Mobile to Plusnet landline

[#1]

Just to play Devil's advocate, I'm sure there are also plenty of people who are glad that it's enabled by default in order that they can get messages when they're out or on the phone.

[#2]

There's nothing wrong with them putting a tick in the box if they want it 

[#3]

i'm erring on the side of plusnet with this one, if i'm busy or out i still generally want to receive a message, and it makes no differance if i have call waiting and an answerphone in my house the caller is still charged weather its by 1571 answerphone (which can take multiple simultaneous callers to the same number) which realistically is absolutly fabulous when your screening cold calling shmucks and gettign them charged for the privilidge:)
i can sort of see your argument anotherone about the calling charges but realistically theres nothign to stop mobile callers from send your home phone a text mesage (i believe retrieving the message costs you money though) that and of course people i like /wish ot comune with have my mobile number and know to text me on that not ring my house in the first instance

[#4]

That's fine if 1571 suits you, but it doesn't suit a lot of people. You must also take into account that there a lot of people that get confused if you send a text message to a landline because they have no information by default on how the system works. All phone users aren't tech wizards.

[#5]

to be honest nor am i,
i know that my home phone number can receive text messages only because i have ot pay to receive them (there not part of my calling plan) and there received as computer voice messages (text to speak) which can be funny given how some people use text speak.

i know that some of hte more modern phones offer actuall text ability but its not something i personlay would ever bother with, its what i have a mobile for afterall....

with regard ot the 1571 package i too used ot have an answer phone system in the house but due to suffering a lot of brownouts/blackouts at the property i was occupying (every time the air temp hit 28 degrees c) i found the 1571 service when it was introduced as a "freebie" a must have option, i realise that electrical supply has gotten a lot better in the years since then but i'm still wary of mains powered options since there still "twitchy" (on christmass eve at 2130 we suffered a power loss due to the adbreak triggering a rush for a brew across the locality and although it came back after 3 minutes (as people turned off some power hungry appliances) clearly electricity production wasnt up to demand (somethign that is likely to get more common in the not so distant future) often this results in the answer phone system not working untill being reset (unlike 1571 which still works as it has a backup power source)
i realise that others wont necessarily think like me but then a lot of people also dont own answerphones or TAM systems or if they do know how ot operate them anyway (my phone just flashes a light to alert me to messages on the 1571 system)

[#6]

As you said it suits you.
Many people think (as do I) without any form of Answerphone, if it's important enough they will ring back or those I would wish to get calls from will ring my mobile (which is on 24/7) if it's important.
However I note with interest your phone flashing light when there is a 1571 message is working, whereas another recent poster's had stopped since moving from TT, interesting.

[#7]

It's interesting to see this matter brought up. I've always had the cynical view of why 1571 exists and is free. It's the same reason answer machines were invented; to make money from connected calls. I made a point of not having the service when I signed up because I want the greater control of having my own answer machine (I think the setup of 1571 is awful anyway - I mean in the way it functions). I think Anotherone is right, most people don't really know how these things work or what it really means in terms of making money for the phone companies. I'm not so indignant about it, however - "buyer" beware, and all that. What I am indignant about is caller display being charged for. To my mind there is no justification for that.

[#8]

it never used to be free, when 1571 was first introduced you had to pay a monthly fee for the service of £1.50 given that line rental +service plan at the time cost £7.50 it was a lot (light user scheme was £4.75 a month) even if that was a long time ago, the only thing i can say for certain that diversification of the market has brought customers is higher costs, also the line rental increase years ago was what paid for the incorporation of the "free 1571 service" its just that now its "free" or "inclusive" you dont get to complain if the service provision is cr** although in saying that there used ot be a monthly rebate on some service plans if you turned off the 1571 optional service...

i personally prefer the 1571 service over the mobile operators version as well , you dont pay anything to retrive your messages, if your on contract this is termed as "free message collection/retrieval" however when it became free the average monthly plan costs went up by £5per month (yes i know there are some super cheap plans available now but for years they wernt) yet soemone else has already paid the call costs to leave the message(s) so mobile firms are seriously raking it in on that one...
clid is about the only optional service i have ever really paid for since it got introduced (

@anotherone
my phone service is still with bt as i type this, my transfer across to PN should of been about a month ago but theres been address missmatch problems....... not something i blame PN for and had i known about the issue i would of had it fixed a long time ago (my fault for never checking it i guess)
i'd imagine that the 1571 greenlight on my bt decor phone will still flash once PN has the service as there essentially offering the same thing, the envelope icon system used wiht TT iirc is actually them incorectly triggering the text message retrieval system as an alert (but to be fair its been about 6 years since i last had anythign to do wiht TT and that was on behalf of a slightly "challenged" person)

[#9]

Free 1571 service or personal answerphone - not much difference - though I prefer 1571
The free 1571 doesn't require a power socket near the phone (though the phone itself may), lacks the facility to reject calls but allows multiple messages to be recorded when the line is in use (unlike the personal) and also lacks the facility to record your personal message (usually a dire attempt at humour) - choose smiley from
@nanotm
The 1571 button does work with PN as the "interrupted dial-tone" is still the indicator. The Decor grabs the line (if idle) every 30mins for that very purpose

[#10]

really how awfull
bt's 1571 service always prompts me to press 4 to record a personal greeting, not something i personally feel the need to do but i do like the facility since it alows people from buisness's the oportunity to get back to me during working hours (well for them at least) when i'm temporarily unavailable on that number, and avoids the problem of not receiving potentially vital information, also if i choose to setup the facility i can use a pin number to retrieve any messages whilst away (on holiday or such) something most personal units will do but they erase the messages imediatly afterwards not to mention there limited storage (based on the fact most units have low memory)
the only real drawback as a customer i can see from the 1571 service is that it can be a touch unreliable in terms of allerting to the message (as you say there can be a time cycle, in the past i have found it to only be activated once i have lifted and replaced the reciever of my phone if nobody has been home for a day or two)
but yeah i think in general having it as an opt out system is better (the majority of people know it only kicks in after 10 rings) most personal systems are default setup to kick in at 4 rings, and it allows the forgetfull the leaway that they have it without having to remember to get it activated

[#11]

Quote from: nanotm

bt's 1571 service always prompts me to press 4 to record a personal greeting,

Bother, should have checked that  "To use a personal greeting, press 2" (when no messages stored)