This topic

Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

Sarahax — Wed, 24 May 2023 12:53:54 GMT

Considering transfer to Digital Voice. Current landline package includes 700 mins of calls per month But have checked and we only - on average - use 45 mins of landline calls. So - would we save if we went PAYG for call charging? I have been trying to work out how much our current usage would be if these calls were charged on PAYG but cannot find anywhere which states this clearly.

Any one know a simple method for working this out? What's the usage point at which 700 inclusive mins becomes a better deal than PAYG?

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

licquorice — Wed, 24 May 2023 12:59:03 GMT

https://www.bt.com/landline/calling-costs/

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

Sarahax — Wed, 24 May 2023 13:09:12 GMT

I saw that I just didn't believe it.

26p a minute???

That is astonishing.

That would mean the cros over point was 29 mins a month useage - use more than that and it's cheaper to be on the 700 mins a month calling plan .

Or have I got this wrong?

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

gg30340 — Wed, 24 May 2023 13:19:08 GMT

If per chance you have a mobile phone with unlimited calls why even bother with a fixed landline phone regardless of what package is on offer. If you still want a landline phone you could still keep the landline on a PAYG and only use it for incoming calls.

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

Les-Gibson — Wed, 24 May 2023 13:20:41 GMT

You'll be forced onto digital voice anyway sooner or later as the copper network is shutting down.

Dependant upon your mobile allowance, you may wish to use the landline for incoming calls only and make all outgoing calls from your mobile, that way you wouldn't need any calling allowance at all.

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

licquorice — Wed, 24 May 2023 13:57:55 GMT

@Les-Gibson wrote:

You'll be forced onto digital voice anyway sooner or later as the copper network is shutting down.

That's irrelevant, the call charges and plans are exactly the same for DV as analogue.

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

Sarahax — Wed, 24 May 2023 14:24:17 GMT

The only reason for keeping the landline is that there is zero mobile coverage inside the house owing to its construction. Zinc covered walls and roof on top of a concrete base means that we have effectively constructed a Faraday cage. Therefore no mobile calls in or out - unless we use Whats App calling or stand outside in the road. Sure we can place VOIP calls over Whats App - but many of the services we may need to call eg GP, dentist do not use Whats App....

So I reckon we're stuck with the landline. - at least for now.

It just irritates the hell out of me that we are probably going for 'Digital Voice' but the charges remain the same asmaking the calls over the old infrastructure.

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

imjolly — Wed, 24 May 2023 14:26:37 GMT

do your mobile phones not do wifi calling which helps when poor mobile signal

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

Sarahax — Wed, 24 May 2023 14:32:44 GMT

Yes they do - if we use an app such as What's App we can use the broadband for Wifi calling. Unfortunately some of the services we want to make calls to eg GP do not accept calls via Whats App...

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

licquorice — Wed, 24 May 2023 14:37:24 GMT

That's not WiFi calling, you don't need an app you just call as normal using WiFi. Not all handsets and providers support it however.

https://support.google.com/phoneapp/answer/2811843?hl=en-GB

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

Sarahax — Wed, 24 May 2023 15:41:53 GMT

OK thanks for clarifying. I do find the whole subject horribly confusing. I obviously didn't understand the difference between wifi calling and calling via an app such as Whats App.

My current mobile phone supports wifi calling but my current mobile phone carrier does not. Sigh. Hence using What's App for calls over the internet while at home.

So if we went with BT fibre would that mean that I could use the better broadband connection to make wifi calls? On the assumption that I changed to a mobile provider that supported wifi calling. ..? But I'd still end up paying for a mobile provider (whoever) and fibre from BT - we just might be inching closer to not having to pay for a landline as well...

Is that right?

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

imjolly — Wed, 24 May 2023 16:07:06 GMT

as posted earlier many people and now selecting 'broadband only' and giving up making/receiving calls on home phone and using all the free time you have with your mobile provider. if your mobile provider allowed wifi calling then with poor mobile signal you can still make call using wifi calling

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

mike8 — Sat, 05 Oct 2024 12:17:22 GMT

if your mobile supports it, then set the option to use 'call over wifi' then your mobile will connect via your broadband router. You can set the default to use wifi calling first or mobile calling. Only works with newer mobile phones.

Re: Digital voice and inclusive minutes - is it worth it?

licquorice — Sat, 05 Oct 2024 13:14:50 GMT

You are posting on an 18 month old thread