This topic

Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Colossusthefish — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 08:04:59 GMT

My aunt is currently out of contract and has a Halo package. She wants to pay less for Broadband but as an existing customer there is no option for her to downgrade to Fibre Essential. As a Halo customer (with Anytime calls) the cheapest deal I can get her is £62-49 a month but if it was downgraded to Fibre Essential with Anytime calls it comes in at about £48 per month. BT won't let her do this. As a loyal customer I find this very strange. I am thinking of moving her to another supplier simply because BT don't seem to want her as a customer anymore on a cheaper contract.

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 08:24:54 GMT

Why? - corporate greed.

From the many similar posts on this forum I'd agree with your assessment that BT only want your aunt as a customer as long as they can milk her for every penny. So I'd make the move elsewhere, not that BT will care.

The excellent Mods have taken up some cases, so you may get lucky if you want to persevere with it. But does your aunt really want to continue doing business with a company that views her & so many others with such contempt?

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 08:31:03 GMT

The only issue may be keeping her phone number, especially if she has a lot of contacts who know her number.

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Colossusthefish — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 08:35:46 GMT

It's an issue for sure. I thought about moving her to Plusnet but they're not offering a 'landline' option anymore. Most other providers will let her keep the number though.

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

imjolly — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 08:40:28 GMT

does your aunt qualify here https://www.bt.com/exp/broadband/home-essentials?s_cid=con_bt_dg-home_awin_aff_vidAJM_110483-Editorial+Content&vendorid=AJM&utm_source=Affwin&utm_medium=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bt.com%2Fexp%2Fbroadband%2Fhome-essentials&utm_campaign=110483&awc=3041_1645094835_8db5e34aa3189a1e2d1144312948112e

the plan costs are https://community.bt.com/t5/Bills-Packages/Bad-customer-service/m-p/2330514?lightbox-message-images-2330514=82558i6729865E166DD74B#M162647

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Keith_Beddoe — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 08:42:17 GMT

@Colossusthefish

Nobody is supplying conventional phone lines coming direct from the telephone exchange any more. Anyone moving provider or renewing their contract, will have to carry their calls over their broadband connection, using equipment supplied by their ISP.

See https://landlinesgo.digital/

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 08:54:14 GMT

Although the risk of losing her phone number now when moving also has to be considered along with the risk of losing her phone number or entire phone service when BT migrate her to Digital Voice, as seen on many, many instances reported here.

The reality is that losing her number by moving to another supplier carries about the same risk as BT cocking it up all by themselves at a later date.

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Colin_London — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 11:06:59 GMT

My aunt is currently out of contract and has a Halo package. She wants to pay less for Broadband but as an existing customer there is no option for her to downgrade to Fibre Essential. As a Halo customer (with Anytime calls) the cheapest deal I can get her is £62-49 a month but if it was downgraded to Fibre Essential with Anytime calls it comes in at about £48 per month. BT won't let her do this. As a loyal customer I find this very strange. I am thinking of moving her to another supplier simply because BT don't seem to want her as a customer anymore on a cheaper contract.

When you say ‘BT won’t let her do this’ are you referring to the online ordering system? Because yes, that is set up only to let you renew or take new contracts at a higher price point.

If you are out of contract and want a cheaper deal this is possible, but you need to run the gauntlet of the call centre ‘guides’.

Prepare yourself to get cut off a few times when they realise you are going for a downgrade. Just persist by stating you are out of contract, and that Halo guaranteed you the same prices on renewal as a new customer (I was informed at one point this only applies to ‘new Halo deals’ despite the fact this is not mentioned anywhere in BTs documentation). Have the detail of the ‘new customer deal’ you want, as taken from the website, to hand.

Hopefully you will eventually get an agent who will build the new package and put it through for you. I got a significant reduction in price and a faster full fibre connection by persisting.

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Colossusthefish — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:25:33 GMT

I accept that the online is only set up for certain things but I've run the gauntlet of 3 'guides' now and none of them have been able to downgrade the account to Fibre Essential. They say that Fibre Essential from the website is only available to new customers.

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

imjolly — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:34:45 GMT

@Colossusthefish

as you have tried a few time with CS and getting nowhere I have asked a mod to see if they can help you get package sorted they will post here

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

JohnC2 — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:52:28 GMT

Hi @Colossusthefish, sorry you've been unable to get this resolved when you called in on multiple occasions.

I'll send you a Private Message shortly so you can get in touch with the Mod team and we'll be happy to help you with this.

Cheers

John

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Carlusha — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:57:07 GMT

@Colossusthefishwrote:
They say that Fibre Essential from the website is only available to new customers.

They are feeding you "porkies"! However, there are restrictions as to who may apply.

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 14:14:23 GMT

@Carlusha

Yet again BT's idiotic naming convention rears it's ugly head.

@Colossusthefishwas referring to Fibre Essential & not Home Essential. Fibre essential is just the slowest speed available at around 36Mb, rather than the social tariff that is Home Essential.

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Carlusha — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 15:28:29 GMT

Duplicated

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Carlusha — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 15:29:47 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:
@Carlusha
Yet again BT's idiotic naming convention rears it's ugly head.
@Colossusthefishwas referring to Fibre Essential & not Home Essential. Fibre essential is just the slowest speed available at around 36Mb, rather than the social tariff that is Home Essential.

Sorry, my mistake! I am citing my old age for that wee boob!

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Sheeny — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 18:40:59 GMT

Can you get in touch with me about this. I've been with BT for years, and realised that paying for Halo was overkill. My contract ends in 9 days but I can't negotiate downgrade on either EE or BT so I'll end up moving to Sky. An option put forward was for my wife to open a "new account".

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 18:45:22 GMT

@Sheeny

Who are you addressing? If it was the Moderator then they are no more.

Re: Why can't I downgrade to Fibre Essential from my existing Halo package?

chrisjp — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 19:51:10 GMT

"I've run the gauntlet of 3 'guides' now and none of them have been able to downgrade the account to Fibre Essential. They say that Fibre Essential from the website is only available to new customers. "

BT's telephone agents are incentivised not to let any customer downgrade from the Halo "deals" that they are on. The Halo bells & whistles are pretty much worthless but are BT's device to keep existing customers on contracts that cost around twice as much as is being offered to new customers.
It seems you just have to keep calling them until you happen to get an agent who doesn't mind too much losing commission if he/she downgrades you.
As I've said before, these sales tactics by BT are disgraceful and more suited to a street market than what was once a respected telcommunications provider.