Mandatory NTL Phone Service for TV Customers - Discuss

[thelem]

ntl are simply doing what the market will stand. People are allowed to take phone without TV, so the issue only occurs when you want TV only.

People in that situation have 4 main choices
1. Analogue or Freeview - Free, so cable can't compete on price
2. Top-up TV - A lot cheaper, but no where near the choice
3. Sky - Cheapest package about £20 + BT phone line rental
4. Cable - Cheapest package about £20 INCLUDING line rental.

If you look at it like that, its actually quite a good deal.

I can't imagine it costs ntl £10/month to have a phone line connected in your house, therefore it seems to me that some of that price is going towards the cost of the TV. Yes, they could offer say a £5 discount if you don't take the phone line, but then they would also lose phone call income. Why bother, when they already have a successful and competitive package?

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by thelem

but then they would also lose phone call income.

No they would not - I have never ever, ever, ever made a single phone call on my NTL phone line, 0 call revenue (apart from when they choose to put calls on my bill).

[Chrysalis]

When is a mobile phone cheaper then a landline? I have always found it shocking that people when at home choose to use a mobile over a landline.

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

When is a mobile phone cheaper then a landline? I have always found it shocking that people when at home choose to use a mobile over a landline.

When the mobile call plan that they are on has bundled minutes which would be lost if not used and they are unlikely to use them.

When the call rate on the mobile is less than the call rate on the landline which can be the case particularly with contract phones at certain times and to certain destinations.

For a very brief call which can cost less than say the same call on a NTL landline which has a connection charge plus a time related charge.

Haven't you seen the Vodaphone "stop the clock" adverts where you pay for 3 minutes and get up to an hour on the call for no extra charge?

[harmonyinfo]

Originally Posted by thelem

3. Sky - Cheapest package about £20 + BT phone line rental

Cheapest Sky package is £13.50. Equivalent NTL package to the Sky £19.50 package is the NTL Family pack at £19.50 plus £10.50 phone rental. So costs just about the same really. But Sky prices are going up c. 10% in September.

[Chrysalis]

Originally Posted by ian@huth

When the mobile call plan that they are on has bundled minutes which would be lost if not used and they are unlikely to use them.

When the call rate on the mobile is less than the call rate on the landline which can be the case particularly with contract phones at certain times and to certain destinations.

For a very brief call which can cost less than say the same call on a NTL landline which has a connection charge plus a time related charge.

Haven't you seen the Vodaphone "stop the clock" adverts where you pay for 3 minutes and get up to an hour on the call for no extra charge?

I guess, but given that most calls are short I have always struggled to see how mobile's are cheaper, how much is a mobile contract usually a month, my sister spends £30+ on hers a month and its contract. My own mobile phone which is PAYG I can make £5 credit last 2 months but its is 90% incoming calls or emergencies when out that is the purpose I use the phone for, I use the landline for outgoing simply because its cheaper.