Broadband & landline package renewal

[Sat27]

My package is up for renewal in October. 

I looked and the various offers, that were apparently open to me and offered through My BT, but since they weren't clear I phoned for help and clarification. 

We currently have Halo 3 Fibre and unlimited landline calls package

I understand that many  users of this forum have the same frustration as me.  I'm retired, as is my wife.  We have always been with but i feels like BT don't want to retain customers like us. 

The agent I spoke to was very polite but took a while to understand that I didn't want a TV package or an EE phone sim.  Eventually she offered me a broadband deal for £29.99, + a phone sim for £11.  She said I could cancel the SIM after the first month....?

The landline (voice over internet) would cost £3 /month.  I'm still not sure of the cost of calls is, 30p/minute was mentioned but I have to say without any confidence.  We currently have an anytime calls package which my wife uses and cost £12 /month (if calls are  30p / minute, thats good value isn't it).  I asked if she could send me details of what she was offering but apparently that's not allowed?  I then asked for the name of the broadband pack so I could see what it included, she told me it was 50 essential.  I search online for 50 essentials but couldn't find it.  I did find "Essentials" but I wouldn't qualify.  

My questions are:

1. Has anyone else heard of 50 Essentials?  If so do you know how many BT Virus Protect  licenses are included?

2.  Why are they offering me a SIM I told them I don't need?

3.  I think the contract is for 24 months (again it wasn't clear, must be me?).  Are 12 month deals available, who know where we will be in 2 years.

4.  why does it have to be like this ever 2 years?

I know I can get the same spec package from Sky for less, I could also get a Full Fibre deal with anytime calls from BRSK for less than that.  

One of the reasons I am reluctant to leave BT is that my wife uses a btinternet Email address and I know it will be an issue for her to change to gmail for example. 

Another reason I'm hesitating is that I think in the end all these companies are fairly similar so I might save money now they'll screw it out of me later.  Has anyone had any experience of switching.

Thanks for your help / comments.

[iniltous]

The answer to most if your questions can be found or even ask BT directly.

BT confusingly call their social tariff ‘Home Essentials’  and a standard lowest speed regular offering ‘Fibre Essential’ , they do have 12 month deals but theyare significantly more expensive typically £4-£7 a month more depending on the product or products ordered .

Obviously your own individual calling pattern will dictate if PAYG or Unlimited is the appropriate choice , at 30p a minute,  compared to the £12  for Unlimited , it’s the equivalent of 40 mins on PAYG , so obviously if you consume more than 40 mins per month spent on the phone (outgoing calls )then PAYG isn’t the best choice .

No idea why they push an unwanted SIM , in my case it was wanted , but I was encouraged to move to EE .

TBH , you may find a better deal with EE (via BT) that keeps your @btinternet email address 

[Sat27]

Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.

If I switch to EE, will I have to change my BT Hub.

[iniltous]

The BT hub will work once on EE , but BT may ask for it back , if the thought of changing all your wireless devices to the new EE router WiFi  SSID and password isn’t appealing, change the EE hub SSID and password to match whatever your BT router  is configured as , that way all your wireless devices connect to the EE hub without any changes being necessary 

[Sat27]

Never thought of that.  Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

@Sat27 

"50 Essential" is probably an EE package. So along with the SIM & TV, you are being slyly moved to EE without your knowledge or consent, so that whoever you spoke to can claim commission.

The reason it's "Not allowed" for you to receive your offer by email is because it would leave a paper trail to this deceitful behaviour, that neither BT/EE or the agent would want for obvious reasons.

Oh & being able to cancel a SIM after 30 days is almost certainly another lie & you'll find yourself tied to a 24/36 month contract.

The big issue you have is that at some time you've fallen for the Halo scam. BT make this virtually impossible to leave & features the weasel words about never paying more than a new customer. That only relates to a new customer taking Halo, which BT no longer offer.

So your options are to keep phoning in the hope that you might finally get through to an agent with some integrity, or take your business elsewhere. BT very much want to keep your custom, but only if you're willing to be inverted & shaken by the ankles, to ensure that they've extracted every penny possible...

[ney]

£3 a month for landline (voice over internet) dont sound like an unlimited call package unless you getting a discount on the unlimited call package.

They should not be offering you a  SIM card if you said you dont want one.

Broadband at £29.99 seems a good deal depending on what speed you will be getting.

Most contracts are now 24 months and price goes up every April.

I only moved from BT over 2 years ago as they never offered me enough of a good deal to stay with them.

Some providers dont charge a call package for pay as you go landline calls and just charge for the calls you make. Yet BT still have a pay and go landline call package. Plus also charge you for the calls you make.
Unlimited landline calls are good for some but not others like me who now vey rarely use the landline to make calls and most of the time use a mobile to make calls as the package can work out a little cheaper  than some landline call packages depending the mobile package you have.

[iniltous]

Some providers dont charge a call package for pay as you go landline calls and just charge for the calls you make. Yet BT still have a pay and go landline call package. Plus also charge you for the calls you make.

I don’t accept this point as a positive of view , for years BT were pilloried for requiring a phone service to be taken to get broadband, the claim was ‘why do I have to pay for an unwanted phone service just to get broadband, removing the compulsory telephone must reduce the price so why am I forced to pay for something I don’t want’.

BT in part responding to this criticism eventually removed the compulsory nature of having to take a telephone service , it was removed and a saving of £5 was available, the difference between broadband and broadband and phone on a PAYG  basis.

Apparently the argument apparently is now the exact opposite and is ‘why do I need to pay extra to get a basic no calls included phone service when Sky ( as an example ) don't charge for a phone service unless you make a call’  ….you can’t really have it both ways , even if Skys price is competitive, ( this isn’t a criticism of Sky BTW just the hypocrisy around this argument) using the same logic Sky could be even cheaper by removing the phone service if it’s not needed , and yet no criticism of them or other ISP that include it wether it’s needed or not .

I find it odd someone could think that a telephone service is genuinely free if it’s with Sky , but was a imposition and not free when it was it’s BT , it’s unarguably the case , even if they are already cheaper , than they could chose to be even cheaper still by removing the phone service completely , but they don’t offer that and it’s seem as a positive.

[Sat27]

A big thank you to everyone who has replied, it has been very helpful.  
in my view the process is a minefield.  I don’t feel comfortable with the process at all.

i have been online again and i have a good idea what BT deals are available, though apparently not to me!

I’ll phone them again in a few days and tell them the deal I’m looking for.  If they can’t give me something very close I’ll switch to Sky.
 I don’t mind paying a small premium (actually I do but I could put up with it) but what’s on offer at the moment from BT is not competitive and far from clear.  
I know we will have an Email issue but that’s not an insurmountable problem.

One final question,: what will happen if a do nothing and the contract ends?  if service is still provided what will they charge me?  I did ask these questions when I phoned yesterday but I couldn’t get an answer. 

Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

You just go on to a 30 day rolling contract & lose any discounts. BT are obliged to set out your options before the contract ends, including the out of contract price.