CJT-80 wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 2:40pm:


If that is correct then it is cheaper to phone a 0844 number than a 0845 or a  0870 number because Daytime call charges to all UK landlines with BT are

   * Call set-up fees are 9.9p.
   * Daytime call charges to all UK landlines, 0845 numbers and 0870  5.9p a minute.

sherbert wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 3:13pm:


Sherbert, I can provide you both the associated links for the number in question, but clarify for you I needed to call 0844 277 2000, according to BT Price List here according to page 10 it's a g6 call, and according to page 38 they are charged at 5.00 at ALL times. Also according to page 1

"Call set up fees payable in addition to any pence per minute rates apply to most calls as follows:
Light User Scheme, BT Basic and BT Standard Rate Customers - 2.553 pence (ex VAT), 3.00 pence (Inc VAT)
All other Residential Customers - 8.425 pence (exc VAT), 9.90 pence inc VAT) "

You can already do the maths on that one.... 1st min costs almost 15p and then 5p per min there after... so in MY case it's cheaper to call 0845 or 01/02/03.

CJT-80 wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 4:30pm:



I think you must have the SCV syndrome because that does not make any sense to me

CJT-80 wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 4:32pm:



I have just discovered that Asda mobile are cheaper than VM for 0845 numbers..checking with them for 0844

Perhaps some clarity would help. This is a very complex issue. We are only looking at a small segment of what is actually paid.

sherbert wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 3:13pm:

I am afraid that this is not quite correct.

We are talking here about non-inclusive daytime calls from the two leading landline providers.

A 11p VirginMedia connection charge or 9.9p BT call setup fee applies.

The charges (pence per minute) are currently as follows:

	BT	Virgin Media
01/02/03	5.90	7.50
0845	2.00	10.00
0844 (G6)	5.00	9.19
0870	5.90	10.00

These represent a relatively small sample of the charges actually paid as most of those who make a significant daytime calls from these services will subscribe to the inclusive packages. In the case of BT these cover all those listed except 0844, for VirginMedia only 01/02/03 are inclusive.

BT rates for 0844 and 0845 calls are subject to regulation, i.e. they are not fully set by BT.

The inflated VirginMedia rate for calling 0870 numbers is subject to special requirements covering declaration.

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 6:09pm:


Why not? I got that information from the BT web site

http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/13908/c/761,2072

Why is it you are correct and they are wrong?

sherbert wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 6:24pm:

It is for BT to explain why a leaflet that is focused on promoting the Unlimited Anytime Plan overstates the cost of non-inclusive calls.

0845 should not be included in the statement which correctly states the old and new rates for "landlines" and 0870 numbers. The rate for calling 0845 numbers was not changed on 1 April 2010. I previously referred to the relevant detailed pricing document.

The quoted letter from BT referred only to landline call rates increasing, it did not mention that 0870 rates are now tied to these by BT, whereas 0845 are not.

Inclusion of both 0845 and 0870 calls in packages is such a big thing for BT's marketing, one has to suspect that someone got carried away when preparing the marketing document for the Anytime Inclusive package and slipping both in, when only one was appropriate. We must remember that BT's non-inclusive rates are steadily increasing at the consistent rate of 30% per annum. This is simply about getting people to switch to inclusive packages. If BT simply wanted the call revenue, the documents would not be so heavily littered with encouragement to avoid providing it.

I have reported the error to a BT representative, who agrees that this looks like a mistake. Others may wish to do the same. We may see a correction in due course, although this document is only really of historic interest as it covers a change that has happened, and the current information all appears to be correct.

This issue is complex and difficult enough to explain without BT making errors in stating its own prices so as to create further unnecessary confusion!

It is widely expected (indeed this error would seem to support such an expectation) that revenue sharing will be removed from 0845 and the limit on BT's prices for 0845 calls will be lifted so that they settle at the same rate as for "normal" calls. Although this will not happen for some time, BT anticipated this change by making 0845 calls inclusive in packages last year, as it also anticipated the removal of revenue sharing from 0870 by over 6 months.

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P.S. This was drafted and first published before seeing reply #26.

sherbert wrote on Apr 24^th, 2010 at 8:03pm:

I am reading it and am not confused.