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

NGMsGhost

Supreme Member

Offline

The Forum Ghost of NonGeographicalMan<b
r />

Posts: 2,720
Surrey, United Kingdom
Gender: male

0845/0870 Remain A Ripoff From BT Payphones
Reply #15 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 1:30pm

Dave wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 1:12pm:

Those with other providers, business customers, and those who can't afford a landline who use only a mobile still pay through the nose. Whilst that's not BT's fault, the SAYNOTO0870 campaign must ensure that this is not lost in the good news for some of BT's customers.

And let us not forget BT Payphones division where no call packages of any kind are available to customers and all 084 and 087 numbers (including 0845 and 0870) are now charged at truly obscene rates that are many multiples of the cost of an 01/02/03 call from the same payphone.

I think the time to begin piling the pressure on BT Payphones division and on BT's two faced new CEO (Ian Livingston) about the unacceptability of the continuation of that particular obscenity (especially for say NHS Direct, Police Non Emergency, local councils, local doctors surgeries and the Samaritans) has now finally arrived. Shocked

Back to top

« Last Edit: Jan 8^th, 2009 at 1:31pm by NGMsGhost »

<div style=

IP Logged

sherbert

Supreme Member

Offline

Posts: 2,011
Gender: male

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #16 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 1:34pm

Quote:
This is only for BT residential customers on a package which has inclusive local and evening calls (apparently everyone is on a package these days).

I would hope it was also applicable in the weekday daytime to any BT residential customers on their 24/7 inclusive calls package (BT Option 3 as was).

An Anytime customer will now get their calls to these numbers for free – as well as all their calls to UK landlines and great rates on mobile calls – for just £4.85 a month, which works out at less than the cost of a second class stamp a day.

Back to top

IP Logged

NGMsGhost

Supreme Member

Offline

The Forum Ghost of NonGeographicalMan<b
r />

Posts: 2,720
Surrey, United Kingdom
Gender: male

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #17 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 1:50pm

sherbert wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 1:34pm:

An Anytime customer will now get their calls to these numbers for free – as well as all their calls to UK landlines and great rates on mobile calls – for just £4.85 a month, which works out at less than the cost of a second class stamp a day.

Do you or a relative by any chance work for BT then sherbert? Undecided

I do not intend to return to BT over this move as it might then deter me from being sufficiently assiduous in avoiding ever giving my business to companies who I cannot call by using an 084/7 alternative.

Also if everyone moves to BT and calls these 084/7 numbers during the inclusive minutes periods the cost of these packages will soon begin to spiral upwards as the underlying problem of the high termination cost of 084/7 calls is not being addressed by this move.

In any case as we have seen many of the largest call centres have now moved to 0844 and 0871 where the need to continue using this website to avoid those numbers will remain as strong as ever............

Back to top

« Last Edit: Jan 8^th, 2009 at 2:05pm by NGMsGhost »

<div style=

IP Logged

mayojs Newbie Offline Posts: 1	Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free Reply #18 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 1:59pm Perhaps it's time for a new website - sayNonto0871.com or perhaps whypaymorefor0844.com
Back to top	IP Logged

NGMsGhost

Supreme Member

Offline

The Forum Ghost of NonGeographicalMan<b
r />

Posts: 2,720
Surrey, United Kingdom
Gender: male

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #19 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 2:07pm

mayojs wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 1:59pm:

Perhaps it's time for a new website - sayNonto0871.com or perhaps whypaymorefor0844.com Wink

www.saynotophoneripoffs.com would have a greater sense of permanence about it I think.

But the case for any change is not made out so long as 0870 numbers continue to cost many people who call them huge amounts extra in call charges. This continues to remain the case, even after this latest BT announcement.

Back to top

<div style=

IP Logged

sherbert

Supreme Member

Offline

Posts: 2,011
Gender: male

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #20 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 2:18pm

NGMsGhost wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 1:50pm:

sherbert wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 1:34pm:

An Anytime customer will now get their calls to these numbers for free – as well as all their calls to UK landlines and great rates on mobile calls – for just £4.85 a month, which works out at less than the cost of a second class stamp a day.

Do you or a relative by any chance work for BT then sherbert? Undecided

No, never NGMsGhost, nor do I know anyone who works for them. Roll Eyes

However, I am probably what you will probaly call 'one of these sad individuals' who have been with BT for about 35 years who have never given me any problems with my land line or broadband. No doubt you will say that I am probably in the minority who have not had problems.

For £75 a quarter for Broadband, landline, calls and VAT I don't think is a bad deal. No doubt there are cheaper deals out there, but for about £6 a week I don't think it is worth the bother to change to someone else. I am sure you will disagree though! Wink

Back to top

IP Logged

NGMsGhost

Supreme Member

Offline

The Forum Ghost of NonGeographicalMan<b
r />

Posts: 2,720
Surrey, United Kingdom
Gender: male

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #21 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 2:27pm

sherbert wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 2:18pm:

However, I am probably what you will probaly call 'one of these sad individuals' who have been with BT for about 35 years who have never given me any problems with my land line or broadband. No doubt you will say that I am probably in the minority who have not had problems.

For £75 a quarter for Broadband, landline, calls and VAT I don't think is a bad deal. No doubt there are cheaper deals out there, but for about £6 a week I don't think it is worth the bother to change to someone else. I am sure you will disagree though! Wink

I find it extraordinary you never moved away from BT in the days when their calls and their call packages were far more expensive than those of the opposition. Obviously that is not so much the case now unless you live in what they call an LLU area where the likes of TalkTalk are still much, much cheaper than BT for phone calls and broadband combined.

I have always found BT's telephone customer service utterly atrocious over many years and so have never understood why people feel any sense of loyalty to this company when it still has 60% of the UK residential telecoms marketplace.

Back to top

<div style=

IP Logged

sherbert

Supreme Member

Offline

Posts: 2,011
Gender: male

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #22 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 2:36pm

NGMsGhost wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 2:27pm:

sherbert wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 2:18pm:

However, I am probably what you will probaly call 'one of these sad individuals' who have been with BT for about 35 years who have never given me any problems with my land line or broadband. No doubt you will say that I am probably in the minority who have not had problems.

For £75 a quarter for Broadband, landline, calls and VAT I don't think is a bad deal. No doubt there are cheaper deals out there, but for about £6 a week I don't think it is worth the bother to change to someone else. I am sure you will disagree though! Wink

I find it extraordinary you never moved away from BT in the days when their calls and their call packages were far more expensive than those of the opposition. Obviously that is not so much the case now unless you live in what they call an LLU area where the likes of TalkTalk are still much, much cheaper than BT for phone calls and broadband combined.

I have always found BT's telephone customer service utterly atrocious over many years and so have never understood why people feel any sense of loyalty to this company when it still has 60% of the UK residential telecoms marketplace.

I take your point and do agree that I probably have been lazy over the years. In fairness I can honestly say that I have only call BT a handful of times over the years and agree the customer service a bit iffy but usually do solve the problems in the end. Any problems, which thankfully are rare, with my broadband I use the on line help, which I have found pretty good.
On the other hand I know some people who have Talk Talk (not in my area) and they have had huge problems with their customer service. Infact my nephew had to wait over six months to get connected on one occasion.

Back to top

IP Logged

jimjim

Junior Member

Offline

Posts: 68
Gender: male

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #23 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:04pm

Not had many problems with BT either, but when I have after being transferred here there and back again to a call centres in India and Scotland. At least I am not paying for the call, as far as I can remember calls to "customer service" have always been 0800. with BT . Notice by the way that Talk Talk CS number is 0870 Shocked

Back to top

IP Logged

SilentCallsVictim

Supreme Member

Offline

aka NHS.Patient, DH_fairtelecoms

Posts: 2,494

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #24 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:05pm

Those with Midlands connections may be interested to know that BBC Radio WM are planning to cover this story on their "Drivetime" show at around 5:35 this afternoon.

I encourage all those with some knowledge of the issue and something to say on behalf of this forum to contact their local (and any other) media with offers of contributions.

Back to top

@fairtelecoms (tweets)

IP Logged

sherbert Supreme Member Offline Posts: 2,011 Gender:	Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free Reply #25 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:12pm jimjim wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:04pm: At least I am not paying for the call, as far as I can remember calls to "customer service" have always been 0800. with BT . Only since last April
Back to top	IP Logged

NGMsGhost

Supreme Member

Offline

The Forum Ghost of NonGeographicalMan<b
r />

Posts: 2,720
Surrey, United Kingdom
Gender: male

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #26 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:28pm

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:05pm:

Those with Midlands connections may be interested to know that BBC Radio WM are planning to cover this story on their "Drivetime" show at around 5:35 this afternoon.

I thought your connection was actually with London and not with the West Midlands area.

Or are you saying that Dave or Daniel will be getting some press coverage for the campaign for a change?

I think anyone talking to the press on this issue needs to be very careful to avoid giving the impression that we believe BT is really acting in the interests of consumers or that the whole 084/7 problem is solved for BT customers by this move. What about the great transfer of Sky and doctor's surgeries etc to 0844 numbers that are not covered at all under this deal.

Back to top

« Last Edit: Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:30pm by NGMsGhost »

<div style=

IP Logged

jrawle

Supreme Member

Offline

Posts: 708
Didcot, Oxfordshire
Gender: male

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #27 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:32pm

sherbert wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:12pm:

jimjim wrote on Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:04pm:

At least I am not paying for the call, as far as I can remember calls to "customer service" have always been 0800. with BT . Shocked

Only since last April

Are we talking about phone or broadband customer services? For residential phone customers the number has always been 0800 800 150, or just 150 from a BT line. And when I took over my current line just over two years ago, I was able to call that free from the phonebox round the corner, and as an alternative to waiting in a queue, it gave me the option of being called back on my mobile. So I went home, and someone called me within the hour.

Don't know anything about BT Broadband customer services, though. I don't see any justification in any broadband supplier charging for customer service when the customer also uses their phone service. After all, there will be no third party costs to pay.

Back to top

IP Logged

sherbert Supreme Member Offline Posts: 2,011 Gender:	Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free Reply #28 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:46pm See their press release here, when they got rid of their own 0870 & 0845 numbers last year http://www.btplc.com/News/Articles/ShowArticle.cfm?ArticleID=6a696962-125e-436a-...
Back to top	« Last Edit: Jan 8^th, 2009 at 3:46pm by sherbert » IP Logged

jrawle

Supreme Member

Offline

Posts: 708
Didcot, Oxfordshire
Gender: male

Re: BT to make 0870 & 0845 numbers free
Reply #29 - Jan 8^th, 2009 at 4:00pm

So they were broadband numbers. As they say, "Ninety two per cent of calls into BT are already free of charge".

The article from the Guardian reporting BT's move today is quite good. They refer to the numbers as "premium rate" and say 0844 and 0871 are "even more expensive".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/jan/08/bt-customers-premium-rate-phonecalls

The only thing I'm unhappy about in reports about this is claims that these calls are now "free". They are actually inclusive. And of course, only at certain times of day/weekend for most customers.

Back to top

IP Logged