This topic

digital voice PAYG charges

simonriddler — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 13:26:00 GMT

I was given a digital voice as BT decided to cut off my copper wire connection some time ago. I never use this but & see I am being charged £5.72 a month for calls PAYG. I am unable to query my bill on the website - it just takes me round & round. Any ideas to contact them , other than spending hours on my mobile answering nonsense like where my granny went on holday 30 years ago?

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

jac_95 — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 13:32:06 GMT

Hi simonriddler,

Thanks for the post and welcome to the Community.

This is an automated response as I can see you have a question about BT’s Digital Voice service. Rather than waiting for a response from the Community, you may find an answer to your question by using the search bar on the Community homepage. We also have a thread that contains a wealth of info related to BT’s Digital Voice, click this link to take a look, Digital Voice FAQs.

To learn more about the nationwide change to this Internet based voice service visit landlinesgo.digital

If you have already looked for the answer to your question and have not found anything that can help, then please ignore this message. One of our Community members will be along shortly to help you further.

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

imjolly — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 13:43:41 GMT

the cost of calls on PAYG is same whether on fibre or copper connection

How much do BT calls cost per minute?

UK call charges

Calls to	Rates
UK* landlines	26.12p^Δ/min
UK mobiles	Standard 26.12p^Δ/min

it was not BT Retail who decided to stop calls on your copper line but openreach which has been covered in numerous posts on the forum if you use search

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

Anonymous — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 13:43:23 GMT

You now have to pay a fee for the ability to make PAYG calls, even if you don't make any. It was £5pm & what you're now being charged sounds about right after the March increase.

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

licquorice — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 13:45:56 GMT

Being pedantic, you are actually paying for the ability to receive calls. I.e a phone number.

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

simonriddler — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 13:48:37 GMT

Ok, I get that, although this wasn't made clear. As I don't use it, in fact it's never been plugged in, how do I cancel it?

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

iniltous — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 13:56:08 GMT

As stated you are not being charged for PAYG function , don’t make calls , there is no PAYG charge , that is free , what isn’t ‘ free ‘ is the telephony service attached to your broadband , if you want a broadband only service ( so no phone number allocated , no incoming calls , no free 0800 type calls , no 999 emergency calls , no option to make PAYG calls if you wanted to ) then an effective discount of £5 ( £5.72 ) on your broadband is available by removing telephony entirely, if you don’t make calls and don’t want to have a landline number others can call you on , ask for your service to be changed to broadband only .

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

imjolly — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 14:09:15 GMT

from other forum posts there is currently no facility that allows you to just cancel your ability to make/receive call without cancelling your existing broadband/phone contract and starting another broadband only contract.

the sooner BT get some system in place to allow customers to cancel phone facility while maintaining existing broadband contract the better and will save a lot of unhappy customers

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

caravanj — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 16:41:25 GMT

@simonriddler

When you go with an energy supplier you pay for the gas & electricity & then you pay a standing charge for the infrastructure that brings you your gas & electricity even if you don't use any.

Your telephone service is exactly the same.

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

simonriddler — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 06:06:47 GMT

So how do I do this? I can't see any option to cancel on the webpage?

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

simonriddler — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 06:12:57 GMT

Not quite the same tho! I never paid extra, apart from line rental, which I still pay, when I had copper wire phone connection 🤷‍♂️

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 06:20:45 GMT

@simonriddler

When your contract expires you should be able to start a new contract, but without Digital Voice. This would be a broadband only one.

Meanwhile you can change your calling plan to remove any call packages, and revert to PAYG.

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

Keith_Beddoe — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 06:54:51 GMT

@simonriddler

The question is also, were you out of contract before you were move to DV, or did you recontract and then were forced to have DV?

If you were out of contract, and DV was forced upon you, then the phone part of your contract would remain the same, and if you did not have a Smart Hub 2, then BT should have supplied one FOC, as they were altering your contract.

There are people on legacy ADSL contracts which include PAYG calls and even free weekend calls, without any extra charges. Its only if they chose to renew their contract that they are going to face an increase in charges due to a forced move to FTTC/FTTP, and associated charges for a phone service if required, and also the extra yearly increase in charges.

Re: digital voice PAYG charges

Jane2018 — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:50:18 GMT

I don't have DV yet but have 2 separate BT accounts both with a landline and with broadband. I have had them for about 25 years. I have never actively changed them to my knowledge. One has broadband and calls at 79 and month and line rent 26 so about 106 a month and the other broadband and calls 77 a month and 4.02 "voicemail" a month.