New batteries for my home digital phone

[Redmenace]

Having recently bought new batteries for my home digital phone on the advice of BT/EE advisor,  for the princely sum of £7.99, I have since wondered if that was actually my responsibility or BT's. As I pay a monthly rental for the facility, should the cost of replacement batteries not be paid for by the company I rent the equipment from? Just a small amount I know, but I would be interested to know the answer.

[iniltous · Accepted solution]

You paid a monthly fee for your phone service prior to Digital Voice replacing it , and BT never provided you with a telephone instrument to make calls , so what makes you think it’s now BT’s responsibility to provide you with a working phone instrument now just because the underlying tech has changed from PSTN to IP ? ….foolishly in my opinion BT  supplied ‘free’ DV phones to some early converts to Digital Voice , gaining no plaudits for doing so , and criticism when things like the  batteries fail…..if the batteries died and you didn’t want to pay to replace them , you could always have put the now unusable DV phone into the recycling bin and  plugged in whatever phone instrument you used previously and went back to using that .

You rent the phone service , not the phone instrument, that’s not changed .

[gg30340]

Just to add to what has been posted. You were given the Digital phone for free. You do not rent it which you can confirm by checking you bill. You do not need to return it to BT should you ever decide to leave BT.

You are under no obligation to use the phone or replace the batteries however if you choose not to replace them at your expense you could always use the phone as a paper weight or a door stop. 

[Redmenace]

Thank you so much for your lucid response Guru, you are indeed the wise one. For your information though, if you read my question again, you will see that it is just that - a question. Nothing has made me think that it is BT's responsibility, I was merely asking if that was indeed the case. The £7.99 I paid is totally immaterial to me, I was just seeking clarification on that point. BT has, in fact, provided me with the equipment, I just wasn't clear that it is the service I am paying for, note the phone itself. Now you have enlightened me, I am totally happy with the situation.

[Redmenace]

Thank you Sage for making the situation clear. I was just asking for clarification on this particular point, which you have explained to me in perfect detail. Rather more politely, I might add, than some other replies I have received!