This topic

Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

clayto — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 15:23:16 GMT

I have recently bought a new, cordless, BT phone (Advanced) and around the same time switched from my previous mobile provider to EE. It has not been as straightforward as I expected, I am getting confused between the two, not helped by the Help phone number being the same, 150. I would welcome advice regarding distinguishing between them, with regard to such matters as services, charges and bills. One example concerns TEXT messaging, sending and receiving. Previously, I could only receive / send messages on my mobile phone (and linked PC apps) but now it could be either. They of course have different phone numbers and I refer to one as my Home Phone (or Landline), and the other as my Mobile Phone. But I receive calls and messages 'at home', on both. How else can I tell them apart, and what are the advantages / disadvantages (eg cost) of using one phone rather than the other, when either could be used? I hope this makes some sense!

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

ctrlz — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 15:56:18 GMT

Assuming you are with BT for broadband/home phone? Calling 150 from a BT phone will get you through to BT, calling 150 from EE mobile gets you to EE.
You’d be billed separately if you have services from BT in addition to your mobile with EE.
Regarding the advantages of one over the other, usually with mobile plans you’ll get unlimited mins whereas on your landline you’re normally paying an extra amount per month for a calling plan.

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

licquorice — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:01:11 GMT

@clayto It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Mobile and landline are totally separate. For billing etc, BT and EE are separate companies. The handsets are totally different, so not sure how you can mistake one for another.

As already stated on your other thread, text messages are not supported on Digital Voice so you cannot be receiving texts on your landline.

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

clayto — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 19:34:54 GMT

I am not confused about the physical handsets (obviously) but about their usage such as Messaging. I am told I do not have the messaging function on my Advanced phone, yet it has a 'screen' saying Text Messages, and a MENUE with WRITE MESSAGE, INBOX. DRAFTS, SENT FOLDER TEMPLATES, SETTINGS -- using which I have tried to send a short test message to myself at my Mobile number, but so far only get 'failed'. Please explain this!

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

gg30340 — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 19:40:09 GMT

The phone can do texts if you have a phone service that offers that. The phone service you have does not offer that however going by the folders that you have mentioned they would appear to be for email not texts.

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

licquorice — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 19:53:50 GMT

@clayto wrote:

I am told I do not have the messaging function on my Advanced phone, yet it has a 'screen' saying Text Messages, and a MENUE with WRITE MESSAGE, INBOX. DRAFTS, SENT FOLDER TEMPLATES, SETTINGS -- using which I have tried to send a short test message to myself at my Mobile number, but so far only get 'failed'. Please explain this!

No, you were told that the Digital Voice service does not support text messaging, the fact that your handset does is irrelevant if the service you have doesn't. My television has Netflix but I can't use it as I don't have a subscription. Not all facilities are available to all devices.

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

clayto — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 20:04:20 GMT

Update. I have also tried sending a message to my Advanced phone from my Mobile, which has not arrived. It does not make sense to me for the phone to have all the menu items for Messaging but it is unable to use them!

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

clayto — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 20:15:01 GMT

And it seem I can not not get Messaging on my phone despite the MENU titled TEXT MESSAGES, and the USER GUIDE which came with it having 2 pages describing how to use it! So can I get EMAILS then? It all seems very odd to me.

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

gg30340 — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 20:17:11 GMT

Call into your local BT/EE shop and ask them to explain the ins and outs of the phones to you as it appears that you do not read or understand the explanations that you have been given by forum members.

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

licquorice — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 20:19:14 GMT

Seriously, which part of the service you have doesn't support every function of your multifunction handset is it that you don't understand? Or are you just trolling?

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 20:56:56 GMT

I tried to tell you a fortnight ago that you've bought the WRONG PHONE. You didn't want to listen.

You were told 3 days ago that Digital Voice doesn't support text messaging. You didn't want to listen.

You were told again at 19:38 in this thread, yet at 20:04 you complain that you can't send a text message!

I can certainly see why @licquorice mentions trolling...

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

clayto — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 00:07:25 GMT

I think the reason why I have had trouble with the new phone and its User Guide, is that the phone which has been replaced by the new Advanced phone is one I have used for a great many years (and I still use as an extension phone along with two others). I have had them for over 30 years. As far as I know they do not have features which are not necessarily available for use. I suppose this is an aspect of modern phones and phone services which has developed more recently (and continue to change). Apart from these old (you might say ancient) phones my experience has only been with multi-function mobile phones (which are almost like tiny PCs -- mine have had Android OS apart from my first one which ran on Windows OS). So for me the User Guide was somewhat misleading. I will now take it that the fact that features are explained and illustrated in the Guide, does not mean they are available in my particular 'version' of the phone or the services which I might or might not be able to access with it. If I had known this from the start it might have prevent some of the confusion I experienced.

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 08:29:49 GMT

What I'm struggling with most, & you've so far declined to answer, is why you bought this phone in the first place?

When you move to DV you are entitled to one free phone with Amazon's Alexa or two more basic ones. These are specifically designed to work with DV & would cost you nothing. If you weren't offered them you need to call BT to request whichever option you'd prefer.

It's probably too late to return the analogue phone now though but check the T&Cs.

As has been said numerous times, the manual isn't "wrong" & you don't have a peculiar "version". You simply bought an device designed & specified for use on an analogue line, before Digital Voice existed.

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

licquorice — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 08:37:31 GMT

You need to understand the difference between a device user guide and the various services it can be used with.

User guides are written for devices that can be used with many services, the manufacturer doesn't know which provider and service it will be used with so has to list all the features that the device supports regardless of whether the service does or not.

This is exactly the same for many devices. My mobile phone has the facility for WiFi and 4G calling, but I can't use it with my current provider as they don't offer the service currently.

Broadband routers need to be configured to suit the requirements of the ISP, not all features are necessarily available but will be described in the user guide.

Etc, etc

Re: Confusion between BT and EE services, charges, bills

clayto — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 16:39:35 GMT

Yes, I think I understand now, as I stated above. Patient explanations are appreciated, by this 80 year old. I have not seen any offer of free phone(s), if I had I would not have spent my money buying one! I expect it is too late now. I chose the phone because it was on offer, seemed good value, and had some features like the Answering Machine which I wanted. Afterwards I got confused by the User Guide and its information on features which my phone does not have. It would have helped if the different ''versions'' of the Advanced Phone were named / numbered or whatever, and a clear statement provided along the lines that not all of the Advanced Phones have all of the features. I would then have started checking what it did / did not have at the outset. So far I am satisfied with the phone as it is. I did not particularly want Messaging for example, as I have it on my Mobile, elderly Tablet and my PC. I just wanted to be clear about whether or not it was available, if required at some point.