Do i have to have a landline call plan?

[shuttsy]

As an existing customer, I've just upgraded my broadband and TV packages thru the website and for landline call plans I had to choose an option, the cheapest being PAYG for £2 a month. There was not an option to not select a call plan.

I don't have a landline phone, don't even know my landline number and feel slightly aggrieved for paying £2 a month for a service that I have no intention of using.

I believe that the cost of the providing the line is covered in my broadband fee, but when querying the call plan fee thru the call centre, the chap says the £2 is the fee to provide the landline for calls.

Is it possible not to have a call plan?

[Keith_Beddoe]

@shuttsy 

You should be able to request broadband only, if you do not want a phone service at all.

https://www.bt.com/broadband/broadband-without-landline

[Les-Gibson · Accepted solution]

As already advised, you do not have to have a calling plan but when I recently enquired online about the cost of my contract renewal, it made absolutely no difference to the cost of the broadband whether I answered Yes or No to the question about whether I wanted a landline or not  so all I would have saved by answering 'No' would have been £2 a month for PAYG.

[shuttsy]

According to the guy on phone when I called up to entire about this, I'm not in an area where broadband-only is available, so I'm stuck with the £2 a month PAYG call plan despite not having a home phone.

[gg30340]

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@shuttsy wrote:

According to the guy on phone when I called up to entire about this, I'm not in an area where broadband-only is available, so I'm stuck with the £2 a month PAYG call plan despite not having a home phone.

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I think you have been fobbed off by the guy on the phone you spoke to. I have never heard of the "No Landline" only being available in certain areas. There is also no mention of that in the link that was previously posted.

If the guy was correct the webpage needs to mention that and if the guy was wrong he needs further training.

To clarify if that is the case I have asked a moderator to comment on this thread.

[DavidM]

Hi @shuttsy ,

Welcome to our community and thanks for posting. I'd like to take a closer look at this for you, just to clear things up. I'll drop you a private message now so you can get in touch. We're a little busy at present so it's taking longer than usual to reply but once you send over the details we'll get to you in turn.

Cheers

David

[iniltous]

This £2 for PAYG ‘telephony’ has come up a few times and seems pretty sharp practise if true….PAYG should not have a cost unless you use it ( it’s implied in the name ) , I suspect the rationale is , no telephony at all ( no incoming or outgoing calls possible ) this is £5 cheaper than the equivalent bundle of broadband and telephony, (the telephony being the PAYG package ) so arguably adding telephony is £5, so is £2 the cost of having the ability to receive income calls, or is the £5 cost of having telephony, reduced to £2 as way of making it more attractive…some may consider a £5 saving worthwhile , but ‘only’ £2 for the ability to make and receive calls may be an easier sell.
Be interesting to know, in my case I have PAYG calls , and generally don’t make calls , but I do get the occasional ‘genuine’ incoming call ( and appreciate having that facility) , I don’t pay £2 for this ..if it were added to my bill , I would not be happy , I don’t see how it can be pay as you go , if you pay even if you don’t ‘go’

[dcdick]

Just off the phone from the bt service & it was confirmed that the £2 "service charge" applies to people who choose not to use the landline facility

DV when activated removes the original line to the customer & gets a new number selected by bt anywhere within the geographical area.  (0191 in my case)

There is the facility to ask for a "preferred" number,  I was able to try a few of those courtesy of the very helpful lady I spoke to but the couple I tried were rejected & even asking for a new number just came back as another DV number only a few digits away from the previously allocated one

D*ck

[licquorice]

I'm with @iniltous  on this, I still can't get my head around the £2/m v £5/m thing.

All the broadband packages are discounted by £5/m if telephony is not taken, ergo there is a £5/m basic charge to receive incoming calls + whatever call package is added. How, therefore, can there be a £2/m charge for PAYG, supposedly to receive incoming calls.

[Les-Gibson]

I'm confused by it all as well, maybe one of the mods can clarify.

I was offered a £7 package when I renewed recently but we tend not to use the landline for outgoing calls so I declined and was told that the only alternative was a £2 a month package which I settled for. There was no mention of this charge on my confirmation emails and I can't see any mention of it on my latest bill either so maybe CS are misinforming people?