This topic

Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

Puma937 — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 20:08:00 GMT

Different issue to previous post. Basically I have now been told that as a BT Halo 3+ customer I can only be offered a Halo equivalent contract with EE. This is a total joke.

I am currently out of contract paying £72.83pm for Fibre 2 (73Mb) Halo 3+. I have called Retentions (0800 7831401) on about 4 occasions now and each time the information given is inconsistent. I thought I would try one last time after wasting hours and spoke to a nice chap called Damian, who proceeded to call me ‘mate’ for the entire 35min call – not a great start.

My first question was to ask how I could see the current new customer prices for Halo 3+. I have tried everywhere on the BT website, but can find no information. This is to ascertain if the Halo price promise is correct – never pay more than a new customer. Not sure how anyone would ever know though, as the prices are not made public.

Damian was unable to help, but was keen to sign me up to a new 2 year contract with the ‘best price available’. I advised him that I wanted to stay with BT, but remove Halo 3+ which should allow me to reduce the cost and still get an increase in speed.

Damian then said that he would give me prices with EE. I stated again that I wanted to stay with BT, but this was ignored. When I insisted, I was told that I could NOT take out a new contract with BT.

I was then asked to provide a different email address as my BT contact details were known to the EE system. I declined and asked why I needed to provide a different email address, just to get a quote. The advisor then magically was able to access the prices.

I was quoted £41.99 for FF150 (which is currently £33.99 for a new customer with 3 months free), £50.99 for FF500 (£39.99 for newbies with 3 months free) and £59.99 for FF900 (£47.99).

When I queried the inflated prices in relation to a new customer I was told that these were 'All Rounder' prices, whereas the deals on the EE website were Essential. I asked what the All Rounder included and after a long wait, I was advised that it includes Smart WiFi Plus (Complete WiFi).

I told Damian that I only wanted the Essentials package, but he informed that as I was a BT Halo 3+ customer, I was NOT eligible for Essentials and that I had to stay on a Halo 3+ equivalent with EE. I stated that the All Rounder was not an equivalent as it did not include Hybrid Connect, to which I was told that would be a Full Works option, which ‘is more expensive than you are currently paying’.

I queried why the Hybrid Connect could be removed from my package, but not Complete WiFi. Damian went to check with a manager and stated that it was because I was an existing Halo customer and there was nothing that the EE sales team could do.

‘EE sales Team, I thought you were Retentions’ I said. ‘Oh…….yes we are same thing’. Damian apologised numerous times and said there was nothing he could do.

Summary questions:-

No Halo 3+ prices available online. Does anyone know how I can find these?
Unable to remove Halo equivalent after switching to EE. Surely this can’t be correct?
Told that I cannot take out a new contract with BT. No consistency from Retentions, or should I say the EE sales team. Why?

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

edbostan — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 06:35:28 GMT

This is so worrying. Another consumer in another post managed to get the agent to move him from Halo 3 to the new customer price for Fibre 150 of £33. It seems that there is inconsistency with whom you talk to. The best policy it seems is to terminate the call if you experience opposition and try another agent. I agree that prices are not easily accessible to users.

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

naylor2006 — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 09:02:40 GMT

I am beginning to feel like you are enjoying the fight, after dipping in and out of your last post and now this...

You are out of contract and are free to move to any other Openreach ISP, it seems no amount of time on the phone is going to give you what you want...why are you still trying?

I get that sometimes we dont want to give in and feel like we must not accept this type of treatment as a loyal customer but I cant think of any company I have been with that of the top of my head that rewards customers for being with them for a long time.

Have a look at the Openreach ISP list.....

REMOVED......

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

iniltous — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 09:00:06 GMT

It’s against the forum rules to post competitors deals , I suspect unless you remove it , the Mod will do that for you

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

naylor2006 — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 09:02:28 GMT

@iniltous I already got a warning for something else recently so thanks for pointing that out.

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

Crimliar — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 09:36:18 GMT

The inability to downgrade or drop parts of a bundled service almost certainly breaches OFCOM rules on consumer protection and probably needs raising by an individual is is personally affected.

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

Puma937 — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 09:41:06 GMT

@naylor2006 - Thanks for info, it was much appreciated...despite having to be removed.

I certainly don't enjoy the fight. To be honest, it's not a fight on my behalf, just a disbelief that BT can act like Jonny Ball - think of a number and throw it out there.

Moving would be extremely inconvenient, as we have BT/EE tv with numerous recordings, a landline and a mobile contract with BT. Therefore for an easy life, it would be far easier to stay with BT and keep everything in one place.

The main annoyance is the inconsistency from the sales team (masked as Retentions). How can they not provide the current Halo 3+ prices? In addition, force me to move and now say that I have to keep a Halo equivalent contract with EE?

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

Puma937 — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 09:42:45 GMT

@iniltous - Could someone post the Halo 3+ prices for new customers or provide a link........or is that also not allowed?

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

naylor2006 — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 10:06:48 GMT

I agree sometimes its far easier to maintain one bill but the extra work of having separate providers can be far better economically, whilst everything is bundled in with one supplier they hold all the cards and pricing.

If you have a decent aerial connection you could get your own Freeview Box that records, if you are using the EETV box in internet mode only because you dont have a decent aerial connection then thats a challenge. Moving Mobile provider is super easy and you can get SIM only deals for under £10 that will give you everything you could need. You can get VOIP services these days to replace your home phone and you can certainly get your own WIFI setup if thats one of the things you utilise HALO for, the WIFI promise they make....

I do understand if you want everything in one place, but given the posts you are making I cannot see a way out of it, if it were me i'd go with that company I posted earlier to get the cheapest BB then figure the rest out myself, I'd certainly benefit from not calling BT anymore 😕

@Puma937

I have been with BT900 FTTP since feb, this is my HALO3+ offer.....

But I am also presented with this:

It says my existing package cant be renewed, but then, not sure it would as I am only a few months in....

I picked up the BT900 FTTP when it was on offer so my pricing may be lower even to start with.

I dont think you can sign up for HALO during the normal ordering process, you dont see any of this as a completely new customer going through the normal enter postcode and order stuff....

Also I risked my life checking these deals out, knowing how hard it is to remove the addon it was risky just having a look my friend.

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

Puma937 — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 10:52:26 GMT

@naylor2006 - Hi buddy, appreciate the time and effort you put into the response - especially the risk of an unwanted upgrade. Apologies for the slow reply, unfortunately life can get a little busy sometimes and BT comes a long way down the list.

The fact that you can get FF 900 Halo 3+ as an existing customer upgrade for £54.99, after taking out a contract in February is very interesting. I can't even see FF900 available for a new customer anymore - it's strangely disappeared.

My offers are crazy:

I wonder if a MOD could post the new customer prices for Halo 3+, so that I can check if the price promise is correct?

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

naylor2006 — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 10:59:52 GMT

Its okay, I dont mind posting.

Those prices you shared I assume are literally just inclusive of Broadband service right? Everything else you pay is on top of that?

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

Puma937 — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 11:29:37 GMT

@naylor2006 - Yes.....broadband (Fibre 2) and phone line. Everything else is on top.

Call package of 700mins added on for an additional £9.84. Then TV and a very basic emergency 1G sim (for an elderly relative). Total monthly bill is an embarrassing £177.07 and BT are rubbing their hands at my stupidity.

The Full Works TV package doesn't even include Netflix, as I took it out before it was an included extra 🙄

My actual main mobile contract is amusingly with EE and has been since the Orange days 😂😂

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

chrisjp — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 11:32:41 GMT

"who proceeded to call me ‘mate’ for the entire 35min call – not a great start."

Well, I suppose it's a bit better than calling you "pal" or "squire" !!
Locking existing customers into Halo 3 (or its EE equivalent) is clearly a BT marketing policy. This allows them to make the "customers renewing will never pay more than new customers" claim, because new customers are offered cheaper non-Halo deals, whereas existing customers are not, without extensive arguments on the telephone with BT agents, and sometimes not even then. Agents are all on commission to upsell you so it's very difficult indeed to get any sort of downgrade out of them.
These are very questionable marketing practices, more suited to a street market than what was once a respectable telecommunications company.

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

naylor2006 — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 11:32:46 GMT

Jeeeze louise.....I maintain an earlier comment, time to separate out.

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

Puma937 — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 14:47:45 GMT

Being a sucker for punishment, I thought I would give BT one last chance to retain my custom by calling Retentions, prior to raising a formal complaint.

This time the advisor called Jake was adamant he could keep me with BT, remove Halo and move me to Full Fibre - all for a reduced price. He also offered to build like for like packages with BT and with EE as a comparison. Great finally !!

Surprise surprise, 5mins later I was told that ALL packages with BT were more expensive than my current £72.83. There was no option to downgrade with BT, so I was then offered an EE Full Fibre 150 'All Rounder' deal for £46.99 (for info: FF500 was £55.99 and FF900 £64.99).

I queried why I was going to be charged £13 more than a new customer for FF150 and Jake asked where I had got the £33.99 price from. I told him the EE website (which included 3 months free - offer now removed Friday afternoon) and he stated that he had no visibility of online pricing or offers. Bit strange.

He then told me that the reason the online price was only £33.99 was because it was only an 'Essentials' package. As a BT Halo 3+ customer I was not eligible for EE Essentials, only an All Rounder or Full Works package.

I asked Jake what the All Rounder included and he said it entitled me to one Technical Expert visit a year. I stated that the last time I had phoned, Damian had advised me that it included Smart WiFi Plus (Complete WiFi), the same as Halo. Jake said this was totally incorrect and I had been misinformed. I responded that I only wanted an essentials package and was not willing to pay an extra £13 a month (£156 PA) for an annual expert visit. Jake agreed, but said I was not eligible. This was getting laughable.

I asked Jake to definitely confirm the following:

Can I stay with BT, remove Halo and reduce my costs - NO.
As I am out of contract, can you price match a new customer price with EE - NO, as you have Halo with BT.

Jake then stated that he had read what Damian had previously advised me, regarding having to stay on a Halo equivalent with EE and this was actually incorrect. It would apply if I was still in contract, but as I was out of contract I did not need keep the extras. Brilliant I said, so I can come off Halo - NO, unfortunately the system wont allow me.

When I then said that I was amazed that I could not stay with BT, Jake said that because I had answered that I didn't have any any 'Telecare' packages linked to my landline, it was an automatic switch to EE. If I did have linked services, then I would have to stay with BT as this functionality was currently unavailable with EE.

Right OK......so lets start again. Yes, I do have linked 'Telecare' - how do you check? What price can you offer me to stay with BT?
OK, we don't check. I'll make a dummy account - the price for FF100 with BT, would be £64.99.
Goodbye Jake - thanks for your help.

I swear that BT/EE are just making up prices as they go. What a complete shambles of a company. Complaint now incoming.

Oh and he couldn't give me the current Halo prices for new customers, so there is no way to check the Halo price promise. He also couldn't give me the different Essentials, All Rounder or Full Works prices with EE. Apparently they must be Top Secret !!!

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 15:46:18 GMT

@Puma937 Just LEAVE!

Why are you rewarding this ineptitude?

Plenty of Mobile Virtual Network Operators out there that use the EE network if that is important to you, which cost you much less with no contract and no price rises.

Your choice of ISP on the Openreach network is wide and I would argue you do not need Halo3+ on a Full Fibre connection. The “benefits” are more suited to a less reliable ADSL or VDSL copper connection.

Any ISP can offer you a phone package if needed, you can get TV services in numerous ways and your loyalty to BT will not be rewarded.

Do yourself a favour and have a clean break, it’s the only way.

Re: Locked into a HALO equivalent even if I move to EE. WHY?

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 21:05:05 GMT

Madness

Repeatedly perfoming the same action & expecting a different outcome...