broadband without a landline

[jaykay2]

Hi, I have been exploring start up options for an elderly neighbour, and I keep seeing "broadband without a landline" as an option, but there seems to be no difference in the price, so what is that all about please?

[gg30340]

You still need to get the broadband to the property so a line is still needed albeit not a "landline" as in phone line hence the price is just the same. All you are saving is the need to have a telephone package as well.

See link and sub-links.

Broadband Only Deals | Broadband Without a Landline | BT

[iniltous]

Better to think of it as broadband without telephony, there is a ‘landline’ otherwise how would the service be delivered, historically because  landlines only delivered a phone service and any calls made were charged for separately, either individually or as part of a calls plan, the line rental became synonymous with a charge for the phone service , so some (naive) people think if there is no phone service there is no landline charge.

The landline charge covers the installation and maintenance of the medium ( copper or fibre ) that delivers the service, that could be broadband only , or telephony and broadband , the difference in costs delivering one or two services over a ‘landline’ is very small hence little or no difference in the price charged.

[jaykay2]

thanks for the explanation, I was quoting the BT terminology when is said "broadband without a landline"

[-Richie-]

---

@jaykay2wrote:

but there seems to be no difference in the price, so what is that all about please?

---

It's a £5 monthly saving as the cheapest calling plan is £5 and you have to select one, so without the voice element you just pay for the broadband, along with the line required to deliver the broadband.

[iniltous]

£5 a month saving is more than I would have expected by removing the ability to make or receive calls but I’m a little shocked at that screen grab, PAYG shown as £5 a month ?, so it’s not really pay as you go , plus if a standard 700 mins  plan is around £7 on a ‘copper’ BT phone line that can make calls , so if you have to pay £5 anyway ( even if you never make a call ) then the true cost is really £2 for 700 mins, (if there is a £5 standing charge anyway),  pretty confusing ( to me at least )

If there is a £5 saving ( telephony v telephony and broadband ) why would there even be an option for a call plan on a broadband  only proposition at all  , assuming the screen grab is on a broadband only order journey , shouldn’t there be  a ‘no calls’ for £0 option .

IMHO, that is a poor  way of representing the ‘saving’ by not having a the option to make calls , if £5 is the difference, then  wouldn’t it be better to have an option  to add ‘phone service’ for £5 , because otherwise it’s seems to be to be a contradiction , how can it be PAYG  if it costs £5 even when  you don’t make a single call.

[-Richie-]

---

@iniltouswrote:

IMHO, that is a poor  way of representing the ‘saving’ by not having a the option to make calls , if £5 is the difference, then  wouldn’t it be better to have an option  to add ‘phone service’ for £5 , because otherwise it’s seems to be to be a contradiction , how can it be PAYG  if it costs £5 even when  you don’t make a single call.

---

For the record I'm not represnting anything, I'm just pointing out that that a voice service with broadband is an extra £5 because you must pick a calling plan and the cheapest is £5 per month.

So at the current offer on BT.com it's £27.99 for Essential Fibre broadband (FTTC or FTTP), if you want to make/receive calls it's £32.99 if you opt for PAYG.

Source > https://www.bt.com/products/broadband/deals

[iniltous]

I wasn’t shooting the messenger, my point is only what a poor way to present the information, if someone selects the broadband only option ( with the £5 saving over telephony and broadband ) it’s legitimate to ‘offer’ the option to add telephony to the  broadband and add back on the £5 saving , but to present it as PAYG for £5 is bizarre,  if someone thinks I may ‘ well I may need to make a call ‘  , but if you don’t you are ‘paying’ £5 to receive incoming calls  and it’s entirely possible some of those incoming calls will include scammers and time wasters , IMHO its hardly a tempting offer.

If you take a broadband only , and it’s £5 to add telephony including PAYG but only £7 to add 700 mins , (£2 difference ) that’s a better deal than a ‘standard’ line with 700 mins which is actually £7, or am I missing something ?