Free Calling 0845 & 0870 Numbers from your BT landline

Hi, from January 16th 2009, BT announced that calls from BT landlines to 0845 and 0870 numbers was "free". However, when one unravels the terms of this offer its not really free at all, for the following reason.

The fair use policy states there is a cap on the number of minutes you are allowed to use (1,000) and when you average out the calls that are likely to be made i.e. 3.35p/min to 0845 and 6.73 p/min to 0870 you get roughly 5p/min.... 1000 x 5p = £5.00(the additional cost of the plan to enable you to get access to this "offer"). How many people would actually use this offer - NIL - Profit to BT - LOTS.

For a full explanation of terms of this offer please Click Here

BT put prices up again

BT is going on yet another price hike, rendering its telephone calls 34% more expensive than 6 months ago.

Calls will be 5.25p per minute.

The set-up fee per call will rise to 9p.

This will affect 12 million of BT's 14 million customers. Only those on its Anytime package, which costs £4.95 a month, will not be affected.

The latest increases will come into effect on 1 October. Customers were told of the change in the magazine that BT sends out with its bills.

"We have been quite generous to customers over the years, offering things like free calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers. Telephony costs have come down," a spokesman for BT said. "We advise customers to consider whether they would be better off moving to the Anytime calls package in order to avoid increases in daytime call prices and the set up fee. BT's Unlimited Anytime Plan costs just £4.95 a month, or 17p a day, and includes all your UK calls and calls to 0870 and 0845 numbers at any time."

"Today's price increase announcement isn't likely to improve BT's popularity in the eyes of cash strapped consumers," said Steve Weller of price comparison website uswitch.co.uk