SAYNOTO0870.COM - BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free

DavidC Newbie Offline Posts: 1	BT to stop charging for 0845 numbers? Reply #105 - Jan 24^th, 2009 at 12:46pm I have heard BT has agreed to scrap charges for 0845 numbers from this month. Does this only appy if you are a BT customer? Does it also apply to all 0845, 0870, 871 etc numbers? ~ Edited by Dave: Threads merged
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sherbert

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Re: BT to stop charging for 0845 numbers?
Reply #106 - Jan 24^th, 2009 at 1:21pm

DavidC wrote on Jan 24^th, 2009 at 12:46pm:

I have heard BT has agreed to scrap charges for 0845 numbers from this month. Does this only appy if you are a BT customer? Does it also apply to all 0845, 0870, 871 etc numbers?

It is only for BT customers using 0845 & 0870 numbers, which will now be included in your package. So if you are on anytime package you will get them 'free'. Or if you are one week end and evenings only then 'free' during that time, etc.

~ Edited by Dave: Quote added

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« Last Edit: Jan 24^th, 2009 at 3:29pm by Dave »

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irrelevant

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Re: BT to stop charging for 0845 numbers?
Reply #107 - Jan 24^th, 2009 at 1:25pm

Unfortunately, this is the exact response BT wanted - to make people think they are actually doing someting good!

But basically - they are making 0845 and 0870 calls ONLY "free" as part of your included calls - for the vast majority of BT customers this is weekends only, or evening and weekends only. The rest of the time you carry on paying normal rates, as you also do if you go over an hour.

In addition, from April, they are scrapping Friends and Family (which gave 10-20% discount on your most called numbers), putting up the connection charge for all chargeable calls, increasing line rental, increasing costs of network services, tinkering with the per-minute costs of many other calls ....

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

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« Last Edit: Jan 24^th, 2009 at 3:29pm by Dave »

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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: BT to stop charging for 0845 numbers?
Reply #108 - Jan 24^th, 2009 at 1:26pm

BT has always, perversely, charged less for calls to 0845 numbers than for chargeable calls to "standard landline" numbers, despite the fact that recipients of calls to 0845 benefit from "revenue sharing".

It has now extended this exceptional treatment (quite different from what other providers do) by allowing calls to 0845 numbers to be covered by inclusive packages. Residential customers choose the times when they will benefit from calls of up to one hour to certain numbers at no extra charge and pay accordingly.

All of BT's charges for residential customers will be increasing by around 10% on 1 April. Many see this move in respect of 0845 (and even more exceptionally 0870) as being intended to draw the heat from the obvious annoyance at such a price increase, which represents at least 4 times the current general rate of inflation.

Nothing in the world of commerce is free. BT's "generosity" is more than compensated for by other price changes, including a 17% increase in the call setup fee for all non-inclusive calls that has already been put into effect.

BT's exceptional situation in relation to 0845 and 0870 calls means that no other provider is likely to follow this move, as they would suffer far greater proportional costs in doing so. BT is simply exploiting its particular position in order to secure more committed customers on 12 month inclusive call plan agreements.

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« Last Edit: Jan 24^th, 2009 at 3:30pm by Dave »

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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: BT to stop charging for 0845 numbers?
Reply #109 - Jan 24^th, 2009 at 1:39pm

irrelevant wrote on Jan 24^th, 2009 at 1:25pm:

In addition, from April, they are scrapping Friends and Family (which gave 10-20% discount on your most called numbers) ....

This is more relevant to the Call Providers area, but I would wish to repeat a point made in the other thread:

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2009 at 5:32pm:

... Even before the coming changes, if one was using the phone to keep in regular touch with one's friends and family the break-even point for an inclusive package at the time when one did so (i.e. evenings or daytime) would be very likely to be reached.

Is anyone able to determine if the revised version of F&F - Friends & Family Mobile and Friends & Family International - are likely to be of more use and greater benefit to customers?

I am anxious that we do not over-simplify the issues in the way that BT has encouraged and allowed to happen, although some may say that if it behaves badly, then so should we.

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derrick

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Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #110 - Jan 24^th, 2009 at 4:41pm

Don't forget it is still not "free", you have to make a chargeable call each month if for example like me you are on BTs weekend package, paying only line rental to BT and using CPS for calls; - http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=2...

"Unimited Weekend Plan. Only £10.27 a month line rental with Direct Debit and paper-free billing (£11.25 from 1st April), for new and existing residential customers

making at least one chargeable call a month with BT."

Therefore the minimum call charge will be 12.5p from April 1st, (April fool!).

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irrelevant

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Re: BT to stop charging for 0845 numbers?
Reply #111 - Jan 24^th, 2009 at 4:44pm

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Jan 24^th, 2009 at 1:39pm:

Is anyone able to determine if the revised version of F&F - Friends & Family Mobile and Friends & Family International - are likely to be of more use and greater benefit to customers?

It's just the Mobile Saver and International Saver options renamed. I've never bothered with them myself, as it's still cheaper to call such numbers via other providers. They will now give you them for free, though, in return for a 12 month lock-in. It might benefit those people who won't/can't shop around and still only use BT for their calls...

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KeithSimpson001

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Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #112 - Jan 26^th, 2009 at 1:05pm

However they have also introduced a 'fair' use policy with a maximum 1,000 minutes or 150 calls per month. It also states that 'If either of these limits on free calls is eceeded, BT will charge for these calls until further notice'.

I tried asking BT what 'until further notice' means but they couldn't explain this nor exactly how this 'fair' use policy would operate. They seemed to think it is just for 0845 & 0870 numbers but I am not sure they know enogh about it to be saying even this.

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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #113 - Jan 26^th, 2009 at 1:15pm

KeithSimpson001 wrote on Jan 26^th, 2009 at 1:05pm:

However they have also introduced a 'fair' use policy with a maximum 1,000 minutes or 150 calls per month.

This is to stop you and a mate each getting a BT 0870 number and making repeated 59 minute inclusive calls to each other and running off to the Bahamas with the profit. The limit means that you will probably get no further than Barking.

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jrawle

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Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #114 - Jan 26^th, 2009 at 3:35pm

I joined this site quite a few years ago because BT had changed their tariffs. They made some calls inclusive, but increased line rental. To make matters worse, numbers I needed to call were not included.

Now they have done the same thing again. Made some more numbers inclusive, but increased line rental. Of course, many common numbers, such as 0844, are not included.

I have managed with calling almsot no 084 or 087 numbers for years now. When I have no alternative, I make sure the calls only last a few minutes. I certainly didn't make a pound a month's worth. So I'm not happy about BT's nearly 10% price increase.

I think it's time to consider switching phone provider, although I'm slightly worried that might cut off my broadband.

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poppasmurf

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Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #115 - Jan 26^th, 2009 at 3:36pm

BT's new structure now means that, on my telephone setup, I can ring Virgin Broadband free at weekends on my BT landline at BT's expense to sort out all my Virgin problems. That's nice.

One other point, to get free BT Caller Display you don't have to make 2 chargeable calls each month. You just have to make 2 calls - they can be freephone numbers or calls within your inclusive package., not necessarily paid for numbers. I've had many months where I've not had a paid for call via BT but have never been charged for Caller Display.

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« Last Edit: Jan 26^th, 2009 at 3:37pm by poppasmurf »

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Martin_rosen Junior Member Offline Posts: 74 London Gender:	Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free Reply #116 - Jan 26^th, 2009 at 3:39pm You may not have to pay for the caller display unit, but do you have to pay for the service ?
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jrawle

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Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #117 - Jan 26^th, 2009 at 8:45pm

This is something else that worries me about BT's recent changes. The current version of the terms says:
Quote:

From 1st October 2006, customers who do not make some chargeable calls with BT will be charged for BT Caller Display. Customers with other call providers can still benefit from BT Caller Display at no extra cost if the following calls are made. Customers who are billed monthly must make at least two chargeable calls with BT in that month, otherwise BT reserves the right to charge £1.71 a month for BT Caller Display. Customers who are billed every three months must make at least six chargeable calls within those three months, otherwise BT reserves the right to charge £5.14 a quarter.

It only says "chargeable" calls again, as it did when they first introduced BT Privacy. At one stage they did change it to say "inclusive or chargeable calls", as I reported here back in October. I find the dropping of the word "inclusive" ominous. Before they added that word, I made sure I dialled a 0.5p 0844 number each month if I hadn't been charged for any calls (I figured 7.5p for Caller ID was still a good deal). However, if BT have gone back to that arrangement, I'm definitely going to look elsewhere for my phone service. e.g. Primus Saver is much cheaper for line rental, and only charges 50p or so per month for Caller Display. But I'm also puzzled by the October 2006 reference in BT's terms.

Martin_rosen: BT offer a free Caller ID service as part of their "BT Privacy" package, which also registers you with the Telephone Preference Service. As we are discussing, you have to make at least two calls a month via BT to qualify (this is intended stop CPS customers getting it, rather than BT customers who genuinely make few calls, or so I thought until this week). You have to provide your own Caller Display equipment.

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poppasmurf Junior Member Offline Posts: 55 Bewdley, Worcs Gender:	Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free Reply #118 - Jan 26^th, 2009 at 9:32pm If BT have gone back to chargeable calls, then I shall have Caller Display disconnected. We have very few calls via the landline nowadays. We use the very reasonable Virgin 300/300 on mobile which gives 300 minutes and 300 texts every month for £10pm.
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jrawle Supreme Member Offline Posts: 708 Didcot, Oxfordshire Gender:	Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free Reply #119 - Jan 26^th, 2009 at 10:42pm poppasmurf wrote on Jan 26^th, 2009 at 9:32pm: We use the very reasonable Virgin 300/300 on mobile which gives 300 minutes and 300 texts every month for £10pm. Not much use if you need a landline for ADSL, unfortunately!
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