When using BT star services, is it possible to get BT to divert incoming calls over an alternative carrier (eg 18185)?

I'm not sure what BT star service is so not sure - maybe someone else can help?

However, as far as I'm aware you can not control who you use for incoming calls.  I'm at a loss to why you would want this unless you meant outgoing calls maybe?

A colleague runs a moblie IT service. When he is away from his office he uses the BT star service to divert his incoming calls to his mobile. He has to pay for all the crap marketing calls that come through to his mobile. He just wants to reduce that cost.

bbb_uk wrote on Feb 26^th, 2007 at 11:08am:

I'm not sure what BT star service is so not sure - maybe someone else can help? However, as far as I'm aware you can not control who you use for incoming calls.  I'm at a loss to why you would want this unless you meant outgoing calls maybe?

No, he means he wants to use BT's incoming call divert service (£1.75/month + the cost of the outgoing part of the call) to divert incoming calls to his landline to, say, his mobile.

In that case, no, you cannot use indirect access codes like 18185.

The best you can do is add your mobile number as your F&F Best Friend to reduce the cost of the diverted part of the call by 20%.  However, if you have a CPS service on your landline, you'd have to make sure the diverted part of the call went out on BT by adding a 1280 prefix to your 'divert to' number to get that discount.

~ Edited by Dave: Discount for Friends and Family Best Friend corrected

To perhaps offer a better alternative, are you able to let us know approximately how much is spent diverting calls to the mobile?

It might be worth considering BT's Anonymous Call Rejection (ACR) service - if the cr*p sales calls are anonymous.
The fact that the ACR service should be free, better still the default, is perhaps not for this thread - nor the good of my blood pressure.

Heinz wrote on Feb 26^th, 2007 at 1:40pm:

bbb_uk wrote on Feb 26th, 2007 at 11:08am: I'm not sure what BT star service is so not sure - maybe someone else can help? However, as far as I'm aware you can not control who you use for incoming calls.  I'm at a loss to why you would want this unless you meant outgoing calls maybe? No, he means he wants to use BT's incoming call divert service (£1.75/month + the cost of the outgoing part of the call) to divert incoming calls to his landline to, say, his mobile. In that case, no, you cannot use indirect access codes like 18185. The best you can do is add your mobile number as your F&F Best Friend to reduce the cost of the diverted part of the call by 25%.  However, if you have a CPS service on your landline, you'd have to make sure the diverted part of the call went out on BT by adding a 1280 prefix to your 'divert to' number to get that discount.

Is the  best friend discount  20% not 25%?

You're right, of course, but the 'modify' button appears to have vanished (?) so I can't go back to that post and change it.

However, I see that one of the Daves has done the necessary for me.

Where's the modify button gone Dave?

Heinz wrote on Feb 27^th, 2007 at 4:49pm:

Where's the modify button gone Dave?

You can only modify posts for upto 1 day after they were made.

Dave wrote on Feb 28^th, 2007 at 12:41am:

Heinz wrote on Feb 27th, 2007 at 4:49pm: Where's the modify button gone Dave? You can only modify posts for upto 1 day after they were made.

Thank heavens that is not the case on MSE - I'm still amending a number of old posts on there so that x-references to them are up-to-date.

Tanllan wrote on Feb 26^th, 2007 at 8:27pm:

It might be worth considering BT's Anonymous Call Rejection (ACR) service - if the cr*p sales calls are anonymous. The fact that the ACR service should be free, better still the default, is perhaps not for this thread - nor the good of my blood pressure.

Why not register with the TPS (Telephone Preference Service) www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps. I used to get loads, especially when you'd just sat down for tea! Now I've had one in about 6 years. Even that one I explained to the lady that she shouldn't be contacting me etc and she got abusive and put the phone down! I reported it to the TPS and they 'dealt with it'. Highly recommended and FREE. I had the ACR before that but they still find a way through, from abroad I believe. Plus the service is charged for.