BT Basic

[#1]

£2.50 ?

I can't see what all the fuss is about, as has been said, where else in the UK can you get Unlimited FTTP for £17.49 or less?  I think you'll find the answer at present is nowhere.

Even if you add your monthly VoIP costs, you're going to be paying less than you were coughing up previously for a slow, unreliable, ADSL and phone service over an antiquated copper line with all it's associated problems, such as SNR margins and possible REIN, for a cutting edge FTTP connection which only less than 2% of the UK can get.  Don't forget you weren't charged any installation fees either.

Many thousands if not millions of people would gladly swap with you.

Edit: typo

[#2]

It's not the amount Rob, it's the principle and yes it's a good deal but that does not excuse the way the total has been obtained.

It's like being offered a free meal and then being told after it's been eaten, well actually we are going to charge you half price.

PS. Don't forget I have also been been penalised £50 for cancelling my phone contract. 

[#3]

I can't see the problem, the additional £2.50 has been clearly stated under PNs deals for several years (I pay it BTW).

Think of it another way, not that many ISPs let you have an Internet service without taking their phone service as well.

[#4]

I know, but they all use that phone line rental 'golden goose' to subsidise (so I was told) the internet service. 

[#5]

I went through a similar FTTP phone removal, though in my case just cancelled the PN phone as I already had a VOIP account and number.

I knew about the extra £2.50 all along. It is just how the industry works to offset the loss of phone revenue. Virgin Media let you have no phone but then charge you extra for broadband. Other FTTP providers want a huge amount for the broadband service in the first place. While pretty much all ADSL/FTTC services insist that some phone line remains active. In your case, even with the penalty and extra £2.50 you should save a lot.

The other thing I have found is that I can just stay with PN at £22.49 without having to think about the switching merry go round every year or 18 months with low initial prices but then a huge hike if I stay.

In my own case, I deliberately chose the rolling 30 day contract when joining PN for ADSL+phone, despite there being.a £50 bigger joining incentive if I went for a.longer contract. This meant I didn't have to pay any early cancellation penalty, just the extra £2.50pm.

As for equipment, I already had Gigaset DECT handsets paired with an N300A. This let the handsets work off both the existing line and VOIP together, but now they comfortably do the VOIP alone.

I also use the Csipsimple app on my phone. Not all the time as it drains my battery, but is useful for receiving calls when overseas.

The mobility of a VOIP number can confuse. My personal VOIP number begins 020 from when I lived in London, even though I now live in Surrey. Yet my office relocated me from Surrey to their London office but keeping the Surrey number. It confuses my parents who keep thinking my numbers in their address book are the wrong way around!

James

[#6]

@Minivanman

It could be argued that you are now in the situation where you have an Internet service but you no longer have a line to pay line rental on.

BTW, how much does the rental on your fibre cost?  Don't forget it's been installed at some cost and may need repairing at some time in the future. 

Until there's more competition, i.e. ISPs who are willing to offer FTTP, I'm happy to pay my £22.49 pm for FTTP 80/20 unlimited with no added line rental costs to PN.  (Although I have chosen to keep my BT copper landline).

Edit: added '80/20 unlimited '

[#7]

---

@Minivanman wrote:

PS. Don't forget I have also been been penalised £50 for cancelling my phone contract. 

---

A contract you chose to end early, you could have left it running but that would have cost more in the long term.

I don't think you realise just how good a deal you've got.

[#8]

@Browni

And I don't think you appreciate the point I am trying to make.

[#9]

What exactly is your point?
I suggest you read the first post in this thread before answering.

[#10]

This is just another topic that has drifted off from the original.

So what else is new? 

[#11]

Harping on (but who cares as nobody as listening) but this is not a million miles from that £2.50 that plusnet load onto our bills if we don't have a phone line with them.

Sigh. 

[#12]

@Minivanman Are you aware that if you pay your monthly PN bill by card (rather than direct debit) they also load a £1.50 surcharge onto the total?  I've not checked recently but that's how it used to be, although there was a time when that didn't happen, probably before greedy BT took over.

[#13]

@RobPN

I was not no, but I guess that's the price we have to pay for them not being able to dip into our bank accounts and take what they need as and when..... as they will be doing now any day soon.

PS. Now have my Cisco SPA100 ATA. Going to try hooking it up later so wish me luck 

PPS. Three days to arrive from Germany, brand new, and at a cheaper price than here in the UK. Makes you think eh?

[#14]

Good luck then!

I've no experience with that type of device having always used DrayTek VoIP routers and Gigaset IP DECT base stations (apart from a few soft-phones), but I think @MisterW said he might be able to help if you get stuck.

[#15]

@Minivanman Like @RobPN I've no hands-on experience with the SPA1xx but I have a fair amount of experience with voip system in general as I support the office Asterisk Voip pbx system and phones as well as having a Gigaset DECT system at home.

I'm happy to try and help if you get stuck. Either post on here or feel free to drop me a PM