Friday 17 July 2009

We have been quite generous to customers over the years

BT are hiking their charges again. Why isn't there any deflation when you need it?

From the Guardian...

BT is putting up its prices for the second time this year, making calls 34% more expensive than they were six months ago.

The company put up the cost of calls in April and will do the same again at the beginning of October. From then, calls will be 5.25p per minute, up from 3.91p at the beginning of the year. The set-up fee – the cost of connecting a call – will rise to 9p. It was 6.85p in January.

The move will hit 12 million of BT's 14 million customers. Only those on its Anytime package, which costs £4.95 a month, will not be affected.

The latest increases will come into effect on 1 October. Customers were told of the change in the magazine that BT sends out with its bills.

"We have been quite generous to customers over the years, offering things like free calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers. Telephony costs have come down," a spokesman for BT said. "We advise customers to consider whether they would be better off moving to the Anytime calls package in order to avoid increases in daytime call prices and the set up fee. BT's Unlimited Anytime Plan costs just £4.95 a month, or 17p a day, and includes all your UK calls and calls to 0870 and 0845 numbers at any time."

6 comments:

Stevie b. said...

"BT said "We advise customers to consider whether they would be better off moving to the Anytime calls package",...so that as soon as they've done so, we can raise the price for that even more.

Anonymous said...

AC: "Why isn't there any deflation when you need it?"

The question is not is this inflation, rather does BT have the pricing power in the face of declining sales and mobile phones to maintain their new tariff.

Anonymous said...

Instead of winging, switch to an alternative provider, like Tiscali or Virgin. I'm paying 15 quids per month for internet and free landline. (vs 36 at BT)

As long as people are stupid and don't switch providers, BT can raise prices. But I think at some point a lot of people will.

Anonymous said...

In my village I have no choice but to use BT Openreach as provider of the landline; the rental is much the same whether I pay BT Retail, or one of the others who buy from BTO and then resell it.

But for voice calls things are very different! VoIP gives MUCH better prices, and an alternative geographical number. Quality is good. No need ever to pay BT for a call again.

Noel said...

Yes, once BT have all homeworkers on its anytime package they can raise prices - whats this 9p set up charge - totally ridiculous
see http://www.intelesis.co.uk/03-virtualuk08.php

Anonymous said...

Don't care.

Get my line from Tiscali and my calls from Tesco.

La La La BT can go and take a hike.