Telephones and Internet

Remember:

FREE calls only relate to numbers starting
01 or 02

To calculate savings ignore all the so called cheap 0845, 0844, 0870 etc and mobile calls you make

add up just the 01 and 02 numbers.

BT have recently announced what they call free 0845 & 0870 calls. This has got to good news but it is not all that it seems. It is free at weekends. Since these numbers are predominantly businesses, how often will you call then at the weekend? For a fee of £2.65 a month you can also have free evenings. How many calls to businesses do you make in the evening? If you contract to stay with BT for 12 months they will waive this fee. Are they so bothered you will leave? For a fee of £5.82 you can have day time 0845 and 0870 calls for free. If you contract to stay for 12 months they will reduce this by 97p per month. If you make over 116 daytime calls to these numbers a month you might break even. Note that 0844 calls are not included! Also note that not all 0845 numbers are included.

Oh and by the way they increased line rental by about one pound as well!

Combined Telephone and Broadband

Local Loop Unbundling (LLU)
This is where a company installs there own equipment inside a BT telephone exchange. By doing this the consumer no longer has to pay the BT line rental price. A real saving can then be made. One of the biggest players is:

Talk Talk - Unfortunately it is not available in all areas and even then there may be a waiting list.

Do not get confused with other suppliers who quote combined Telephone and Broadband. I have yet to find a deal that adds up. There is always a catch. Often this is a lack of quality and customer service. Even if you pay your line rental through a company other than BT you are still renting a BT land line and the price will be included somewhere. Either added on the Internet Access or through the call costs.

Cable and Satellite TV

If you are already paying a large monthly fee to satellite or cable TV then they will probably have already included Internet Access within this price. So don't pay any more. Use there package. These services are already quite expenses and not exactly money saving.

Broadband

Think Broadband compare what is available Have a look at Plusnet, Eclipse, Metronet, possibly New Net
If they advertise on TV they probably cannot afford to give customers service.

ISP Review

Share Broadband with Wifi
If your neighbour had broadband you might share it using a wireless network. Half the cost!

Now For Telephones

Get your land line line rental billed directly by BT. Even though paying for it through another provider may look cheaper, hidden costs are likely to make it more expensive. This is because providers other than BT prevent you making big saving by using an over-ride number. BT are not permitted to block these.

Primus Option 2
Best to contact them by phone rather than through the website. Call 0800 036 0094 and ask fro Option 2. If you have BT land line then switch to this company. No more call charges from BT, just the line rental. All evening and weekend 01 and 02 calls will free. If you do call 0845 or during the day it will still be cheaper than other major providers. There only one catch ... Call Minder.

Call minder

Call minder is not entirely free. You must make at least 2 billable calls a month through BT to get it free. Otherwise you will be charged. Just prefix a brief call with "1280" a couple of times month to save this fee.

Now for Big Savings

Free Calls

PokeTalk Sign up through the web site and enter your land line number and the land line number you wish to call. Uses ordinary telephones. Financed by advertising. Call duration limited to 10 minutes.

More Free Calls (well nearly)

18185 You can pay by Direct Debit. Visit the web site and sign up. Dial 18185 and then your number. You pay a 5p connection fee and nothing more. Stay on the phone during the day for an hour if you like. International Calls are cheap as well. You are advised of the cost at the start of the call.

18866 Used to be cheaper - might come down again

Telesavers
No need to register with this one. Just use the prefix number. Great if you are traveling.

Free Phone Calls (if you have internet access)

These will only connect you to someone using the same company

Skype

Probably the biggest and the best. Use a computer and a cheap headset or choose from a range of handset. Some do not even need a computer. Use a web cam as well if you like. Completely free within the limits of your broadband connection. You can also make discount calls to conventional phone.

Google Talk - Google do lots of things very well so lets watch they phone offering.

Mobiles

Best way to save money is to not use them or at least keep calls very short. The following site might help.

SMS

http://www.cbfsms.com/ Must enable pop ups so you see the adverts that pay for the service.

Be careful using some Free SMS services as they try to charge the receiver£2 to read the message!

Vyke

Vyke produce some free software that can be installed on your Nokia mobile phone. You can use this to send a text message. When you hit send instead of you being charged 12p, or whatever, your phone quickly connects to the internet sends, your message and disconnects. Since you only pay for the time you are connected the cost is going to be around 1P.

We have seen some changes in this product recently. We have not tested the new version.

Calling Mobiles from Land lines

0844 428 9090 prefix from Discount Dial only 4p per minute

call1899 works well here as it has a special access 0207 number for mobiles, and you pay it just 10p/min daytimes and 3p/min weekends to call mobile phones

Make sure that this is still the same use Call Checker

Directory Enquiries

0800 100 100
You speak to a human being and if they can find the number you have to listen to a 20 second advert before they give you the number. Some negative comments about accuracy.

0800 118 373
Considered to provide a better service but you have to listen to the advert before they look for a number.

Warning!! Never accept an offer from a directory enquiry company to connect the call for you. BT may charge you 49p per minute for the whole of that call!

0845 and 0870 numbers

Lo-call telephone numbers are not Local numbers. Local numbers cost no more than regional numbers anyway. Lo Call means more than ordinary and not included in Free calls included deals except at weekends or if you have paid extra..

Have a look to see if they quote an overseas number. Credit cards often do. Just remove the 44 at the front and put the "0" back in. This will give you an ordinary regional number.

Just Say NO

We have saved the best until last! So you have Free evening and weekend calls using Primus Option 2 and 5p each call using 18185 during the day. But what about 0845, 0844, 0870. (never be tempted to call an 09...)

Every time you are asked to call one of these numbers just visit the web site above. Not only will you often find a normal regional telephone number but frequently a free-phone number. A company using 0845, for example is making money out of you. By using their free-phone number they pay!!