Easy opt-out of BT Halo3+?

[graybag]

First of all let me say that I have been pleased with my BTBroadband and EETV Services - there have been glitches (most recent being failure of Recordings of Sky Sports which appears to be a known current problem for Users) but,generally,I know that if I am patient any Problem will be resolved or if problem is with my EETV Big Box Pro 4K HDR Set Top Box Recorder then I may have to do a Factory Reset (keeping Recordings) and that will usually get that back up and running properly.

             My Problem is with the inflated Price I have been paying for Broadband since the end of my last Contract (30 Jan 2024).At that time,in response to an email I,contacted BT and a "nice young man " (I thought) told me I could renew at £5 a month  less than I had been paying.I told him I was happy with that but as he talked me through the offer I said I didn't need anything extra as I live in a small Flat,do not use wi-fi,only use Landline for PAYG and don't have a Smartphone.He insisted that everything was a "no-brainer" and that I'd also get some sort of Box to get me back on line if I had Connection problems ("what do i do with that?""Just stick it in the cupboard"-and that's where it still is).Taking him at his word I "signed up" (with BT Halo 3+ it transpires).It wasn't until 2 months later that I realised I was now paying about £30 a month MORE than before (not including any Phone Calls).I am currently paying £121.63 a Month whereas on my last Contract I was paying £82.47 a Month (only about £6.50 of the extra is for increase in BIG SPORT plus HD).

         Now,I have just unearthed that original email and now see it stated that I was already on BT Halo3+ ,however I had NEVER been on it and only started paying the extra 2 months after the Jan 2024 renewal.Perhaps the "nice young man" had the same wrong information and really did think he was giving me a "no-brainer" good deal!

      Finally (thank you for wading through,I hope,like me,you read all the Community Mail with interest,even this type of ramble!) although this Contract doesn't end until January,2026 I have been told that an Openreach Engineer is coming to change me over to Digital Voice which surprised me as I thought all I'd need to do is plug my Phone into the Green socket on back of Router.It looks as if besides Digital Voice I might be being upgraded to FTTP in which case I wonder if I may have to renew my Contract for 2 years more from then.

       You may think me a little naive for all this but at 75 years old  I'm no good at chsing problems and if "nice young people" seem to be of help I will go along with it (and be too embarrassed and get too flustered to go on line to explain this I have written).

     So (that "finally" wasn't really true,was it?) - Live alone,Small Flat,not use wi-fi,no Smartphone... was I mis-sold BT Halo3+ and should there be some EASY way to opt out of it when the time comes?

    Thank you,Graham

[graybag]

Bit disappointed there are no replies to this,if only to say how stupid and naive I've been.

        I'm now informed I am to receive a Hybrid Home Phone which the Engineer will presumably fit??????

        I barely ever use my Home Phone (why I am on PAYG) so doubt I need this,unless it's the only thing that will work with Digital Voice.I further suspect it has some connection to Halo3,which I am hoping I can opt out of anyway.

         Thanks for reading,anybody

   Graham

[iniltous]

If you are getting a visit for something as mundane as the switch to DV , presumably you have been ‘flagged’ as requiring support ( possibly just based on you DOB ) 

https://www.bt.com/help/landline/digital-voice-phones/hybrid-phone

Presumably you are getting one of these for the same reason , but it’s not the ‘only phone that works with DV ‘ any modern phone does (unless you have a rotary dial phone your existing phone is almost certainly fine ) 

As far as Halo3 , if you never actually received the equipment, then presumably you have a reasonable case for a refund , if you got the equipment and put it in the cupboard that’s not really BT’s issue , if you haven’t had a break in service so even if the Hybrid Connect was fitted but never needed , that’s how insurance works (Hybrid connection effectively an insurance against losing the main service ) much like any insurance you pay for it wether you make use of it or not .

It seems Halo isn’t really of much benefit to you , unfortunately it does seem a Herculean effort is needed to get it removed .

[graybag]

Thank you so much for taking an interest and I agree that Halo 3 Benefits are (and have been) available to me if I'd needed them however I have never wanted or asked for them and it really ought to be easier to opt out - e.g. perhaps being able to email my original (long!) Question above to a suitable recipient.I really feel I'd have no chance of talking to anyone on the Help Line and be able to put across the same sentiment.Also,for the non-Benefits (for me) involved I think I will have paid £500 EXTRA over the 2 years of current Contract,if I'd wanted to play the Age Card that I feel is more relevant.
Thank you,again.

[chrisjp]

I'm afraid the "nice young man" was likely being economical with the truth to get you to sign up to a "deal" that would provide him with the most commission.
Some people who have been enticed to take a Halo deal - and pay through the nose for not very much extra - have succeeded in "downgrading" to a non Halo one. However, this takes persistence and threatening the BT Retentions Dept that you'll leave BT if they don't allow you to downgrade.
It's an absolute racket but that appears to be the norm these days with pretty much all broadband suppliers

[Quesada]

Try rattling off an e-mail to the CEO, Alison Kirkby, as this will be forwarded to the executive complaints department. Good luck.

[graybag]

Thank you for the suggestion @Quesada