Keith wrote on Feb 23
rd, 2009 at 1:22pm:
NGMG, I'm keeping who under my hat currently as I know they will be accessing the site.
Well not many organisations one is likely to write to would be doing that as most of them are both too arrogant and complacent (they wouldn't have started using 084/7 to begin with if they weren't such things). Only Ofcom, BT and NEG immediately spring to mind as people obviously continuously monitoring this website.
Quote:It is also not a personal battle as I am on BT Option 3 so doesn't impact me. It is one of principle.
My own view is that as and when their one year contract ends any genuine supporter of this campaign should now move their telephony arrangements away from BT to a supplier that does not include 084/7 calls in their call packages but offers better deal as a total package (eg Sky or Talktalk). I have the same dilemma because
www.yourcalls.net have decided to make 0845 and 0870 calls free of charge in my Anytime calls package with them. I was about to move my phone line and broadband to Plusnet but annoyingly they have now withdrawn the super cheap deal I was planning to take up and now discriminate against those of us on non LLU country exchanges like myself.
Quote:I agree with all your arguments re the BT pricing, but that is not relevant to the argument with the user of the 0845 number who can simply quote that the 0845 number is cheaper or the same for most BT users (which is their argument).
Nonetheless 40% of call volumes are now from mobiles and charges to 0845 from mobiles are exorbitant in most cases and they are always now excluded from bundled minutes packages. Often 0845 services are particularly subject to much higher levels of use from mobiles than phone numbers in general. National Rail Enquiries immediately springs to mind.
Quote:I also like to quote that it cost me more to call an 0845 number than to call Australia. Now I get 0845 numbers foc on Option 3 that is no longer true either.
All these little changes in pricing that have recently been introduced muddy the water.
So why do you think BT chose to include them in their call packages just as the campaign against 084/7 seemed to be gaining a lot of momentum. They still profit hugely from all the 084/7 calls from non BT customers terminated with call centre operations such as NHS Direct where they provide the phone lines. So they want to be seen to be the good boys while still secretly profiting on the other end of things. Their introduction of per minute charging, 140% increase in minimum call fee and line rental increases are all paying for "free" 0845" and "0870" calls that BT's customers who use this site do not actually need.
I really think one must show one's contempt for BT's actions by moving one's telephony arrangements elsewhere. I see no danger of companies like TalkTalk, Sky and Tiscali following suit when their focus is on offering the lowest monthly broadband and call package price.
I also think the people you are dealing with cannot ignore the per minute charge from a BT Payphone being 1900% higher when the poorest citizen consumers may often still have to use a BT Payphone. If they don't they may use a Pay As You Go mobile phone (as they can't afford a landline) where the same excessive 0845 charge issue applies.