Colleague of mind has just had a E-Mail . Connection charge goes up to 4p from 23/10/2006.

Thanks for that.

I've been expecting this for a while as all they are losing money on their current pricing arrangements.

I suspect Call18185 will follow suite but obviously hope they don't.

I thought that they already did!

Wally wrote on Oct 20^th, 2006 at 9:16pm:

I thought that they already did!

I guess what bbb_uk means is that 18185 will increase their connection charge from 4 to 5p. ;)

I have just checked my bill and found that 1899 have upped their connection charge to 4p. I have not had any e-mail notification about this although I see that some other forum members have.

As it happens I have signed up for Skytalk at £5 a month for unlimited Geo calls and the service goes live in 2 days time. :rotfl: We easily make over 125 Geo calls a month so it will work out cheaper than using 1899 or 18185. However we will still use 18185 for calling mobiles - now 6p a minute weekdays!

I am still better off on 1899 even if it is 4p per call, still cheaper than BT and my average 1899 bill is £2 of £3 pounds per month tops. At 4p its still 25 calls for £1.00 that is damn good value.

snaffler wrote on Oct 26^th, 2006 at 10:38am:

I am still better off on 1899 even if it is 4p per call, still cheaper than BT and my average 1899 bill is £2 of £3 pounds per month tops. At 4p its still 25 calls for £1.00 that is damn good value.

The general consensus is to move to Call18185 and although its 4p per call, Call18185 are cheaper for calls to 084x/087x, mobile, etc compared to Call1899.

snaffler wrote on Oct 26^th, 2006 at 10:38am:

I am still better off on 1899 even if it is 4p per call, still cheaper than BT and my average 1899 bill is £2 of £3 pounds per month tops. At 4p its still 25 calls for £1.00 that is damn good value.

If you register for Primus Saver 2,you would not pay a bean for your evening and weekend geographical 01/02 geographical calls. ;)

http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/SaverProducts.aspx?source=saver

acezing wrote on Oct 27^th, 2006 at 12:43am:

snaffler wrote on Oct 26th, 2006 at 10:38am: I am still better off on 1899 even if it is 4p per call, still cheaper than BT and my average 1899 bill is £2 of £3 pounds per month tops. At 4p its still 25 calls for £1.00 that is damn good value. If you register for Primus Saver 2,you would not pay a bean for your evening and weekend geographical 01/02 geographical calls. ;) http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/SaverProducts.aspx?source=saver

That is true, but if you also have to rely on others in the house dialling/not dialling 1899 at the correct times then costly mistakes will inevitably be made. Thats why I opted for Skytalk.

4PetesSake wrote on Oct 27^th, 2006 at 6:53am:

acezing wrote on Oct 27th, 2006 at 12:43am: snaffler wrote on Oct 26th, 2006 at 10:38am: I am still better off on 1899 even if it is 4p per call, still cheaper than BT and my average 1899 bill is £2 of £3 pounds per month tops. At 4p its still 25 calls for £1.00 that is damn good value. If you register for Primus Saver 2,you would not pay a bean for your evening and weekend geographical 01/02 geographical calls. ;) http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/SaverProducts.aspx?source=saver That is true, but if you also have to rely on others in the house dialling/not dialling 1899 at the correct times then costly mistakes will inevitably be made. Thats why I opted for Skytalk.

I was replying to Snaffler. Your circumstances clearly justify the use of a 247 call package. However if you were that concerned you could invest in a orchid dialer. ;)

Just received an emailed bill from 1899 today and discovered that the price had increase to 4p per call on 23rd October.  Did not receive any email to notify me of this before it happened.

Looks to me another reason why Ofcom should force Finarea to join an Alternate Dispute Resolution procedure as failing to notify customers of price rises before they happen is totally unacceptable.

Only question now is will they dare to further increase the cost to 5p per call?  Theoretically the minimum cost of a BT weekday daytime call is now only 3p but obviously only if you hang up after 1 second.

NGMsGhost wrote on Nov 1^st, 2006 at 2:01pm:

Theoretically the minimum cost of a BT weekday daytime call is now only 3p but obviously only if you hang up after 1 second.

3p call setup fee plus a minimum of one minute = 6p (not that I want to give 1899 et al ideas).

Heinz wrote on Nov 1^st, 2006 at 3:16pm:

3p call setup fee plus a minimum of one minute = 6p (not that I want to give 1899 et al ideas).

I was forgetting the 3p per minute was now rounded up.  What a con - an increase of 20% in the minimum call charge which must be worth a lot of money to BT. :o

Especially when so many people have 1571 or answer machines on their line..................

Heinz wrote on Nov 1^st, 2006 at 3:16pm:

3p call setup fee plus a minimum of one minute = 6p (not that I want to give 1899 et al ideas).

1899 don't need prompting - they've already taken this route. For cable customers, connection charge of 4p plus a charge for UK calls of 1p per minute (or part thereof) means that a one second call now costs 5p.

AJR wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2006 at 11:20am:

1899 don't need prompting - they've already taken this route. For cable customers, connection charge of 4p plus a charge for UK calls of 1p per minute (or part thereof) means that a one second call now costs 5p.

They have to charge extra for cable customers due to their own underlying additional costs in connecting these calls.

AJR wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2006 at 11:20am:

Heinz wrote on Nov 1st, 2006 at 3:16pm: 3p call setup fee plus a minimum of one minute = 6p (not that I want to give 1899 et al ideas). 1899 don't need prompting - they've already taken this route. For cable customers, connection charge of 4p plus a charge for UK calls of 1p per minute (or part thereof) means that a one second call now costs 5p.

Yes, the problem, of course, is that only BT is obliged to allow short code access.  All other line rental providers have it written into their T&Cs that they can bar access if they want to and cable companies just do not allow access in that way at all.  Consequently, the likes of 1899 have to provide a freephone access number - which costs them money.

OTOH, I believe NTL charge 6p connection now - so even 18866 is cheaper - and 1p/minute is vastly less expensive too.

It seems like Finarea are no longer interested in expanding the customer base though.

Now their main interest seems to be in ramping up the level of income, presumably so they can sell the whole operation to some other larger telco?

NGMsGhost wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2006 at 12:39pm:

It seems like Finarea are no longer interested in expanding the customer base though. Now their main interest seems to be in ramping up the level of income, presumably so they can sell the whole operation to some other larger telco?

Both of those remarks are rather speculative. They are still viral marketing new brands. The call charges are not heading rapidly upwards, but maybe potentially loss-making promotional rates cannot last forever.

In fact several countries are cheaper to call than a year ago, but that probably reflects wholesale rates rather than just these companies

As with 18866 before them I have now closed my account with 1899 to show my disgust at their further price increase and them having done it without emailing us with notice beforehand.

I still have an account with 18185 though but since 18185 is now cheaper than 1899 for all forms of call I see no point in keeping on the two arrangements.

Also more importantly the marketing men at Finarea won't like it when the total number of customers for the 1899 brand starts falling too drastically.

Can I urge anyone else who has both a 1899 and a 18185 account to close the 1899 account to teach Finarea a lesson.  Also if you only have a 1899 account then open a www.18185.co.uk account where you will get cheaper call rates to 0870 numbers, mobiles and many overseas locations too.  You can then close your 1899 account and again have the satisfaction of feeling that you are teaching Finarea a lesson.

acezing wrote on Oct 27^th, 2006 at 12:43am:

snaffler wrote on Oct 26th, 2006 at 10:38am: I am still better off on 1899 even if it is 4p per call, still cheaper than BT and my average 1899 bill is £2 of £3 pounds per month tops. At 4p its still 25 calls for £1.00 that is damn good value. If you register for Primus Saver 2,you would not pay a bean for your evening and weekend geographical 01/02 geographical calls. ;) http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/SaverProducts.aspx?source=saver

Don't forget the £16 cashback if signing up via Uswitch via Quidco!!!

acezing wrote on Oct 20^th, 2006 at 8:54am:

Colleague of mind has just had a E-Mail . Connection charge goes up to 4p from 23/10/2006.

I wonder what magic(tm) meant that you (and some others) got an advance e-mail and me (and others) didn't?!

I always got Finarea's emails telling me about my new bill without any problem.  Its just their emails about price rises that have never found their way to me on several occasions.

Same here......I get my bill emails, but go no warning of the price rise....

LV426 wrote on Nov 13^th, 2006 at 4:19pm:

Same here......I get my bill emails, but go no warning of the price rise....

Hope you have cancelled 1899 and moved to 18185 then just to teach them that customers are unhappy.  Also 18185 is cheaper for international. mobile and 0870 calls than 1899.