Signing up with restricted line

[#1]

Does anyone know if there's a special procedure for coming off a restricted phone line (BT Light User) to take up a PlusNet phone and broadband package? Not for me of course but for a prospective PlusNet customer whose current dial-up service is soon to cease unless it's just a ruse to upgrade to their broadband (it's AOL and the person concerned uses a Mac).
BT's broadband checker tells me that the 'product' would need to be ceased before a broadband order could go through but I wonder if it can be processed 'manually' if the phone line was going to be switched to PlusNet too.

[#2]

Unfortunately if a phone line is active we can't place an order to transfer the phone service until the broadband is active. The only way we can activate home phone on a line prior to broadband is if we actually activate a stopped line or install a new one.
As such I'm afraid in this case there's nothing we can do unless the light user account is cancelled.

[#3]

Thanks for the quick reply, 'Orbrey'. I'll pass that info on to the person concerned and let them decide what to do.

[#4]

Hi there,
Removing the light user scheme should just be a case of calling 150 and asking them to remove it.
It should be relatively straight forward.

[#5]

I passed the info on, and the person who asked me is going to hang fire for the moment and contact AOL to see what the timescale is on them stopping dial-up for Macs, then have a good think about what to do. I've suggested PlusNet dial-up if they really want to keep on Light User.
I understand some freephone numbers aren't allowed on Light User so have warned them to be very careful to check everything out. Unfortunately, BT seems to have hidden much of their Light User information and I see they're bringing in a new low cost tariff, BT Basic, later this year just for people on benefits so I'm wondering if that will be replacing Light User, at least for new customers.
The line doesn't come out terribly well for BB, 1Mbps fixed speed or 3Mbps on MaxDSL according to the BT broadband checker, though I reckon PlusNet's basic phone and broadband package works out cheaper than AOL dial-up plus Light User, even with the maximum quarterly discount.

[#6]

I went on Light User for a while and, for a short period of time, won hands down as they left call charges as per Option One and I already had broadband.
The quarterly refunds were massive but I made the mistake of trying to reduce monthly DD as I was building up a very large credit amount, even at £10 per month.
I stress this was a BT error as they got so involved as to whether I had a mobile phone that the broadband question was never asked.
The terms for Light User are really restrictive. You weren't supposed to have broadband or a mobile phone. If you tried to use a prefix to obtain cheap calls that was automatically blocked. Call charges were at a much higher rate than normal.
Once they discovered their error I went back to Option One.

[#7]

I am surprised that BT have allowed the user to continue on this scheme with dial-up Internet. Many moons ago I was on light user and was told that I couldn't have it if I used the Internet.
If the person wants to continue on light user one solution might be to use the My Internet Pass card:
http://www.mipcards.com/
This gives 2000 minutes anytime or 30 days for £10.  He/she would have to enter a new password into the dial-up box each time the card is renewed.

[#8]

Me too, poppy! Especially with a subscription using a freephone number to connect and a mobile phone (also not used very often like the internet).
Perhaps I could blackmail the person concerned into joining PlusNet by saying I'll let on to BT!!!