This topic

Pricing Query

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 12:17:16 GMT

Despite my broadband contract not expiring until December, I've started receiving nag messages to renew. Clicking through the options I'm offered an "upgrade" to the same Fibre 2 I'm already on for £2 per month less. Clicked through to checkout & all looks good with the new price except right at the death there's small print:

By taking this package you are agreeing to new 24 month minimum term for your broadband plan. If you are staying on the same Broadband plan your existing monthly plan charges will continue to apply, otherwise your new monthly charges are as shown above.

So apparently another BT smoke & mirrors attempt to get me to renew at the same price by offering non-existent discount. 😠

Re: Pricing Query

imjolly — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 12:40:07 GMT

seems very early to be sending renewal offers when not due until december. probably get better deal waiting until closer to the time - i know I did

Re: Pricing Query

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:20:50 GMT

Last time they started nagging four months before contract end, but then wanted me to renew at a higher price. I agree with negotiating direct near the end of term, but it's a painful experience enduring long waits on the phone. Then if you manage to get through there's a fair chance of having to listen to a stream of BS about how no other provider can match BT for speed or service & that BT have special arrangements to get faults fixed quicker.

A £2 saving six months early was seriously tempting. But unless a passing Mod can confirm otherwise, it looks nothing more than a scam.

Re: Pricing Query

imjolly — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 13:27:06 GMT

my deal was better than £2 by leaving until within a month of contract end phoned options 0800800030 and selected leaving and got someone right away no problem quoted the deal by another ISP and after bit haggle matched deal up to you of course

Re: Pricing Query

allanraymond — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 20:04:34 GMT

In my particular case I still had over 12 month remaining on my broadband contract when I spotted a personal offer in my account in April this year for the same package as that which I am already on. The price on offer was almost the same as that I was paying before the price increase which came into being on 31 March. Therefore the rise of CPI + 3.9% was negated by the personal offer which obviously I took up.

Personally I don't like having to go though the negotiating process for a new contract although when I have approached customer service in the past when my contact was coming to an end they have tended to be quite reasonable in the discussions on pricing.

Re: Pricing Query

ney — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 21:00:18 GMT

I also managed to get a good deal last time 18 months ago only after I told them I had been looking elsewhere and was thinking of moving. Quoted them the price and after being put though to another person was offered FTTC 2 for the the same price as FTTC 1 as the price was back then.

I did also drop from Halo 2 to BT Halo 1 as it was back then but toke the offer .

Will try again to get a similar deal early next year and if I don't get a similar deal next time will be moving elsewhere.

Re: Pricing Query

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 20:59:33 GMT

Given that I negotiated a good deal last renewal & the massive increase in rates for new customers, that don't include a phone line, the £2 reduction looks quite attractive. It's also competitive with what other ISPs are currently offering, not that I could switch now anyway.

But again, unless a Mod can confirm I get the new price I will wait it out & most likely switch, as I usually do to take advantage of cashback.

Re: Pricing Query

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 07:20:18 GMT

In the absence of any response here (I know they're busy), I decided to raise this as a complaint. As either BT shouldn't be offering me an "upgrade" to the same service or should then not be giving with one hand & taking away with the other. I outlined exactly the issue & asked for an email response rather than telephone. Experience has shown that you should always get anything BT say in black & white!

So yesterday morning I get a call from Anne in Enniskillen, who can't see my request for an email response despite the fact I can. There then ensues a long circular "conversation" with her repeating things that have nothing to do with the issue. I then asked for the complaint to be escalated & kept open until I could get a resolution. Five minutes later the complaint is closed with a "Glad we could help you" message. BT customer service - couldn't help a fart bubble out of the bath! 😂

What's that they say about doing the same thing (contacting BT CS) & expecting a different outcome? 🤔

Re: Pricing Query

gg30340 — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 07:58:21 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

By taking this package you are agreeing to new 24 month minimum term for your broadband plan. If you are staying on the same Broadband plan your existing monthly plan charges will continue to apply, otherwise your new monthly charges are as shown above.

I would suggest that you may have interpreted the above statement incorrectly and what it actually means is that if you stay on your present Broadband plan ie you do not renew your fixed term contract, the price will stay the same as it is at present. If you do take up the new Broadband plan you will be entering a new fixed term contract for 24 months and the new charges will apply.

Re: Pricing Query

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 08:09:11 GMT

Possibly, although I can see no reason why that would appear at checkout. By definition you're at checkout to renew. If I go to checkout with any other retailer, I don't get a warning that if I don't complete checkout I won't get the goods. That would kind of be a given. So I'm not convinced by that theory.

Re: Pricing Query

gg30340 — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 09:04:33 GMT

It is probable that the "warning" at the checkout is a generic warning to all online broadband purchases to ensure that anyone taking out any offer is fully aware that it is a new contract regardless if it is cheaper or more expensive.

Re: Pricing Query

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 09:35:16 GMT

A new contract warning, sure. But that would have nothing to do with the pricing. But given we're both guessing what it actually means & CS apparently have no idea, may as well leave it there.

Re: Pricing Query

gg30340 — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 09:42:43 GMT

Obviously I suspect that I am correct 😉 but I will ask if a moderator can clarify it for you.

Re: Pricing Query

DanielS — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 14:45:37 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

Thanks for reaching out to me.

I think it would be best if we took a look into your account and spoke with you about the messages that you're seeing. We will do our best to help you get what you are after. I've sent you a private message so we can get started.

Also, thank you @gg30340 for highlighting this.

Thanks
DanielS

Re: Pricing Query

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 09:46:49 GMT

Just to draw a line under this.

BT have now upped the ante by spamming my email address with this marvellous offer. Just spoke to retentions who assure me that a £2 pm reduction is the very best they can do. I didn't even ask about whether it's actually available as moving to another ISP will save me at least £6 pm.

My mobile contract is expiring so I've just transferred that & will let the broadband run it's course before transferring that also. It is odd how anyone considering starting a business is told on day one that keeping your existing customers is key & much cheaper than recruiting new ones. Yet multi-billion pound businesses like BT continue to allow theirs to leave while simultaneously throwing cash incentives at new customers...