limiting calls to 60 minutes...

tvout · 12-07-2008, 17:28

How many of you on the 6p for an hour price plans cut long calls before the hour is up and then re-dial?
I'm not so bad but my other half will be on the phone for 2 hours sometimes and I notice on the bill the calls will be like 2 quid or so...

I know they sting you if you go over the hour don't they?

Thing is, how does everyone here avoid it? Just simply timing it on a watch or something or does anyone have a phone that disconnects the call before 60 minutes or something?

Being the miser that I am I want to ensure my other half limits the calls to 6p

Is there any kind of little gadget or anything that anyone can recommend apart from a watch or clock?

BexTech · 12-07-2008, 19:58

Some phones allow you to put a timer on so it hangs up the phone at your set period - 58 mins for example.

northy · 12-07-2008, 20:54

i'm lucky coz my phone has a timer on it, so i am always looking how long i have been on. i would make your wife hang up lol, as there is no point in having a cheaper call plan if ya dont use it

BexTech · 12-07-2008, 21:23

http://www.woolworths.co.uk/web/jsp/...p?pid=50885281

This phone allows you to set the timer so it automatically hangs up after however many minutes you set it to, Aldi have also sold this phone under their Tevion brand name.

There are others out there and some of which are DECT too that also auto hand up.

Haggis23 · 14-07-2008, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvout

How many of you on the 6p for an hour price plans cut long calls before the hour is up and then re-dial?
I'm not so bad but my other half will be on the phone for 2 hours sometimes and I notice on the bill the calls will be like 2 quid or so...

I know they sting you if you go over the hour don't they?

Thing is, how does everyone here avoid it? Just simply timing it on a watch or something or does anyone have a phone that disconnects the call before 60 minutes or something?

Being the miser that I am I want to ensure my other half limits the calls to 6p

Is there any kind of little gadget or anything that anyone can recommend apart from a watch or clock?

Hi! Just out of interest how much do you spend overall in a month on landline calls?

If you spend over £7.95 overall it might just be worth taking the unlimited call plan?

BexTech · 14-07-2008, 17:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haggis23

Hi! Just out of interest how much do you spend overall in a month on landline calls?

If you spend over £7.95 overall it might just be worth taking the unlimited call plan?

Or switching to other providers who offer 24/7at least £3 package cheaper!

Haggis23 · 15-07-2008, 15:00

Yea you could...but then end up paying more for your broadband with VM...or take your broadband with you and have a pants service.

*opens can of worms*

tvout · 20-07-2008, 00:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haggis23

Hi! Just out of interest how much do you spend overall in a month on landline calls?

If you spend over £7.95 overall it might just be worth taking the unlimited call plan?

It varies, about £6-12 generally... I did enquire with VM about the unlimited call plan and they said it wouldn't benefit me. It's annoying that they charge extra for itemising your calls...

I think they should do the same as T-Mobile - they charge for itemised bills (didn't used to - it was a favourable feature when I joined them!) but alternatively you could see the itemisation online...

Haggis23 · 20-07-2008, 00:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvout

It varies, about £6-12 generally... I did enquire with VM about the unlimited call plan and they said it wouldn't benefit me. It's annoying that they charge extra for itemising your calls...

I think they should do the same as T-Mobile - they charge for itemised bills (didn't used to - it was a favourable feature when I joined them!) but alternatively you could see the itemisation online...

Yes you have to bare in mind that on your first bill you will be billed in advance for talkunlimited so you definately wouldn't save on the first bill. Its possible you could save on the second bill onwards though. You could just take the package for peace of mind that you've got all those calls covered.

Alternately. for £3.45 talk evenings and weekends could cover your landline calls after 6pm in the week and on weekends - that may benefit you?

I agree with the itemisation...im not sure why they charge a further £1 when you have ebilling...i think its just because the bills are one set format and if they change the online they would have to change the paper aswell (should you ever go back to paper...

at least they give £1 discount for ebilling now

tvout · 20-07-2008, 00:34

My priceplan is some kind of retention package thingy. It's about £11 and means calls in the evening and weekend are 6p for an hour. Over the hour I've got no idea how much it costs...? I've got a VOIP phone which is with VoipbusterPro. Great that as you pay about £6 and get unlimited free calls to UK landlines for a year! Annoying that my other half doesn't like using it as the person the other end can sound a bit quiet...
She makes sure any calls during the daytime are very quick.

Haggis23 · 20-07-2008, 00:46

Ooo well just so you know...those calls that are over an hour would be 6p for your first hour and then if you went over 60mins 3.25p per min thereafter!

£6 per year? That beats £7.95 a month hands down! lol I'd stick with that if you're happy with it!

Buy the other half a hearing aid, probably cheaper than a years subscription to talk unlimited!

BexTech · 20-07-2008, 00:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvout

My priceplan is some kind of retention package thingy. It's about £11 and means calls in the evening and weekend are 6p for an hour. Over the hour I've got no idea how much it costs...? I've got a VOIP phone which is with VoipbusterPro. Great that as you pay about £6 and get unlimited free calls to UK landlines for a year! Annoying that my other half doesn't like using it as the person the other end can sound a bit quiet...
She makes sure any calls during the daytime are very quick.

Are you using VoIP with an ATA or one of those poor quality USB phones?

I use VoIPStunt, have an excellent local incoming number with them (so haven't changed, though had used other Betamax services before and also others now also), but now send out my VM CLID out. I use this on a PAP2 ATA and it's set up so you don't even know it's not a regular phone, no problem with audio, people using it don't know it's VoIP and people the other end don't know.

Only recently had a VM landline put in due to retentions offer. Probably would go with a different Linksys ATA if I was going VoIP for the first time with a landline, so I can use the same phones to make and receive calls on both VoIP and landline.

tvout · 20-07-2008, 01:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by BexTech

Are you using VoIP with an ATA or one of those poor quality USB phones?

It's a linksys PAP2-NA with a DECT phone connected to it.

I also use the same service on my Nokia N95 through Wifi connections and it works fine.

BexTech · 20-07-2008, 01:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvout

It's a linksys PAP2-NA with a DECT phone connected to it.

I also use the same service on my Nokia N95 through Wifi connections and it works fine.

Ah same here then.

I have corded and DECT phones attached.

You could try altering the gain a little and set it to use G711a CODEC only.

tvout · 20-07-2008, 10:52

Cheers for the tips, I've been looking for some advice on setting up the PAP2 properly. It was on the G723 codec.
Can you tell me where I can change the gain? Would I increase it?

Also the caller ID doesn't seem to work, I noticed Block CID Serv is set to Yes...? Is that for sending the number I set in there or to display the number of the caller?