Author Topic: Broadband Costs  (Read 3158 times)

eegrek

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Broadband Costs
« on: Nov 06, 2019, 05:20:53 PM »
I see BT stock is down because of Virgin moving over to Vodafone. I think I could give Richard Branson a bit if advice.
A few Months ago BT informed me that my monthly cost for WiFi was going up from £26 to £54. I was livid as my contract which had started last year had already gone from £23 to £26 per month within the life of the contract. I was only getting 1Mb per second and I had increased my usage from just my Computer to an additional 2 televisions and a mobile Phone. Clearly 1Mb was no good, and it was going to double the monthly cost. My wife hates change and when I told her I was going to change to TalkTalk this caused a bit of robust argument. Anyway I then I set up TalkTalk to send me their router and signed the contract. When I told BT I was going to change they expressed their disappointment and then left it at that. It was going to be about 10 days before the TalkTalk router was going to arrive and about 5 days before the change BT rang up with a new offer. I had told them that I was retired and could not afford the increase and especially when another increase could be imposed at any time. The new offer was for 18 months at a fixed price of £25.99 and would be for at least 17Mb per second. I accepted this offer and cancelled the TalkTalk contract under the cooling off period. I said to BT what about after the 18 months and they said ring up again and they will look at keeping the cost the same. Have any one had a similar experience? I wondered why BT never made the offer in the first place rather than having to go through the whole sherade.

biglouis

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #1 on: Nov 06, 2019, 05:39:37 PM »
I would not touch TalkTalk with a barge pole.
I used to be with a good company called Onetel who were bought out by TT and almost at once the service began to go downhill. Back in those days moving was a real hassle - you could be weeks without a connection and running an online business I could not afford that. I had another phone line put in so i could move to BT business.

Although I gave TT the required notice and sent the letter recorded delivery they claimed they had never received it (they did) and kept sending me default notices because i cancelled the bank payment. Eventually they sent the account to a DCA.


I googled the head of TT executive team and sent a strong complaint. Got £100 payout.

I have twice rung BT and asked for a better deal and got it.
Failing to reward/neglecting existing good customers is a bad mistake which many businesses make. Large corporations seemingly never learn.

One reason why Ebay is now full of Chinese crap is that good sellers have left in droves. They have gone to other marketplaces which are less greedy, set up their own websites or sell on social media.
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mick607

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #2 on: Nov 06, 2019, 05:47:54 PM »
I see BT stock is down because of Virgin moving over to Vodafone. I think I could give Richard Branson a bit if advice.
A few Months ago BT informed me that my monthly cost for WiFi was going up from £26 to £54. I was livid as my contract which had started last year had already gone from £23 to £26 per month within the life of the contract. I was only getting 1Mb per second and I had increased my usage from just my Computer to an additional 2 televisions and a mobile Phone. Clearly 1Mb was no good, and it was going to double the monthly cost. My wife hates change and when I told her I was going to change to TalkTalk this caused a bit of robust argument. Anyway I then I set up TalkTalk to send me their router and signed the contract. When I told BT I was going to change they expressed their disappointment and then left it at that. It was going to be about 10 days before the TalkTalk router was going to arrive and about 5 days before the change BT rang up with a new offer. I had told them that I was retired and could not afford the increase and especially when another increase could be imposed at any time. The new offer was for 18 months at a fixed price of £25.99 and would be for at least 17Mb per second. I accepted this offer and cancelled the TalkTalk contract under the cooling off period. I said to BT what about after the 18 months and they said ring up again and they will look at keeping the cost the same. Have any one had a similar experience? I wondered why BT never made the offer in the first place rather than having to go through the whole sherade.
That is also typical of Virgin Media who by the way are now owned by a US company Liberty Global not Richard Branson.

Michael Rolls

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #3 on: Nov 06, 2019, 08:44:26 PM »
I had a very bad experience with Talk Talk some years back when they just hiked the price (can't remember the numbers offhand, but it just about doubled) and when I phoned to ask why the answer was effectively 'take or or leave it' - so I left it!
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minniemouse

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #4 on: Nov 06, 2019, 09:09:07 PM »
I see BT stock is down because of Virgin moving over to Vodafone. I think I could give Richard Branson a bit if advice.
A few Months ago BT informed me that my monthly cost for WiFi was going up from £26 to £54. I was livid as my contract which had started last year had already gone from £23 to £26 per month within the life of the contract. I was only getting 1Mb per second and I had increased my usage from just my Computer to an additional 2 televisions and a mobile Phone. Clearly 1Mb was no good, and it was going to double the monthly cost. My wife hates change and when I told her I was going to change to TalkTalk this caused a bit of robust argument. Anyway I then I set up TalkTalk to send me their router and signed the contract. When I told BT I was going to change they expressed their disappointment and then left it at that. It was going to be about 10 days before the TalkTalk router was going to arrive and about 5 days before the change BT rang up with a new offer. I had told them that I was retired and could not afford the increase and especially when another increase could be imposed at any time. The new offer was for 18 months at a fixed price of £25.99 and would be for at least 17Mb per second. I accepted this offer and cancelled the TalkTalk contract under the cooling off period. I said to BT what about after the 18 months and they said ring up again and they will look at keeping the cost the same. Have any one had a similar experience? I wondered why BT never made the offer in the first place rather than having to go through the whole sherade.


They all do this.  I was with Sky and moved over to Virgin which was cheaper.  Sky keep offering me a deal of £11 a month to come back to them.  My Contract with Virgin isn't up yet though.

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zoony

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #5 on: Nov 06, 2019, 10:56:07 PM »
Minnie..Virgin will do the same if you appear to be leaving. They did for me so you can roll it over if you play your cards right..
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Goingtoseed

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #6 on: Nov 06, 2019, 11:10:50 PM »
I am with Sky for the TV and BT for the landline.

Sky refused point blank to even look at the situation. Been with them since the late 80's.
I moved to Q almost 3 years ago on an 18 month contract. Currently paying a shade under £90 a month. We want to stay with Sky so just had to accept what they said.

As for BT I pay £78 a month  and my contract finished in May 2017. I asked them to reduce it a few months ago and they offered me a £10 a month discount on a new 18 month contract.

So it seems that unless you are serious about moving and put the switch into play they will not offer any reasonable reduction. The £10 offer still hasn't appeared and presumably they won't want to push it as the DD is paid as regular as clockwork.

Alex22

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #7 on: Nov 07, 2019, 01:10:35 AM »
Are you paying £168 a month for phone and TV then GTS  ?  or hopefully I've read that wrong.  ???
.

sparky

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #8 on: Nov 07, 2019, 07:23:10 AM »
BT, Anytime calls, TV. Standard Broadband, sport , 2 mobiles, around  £52 a month, plus landline.

Diasi

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #9 on: Nov 07, 2019, 07:37:14 AM »
BT, Anytime calls, TV. Standard Broadband, sport , 2 mobiles, around  £52 a month, plus landline.

Plusnet: Landline with anytime calls including calls to mobiles, 70 Mbps unlimited broadband, YouView TV with subscription channels. £49 per month
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mick607

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #10 on: Nov 07, 2019, 07:43:45 AM »
Virgin Media. Landline with free calls Inc mobiles 24/7.
200 mb plus BB.
£50 PM.

Sheila

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #11 on: Nov 07, 2019, 07:46:55 AM »
Plusnet: Landline with anytime calls including calls to mobiles, 70 Mbps unlimited broadband, YouView TV with subscription channels. £49 per month

We are with Plusnet with anytime calls but we are charged for calls to mobiles, unless things have changed without us noticing.  I sometimes wonder whether we still need to pay the anytime charge as we hardly ever call anyone now. 

I find the landline clearer than mobiles and use the landline to call one of my daughters.  The other is a very busy working mum and prefers the mobile as she is doing housework as she talks, sometimes forgetting to keep her phone in the correct position!

Diasi

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #12 on: Nov 07, 2019, 07:58:31 AM »
We are with Plusnet with anytime calls but we are charged for calls to mobiles, unless things have changed without us noticing.  I sometimes wonder whether we still need to pay the anytime charge as we hardly ever call anyone now. 

I find the landline clearer than mobiles and use the landline to call one of my daughters.  The other is a very busy working mum and prefers the mobile as she is doing housework as she talks, sometimes forgetting to keep her phone in the correct position!

If you have Plusnet's unlimited call plan add-on at £8 per month, you'll have free calls to mobile phones.

https://www.plus.net/help/legal/residential-phone-tariffs/
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Sheila

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #13 on: Nov 07, 2019, 08:11:44 AM »
If you have Plusnet's unlimited call plan add-on at £8 per month, you'll have free calls to mobile phones.

https://www.plus.net/help/legal/residential-phone-tariffs/

Thank you.  I was going to look it up.  We have Plusnet on our mobiles and never use much of our allowance.

Alfred

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Re: Broadband Costs
« Reply #14 on: Nov 07, 2019, 08:20:49 AM »
Yes I too have been with plusnet for four years and have recently renewed a new contract for another 18 months,

I also have unlimited broad band , line rental,with any time phone calls, and  also international calls to 20 other countries, which is all I need (as my new charges will be £37.00 per month ,) I had previously only been paying £35.00 per month.

so providing my any time calls don't exceed one hour each time this is part of the package deal. (as you know you can use the  phone as many times a day, doing this,.... at no extra charge ,

I also use mobile phones too, but they are on the (Asda pay as you go system)  to which the occasional top up is necessary  from time to time ,