BT Price Reductions on Options - will VM reduce their prices?

[MrB]

With BT bringining in Free Evening and Weekend Calls (with conditions) and reducing their prices on other option (£5.95 for the XL Phone equivalent), will VM follow?

MrB

[BenMcr]

More than likely reduce to match as they have done it the past, though BT are playing catch up with Virgin for their 'Free Weekend Calls' ;)

Not so sure about the free evening and weekend calls option. Don't want to say no though ;)

[BenMcr]

Oh and reading into the BT offer of free evening calls I saw this bit:

Renewable Contract: Contract subject to a 12 month minimum renewable period, i.e. at the end of each 12 month minimum period the contract will be automatically renewed for a further 12 month minimum period unless you tell us otherwise. We will write to remind you when your contract is nearing the end of a renewable period. You cannot downgrade during the minimum period or any subsequent renewable minimum period. If you cease service during the minimum period or any subsequent renewable period a termination charge will apply. This charge will be based on the outstanding period of your contract term.

Which is nice lol

[andygrif]

So if the free calls offer on condition of keeping an rolling 12 month contract in operation?

[BenMcr]

As in one that runs in 12 month chunks, yes.

Based on comments on here and other forums, people have enough issues with one 12 month contract, let alone what BT are suggesting. Especially as it is an opt out for the new contract rather than an opt in (as is the normal way of contracts with service providers, including Virgin Media)

I would hate to work in BT customer services 12 months after someone signs up for that.

'You didnt tell me it was auto renewal'

'I didn't get the letter saying it was starting again'

etc

and then the threat of going to Watchdog/Ofcom/their MP ;)

[Ernie_C]

As in one that runs in 12 month chunks, yes.

Based on comments on here and other forums, people have enough issues with one 12 month contract, let alone what BT are suggesting. Especially as it is an opt out for the new contract rather than an opt in (as is the normal way of contracts with service providers, including Virgin Media)

I would hate to work in BT customer services 12 months after someone signs up for that.

'You didnt tell me it was auto renewal'

'I didn't get the letter saying it was starting again'

etc

and then the threat of going to Watchdog/Ofcom/their MP ;)

Ben, I have signed up for this and the conditions are VERY clear. The letter which you get when you sign up explains ALL conditions.

[BenMcr]

Ben, I have signed up for this and the conditions are VERY clear. The letter which you get when you sign up explains ALL conditions.

I'm sure they are,

Consider for instance, when anyone takes out a contract with Virgin, they get sent a full copy of the T&Cs, and confirmation of the new minimum term (either a letter or a full contract), yet people still say they didn't know.

I'm sure they are going to BT customers doing exactly the same

[xspeedyx]

Arent BT increasing there line rental and call charges are going up as far as I was told by a close family friend who is a BT customer

[Ernie_C]

Arent BT increasing there line rental and call charges are going up as far as I was told by a close family friend who is a BT customer
The 'raw' line rental is indeed going up but if you pay by DD and have paperless billing, it will still be £10.50. That includes Option 2 with the renewable contract which gives Evening and Weekend calls free and also 100 free texts per month. They're increasing the paperless discount from 0.50 to 1.25 to even out the 0.75 increase in line rental.

[King Of Fools]

I appears that Virgin put their prices up yesterday:
http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/phone/callingcosts.html

Evening calls are now 3.25p per minute with a 7p connection charge!

Has anybody used http://www.05pence.co.uk/ on Virgin and can confirm that it only charges 0.5p per minute?

[BenMcr]

I appears that Virgin put their prices up yesterday:
http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/phone/callingcosts.html

Evening calls are now 3.25p per minute with a 7p connection charge!

Those have been the prices since November last year, at the same time they reduced TU to £7.95 from £9.95 and TEW to £3.45 from £3.95

And the per min rate only went up by .25p and the connection fee went up by 1p

[Kymmy]

Although we've disconnected the BT phone today we just got a BT letter addressed to "The Occupier" stating the new pricing plans...in fact we got today three identical letters so that's where BT is wasting the money :p:

Thier option1 is down to 10.50 (though in April thier line rental is going up by 75p and thier online billing discount is going up from 50p to £1.25 so it's purely an incentive to get ebilling) In the end it's 50p less than VM.

Option 2 (VM L) is 13.20 compared with VM's 14.45 and option 3 (VM XL) is 16.45 compared with VM's 18.95.

But what you do have to remember is that you pay a lot less on multipackage options and even if you just get the phone line you automatically get TV M thrown in on any package.

I think I'll stick to VM

Kymmy

[Ernie_C]

Option 2 (VM L) is 13.20 compared with VM's 14.45 .........
With BT you can have Option 2 at the price of Option 1 i.e. £10.50 if you are willing to sign a renewable 12 month contract. You should, therefore, compare the VM price of £14.45 with the BT price of £10.50.

In addition with BT on Option 2, you get 100 free texts per month. Of course, your landline phone has to have this capability.

[lostandconfused]

I think VM are putting up the cost to some international numbers at some time in feb too

[BenMcr]

I think VM are putting up the cost to some international numbers at some time in feb too

Already done. Anyone not on Talk International will see a rise.

Anyone ON Talk International will only see a rise in those destinations that used to cost 2ppm. They are going to 3ppm

All Current costs can be found HERE (http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html/phone/callingcosts.html)