Its reported

Line rental is going up from £4.95 to £5.10 a month

Caller display and 1571 will now be charged at £1.75 a month for each one.

bigjohn wrote on Oct 2^nd, 2013 at 5:35pm:

Its reported Line rental is going up from £4.95 to £5.10 a month Caller display and 1571 will now be charged at £1.75 a month for each one.

However I am led to believe if you pay the line rental annually there is no charge for either. Am I correct?

You cant pay your line rental annually with BT Basic  and people report both BT Privacy with Caller Display and 1571 will both become chargeable with BT Basic.

On a normal BT phone line rental.

BT Answer 1571 will cost £1.75 a month, they are  enhancing the service to include:
•A bigger mailbox
•The ability to keep your messages for longer
•The ability to retrieve your messages remotely

BT Privacy with Caller Display will cost £1.75 a month from 4 January 2014. But you can sign up and get BT Privacy with Caller Display free for a year (a new 12-month line rental contract applies

I cant see anywhere any suggestion that both will be free.

Just rung BT on 0800 400 100 and talked to Sales….


The outcome of the conversation went like this….


When you telephone to pay rental in advance they take the money there and then irrespective of your next bill. >:(


So I am holding back until January 13th and telephoning them then, which will enable me to have call recognition included in the future at no further charge….  ;)

They will charge me of 1571 at £1.75 per month!! >:(

I guess, reading this

The above deals are subject to availability, terms and prices may change during the contract period. See our terms and conditions at bt.com/terms

if there is a further price increase during the year, they will  whack you with a further price increase irrespective of whether you have paid up front or not. :-/

Sherbert . I am getting confused.Are you a BT Basic Customer then. http://www.bt.com/includingyou/other-products-services-bt-basic.html?s_cid=con_FURL_btbasic or are you talking about a normal contract. :)

bigjohn wrote on Oct 3^rd, 2013 at 6:25pm:

Sherbert . I am getting confused.Are you a BT Basic Customer then. http://www.bt.com/includingyou/other-products-services-bt-basic.html?s_cid=con_FURL_btbasic or are you talking about a normal contract. :)

Normal contract bigjohn

I guess one way to save paying for 1571 is to cancel it and buy an answer phone ;)

A lot of people dont realise they have it. I phoned a friend Tuesday night and he was on the phone so I got an invite to leave a message 1571 but didnt.  When I tried again a little later and got through I said I didnt leave a message on 1571 to which he said I havent got 1571 so he didnt know it was included.

I told him about that BT were going to charge him £1.75 month for it (which he didnt know had got, the message load must be massive and not received) so he is phoning BT tomorrow to cancel it.

You must be able to get an answer machine for a lot less than the £21 BT will be charging per year. They will be making loads of money from many people that dont know it is active, what a scam.  >:( >:(

speedy wrote on Dec 11^th, 2013 at 1:47am:

A lot of people dont realise they have it. I phoned a friend Tuesday night and he was on the phone so I got an invite to leave a message 1571 but didnt.  When I tried again a little later and got through I said I didnt leave a message on 1571 to which he said I havent got 1571 so he didnt know it was included. I told him about that BT were going to charge him £1.75 month for it (which he didnt know had got, the message load must be massive and not received) so he is phoning BT tomorrow to cancel it. You must be able to get an answer machine for a lot less than the £21 BT will be charging per year. They will be making loads of money from many people that dont know it is active, what a scam.  >:( >:(

Unless he doesnt get many incoming calls surely at some stage if he has 1571 someone has left him a message.

Even if messages have been left, how will they know that is the case?

Ian G wrote on Dec 11^th, 2013 at 10:58am:

Even if messages have been left, how will they know that is the case?

If you miss a call because you're on the phone or using a dial-up internet connection, BT Answer 1571 will take a message and ring you shortly after you've hung up or logged off and tell you that you have a message.

Or if you pick up the phone and  there's a new message in your mailbox your have a different dial tone a  stutter type tone on the line.

BT  said when they announced new charges  that it will consider any customer who has ever dialed 1571, even if it was several years ago, as having opted into the service and will add £1.75 to their monthly bill,and they could avoid this by responding to the letter they would be sending out  to opt out, and BT said they can cancel at any time.

Ian G wrote on Dec 11^th, 2013 at 10:58am:

Even if messages have been left, how will they know that is the case?

We are with TalkTalk (previously BT) and with TT if a message is left the dial tone changes.  Instead of being constant it is a tone, then a pause, then a tone...

On a previous BT handset we had an indicator, that looked like two tape reels, showed up whenever we had a message.. I need to see if the new handset has the same feature.

I hope this helps.

:)

Yes, the dialtone changes but how does the user (who doesn't know they even have the service) magically infer they have to dial 1571 from that.

CJT-80 wrote on Dec 11^th, 2013 at 11:51am:

We are with TalkTalk (previously BT) and with TT if a message is left the dial tone changes.  Instead of being constant it is a tone, then a pause, then a tone...

It's known as interrupted dial tone.

Ian G wrote on Dec 11^th, 2013 at 12:45pm:

Yes, the dialtone changes but how does the user (who doesn't know they even have the service) magically infer they have to dial 1571 from that.

Point taken.... however that's up to the Sales advisor's at the company they sign up with to inform them, or it should be detailed in BOLD in the literature or e-mail that is sent out to the customer welcoming them to their new provider....

that would be the best way forward in my opinion.

:)

Dave wrote on Dec 11^th, 2013 at 2:29pm:

CJT-80 wrote on Dec 11th, 2013 at 11:51am: We are with TalkTalk (previously BT) and with TT if a message is left the dial tone changes.  Instead of being constant it is a tone, then a pause, then a tone... It's known as interrupted dial tone.

Thanks Dave, I was just going for the basic approach to advising what it sounded like..

The correct term does explain it succinctly..  :)

When I changed phone calls from TT to BT Anytime ( I have been paying Line Rental to BT monthly for over 12 years) because unlike many elderly I was fully aware so I made a point of refusing 1571 because I have had my own Ans. Mach since they were invented. I asked for Caller ID as my new phone had a large Display Panel so if a caller didnt leave a message I could see who had called and return the call if recognised or ignore if International (scam )

I dont like being tied into Contracts so will pay the £1.75 added a month for now to see what happens when the general public start pressurising BT to drop it.

I will phone my friend to make sure he has cancelled his 1571 being housebound he has no need of Ans. Mach in fact if he doesnt pick up relatives will know there is something wrong.

Dave wrote on Dec 11^th, 2013 at 2:29pm:

CJT-80 wrote on Dec 11th, 2013 at 11:51am: We are with TalkTalk (previously BT) and with TT if a message is left the dial tone changes.  Instead of being constant it is a tone, then a pause, then a tone... It's known as interrupted dial tone.

Is it not also known as  Stutter Dial Tone ( SDT) ,usually associated with Voice Mail ?

bigjohn wrote on Dec 12^th, 2013 at 4:55am:

Dave wrote on Dec 11th, 2013 at 2:29pm: CJT-80 wrote on Dec 11th, 2013 at 11:51am: We are with TalkTalk (previously BT) and with TT if a message is left the dial tone changes.  Instead of being constant it is a tone, then a pause, then a tone... It's known as interrupted dial tone. Is it not also known as  Stutter Dial Tone ( SDT) ,usually associated with Voice Mail ?

I don't know what it's called.... but Intermittent is a good word.. I guess..

I appreciate you cant normally get BT Basic if use  a phone service provided by another company (either directly or  indirectly).

When they say indirectly did they mean indirect access numbers only ?

How about if you use a callback service where they do not answer your call. Or if you have a mobile phone.

Any thoughts on this ?

bigjohn wrote on Dec 16^th, 2013 at 4:48am:

… Any thoughts on this ?

"BT Basic" is for those who need a telephone service to provide essential contact with the outside world.

It is not intended as a means of getting BT service at reduced cost. There will always be those who will abuse such a facility, by fraud or by playing clever games with the wording of the T&Cs. Whilst the terms of "BT Basic" could be more generous, so could the level of benefits on which users rely.

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Dec 16^th, 2013 at 9:10am:

bigjohn wrote on Dec 16th, 2013 at 4:48am: … Any thoughts on this ? "BT Basic" is for those who need a telephone service to provide essential contact with the outside world. It is not intended as a means of getting BT service at reduced cost. There will always be those who will abuse such a facility, by fraud or by playing clever games with the wording of the T&Cs. Whilst the terms of "BT Basic" could be more generous, so could the level of benefits on which users rely.

Thanks for your feedback SCV. I wasn't suggesting that people commited fraud to obtain the service,or abused the facility,and I agree with you as far as that goes.

I notice that the web site now says "you may not be able to get BT Basic if you have any of the following:
"a phone service provided by another company"

I personally cant see any harm in someone getting it if they have a payg phone for emergency purposes,not a contract one.

A fair  folks who don't need broadband and the benefits of a geographical number appear to be dropping it anyway and also regular  landlines,and going the mobile route these days.