This topic

Landline only

mozart — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 10:27:50 GMT

Hello, I'm deaf, so I don't use my landline phone at all, however, my security system makes a call every 24 hrs to the control centre. I've been on Unlimited weekend calls, contract now expired. Recent bills have averaged £38 per month. I'm wondering if Pay as you go would be better value; any advice, particularly from the deaf community, would be very welcome, thanks

Re: Landline only

iniltous — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 10:50:01 GMT

What is the number the security system calls ? ,

if it were an 0800 number for example then it’s a free call , but if it were a 0345 then it’s probably chargeable , if it’s a standard STD code number , any call made outside of the Weekend included period would be charged , a connection fee and pence per minute, although chances are it would be a very short call , so the connection fee probably the majority of the call charge.

PAYG is ‘free’ but is also the current equivalent of free ‘Weekends’ apart from there isn’t any ‘free’ period with PAYG , so PAYG would presumably cost you more in calls , because the calls your system make on a Saturday and Sunday are both potentially free ( depending on the number called ) with the free ‘Weekends’ call plan be could be chargable with the ‘free’ PAYG plan .
Is £38 the total bill ( possibly including broadband rental and calls ) or is £38 just the call charges , if it’s only call charges then either the 700mins or Unlimited plan will probably save you money .
You probably need to supply a little more detail, to get any accurate advice

Re: Landline only

mozart — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 11:12:20 GMT

Thanks for your reply, very useful; the £38 is the total bill, landline only, I don't have BT for broadband. I can see that the number called each day is 0344, apart from the weekends, the daily charge is 51p, so the regular call charges are £26.35 & £11.73 in the additional calls.

Re: Landline only

NeilO — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:30:28 GMT

Hi @mozart welcome to the community and thanks for posting, based on the additional information provided the 700 mins plan would save you a few pounds per month, it costs £34.35 at the moment and would cover all the calling charges made to the 0344 number.

Pay-as-you-go would end up costing you more as every call would become chargeable.

Landline Deals | Home Phone Packages | BT

Thanks

Neil

Re: Landline only

Aljaha — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 13:06:27 GMT

A relative had a similar problem with her security calls being charged. This was due to an engineer programming a chargeable number instead of a freecall number. She got in touch with her security company and they changed the number and refunded her all her charges.

Re: Landline only

iniltous — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 13:36:32 GMT

Although you don’t have broadband with BT , do you have a fixed line broadband with anyone else ?, if you don’t ( although that would beg the question of how you posted here , mobile perhaps ?) then there are deals for BT phone only customers but I think you have to call to get them , but if you had a Virgin broadband service, for example you are not eligible for that , there are also various BT social tariffs which , depending on if you are in receipt of qualifying benefits would be hard to beat , if you have landline type broadband with some else and don’t qualify for the BT social tariffs then 700 mins seems to be the best choice.

Re: Landline only

mozart — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:31:25 GMT

Thanks Neil, that's very helpful

Re: Landline only

mozart — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:32:04 GMT

Thank you for this advice, I'll certainly give it a go