New Phone Charges - Dear Me!

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by resander

We have VM 10meg broadband, XL TV+SkySports and M phone
for £72.24 per month. We would like to reduce the monthly
outgoings by:

Alternative 1:
cancelling our BT unlimited-anytime phone and upgrading
to VM phone XL (£8 extra). Then the monthly cost would be
£80.24 + cost of 0845 and 0870 calls.

OR

Alternative 2:
cancelling the VM M phone (reduces the monthly Virgin bill by £5
(checked this with Virgin)) and keeping the BT unlimited-anytime
subscription which is £15/month if paid 12 months in advance
(which we would do) or £18.60 month if not paid in advance.
The BT unlimited-anytime plan includes free 0845 and 0870 calls.
Monthly cost 67.24+15 = £83.24.


Most local councils, job centres, government bodies and banks
use 0845 numbers. There is often a long waiting time to get
through and there is no way the caller can control that.
In our case the monthly phone bill for 0845 and 0870 calls would
vary from £5 to £20 per month if paying the VM XL phone rate of
10.22p per minute.

For us alternative 2 would work out much cheaper.

Maybe people sometimes underestimate just how expensive 0870 calls can be, sure you can try and get an alternative but it can be a pain and sometimes there is no alternative.

It is very, very expensive to be a VM landline customer on almost all fronts and it can easilly cancel out benefits like HD charges and the likes if you are not careful. It's definitely worth considering.

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by resander

We have VM 10meg broadband, XL TV+SkySports and M phone
for £72.24 per month. We would like to reduce the monthly
outgoings by:

Alternative 1:
cancelling our BT unlimited-anytime phone and upgrading
to VM phone XL (£8 extra). Then the monthly cost would be
£80.24 + cost of 0845 and 0870 calls.

OR

Alternative 2:
cancelling the VM M phone (reduces the monthly Virgin bill by £5
(checked this with Virgin)) and keeping the BT unlimited-anytime
subscription which is £15/month if paid 12 months in advance
(which we would do) or £18.60 month if not paid in advance.
The BT unlimited-anytime plan includes free 0845 and 0870 calls.
Monthly cost 67.24+15 = £83.24.


Most local councils, job centres, government bodies and banks
use 0845 numbers. There is often a long waiting time to get
through and there is no way the caller can control that.
In our case the monthly phone bill for 0845 and 0870 calls would
vary from £5 to £20 per month if paying the VM XL phone rate of
10.22p per minute.

For us alternative 2 would work out much cheaper.

There is a 0845 plan you can go on, I think it's £2pm. Maybe BenMcr knows as not my area.

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

There is a 0845 plan you can go on, I think it's £2pm. Maybe BenMcr knows as not my area.

Sadly I don' think we can just request it oursleves, you have to be offered it by VM. And of course pay extra too for the priveledge on top of the very high calling plan charges making it even less competitive. I'd be paying £25 a month then, to be frank that is outrageous.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/59...customers.html

[resander]

I confirm what mersey70 said in the previous post.

Yes, there are plans Talk 08 for 'review' customers.

For £2 and £5 per month Talk 08 includes 250 free minutes to 0845/0870
and 08 numbers respectively.

I asked in a recent thread '0845 and 0870 calls and Phone Review customers'
in this forum and weesteev responded that a review customer is one
who has been contacted by Customer loyalty and offered this package
specifically.

I don't know what makes a loyalty customer, but somehow I don't think
I would qualify.

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by resander

I confirm what mersey70 said in the previous post.

Yes, there are plans Talk 08 for 'review' customers.

For £2 and £5 per month Talk 08 includes 250 free minutes to 0845/0870
and 08 numbers respectively.

I asked in a recent thread '0845 and 0870 calls and Phone Review customers'
in this forum and weesteev responded that a review customer is one
who has been contacted by Customer loyalty and offered this package
specifically.

I don't know what makes a loyalty customer, but somehow I don't think
I would qualify.

Tell retentions you're leaving and also what you have posted here (assuming you're out of contract)

You may miraculously find you become a review customer!!

It's still very expensive in my opinion, it's charge after charge to get what other providers include. No wonder they claim they provide HD for 'free', they just get it back on the phone!.

To add this 0845 option to VM and pay £25 a month I could take Sky up on their pay a year's line rental upfront and pay their HD charge and still have 50p change. Even without paying upfront it's £8.75 a month cheaper.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by moiraf100

I use this site - saves me a fortune
http://www.saynoto0870.com/

Excellent site I nearly always find a 01/02 or freephone alternative number.

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Excellent site I nearly always find a 01/02 or freephone alternative number.

Shouldn't have to mate. Sky, BT and TalkTalk all include 0870 in their calling plan packages but the real joke is VM's calling plans are about 60% dearer in the first place, they even charge for CLI. I have really had my eyes opened wide this week on this subject, I really have.

It's charge after charge after charge and gaping gaps in inclusive calls. Sky's £10.25 HD charge is nothing compared to the extra we personally pay on the phone but as ever it depends on your usage.

You do seem extremely tasked by VM's phone charges - why don't you change suppliers?

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by Hugh

You do seem extremely tasked by VM's phone charges - why don't you change suppliers?

I am on April 7 but thanks for the advice.