Looking at doging BT

[euanpw]

Wanna get a fixed line and internet in ancoats, manchester, would this be any good or is it worth shelling out to BT?

[awibble]

The VM fixed line service is pretty ok, call charges are a little high, but if you get a talk package, it shouldnt bother you much.

[euanpw]

so it's reliable enough to have a fixed line?

[awibble]

Ive had no problems so far.... Touch Wood

[AntiSilence]

I've had an ntl (originally) phone line since 1999 and not once has anything gone wrong with it. Not even so much as lost service for any length of time.

Mind you, the area I live in was already cabled by Diamond Cable when ntl took over, so maybe that's why it's been so reliable.

[ian@huth]

It all depends on your call pattern.

[ACDeag]

Bear in mind, even with their call packages, the call types excluded from the package are a lot more expensive than elsewhere. Also you can get the inclusive package cheaper if you use another company on a BT line. Free evening and weekend calls from Primus http://tinyurl.com/o82oa for no monthly charge.

[Xan]

well i am leaving bt as they over charged me -phoned up got through to an india call center they were so rude they hung up on me as well, this happened 3 time's So i give bt a -10.Im going to use skype for my phone call's and at the moment it's been working great :-) Skypein/Skypeout Dualphone 3088.I am on VM internet i give it 100%.havent used there call center for over 3 year's.

[andygrif]

Sorry, I know it's way off topic, but when I saw the title of this thread I thought you wanted to take BT into a layby for a little Collymore action

[m419]

Virgin Media offer Talk anywhere which is a talk plan which works like a mobile phone plan, it gives you 200,400 or 800 minutes for a fixed fee per month.

The minutes can be used for calling:

01,02 and 03 geographical numbers
075,077,078 and 079 GSM Mobiles
0845 and 0870 numbers
International landlines and GSM mobiles

The minutes cannot be used for:

070 personal numbers
076 paging numbers
05 internet/voip
0844 (charged at 5p per minute instead)
0871 (Charged no more than 12p per minute)
09 Premium rate numbers
118 directory enquiry calls
100 Operator connected calls via Cable and Wireless operator services.

0500,0800 and 0808 numbers are free of charged at all times and minutes are not deducted from balance.

Calls to customer services are free via 150 from a virgin phone.

The Talk Anywhere 200 pack costs £20 per month including line rental, so you could spend 100 minutes to mobiles,50 minutes to landlines,20 minutes to 0845/0870 number and 30 minutes to international numbers which is equivalent to £10 per month since line rental is about £10 anyway. So its good value! Whatsmore, if you don't use up your minutes, they roll over to the next month!

Calling features are also cheaper including advanced voicemail:

1471 call return: On BT and TalkTalk you pay 6p everytime you press 3 regardless of whether the call is connected or not. With Virgin Media its free!

Anonymous call baring: On BT its £4 per month and £3.86 on TalkTalk, with Virgin Media, its £1.75 per month.

Advanced voicemail: On BT its £2.50, with Virgin Media its just £1.75

Quick dial/Speed dial: BT doesn't even offer this! With Virgin Media its £1.75 per month.

Call baring(Level 1) of just 09 numbers and operator services is free on Virgin Media, with BT its £1.75 per month.

Calling features pack: Virgin Media offers a calling features pack which costs around £3.75 per month and allows you to use all calling features available including advanced voicemail. BT's costs around £4.75 and does not include BT Callminder(Voicemail)

Or if you just mostly call landlines:

M package: £11 and includes line rental. You get unlimited free weekend calls to 01,02 and the new national 03 numbers, you also get the basic TV package with this at no extra cost too.

L: £14.50 and includes line rental. You get unlimited free week evening and all weekend calls to 01,02 and the new 03 national numbers.

XL: £19.50 and includes line rental. You get unlimited free calls day,night and weekend to 01,02 and the new 03 national numbers.

Calls to 01,02 and 03 national numbers outside of your allowances cost 3p per minute at all times plus a 6p connection charge.

In addition,If you choose M,L or XL telephone packages, you can also order Talk Mobile which costs an extra £1.50 per month and offers a 3rd off calls to mobiles compared to Virgin Media's standard rates.

hope that helps!