This topic

Why do BT rip us off ?

StevieT678 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:46:59 GMT

I'm out of contract for quite some time with BT Halo 900 fibre. That and landline is currently £61p/m

Yet when I view my personal upgrade or deal options...there is only that same one really

Yet for new customers there are much cheaper Fibre 150, 300, etc etc options.

I do not need 900, 300 would be fine. But nowhere does it give me that choice ? And even at that, the new customer Fibre 900 is £36p/m vs they claim mine would be £51p/m
Is it standard they just rip off existing long standing customers ?

If I go to another provider, can they also retain my landline number ?

Re: Pricing

StevieT678 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:57:51 GMT

This is all strange.

I'm an existing customer, the only think it offers me for renewal, is an "upgrade" to BT Halo which I already have, 900. I currently pay £61p/m incl landline, and this new deal is supposed to be £55.88 probably plus landline.
I do not need 900...but there are no lower packages.

Yet if I select new customer deals. There is

Fibre 150 for £26.99

Fibre 300 for £29.99

Fibre 500 for £30.99

Fibre 900 for £34.99

Am I being really really stupid or what's going on ? Or am I just being totally ripped off ?

Fibre 300 would do me just fine, or 500, or 900.....and they'd all be substantially cheaper than my current 900.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

WSH — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:00:20 GMT

I had the same issue 6 months ago. Something you might find interesting…

As a result, I initiated a move to Sky. Sky subsequently screwed this up as they did not follow my instructions re Openreach rather than CityFibre doing the installation. (CityFibre is not viable, even though it says it is on their database).

Anyway, long story short, that was enough for BT’s offers to improve dramatically, so I cancelled Sky and stayed with BT. Now paying 55% of what I was before.

I’m not advocating starting a move with the intention of cancelling but…

If you do move, you should be able to retain the number but there are posts on here about that going wrong.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:14:58 GMT

You need to compare broadband packages like for like. You can not compare a Halo package with other packages that do not offer the same "extras" that the Halo package does.

If you do not need the Halo 900 package, and I would suggest that nobody needs a Halo package which is just a load of unnecessary addons, you should contact the BT Retention department on 0800 783 1401.

Inform them that you do not want or require a Halo package and that you want to take out a lower spec package.

Before doing that make sure you have checked out other providers packages so that you can compare them fairly and if BT do not offer what you want just move to the provider that does.

Not all Broadband providers provide a telephone service so if that is important to you make sure that they do. If they do you "should" be able to port your phone number to them

You can also go to a VOIP telephone company who will provide a telephone but you may not be able to port your number so make sure you do your homework before deciding to move.

EDIT: I have moved your message that you posted onto your own thread because asking the same question on more than one thread just causes duplication of replies.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

StevieT678 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:06:15 GMT

Thanks

I'll give them a call on Monday, as it all seems to suck really.

We rarely do use the landline, but as some doctors calls etc come through and old family friends sort of thing....even though it's mostly pointless would like to retain it for now.

It's like when fibre first appeared and we are pushed that way due to copper lines going....oh, you will not pay more for fibre than you did for the current packages.
Except it was impossible to pay the same or less because there were no fibre packages the same price !!!

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

imjolly — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:17:46 GMT

@StevieT678

if you are out of contract then any discounts you had when you took out previous contract will no longer be available so you are now on standard terms with no discount - but you can leave with short notice without penalty

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

Jane2018 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:08:08 GMT

I was paying across two accounts about £200 a month, sometimes more - about £80 on each for the broadband plus landline plus non weekend calls. I don't think I ever switched since 1984 with BT. Anyway the reason I moved to Community Fibre (which operates in London) was because BT could not provide fibre to the premises (FTTP) here - simple as that.

Today was the final part of my several years' changes from having SIX different lines from days of fax, dial up , burglar alarm etc to moving my remaining BT landline to VOIPfone for £6 a month of up so 100 hours of calls (and Community Fibre's broadband only charges for up to 5GB download speed - very fast). Even this 5GB speed from CF is only £63 a month and I think it was their most expensive package for a large house etc.

As we got CF first so had BT broadband going too it was very easy to port the number from BT to voipfone which BT could do within a week and closed the broadband at same time - today was D day and so far nothing has gone wrong with the number porting.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

StevieT678 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:09:59 GMT

Thanks gg.

I need internet, over and above I've no clue what "Halo" offers other than that.
The BT routers are **bleep** as the signal is rubbish in the house.

I have to use a Mesh system regardless which I did at my own expense a few years ago, although even 3 BT Mesh discs just about gives functional access around the house ( largish bungalow )

Even fibre complicated that a little as I had alter LAN wiring because they would not install the fibre modem where the existing main Master BT point was originally in the house.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:12:25 GMT

@StevieT678wrote:
It's like when fibre first appeared and we are pushed that way due to copper lines going....oh, you will not pay more for fibre than you did for the current packages.
Except it was impossible to pay the same or less because there were no fibre packages the same price !!!

BT Broadband packages cost the same regardless if you were getting it delivered by copper or fibre. Obviously copper can not deliver the faster packages but fibre can deliver the same speed packages as copper.

If you are going to renew any package you are always best to phone to see what they can offer and be prepared to move provider if they do not offer what you want. You will find that that is the case with every Internet provider.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

StevieT678 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:15:26 GMT

@jmjolly.

But £61 to a so called offer of £55 is hardly much of a discount, when new customers can get the same 900 fibre for £34.99 ?

It seems my £61 is made up of £51.88 "broadband package" and then 700 mins calling plan at £9.18 Which there is no doubt I do not need.

Thanks for the prompt replies so far people.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

iniltous — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:19:04 GMT

The personal offers in your ‘MyBT’ are not the only products available , not many companies are going to proactively offer you the option to pay them ‘less’ , but you clearly can still call and discuss other products, if what’s on offer (via this ‘personal offers for you’ channel ) isn’t suitable.

Anecdotally it seems once you have Halo it’s difficult to remove , but perseverance is key (basically don’t be put off ) , you ultimately have the final sanction if Halo isn’t removed and that is change provider .

You may be offered a better deal by switching to EE ,(possibly with a superior router ) and if the switch handled ‘in house’ by the BT ‘advisor’ no real disadvantages, Email retention as it currently is and telephone (if it’s decided it’s worthwhile keeping ) can be retained as it is .
As stated , you can’t really compare Halo prices to non Halo prices, is Halo ‘worth it’ is a different question.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

imjolly — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:21:08 GMT

you are not comparing like with like as you have an expensive add on with Halo and also have a 700 min call package ( which is no longer available) whereas the standard package does not include halo and is PAYG with no call package

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

StevieT678 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:11:15 GMT

What is Halo and what does it offer ??

TBH that's the first time I've even looked into the billing and seen the 700min call package. No idea why it would have been taken out at all given the landline is almost never used.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

imjolly — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:29:08 GMT

Halo is an expensive add on

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/learn-about-broadband/bt-halo/what-is-bt-halo-and-how-can-i-get-it-

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

iniltous — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:35:22 GMT

https://www.bt.com/halo

The main benefits are a Hybrid Connect so should the landline develop a fault, the 4G mobile backup takes over (so continuous service in event of a fault ) and a whole home WiFi system so WiFi is ‘guaranteed’ in every room of the home , there are some other benefits like double data on some mobile plans ( that’s if you have your mobile with BT on a suitable ‘limited’ tariff , obviously doubling unlimited has no value ) and supposedly a tech home visit each year to ensure the optimal setup of your equipment etc .

There are different levels of Halo ‘membership’ , Halo 3+ provides the most benefits but costs the most

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

StevieT678 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:37:35 GMT

There is no chance of a mobile 4G backup here as EE is pathetic here.

Most phone signals are rubbish here, but mine are on Vodaphone as it's about the best.

Their gaurantee is a laugh.....the router barely covers half the house hence I had to use the Mesh.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:50:58 GMT

If you do not know what the Halo package offers I would suggest that you are not in any position to claim that BT are ripping you off.

You chose the package so it is up to you to decide prior to signing up to the package that the package offers what you want and is the one for you.

With the Halo package you could have requested free WIFI discs to cover the areas that WIFI was not covering

All new BT Halo | The UK’s first unbreakable wi-fi | BT

You seem to have brought all your issues regarding you BT package onto your self because you did not to read what you were agreeing to.

Why did you do that without knowing fully what you agreed to?

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

StevieT678 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:29:50 GMT

When fibre pretty much became mandatory, I chose the only and cheapest package they offered, which despite their claims that you will not pay more....had to pay ore because there was no other alternatives offered.. So there was no choice given for anything other than this Halo.

Much the same as their "offers" to me at present, which really isn't much of an offer when there are multiple fibre options available to new customers, but only the one Halo to existing customers.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 23:15:24 GMT

Obviously I was not party to what packages were available to you at the time you took out your package but I very much doubt that Halo 900 was the only one available.

That package would be classed as the top package BT had and I have little doubt that other "lesser" packages were not available to you or other potential customers.

Did you contact and speak to a BT sales person and enquire about different packages or did you order your package online?

As has been explained, you are not restricted to a Halo package. It may be the only one showing via your" MyBT, Your Offers" because BT are wanting to sell you the same "top" (expensive) package as you already have but that does no preclude you from seeking out other available packages by either asking BT directly or by ordering your desired package online.

Re: Why do BT rip us off ?

Kimberlin — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 23:31:12 GMT

@StevieT678 For the record, I don’t think BT are ripping customers off, rather the other way around. Some BT customers are literally ripping themselves off by actually doing nothing year on year on year. Meanwhile, the rest of us woke up and smelled the coffee a long time ago and either renegotiate every two years or switch our ISP for another. Honestly, if you think loyalty somehow pays, think again.

ISP’s lose customers day in, day out and they also gain customers day in, day out. I doubt they care one way or the other whether a customer stays or goes. A company like BT or EE or whatever brand they want to sign customers up to, isn’t going out of business. BT have hundreds of thousands of customers all happy to sit there out of contract paying far more than they probably have to, for the most part, through choice or sheer apathy. It probably helps pay for all of the investment in new tech, funding social tariffs etc.

Going back to your statement that the mobile phone signal is rubbish where you live, I assume then that you don’t use a smartphone that connects via Voip through your existing router? That’s how most of us who don’t bother with a landline manage, no phone signal, no network, no problem, calls as normal.

Phone BT on Monday, you’ll probably be an EE customer by the end of a boring conversation with a call centre employee eager to sign you up to whatever offer they can talk you into. If you really want a lower bill, bin Halo, tell them you no longer want it, no ifs, no buts, be assertive. Good luck 👍