This topic

Renewal Cost frustrations

Macstabz — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 21:43:53 GMT

So I'm coming close to my contract end.

As is the norm for me I call up and see what deal we can hash out. I have to admit this time around I am being left extremely frustrated with BT.

Usually inn the past I have always been able to hash out a deal pretty much as is advertised on the website, at worst within a pound or two. This time around though, good lord.

I was very clear I asked what was the best they could do for exactly what I had now. I was quoted £61 something. Which is £5 more than what im paying. Then £42.99 an then that jumped to £47.99 and on.

Usually a company would want to keep their customers by competing against prices from others, BT's answer this time around seems to be to try and push me, likely in the hopes I would go renew and go to EE.
Unfortunately joining EE is not on my list of desired options. I have a list of companies I tend to avoid and EE is very much on that list.

Is anyone else finding the same, or have any tips on how to get BT to see reason ? After all I have been a BT customer in total for 15+ years and as much as they are frustrating right now, in that time they have proved stable and reliable and so have earned my trust, not something I enjoy watching go down the pan just like that.

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

chrisjp — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 10:42:05 GMT

"Unfortunately joining EE is not on my list of desired options. I have a list of companies I tend to avoid and EE is very much on that list."

EE is on my list to avoid also but, unfortunately, it is now BT's policy to force all its residential customers to EE, with only business customers staying with BT.
That wouldn't be so bad if BT had properly planned this migration but, from numerous comments on this forum, there seem to have been numerous problems reported by customers who have accepted undegone this migration.
I renewed my 2 yr contract last December online and was not offered, thank goodness, any migration to EE. However, I am paying a monthly fee that is significantly higher than what is offered to new EE customers in its advertisements.
It's wrong and anti-competitive, but you're probably best advised to accept an online "deal" from BT and pay over the odds for it, rather than try to grapple with BT/EE's phone agents who at best seem to be ignorant and at worst dishonest in the "deals" they are selling to people

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 11:09:03 GMT

@Macstabz

When you get to 14 days of contract end, place an order with another supplier. That may trigger BT to come back with a better offer or it may not. Either way you'll be better off.

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

Macstabz — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 16:09:43 GMT

@chrisjp I wont be moving to EE. I have even seen and heard of people moving back to BT from EE following a whole load of issues.

The bit I am trying to figure out is my online offers are like this

Looking at the website I see no way of signing up for Halo 3 as a new customer (and from the horror stories ive seen on here im not sure I want to) so I have nothing to check this against.

The 900 would be almost £4 less on the site, but I don't want it or need it.

I am also curious about the speed guarantee of 425Mb which BT themselves seem to contradict here https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/full-fibre/what-is-bt-s-stay-fast-guarantee-for-full-fibre

Right now my only question is, can I already freely move my phone number to a voip service or does this instantly kill my fttp package.
Might need to call them.

Something else I find interesting is other providers are offering 500mb connections at £28 a month for 2 years and a no price increase promise.
Heck I can get 900mb for less than the 500Mb special offer lol.

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 16:14:28 GMT

@Macstabzwrote:
does this instantly kill my fttp package.

Yes, it does.

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

imjolly — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 16:17:32 GMT

Currently if you move your phone to a VOIP provider that will immediately end your current contract and may incur termination charges you may be able to negotiate a new contract with BT and avoid any termination charges

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

Macstabz — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 19:06:37 GMT

@imjolly So say I wait and find myself a new provider who may not take voice. How do I ensure and secure my current number ?
Is there like a PUK code I can request meaning it doesnt go back to the open market or ?

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

imjolly — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 19:12:21 GMT

If out of contract with BT then you would port number to new VOIP provider and that would end your BT contract and your could move to new provider there may be early termination penalty but if existing contract period ended then only monthly notice so that would be most charge would be

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

Macstabz — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 19:20:31 GMT

@imjolly Ignoring the early termination fee's for a minute.

Lets say I signed up with another provider and they do offer voice but like bt via their own equipment and so I decide to go broadband only.
And lets say I signed up to that yesterday. Do I have until my termination date (transfer) to find and move my number to voip ?
Do I need a code to move it like you do for mobile ?
If I find some place and move it, given I already initiated the BB move does it all roll till the end date typically 10/14 days, or is it instant that minute ? and so downtime of BB as a result.

All of this is very poorly documented and very unclear without some serious digging it seems.

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 19:50:22 GMT

As I understand it, & you're right that no on really seems to know, moving to VOIP will, as previously stated, end the connection there & then.

You might be able to get round that by asking the VOIP provider to port the number on the day after the move.
You might be able to port the number for a short period after the move.
You might also lose the number & once you have, BT will wash their hands as you're no longer a customer.

This isn't documented anywhere as far as I know. The cynic might believe that's deliberate obfuscation by BT to retain customers unwilling to risk the loss of their number. The irony being that these forums are littered with customers who have lost their number anyway when migrating to Digital Voice. It's a complete **bleep** show...

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

Macstabz — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 20:07:20 GMT

moving to VOIP will, as previously stated, end the connection there & then.

Hmm, Ok, so thats a bit of a pickle then.
Let's throw a spanner in the work's. Let us say BT offered a renewal price that is something I am more than happy with but may be BB only. How would I go about retaining the number then ?

Honestly I do not understand why voice was removed from copper lines. I think all we ever asked for was to be able to have BB without the need to have a landline rental also.

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

Anonymous — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 20:25:50 GMT

@Macstabz

I think the process you are looking for is called “renumber and export”, but don’t hold me to it.

I would suggest Googling to see if that fits your needs as there is information on it in other ISPs help files.

I’m not convinced that answers the contract questions, just the VoIP process.

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

Macstabz — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 20:51:18 GMT

@Anonymous Hey,

Thanks for getting back to me. I have had a bit of a brief look around but still cannot find anything that actually helps address my concern's .
I still end up at the same conclusion that if I port it to voip before its cancelled it cancels my connection (which in turn could cause issues in getting the new one set up im assuming) and if I were to wait or say renew without voice, and wait, from what I have found so far, I basically lose it.

So from what I have found so far, I have to essentially break my connection to retain control... o.O what kind of a messed up setup is this lol.

Re: Renewal Cost frustrations

Macstabz — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 17:02:25 GMT

Well, there is at least a little good news.

After another call and speaking to a very helpful lady in Newcastle in cancellations, she was able to offer me FTTP 500Mb only for £34.99 or FTTP 500mb with digital voice for £37.99, which is even better than the website for new customers.

Given the state of number migrations right now and the lack of info, I have gone for the latter, will record a custom voice message, and set up remote access to my mail box so I can do away with the phone.

To stress all this while staying 100% on BT and not touching EE with any kind of pole or anything. So a good result on this occasion it would appear.
I just hope that the next 2 years is enough time for the industry to get their act together so I can port my number out easier without losing broadband etc etc, or the other way around without losing the number and being able to port it easily.