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Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

LozC — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 22:30:46 GMT

I read a statement by Nick Lane (see quote below) re price increases. I then called to cancel my broadband but was made an offer (I knew about the possible price increase). It appears an increase was also made to my 700 Minutes Calling Plan. As far as I know this goes against the statemement in bold made by Nick Lane...or at the very least misleading.

In a company statement Nick Lane, MD Customer Services at BT Consumer, explained:

“We know the cost of living squeeze is something none of us can ignore right now. Major price inflation means our customers are dealing with higher costs on everything they buy, from food to travel and energy bills.

It’s never easy to announce price rises, but that is particularly true this year. So it’s important for us to be as clear as possible as we increase our prices by the contracted CPI 10.5 per cent +3.9 per cent – for a total of 14.4 per cent – for the majority of our customers from March 31st.

This price rise won’t apply to all of our customers, however. We are freezing the price of line rental, call packages, call charges and call add-ons for our landline-only customers – those who do not have fixed broadband with us or with another provider. In addition, our BT Home Essentials, EE Mobile Basics, Pay-As-You-Go, BT Basic and Home Phone Saver customers will see their prices frozen through 2023 as part of our commitment to support those who need it most. This means more than 3 million customers will not be affected by the change in CPI rates."

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 22:34:19 GMT

You’ve actually highlighted the bit about landline only customers. You have broadband so you’re not a landline only customer.

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

imjolly — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 22:37:51 GMT

The bold highlighted says nothing about ability to cancel your contract without penalty. The increases wil not apply to land !ine only customers or those on home essentials

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

LozC — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 22:57:13 GMT

In essence what your saying is because I also have broadband package they can increase other services I have such as calling plans? If I had no broadband with BT they would have frozen the 700 minutes.

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

ctrlz — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 23:29:43 GMT

Correct

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

allanraymond — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 13:45:13 GMT

LozC

You are correct in your assumption, please see page 2 of the BT Consumer Price Guide at: https://www.bt.com/assets/pdf/BT_PhoneTariff_Residential.pdf.

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

retep99 — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 17:11:27 GMT

I am a broadband and landline user, I have a line rental discount paid for a year in advance. I have been told by the help desk that the current price rises are based on the base price of my package which is £36 which I pay plus £19.99 which is my line rental discount which gives £55.99. The increase is thus about £8 extra per month. I can't understand why the line rental discount should be involved as I paid that in advance. I should be paying the increase on the £36 only.

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

VeteranISPUser — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 18:25:23 GMT

@retep99wrote:
I am a broadband and landline user, I have a line rental discount paid for a year in advance. I have been told by the help desk that the current price rises are based on the base price of my package which is £36 which I pay plus £19.99 which is my line rental discount which gives £55.99. The increase is thus about £8 extra per month. I can't understand why the line rental discount should be involved as I paid that in advance. I should be paying the increase on the £36 only.

Hi @retep99 I don’t know the answer, but this has been discussed before.

https://community.bt.com/t5/Bills-Packages/Line-rental-saver/td-p/2278341

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

allanraymond — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 18:26:55 GMT

retep99

Your broadband package includes your line rental, therefore total costs as you already mention is £55.99 and the price increase is applied to that total cost (the actual line rental isn't shown as a separate item on your bill). The badly named line rental discount means that you paid £219.84 (which is appox 11 * £19.99) and in return you get £19.99 taken off your bill for the next 12 month, in effect you have saved £19.99 for the year.

Put another way lets assume you didn't have line rental saver discount the price increase would still have applied to the £55.99.

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

retep99 — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 18:39:33 GMT

I can see what you're saying but all it means is that BT are increasing my bill on the line rental part of my bill which I already paid in advance. I realise I won't win on this but I feel it is wrong.

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

imjolly — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 18:43:20 GMT

@retep99

If you read the link posted by @VeteranISPUser the customer there was able to get BT to agree to refund the 14.4%% on the LRS £19.99 so use that as a precedent and get refund and reduction in monthly cost

Re: Price increase on products stated as frozen by Nick Lane (MD Customer Services at BT Consumer)

allanraymond — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 18:56:45 GMT

retep99

As I mentioned in my last response, the "line rental saver" LRS is badly named as is the description in the emails which you receive from BT when you they ask you to renew LRS plus the mail after you have paid LRS.

I'm in the same boat as you in thinking at one time the £19.99 was my line rental but in fact it just means I get £19.99 off my broadband package.