anymore (used to only be £3 per month previously to 1899) that I used to have with JustDial.  Also I'm at home 7 days a week just at the moment (resting from the world of employment).

I wonder if you add in what the German student is paying to 18185 if the total uk calls bill isn't higher than £7 per month.  You could let the German student make uk calls on the Primus service now but ask him to pay you £1.50 a month for the privilege or something?

The nice bit about the All Calls thing is you don't have to hang up before Answerphones kick or in etc as one tends to do with 1899.

BT Together Option1        Free
International                  £1.00
Line rental (Paid to BT) £11.00
                                 Daytime Evening  Weekend
Local                               3p        5.5p*      5.5p*
National                           3p        5.5p*      5.5p*
Mobile networks
T-Mobile Orange
Vodafone O2 3 Virgin    14.53p     7.84p      6.97p
0845 numbers                    3p          1p          1p
0870 numbers                7.51p     3.75p       1.5p
International
South Africa                      3p          3p          3p
 
Other charges
Installation cost Free
Billing periods per second
Minimum call charge 5.5p
*Fixed at 5.5p for the first hour of the call, then they cost 3p per minute. Not paying by direct debit incurrs a £1 per month fee. Friends and Family Overseas applies.  

Hi NGM & Heinz,
Some advice please - this research has evolved from my 1899 etc. problem.  Done lots of research today, am thinking of going onto BT Together Option 1 + International (as copied above), as calls to SA and to 0870 (Leicester Uni and Loughborough Uni) are good rates.
THEN!!! could I also subscribe to Primus Option 3, to get free calls any time of day or night, week or weekend. Obviously pay whatever they charge, and then with the rebate end up paying £3.50 .

My query is -do you know if I could subscribe to both, with BT aware that I am doing CPS with Primus?  Hope this makes sense to you!

Many thanks for your help. :-?

Paula,

I can't believe BT can be cheapest for most things including 0870 (they are cheapest for Caller Display though as its free if you register for BT Privacy).  18185 only charges 4p per minutes +3p per connection to 0870 in the weekday daytime compared to 7.5p per minute with BT (its not 3p per minute for 0870 as you perhaps wrongly thought).  Its true that BT are perhaps no more expensive than one or two other people for 0870 at the weekend but that's not saying much is it.

Phonecheap have the lowest rates to South Africa at 2p per minute but its one of those dialthrough 0844 services where you pay 5p connection even if there is no answer and you don't get a record on the  bill of the actual South African number diallled.  But 18185 and 1899 only charge 4p per minute - is BT really cheaper  than this?

You could have BT Option 1 plus International with Primus's Option 3 thing and then get the BT rates if they are ever cheaper by dialling 1280 on front of any call you want to route with BT instead of with Primus.  I would have thought this might only be some 0844, 0845, 0870 and 0871 calls at certain times though?  At least that's the only time I dial the BT override code.

Anyhow I hope you do manage to get the best deal.  You could of course get one of those ATA thingies to add to the 8 port router that doesn't seem to work properly and then try making all your calls via Voip instead.  In theory uk calls are free with www.voipcheap.co.uk, www.voipstunt.co.uk, www.voipdiscount.co.uk from the Finarea group but they now limit you to 300 minutes of free calls a week on each brand and you have to make a call credit every so often.  And the ATA thingies cost 50 quid or so and it gets more complicated with extensions unless you use DECT phones everywhere in the house..................

The goalposts are always moving on the cheapest deal unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it!

Hi NGM,
I don't know how to do those link things whereby you can just click the mouse and the page opens up, so... go to BT.COM, and click on 'At Home - Calling Packages'; on this page, scroll down and you will see 'Add-ons - Save Money on International and Mobile Calls'; click on 'Find out more'; eventually you will get to where I got my info from.  Please have a look and tell me what you think - thanks.

This the link and info
http://www.bt.com/Choices/internet.jsp?content_id=CHOICES-CONTENT-TO3A&obsNoSee=Y&vStore=1112&obsPage=/Choices/internet.jsp&obsType=LINK&obsOID=34664

     International option
Friends, family or business contacts abroad? Now you can call 30 of our most popular international destinations for just £1 per month. Just add this International option to your pricing option for even more great savings.

   * 3p a minute price whenever you call, day or night to any of the countries below
   * Lower rates to international mobiles : just - 3p per minute to Canada, Hong Kong, and the USA and 30p per minute to the other 27 countries listed below.

           
                             
Choose the International option and call any of the following countries for just 3p a minute:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus (not including Northern Cyprus), Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain (except the Canary Islands), Sweden, Switzerland, USA and Zambia.

If you sign up to the BT Together International Option before 31st July 06, you don't have to pay the £1 monthly fee for the first three months.

Paula, is this the link you are referring to with regards to BT International Option?

I would sign-up to Primus option 3 via USwitch for the £3.49 per month for unlimited geographical calls (calls beginning 01 or 02) daytime, evening or weekend (as I mentioned in an earlier post). I would start this process now because it is a special offer that ends in a few days.  You do not need to contact OneTel or BT but if you have already asked to go back to BT then you should ring them up and ask them to cancel this because BT's system can only handle one transfer process at anytime so asking to move to Primus when you are in the middle of moving back to BT will result in Primus being told "no" and then you will have to ask Primus again once the BT transfer is done which will be too late to take advantage of the special offer of £3.49.

You are within your rights to cancel the transfer to BT at anytime until a few days before the transfer date which I believe at this point nothing can be done until after the transfer date.  You do not need to tell BT that you are thinking of moving to Primus, just say you've decided to stay with OneTel/TalkTalk.

Once BT have cancelled the transfer back to them, then sign-up to Uswitch ASAP via the link above.

For calls to South Africa, the MSE International CallChecker reveals that PhoneCheap charge 2p/min on an 0844 number whereas BT charge 3p/min and £1 monthly charge on top of this.

bbb_uk wrote on May 24^th, 2006 at 12:01pm:

For calls to South Africa, the MSE International CallChecker reveals that PhoneCheap charge 2p/min on an 0844 number whereas BT charge 3p/min and £1 monthly charge on top of this.

Interesting that BT is now starting to become price competitive in some areas, I think as a result of a recent Ofcom ruling no longer forcing them to maintain high international call prices to encourage competition to develop?

Although Phonecheap is only 2p per minute you will pay every time you make a call that does not get through and for time getting through when you are not speaking to the person you are calling and no itemisation of call history of course.  But then again £1 per month which is a 50 minute call at 2p per minute.  It all depends how much people call abroad in your household really.  Obviously the BT option is a lot more convenient than having to dial the Phonecheap number.

wrote on May 24^th, 2006 at 12:08pm:

Although Phonecheap is only 2p per minute you will pay every time you make a call that does not get through and for time getting through when you are not speaking to the person you are calling and no itemisation of call history of course.  But then again £1 per month which is a 50 minute call at 2p per minute.  It all depends how much people call abroad in your household really.  Obviously the BT option is a lot more convenient than having to dial the Phonecheap number.

I agree it may just be easier all round to use BT for reasons you mentioned and call quality as well should be better!

Paula, to answer an earlier question - yes, BT will be aware if you use another provider but providing you always pay your linerental to BT then there is nothing they can do to stop you.  Using other providers like OneTel/TalkTalk, PostOffice HomePhone, etc may, at any time, block the use of using other telephone call providers.

I believe Call18185 are cheapest for calling 0870 numbers daytime but during the evening and weekend then I think its cheaper to use BT.

With all this I can't see you having to dial many override codes like 1899, etc but if you still do then you could consider getting a Orchid Dialler box which once setup can be told to route certain calls via certain call providers certain times of the day.  It can also be setup to block certain types of numbers (ie call barring).  More info on MSE here including a 20% discount for ordering online with the discount code mentioned in the above thread.

All done, chaps!  Have signed up for BT Option 1 with international calls, and have also gone onto Primus Option 3.  I think these options will make lives in this household much easier.

Yup, BBB, your link was PERFECT!   One day I will learn how to do it - my kids will teach me!

Many thanks for all the advice - this website is brilliant.

NGM - will an Orchid dialler manage to organise my husband and kids????  What a superb invention that would be!    Cheers for now.

Paula wrote on May 24^th, 2006 at 2:40pm:

All done, chaps!  Have signed up for BT Option 1 with international calls, and have also gone onto Primus Option 3.  I think these options will make lives in this household much easier.

Won't opting for Primus CPS mean you will always have to dial 1280 to 'hop back onto' BT to take advantage of the BT International option?

If you don't, your international calls will go out via Primus - and you'll pay their international rates.

Heinz wrote on May 24^th, 2006 at 4:41pm:

Won't opting for Primus CPS mean you will always have to dial 1280 to 'hop back onto' BT to take advantage of the BT International option? If you don't, your international calls will go out via Primus - and you'll pay their international rates.

That is correct depending on which CPS option that Primus use?  They can choose from different types of calls that can be carried on their network.

Personally though I think it will be "all calls" in which case you are correct that 1280 will need to be dialled to have BT carry the call.

My line rental is with Onetel (via CPS) and I use 18185 for the majority of my calls (with an Orchid dialler) - I don't have any problems whatsoever.  ::)

Cheapoman wrote on May 31^st, 2006 at 11:14am:

My line rental is with Onetel (via CPS) and I use 18185 for the majority of my calls (with an Orchid dialler) - I don't have any problems whatsoever.  ::)

That is not possible.  To use a CPS service (i.e. route all your call via another provider), you have to pay your line rental to BT.  You cannot use a CPS if your line rental is with anyone else.

Sorry, I find the terminology a bit confusing and geeky.  To clarify -  I pay £9.99 a month to Onetel for line rental and then route most of my calls through 18185 using an Orchid V4 dialler without any difficulty.  

Cheapoman wrote on Jun 1^st, 2006 at 9:15am:

Sorry, I find the terminology a bit confusing and geeky.  To clarify -  I pay £9.99 a month to Onetel for line rental and then route most of my calls through 18185 using an Orchid V4 dialler without any difficulty.

No apology necessary, it can be confusing.

Just so you're aware, OneTel (now part of the Carphone Warehouse, Talk Talk, Just Dial, Tele2 group) are actually just re-selling you BT line rental (I know that sounds odd).  They buy at wholesale rates from BT (it's called Wholesale Line Rental - WLR) and then market at a small discount to make it appear a saving.  What they don't tell you is that they charge (or, if they don't yet, they probably will when CPW  finishes consolidating the various firms) for things which BT don't (e.g. Caller Display, basic 1571, Premium Rate number barring).  

They also include in their T&Cs their right to bar access to other call providers (like 18185 and BT - 1280) and charge extra for 084/7 calls.

I've read that some Talk Talk customers (i.e. those who pay Talk Talk for line rental in the same way you pay OneTel) have had the ability to dial 1899, 18185, 18866 barred.  One to bear in mind.

Thanks for that  :)

I've done all the sums and am making actual savings by being with Onetel rather than BT.  If Onetel pull the plug on my 18185, I shall go elsewhere.  I'm not loyal.  I wasn't loyal to BT either, after nearly 50 years I gave them the boot  :D  

For £3.50 a month I get Caller Display + Call Divert + Anonymous Call Reject.  BT would charge £7.50 a month for that, so I save £48 per year.  My line rental is £9.99 per month (is BT still £11?) that would be another £12.12 per year saved.  That's over £50 per year before I even lift the handset. My weekend calls are free with Onetel, they're 5.5p per hour with BT on Option 1?  Most of my other calls go through 18185, but if I wanted to I could use Onetel in the evening and pay 5p per hour rather than 4p connection plus 0p per hour.  With BT, it's 5.5p per hour.

Cheapoman wrote on Jun 2^nd, 2006 at 11:31am:

For £3.50 a month I get Caller Display + Call Divert + Anonymous Call Reject.  BT would charge £7.50 a month for that, so I save £48 per year.  My line rental is £9.99 per month (is BT still £11?) that would be another £12.12 per year saved.  That's over £50 per year before I even lift the handset. ...

Caller Display is now free with BT as part of BT Privacy. Call Divert is £1.75 and Anonymous Call Reject (ACR) is £4.00. So that will cost £5.75, giving a grand total of £16.75.

So Onetel's total is £13.49, a total saving of £3.26 per month or £39.12 per year.

From the end of September 2006, I will be taking my Broadband from Onetel ( think the exact date is 16/9/2006 ) to either Zen or Virgin.net, at least I will be on a month to month contract.  I will also transfer the CPS from Onetel to Alpha Telecom ( their Custome Care is in India - yuk! ).  What annoys me about Onetel, is that they are after your line rental and every so often, they have sent me an email, however I have now stopped that!  I just recently had to update my credit card details for June 2006, and the reply by email, was that they were unable to take the monthly fee from my credit card details - same card but newer expiry date.  I am really staggered about Onetel!

James Bond