Just Received EE 5G Smart Hub from BT - Where do I Plug-in Landline?

[BOBO1010]

@iniltous. All I can say is that if I am indeed charged - for anything. I hope that BT have recorded all the calls (I wish I had.) The 2 phone calls, had a clear undebatable focus on totally free! That theme was even repeated tonight, and I have not seen or heard any mention with regards to mobile data usage costs.

[iniltous]

Why do you continually quote BT and indeed have discussions with BT about this ? EE and BT are not one and the same entity , it’s an EE device you were provided with , and your conversation presumably was with EE , ( not BT ) although there is undoubtedly a connection between the two companies (and still a desire to move BT customers to EE ) there is nothing you have said that suggests this was anything to do with BT , or BT transferring  you to EE , to all intents and purposes this appears to be EE independently contacting you with an ‘offer’ , the fact you are a BT customer is no more relevant than if you were a Talk Talk or Sky customer , unless there is something you haven’t yet shared with the forum 

[BOBO1010]

If BT and EE, are not one to any extent, why did the person who phoned me with the EE hub offer, have all my BT account details at hand (I have never had any previous interaction with EE.) Also why do I still have a BT IP address even while using the EE hub (checked 1 hour ago.) A BT email address, etc.  Also the people that dealt with my phone calls today, were contacted via the BT support number, and based in Wales, and Belfast. EE is owned and operated by BT.

[licquorice]

BT retail (the ISP) does not own and operate EE, they are both separate companies owned by BT group in the same way that Screwfix and B&Q are separate companies owned by The Kingfisher Group.

[BOBO1010]

Well all I can say is that it certainly was BT who dealt with my queries over the phone today regarding the sending out of the EE Hub. They had all the details on their system.  I phoned 0330 123 4150 (BT.) During the call I was sent a BT pin number to mobile to confirm my identity.

[RIC9380]

That's really strange because BT closed its Harton Quay building in South Shields in July 2023!

[BOBO1010]

The whole thing is confusing but that is what the guy said on the phone - South Shields. Also, they said that I was being given the free gift as I have been a BT customer for decades. He also explained BT had taken over EE.. I have never had a landline or mobile connected to EE. It has been BT since day one.

I mean let’s be realistic here, if I phoned 0330 123 4150 and got a BT security pin sent to my mobile with regards to the hub  phone call enquiry - I was dealing with BT! 

[iniltous]

Free or not free , doubtless an email confirmation of the order will have been sent to your email address , the relevant contract information is contained within, if it says it’s free then you have proof of what was offered , of course if it says 1 month free ( TBH a much  more likely offer ) it will say that too, plus the originating company will be pretty obvious from the email header ….the weird thing is it was EE that contacted you , yet you chose to contact BT and not EE , it’s possible that BT have some sort of read access to EE customers (and vice versa ) but it’s pretty clear that it’s EE you should be speaking too

[chrisjp]

BT and EE certainly share account details so that if, for example, you are a BT customer and try to get a "new customer" deal from EE they will know you are an existing BT customer and refuse this.
I suspect that EE are providing their telephone agents with commission to sell these 5G hub deals with a free one month trial which converts into a payable contract if you don't cancel it. The agent who called you was probably trying to maximise his "sales" and thus commission.

[BOBO1010]

If I have indeed been sent a hub with data costs, I will be very unhappy indeed to put it lightly. No mention whatsoever of data costs in phone call. Nothing in box either with regards to costs. No email.  I was very cautious as soon as the call started. But now I can recall a “red flag” - they asked to do a credit check on me! Why? I have been with BT (and still am) for decades with no payment issues. 

During the phone call I kept repeating that I had no real use for a new router, as I was happy with the lower speeds of the current one. Yet, the phone agent kept going on about “free gift due to your customer loyalty.”