Universal Credit and availability of discount per service tier.

[jamiedee]

Hi, currently coming towards the end of an 18 month TalkTalk contract, I'm on Universal Credit (I'm a student) and would like to move to a better service provider as TalkTalk don't provide IPv6 and have no intention of doing so any time soon.

I read that BT will be offering 36mb / 72mb packages for UC claimants at £15 and £20 respectively, including the line rental etc.

My local cabinet (a stones throw away) is G.Fast equipped, and I am currently getting the 150mb service from TalkTalk, so already have the openreach hardware installed here. The openreach engineer said that the line was good for 800+ mbit/s (even though current G.Fast hardware doesn't support it)

Wondering if I can get the 50% discount applied to the Fibre 100 or Fibre 250 package, since it is available to me? It would be a shame if I had to stay with TalkTalk.. TalkTalk is cheap (£28/month for 150mb) but has its issues, I'd definitely sign up with BT if I could get "Fibre 250" for £25 a month.

Any feedback from someone who works at BT would be welcome.

[imjolly]

this explains the new BT essential package that is replacing BT Basic

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2021/05/isp-bt-to-launch-cheap-new-uk-fibre-broadband-social-t...

[garybs29]

Honestly I don't think you will as fast broadband is not a necessity so why would they give you it half price & possibly make a loss on it?

[jamiedee]

They wouldn't be making a loss on it. Once the lines are in the ground and the equipment is installed, it's almost 100% profit for an ISP.

As I mentioned, I am currently on TalkTalk who are doing a product equivalent to "Fibre 100" for £28/month. If BT offered me an incentive to leave TalkTalk and I become a BT customer instead then that's not them making a loss, is it?

If you read the article that "Imjolly" posted, it states that for an extra £5, UC claimants can get the 67mbps "top tier" DSL service. There is no reason why BT couldn't extend the discount to include G.Fast products like Fibre 100 and Fibre 250 in places where they are available.

Arguably, 67mbps isn't "essential" when you can get the 30ish mbps service for £15, yet you do get the choice to pay an extra £5 for some still woefully inadequate old-school DSL speeds.

An official statement from a BT employee would be helpful.

[gg30340]

I guess it's not economics that you are doing as a student. Where do you think the money comes from to pay to put the lines in the ground etc and to pay for the staff to maintain and run the service!

[jamiedee]

Yes I understand that, which is why they charge £5 more for the 76mbps service (£20) for UC customers. There is no reason why they shouldn't do the same for the G.Fast products also.

If it makes the difference between having a customer and not having a customer then its good business practice.

YES there are expenses associated with running a communications network but you don't hear about BT filing for bankruptcy, do you? 

If you already have the openreach equipment installed in your premises from another ISP connecting you, then it's pretty much just a case of provisioning the existing (openreach owned) G.Fast equipment to provide service from BT as opposed to TalkTalk.

[NeilO]

Hi @jamiedee welcome to the community and thanks for posting. On the Home Essentials social tariff, customers will have a choice of the two plans that you've mentioned, G.Fast speeds will not be available, sorry.

BT Home Essentials will provide average download speeds of 36 MBps and 700 mins of calls for £15 a month. For £20 a month customers can receive average download speeds of 67 MBps and unlimited calls.

Thanks

Neil

[jamiedee]

That's a shame.

Looks like I'm stuck with TalkTalk until Openreach decide to drop fibre to my place (which will be longer since we already get G.Fast here)

So, effectively, BT is offering old tech at a discount to poach people on a budget from other ISPs.

I hope this changes in the future. G.Fast is still coming through the same copper lines as DSL.

[jamiedee]

Just for perspective:

BT "Fibre 1" product:

36mbps for £28/month plus £20 upfront cost.

My current 150mbps TalkTalk product costs the same amount and had no installation cost.

IMHO, the costs of the discounted home essentials DSL packages are what ALL bt customers should be paying really.

I know TalkTalk is a **bleep**ty ISP, but I'm so close to the street cab that I'm never going to get issues with my line..

[garybs29]

Your current package is £32 & 4.95 p&p on the talk talk website right now. I'm guessing you got some offer at the time

Also it's hardly old tech as you call it, it's still the most available broadband technology in the country!