Renewal Cost frustrations

[Macstabz]

So I'm coming close to my contract end.

As is the norm for me I call up and see what deal we can hash out. I have to admit this time around I am being left extremely frustrated with BT.

Usually inn the past I have always been able to hash out a deal pretty much as is advertised on the website, at worst within a pound or two. This time around though, good lord.

I was very clear I asked what was the best they could do for exactly what I had now. I was quoted £61 something. Which is £5 more than what im paying. Then £42.99 an then that jumped to £47.99 and on.

Usually a company would want to keep their customers by competing against prices from others, BT's answer this time around seems to be to try and push me, likely in the hopes I would go renew and go to EE.
Unfortunately joining EE is not on my list of desired options. I have a list of companies I tend to avoid and EE is very much on that list.

Is anyone else finding the same, or have any tips on how to get BT to see reason ? After all I have been a BT customer in total for 15+ years and as much as they are frustrating right now, in that time they have proved stable and reliable and so have earned my trust, not something I enjoy watching go down the pan just like that.

[chrisjp]

"Unfortunately joining EE is not on my list of desired options. I have a list of companies I tend to avoid and EE is very much on that list."

EE is on my list to avoid also but, unfortunately, it is now BT's policy to force all its residential customers to EE, with only business customers staying with BT.
That wouldn't be so bad if BT had properly planned this migration but, from numerous comments on this forum, there seem to have been numerous problems reported by customers who have accepted undegone this migration.
I renewed my 2 yr contract last December online and was not offered, thank goodness, any migration to EE. However, I am paying a monthly fee that is significantly higher than what is offered to new EE customers in its advertisements.
It's wrong and anti-competitive, but you're probably best advised to accept an online "deal" from BT and pay over the odds for it, rather than try to grapple with BT/EE's phone agents who at best seem to be ignorant and at worst dishonest in the "deals" they are selling to people

[rbz5416]

@Macstabz 

When you get to 14 days of contract end, place an order with another supplier. That may trigger BT to come back with a better offer or it may not. Either way you'll be better off.

[Macstabz]

@chrisjp I wont be moving to EE. I have even seen and heard of people moving back to BT from EE following a whole load of issues.

The bit I am trying to figure out is my online offers are like this 

 Looking at the website I see no way of signing up for Halo 3 as a new customer (and from the horror stories ive seen on here im not sure I want to) so I have nothing to check this against.

The 900 would be almost £4 less on the site, but I don't want it or need it. 

I am also curious about the speed guarantee of 425Mb which BT themselves seem to contradict here https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/full-fibre/what-is-bt-s-stay-fast-guarantee-for-full-fibre

Right now my only question is, can I already freely move my phone number to a voip service or does this instantly kill my fttp package.
Might need to call them.

Something else I find interesting is other providers are offering 500mb connections at £28 a month for 2 years and a no price increase promise.
Heck I can get 900mb for less than the 500Mb special offer lol.

[rbz5416]

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@Macstabzwrote:

does this instantly kill my fttp package.

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Yes, it does.

[imjolly]

Currently if you move your phone to a VOIP provider that will immediately end your current contract and may incur termination charges  you may be able to negotiate a new contract with BT and avoid any termination charges

[Macstabz]

@imjolly So say I wait and find myself a new provider who may not take voice. How do I ensure and secure my current number ?
Is there like a PUK code I can request meaning it doesnt go back to the open market or ?

[imjolly]

If out of contract with BT then you would port number to new VOIP provider  and  that would end your BT contract and your could move to new provider   there may be early termination penalty but if existing contract period ended then only monthly notice so that would be most  charge would be

[Macstabz]

@imjolly Ignoring the early termination fee's for a minute.

Lets say I signed up with another provider and they do offer voice but like bt via their own equipment and so I decide to go broadband only.
And lets say I signed up to that yesterday. Do I have until my termination date (transfer) to find and move my number to voip ?
Do I need a code to move it like you do for mobile ?
If I find some place and move it, given I already initiated the BB move does it all roll till the end date typically 10/14 days, or is it instant that minute ? and so downtime of BB as a result.

All of this is very poorly documented and very unclear without some serious digging it seems.

[rbz5416]

As I understand it, & you're right that no on really seems to know, moving to VOIP will, as previously stated, end the connection there & then.

• You might be able to get round that by asking the VOIP provider to port the number on the day after the move.
• You might be able to port the number for a short period after the move.
• You might also lose the number & once you have, BT will wash their hands as you're no longer a customer.

This isn't documented anywhere as far as I know. The cynic might believe that's deliberate obfuscation by BT to retain customers unwilling to risk the loss of their number. The irony being that these forums are littered with customers who have lost their number anyway when migrating to Digital Voice. It's a complete **bleep** show...