new one-tel pricing unavaiable to cable customers

[bob_a_builder]

I use a OneTel dialer box to route my phone calls.

They have just announced some quite attractive new pricing plans as per thisINFO

I tried to change over my account to the new plans via their online account manager, but despite this text at the top of my account page, there was no option to move to those plans only to the previously available plans

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"From May 10th, we are slashing our call plan charges!
For the first time, customers can enjoy truly FREE calls - not inclusive minutes, not free local calls to a limited number of people, but FREE calls to all UK landline users.
Standard UKTalk - no monthly fee, FREE weekend local and national calls!
Leisure UKTalk is reduced from £5.99 to £3.99 per month, with unlimited weekend and evening local and national calls!
Total UKTalk is reduced from £14.99 to £10.99 with unlimited local and national calls - 24/7!
All UKCall plans are reduced by £1 per month!
These price changes will take effect from bills dated 15th May onwards
--------------------------------------------------

So sent off an email to to find out why - seems it not available to cable customers - Why Not ?????

There is no technical reason why thats so is there ?

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Mail from onetel

"Dear bob_a_builder,

Thank you for your recent e-mail.

Unfortunately because you are registered as having a Cable line, the UKTalk range of plans are unavailable to you. You are however able to take up any of the UKCalls plans. One.Tel apologises for any inconvenience caused.

If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us, our E-mail Team would be happy to help. Alternatively you can visit our Virtual Customer Service Centre.

Thank you for choosing One.Tel.

[Shaun]

If they won't offer you cheap call then its time to have a look around, I'm now using http://www.call1899.co.uk/ for my calls, very competitive at 0.5p per

Shame though as the new call packages from one.tel are very competitive when you take into account the free calls and free directory inquires.

[bob_a_builder]

Trouble is the kids (or mrs bob_a_builder) will never remember to dial 1899 first, a dialer box is a handy option is such cases

[bob_a_builder]

really can't understand the logic, I could understand them saying its not available to existing customers i.e. we've already got you, we don't need to attract you to our service (or has that just been outlawed, seem to remeber someting similar with mortgages)

[zoombini]

IT always puzzles me why it is that these cheaper call packages can be offered to people on BT lines & not cable ones.

BT "have" to allow other companies to use thier system, to prevent monopolising it etc so why dont the cable co's ??

[Neil]

Originally Posted by zoombini

IT always puzzles me why it is that these cheaper call packages can be offered to people on BT lines & not cable ones.

BT "have" to allow other companies to use thier system, to prevent monopolising it etc so why dont the cable co's ??

Because they're not a monopoly like BT are/were?

Surely those people with cable phones must be able to get BT lines-so they do have a choice.

At the end of the day, if TW/ntl (whoever), don't offer you cheap enough calls, but you can get better rates with a BT line & a service such as One Tel (or whoever!), then the answer is to just get that BT line?

Their can't be many cable customers that haven't had a BT line, or whose property has never had a BT line (& therefore would not get a free re-connection?)

Getting a BT line is just the easiest thing in the world, the answer lies right in those people's own hands......

[bob_a_builder]

exactly, and that just what I intend to do, I just wondered whether it was ntl who were somehow blocking their lines, either physically or by mutual agreement with these 3rd party providors - which is clearly going to drive onetel users to choose a BT line

so this policy is ONLY in BT's interest - how did they manage that

[bob_builder]

The One.Tel *Talk packages are carrier-pre-select (i.e. you have no dialer box but your calls are always routed over One.Tel at your exchange) this is only available on BT.
The One.Tel *Call packages use a dialer box or a prefix code and work on BT, Telewest or NTL.

[bob_a_builder]

Ah thanks, makes more sense now

edit:
"carrier-pre-select "
and I think you pay £1 extra / month for this too - all has to be factored in

edit2:
A clever scheme by NTL to drive their customers into the arms of BT by not offering "carrier pre-select" then

[Bifta]

Originally Posted by zoombini

IT always puzzles me why it is that these cheaper call packages can be offered to people on BT lines & not cable ones.

BT "have" to allow other companies to use thier system, to prevent monopolising it etc so why dont the cable co's ??

Might be down to BT's network not being originally privately funded, NTL/Telewest and all that came before were privately funded.

[mmm]

There is a note on the one-tel web site that the calls packages are going down by £1 each

http://www.onetel.co.uk/index.php/totalukcalls

currently 13.99 vs ntl 15.50

http://www.onetel.co.uk/index.php/Leisureukcalls

currently 4.99 vs ntl 9.00

There is no 60 min cut-off on one-tel, but there is a delay in making every call due to the box re-dialing.

One of the best bits I like about one-tel is the free fully itemized electronic bill (in Excel)

[bob_a_builder]

But why should this offer only be avaiable to carrier pre-select on BT, I use a dialer box so my calls are forced into the OneTel billing system anyway.

So there would seem to be no technical barrier

It would seem the only winner here is BT, you know the big monopolist we (the uk) are trying to cut down to size.

And here is OneTel forcing me into the hands of BT - whats in it for OneTel, unless of course BT are in some way subsidising the deal.



edit:

BT "have" to allow other companies to use thier system, to prevent monopolising it etc so why dont the cable co's ??

They do is so far as I can use the OneTel dialer box no problem

[bob_a_builder]

Phoned Ofcom, they claim no issue here.

NTL is not refusing me access to OneTel, and OneTel are free to make advantagous alliances with whichever companies they choose.

But isn't that how cartels start ?

[bob_builder]

Originally Posted by bob_a_builder

But why should this offer only be avaiable to carrier pre-select on BT, I use a dialer box so my calls are forced into the OneTel billing system anyway.

So there would seem to be no technical barrier

I think the barrier is to do with the way BT charges OneTel for the use of its network.
With a dialer box (or a code prefix) each call could get routed via BT or OneTel so BT charges a fee per call made (they may also charge per minute).
With carrier-pre-select every call gets routed via OneTel so BT charges a fixed monthly fee.