I am mystified, please advise/help.

[Marg0105]

My BT contract is due to end shortly so I  have been trying to decide what I need from BT going forward but it is so confusing, more than my poor brain can cope with.  I am not looking to move away from BT though they are not making it easy for a customer who has been with them for nearly 50 years.

1) I currently have broadband Fibre with Halo 1 and it includes my landline & 500 minutes but they are now calling things Halo 3 plus 'stuff'? Without loss of service which one is comparable to what I have now please? The basic at £37 ish?

2) Then the nightmare of TV choices.... Currently, I have 'Big Entertainment' I don't know how or why! It is OK and I pay £6 separately for Netflix all watched on the one TV.  Would I lose much by going to the cheaper  'Entertainment Package.' I have no need for any Sport coverage or to swap my package choices each month.

3) BT appear to be offering to include Netflix in both Entertainment & Big Entertainment. Offering a safe 'we'll do it for you'  switch to BT.  Does this really mean that I don't need to pay Netflix anymore, saving me £6 a month?  Have I possibly been paying Netflix when I needn't OR is it that going forward I'll just be paying both fees to BT?

4) One of the BT TV packages/explanations appears to offer a second 'You View 'box for just £5 so I can have BT TV in 2 rooms. Is this as good as it seems? Will this box record programmes too? It would be very useful if it's true.

5) Does renewing my contract (at whatever level) qualify me for a more up to date 'You View'  Box or Hub? These are mentioned but with no clear explanation of who may expect one.

Thank you if you've read so far and especially if you can offer advice as the whole business is so poorly presented on the website that I'm wary of making the wrong choice & being stuck with it for the next 2 years or having to pay a huge 'Get Out' fee.

Please help if you can.

Marg0105

[RobbieMac]

---

@Marg0105 wrote:

My BT contract is due to end shortly so I  have been trying to decide what I need from BT going forward but it is so confusing, more than my poor brain can cope with.  I am not looking to move away from BT though they are not making it easy for a customer who has been with them for nearly 50 years.

1) I currently have broadband Fibre with Halo 1 and it includes my landline & 500 minutes but they are now calling things Halo 3 plus 'stuff'? Without loss of service which one is comparable to what I have now please? The basic at £37 ish?

2) Then the nightmare of TV choices.... Currently, I have 'Big Entertainment' I don't know how or why! It is OK and I pay £6 separately for Netflix all watched on the one TV.  Would I lose much by going to the cheaper  'Entertainment Package.' I have no need for any Sport coverage or to swap my package choices each month.

3) BT appear to be offering to include Netflix in both Entertainment & Big Entertainment. Offering a safe 'we'll do it for you'  switch to BT.  Does this really mean that I don't need to pay Netflix anymore, saving me £6 a month?  Have I possibly been paying Netflix when I needn't OR is it that going forward I'll just be paying both fees to BT?

4) One of the BT TV packages/explanations appears to offer a second 'You View 'box for just £5 so I can have BT TV in 2 rooms. Is this as good as it seems? Will this box record programmes too? It would be very useful if it's true.

5) Does renewing my contract (at whatever level) qualify me for a more up to date 'You View'  Box or Hub? These are mentioned but with no clear explanation of who may expect one.

Thank you if you've read so far and especially if you can offer advice as the whole business is so poorly presented on the website that I'm wary of making the wrong choice & being stuck with it for the next 2 years or having to pay a huge 'Get Out' fee.

Please help if you can.

Marg0105

---

Thanks for your post and welcome back @Marg0105

50 years?! Wow!! that is a very long time.  I appreciate your loyal custom!

Sorry for all the confusion about renewing your contract.  Your questions can definitely be answered by the guys on here so expect a reply shortly 😀

All the best,

Robbie

[-Richie-]

---

@Marg0105wrote:

1) I currently have broadband Fibre with Halo 1 and it includes my landline & 500 minutes but they are now calling things Halo 3 plus 'stuff'? Without loss of service which one is comparable to what I have now please? The basic at £37 ish?

---

One of the great things about Halo is there is no out of contract increase, if you're happy with what you have now then don't renew it, it will stay the same price out of contract as it does in a contract/minimum term.
The 500 minute plan is also no longer sold, if you did change your broadband package you'd need to upgrade to the 700 minute calling plan.

---

@Marg0105wrote:

2) Then the nightmare of TV choices.... Currently, I have 'Big Entertainment' I don't know how or why! It is OK and I pay £6 separately for Netflix all watched on the one TV.  Would I lose much by going to the cheaper  'Entertainment Package.' I have no need for any Sport coverage or to swap my package choices each month.

---

Big Entertainment includes all the content from the Entertainment package but you also get all the Sky Cinema content, only you know your viewing habits and if you watch a lot of the films available, if you're not a movie buff then you can downgrade to the Entertainment package and save a few pounds.
Sport is an addon, if you don't need BT Sport you can drop it anytime you want and add again if you do want it, all without renewing the minimum term.

---

@Marg0105wrote:

3) BT appear to be offering to include Netflix in both Entertainment & Big Entertainment. Offering a safe 'we'll do it for you'  switch to BT.  Does this really mean that I don't need to pay Netflix anymore, saving me £6 a month?  Have I possibly been paying Netflix when I needn't OR is it that going forward I'll just be paying both fees to BT?

---

BT have sold Netflix as an addon for years, although at the same price as Netflix so it was for convenience of 1 direct debit rather than cost based, now you can have Netflix bundled with your TV package, if you have the standard 1 screen in standard definition then that is the one included with the bundle by default, you can pay extra to have 2 screens and in HD but again that is your choice, if you do opt to bundle then it would be done when/if you change TV packages, follow the infomation in the email sent and BT will bill you instead of Netflix, you'll retain the same profile with all your favorites saved and continue as normal.

---

@Marg0105wrote:

4) One of the BT TV packages/explanations appears to offer a second 'You View 'box for just £5 so I can have BT TV in 2 rooms. Is this as good as it seems? Will this box record programmes too? It would be very useful if it's true.

---

The 2nd box subscription is £5 per month, you would need to have an aerial and broadband connected to it, exactly the same as the 1st box, by default you get a non-recordable box but you can source your own Youview box elsewhere or BT do/used to offer a recordable box for a one off £99 charge plus postage, sourced from BT you would get warranty support, from a 3rd party you wouldn't.

---

@Marg0105wrote:

5) Does renewing my contract (at whatever level) qualify me for a more up to date 'You View'  Box or Hub? These are mentioned but with no clear explanation of who may expect one.

---

Some TV packages will include a free Pro box, this is the latest box from BT and supports Wi-Fi instead of a wired connection and there are upcoming features being added over time, if you did get a pro box then you could keep your current box and use it as the 2nd box if you had it before 19th December 2019, after that equipment is on loan so it would be required to return it.
If your home hub (router) develops a fault, BT would replace it free of charge on loan, if you're happy with what you have just stay as you are.

---

@Marg0105wrote:

Thank you if you've read so far and especially if you can offer advice as the whole business is so poorly presented on the website that I'm wary of making the wrong choice & being stuck with it for the next 2 years or having to pay a huge 'Get Out' fee.

---

If you made a change and didn't like it, then you have 14 days as a cooling off period to change your mind, you can revert back but it's easier to make up your mind and then be happy, so if you have any further questions just get back in touch, if you want to know the latest offers speak to the Loyalty team on 0800 800 150

[Marg0105]

Thank you Richie

Your very kind detailed response makes it all much clearer.

I just have one small question,  my internet broadband is wire-free upstairs using those round booster dishes plugged into my sockets and they work my PC internet effectively. The main connection is downstairs. Will a second box have to be connected by wire or do you think the booster dishes will connect it? I have a normal TV aerial connected to both TVs already.

I haven't yet investigated if I would qualify for a Pro Box or the date I got my You View Box, that is my next step.

Thank you once again for being so helpful.

Marg0105wrote:

4) One of the BT TV packages/explanations appears to offer a second 'You View 'box for just £5 so I can have BT TV in 2 rooms. Is this as good as it seems? Will this box record programmes too? It would be very useful if it's true.

The 2nd box subscription is £5 per month, you would need to have an aerial and broadband connected to it, exactly the same as the 1st box, by default you get a non-recordable box but you can source your own Youview box elsewhere or BT do/used to offer a recordable box for a one off £99 charge plus postage, sourced from BT you would get warranty support, from a 3rd party you wouldn't.

Marg0105wrote:

5) Does renewing my contract (at whatever level) qualify me for a more up to date 'You View'  Box or Hub? These are mentioned but with no clear explanation of who may expect one.

Some TV packages will include a free Pro box, this is the latest box from BT and supports Wi-Fi instead of a wired connection and there are upcoming features being added over time, if you did get a pro box then you could keep your current box and use it as the 2nd box if you had it before 19th December 2019, after that equipment is on loan so it would be required to return it.
If your home hub (router) develops a fault, BT would replace it free of charge on loan, if you're happy with what you have just stay as you are.

[-Richie-]

---

@Marg0105wrote:

Thank you Richie

Your very kind detailed response makes it all much clearer.

I just have one small question,  my internet broadband is wire-free upstairs using those round booster dishes plugged into my sockets and they work my PC internet effectively. The main connection is downstairs. Will a second box have to be connected by wire or do you think the booster dishes will connect it? I have a normal TV aerial connected to both TVs already.

I haven't yet investigated if I would qualify for a Pro Box or the date I got my You View Box, that is my next step.

Thank you once again for being so helpful.

---

A wired connection would give the best results and less prone to Wi-Fi interferance, if your existing discs allow a wired connection from the back of them then you can use them, the BT Complete Wi-Fi package allows this feature, BT do also sell broadband extenders also known as powerline adapters for around £10 which would do the job.
You could also source your own ethernet cable to wire it yourself from £10-£20 (depending on the length needed) or BT can arrange a Qube engineer to do it for you, the cost is £40 as a one-off fee.

Hope that helps, if not pop back and ask any other questions 🙂