VM 4p plan & how to cut call charges

Osem · 28-09-2009, 14:18

OOOOPS - could a friendly passing Mod please move this to the billing section please...

I have TV 'XL', Broadband 'M' and Phone '4p plan' but can't find any details on the latter re the various call charges. Can anyone point me to the prices, and T&C's for this price plan?

I'm keen to reduce my fixed line monthly call costs which are currently around Â£20pm on call charges made up of calls to UK landlines, some UK mobiles and the inevitable 0845/0870 type numbers.

I started using Phonecheap access numbers for some of these calls but notice from my bill that the advertised call rates for so doing (1ppm UK landline & 7ppm UK mobile) don't seem to apply to my bill. I realise there are connection charges etc. to be added to the per minute cost of each call but, even so, the calls' I've made this way just don't seem to add up. For example my bill shows up a 28 min call on what was quoted as a 1ppm rate was billed at a total cost of Â£1.04 with a second 44min call billed at Â£1.60 both of which work out to c. 3.7ppm. Oddly, when it comes to the Phonecheap 7ppm rate for calls to UK mobiles, these do appear to be being charged at around that rate...

It seems that the access numbers I'm using aren't, therefore, yielding the advertised prices and I'm wondering if this is down to VM and my price plan or whether the Phonecheap numbers don't work on VM..

Aside for clarifying the above, can anyone offer any advice on the best way to cut my fixed line call costs?

Cheers as always

BenMcr · 28-09-2009, 18:17

Most 08xx numbers charge differently on VM than they do on BT. the current rates can be found at www.virginmedia.com/callcosts

As for the 4p Plan it is exactly that - all standard landline calls cost 4ppm

prince_zeepress · 28-09-2009, 20:54

The most effective way to cut your call charges is to switch to a VoIP service and ditch your fixed line altogether.

Osem · 28-09-2009, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Most 08xx numbers charge differently on VM than they do on BT. the current rates can be found at www.virginmedia.com/callcosts

As for the 4p Plan it is exactly that - all standard landline calls cost 4ppm

Cheers for clarifying that Ben. Since posting I've swapped to the Talk Unlimited call plan for Â£7.95 pm so I should be quids in. I want to keep my VM landline so this sounds like a pretty good compromise to me.

sparky621 · 29-09-2009, 05:37

As you're now on Talk Unlimited you don't want to be calling any 08** numbers if you can help it as these non-geographic numbers are still chargable (except for 0800 of course).Have a look at "Say no to 0870"

http://www.saynoto0870.com/search.php

where you can find alternative 01/02 numbers for nearly all banks, utility companies etc. Often you'll get through to a switch board but you just ask for the department you want. Sometimes even gets you straight through without you having to go through the menu.

Sparky621

Osem · 29-09-2009, 09:47

TVM

pjo123 · 29-09-2009, 16:32

18185 has a free phone number so the prices they quote for cable users are the prices you pay (have separate rates chart for cable users)

Some good rates on there, 4p a min mobiles at the weekend, Canada 0.5p per min etc.

Have used them for over a year now with BT and will still be using them when I switch over to Virgin in the next few days

m419 · 04-10-2009, 09:37

0844 numbers incur a 12p connection charge I think, thats what it was when it was Telewest whether it has changed or not I don't know

---------- Post added at 08:37 ---------- Previous post was at 08:34 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjo123

18185 has a free phone number so the prices they quote for cable users are the prices you pay (have separate rates chart for cable users)

Some good rates on there, 4p a min mobiles at the weekend, Canada 0.5p per min etc.

Have used them for over a year now with BT and will still be using them when I switch over to Virgin in the next few days

Thats what Virgin Media charge anyway on ther TalkAnywhere plans,the minutes are equivalent to paying 4p per minute.

pjo123 · 07-10-2009, 00:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by m419

Thats what Virgin Media charge anyway on ther TalkAnywhere plans,the minutes are equivalent to paying 4p per minute.

But if I understand it correctly, if your on the TalkAnywhere plan, you also pay 4p a min for geographical calls.

A lot of households make a lot of geographical calls, hence want one of the phone plans with unlimited calls either 24/7, evening & weekends or just weekends.

Anyone who makes use of those plans will not be better off on TalkAnywhere hence will be better off having their unlimited etc plan and using 18185 for mobiles, 0845/0870 or international calls.

m419 · 07-10-2009, 19:55

No they charge 4p per minute when you run out of your minutes, if they charged 4p per minute when you have minutes, then there would be no point in taking it up.

Hopefull they will launch larger packs which give more than 800 like 1,500 minutes which is something that Cable and Wireless offer to its business customers.

nutellajunkie · 15-10-2009, 17:50

is the 4p tariff still available

BenMcr · 15-10-2009, 17:51

No