BT Pricing Question

I sign up for unlimited Broadband for 18 months, with 6 months free followed by 12 months at £16, 2 months into my paid period the price goes up to £17.03 a month,I called BT and said I thought I had a 18 month contract at an agreed price,they replied we can adjust the cost to what ever we want at anytime.
Yet on their website a new user can still sign up for the same deal I took out plus I received a letter today making me the same offer at the old price

I signed up last April when the offer was half price for 12 months - £8/month instead of £16/month.
Then in January this year the £8/month was increased to £8.51/month
BT really are a law unto themselves and trying to get a sensible answer from Customer Support is a waste of time.

BT can increase their prices at any time:

In reference to www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/dynamicmodules/page...:

Changing the terms (notification)

51. Sometimes, we will need to change the charges or the terms and conditions of a service covered by this agreement. We will publish details of all changes online at www.bt.com.

52. We will also let you know about a price increase or a change to the terms and conditions that we believe is likely to cause you material disadvantage at least one month before it happens. We will do this in writing (which may include by letter, email, with your bill or by any other permitted method). We will let you know about other changes to prices and our terms and conditions with your next available bill or by an alternative method if this is simpler.

However they are supposed to notify you if the changes "materially disadvantage" you, which in the case of prices is usually taken as an increase above RPI. Your increase of about 6.4%, which is the same as your 1st replier, would seem higher than RPI, but it might depend on when they last increase prices.

However,I've just checked what the OP says, and there certainly appears to be the deal signed up to still at the original price. I don't see how a price increase mid-contract can therefore be justified. If the price had risen, it's arguable, but this case looks very iffy indeed.

I tihnk you could complain to the ASA and your Trading Standards Officer about that.

However, as you well know, offers to new custs are not necessarily applicable to existing custs.

The only thing I see iffy is the %age increase above RPI, unless they can show that this product price has remained unchanged for a no. of years, in which case they can conceivably sigma the RPIs over the period.

A customer who signed up to a deal that is still extent is not the same thing as an existing customer seeing a deal they would have liked. BT seem to have reneged on the contract.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

BT can increase their prices at any time:

In reference to www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/dynamicmodules/page...:

Changing the terms (notification)

51. Sometimes, we will need to change the charges or the terms and conditions of a service covered by this agreement. We will publish details of all changes online at www.bt.com.

52. We will also let you know about a price increase or a change to the terms and conditions that we believe is likely to cause you material disadvantage at least one month before it happens. We will do this in writing (which may include by letter, email, with your bill or by any other permitted method). We will let you know about other changes to prices and our terms and conditions with your next available bill or by an alternative method if this is simpler.

However they are supposed to notify you if the changes "materially disadvantage" you, which in the case of prices is usually taken as an increase above RPI. Your increase of about 6.4%, which is the same as your 1st replier, would seem higher than RPI, but it might depend on when they last increase prices.

I really am in the same position as the OP as the bill states that the broadbamd cost is £17.03 then a discount of £8.52 is showing so I I'm effectively charged £8.51.
No matter how you try to explain/excuse it the price increase has been made during the contract period without, certainly in my case, without notification.
I became so fed-up and frustrated at trying to get answers I gave up.
When the contract term is up (and BT won't even tell me that!!) I'm off to another ISP

In reply to a post by fernandez:

I really am in the same position as the OP as the bill states that the broadbamd cost is £17.03 then a discount of £8.52 is showing so I I'm effectively charged £8.51.

The £17.03 price is mentioned here ("Previously available Standard Packages", page 43):

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/asset...

I don't ever recall seeing that price on the main sales pages though, or hearing word of a price increase.

I did not see any notification should I be able to see this as I only get my bills online,also how can they still be selling the product at the old price to new customers,knowing full well they will increase the cost first chance they get,the flyer I received yesterday addressed to me states £8 a month for 6 months then £16 a month,no little asterisk next to it to refer you to any further conditions,just a mention of line rental will be extra, I still have 6 months to run with them,but then who do you move to ?

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

In reply to a post by fernandez:

I really am in the same position as the OP as the bill states that the broadbamd cost is £17.03 then a discount of £8.52 is showing so I I'm effectively charged £8.51.

The £17.03 price is mentioned here ("Previously available Standard Packages", page 43):

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/asset...

I don't ever recall seeing that price on the main sales pages though, or hearing word of a price increase.
[/quote

The fact remains that I (and the OP) joined at the advertised price of £16/month - in my case at half-price (£8/month) for 12 months. Then without warning this is increased to £17.03/month
AFAIK a contract for £16/month is simply that
BT has NEVER advertised or offered a package at the very odd amount of £17.03/month.
Beats me how they arrive at these whimsical figures or do they make it up as they go along?

Edited by deleted (Tue 25-Mar-14 13:29:01)

Good find! I've used the same doc to confirm my legacy Unlimited Anytime Plan. There are some interesting facts to be gleaned from it.

The OP's product appears as the 2nd line of the 'Previously available Standard Packages' table but fernandez's isn't in that table but still in the 'Currently available Standard Packages' table but w/out any price increase.

@ fernandez: You should write to them to complain, refer to this doc and ask what justification for raising your charge.

The OP's product is not the same as the product currently on sale. The Calling Plan component of the OP is 'Unlimited Weekend Plan' whereas the current product's is 'Unlimited Weekend Calls'. A subtle diff but the same diff that enables me to get my 'Unlimited Anytime Plan' for £5.48 rather than the current £7 for 'Unlimited Anytime Calls'.

This 6.4% price increase is exactly the same as that applied to my phone Calling Plan but in that case the equiv. current product on offer is considerably more expensive. This all must be part of the price increases of early Jan, when we were all sent an email in Oct linked to a doc detailing these increases, but I've lost that link.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

This 6.4% price increase is exactly the same as that applied to my phone Calling Plan but in that case the equiv. current product on offer is considerably more expensive. This all must be part of the price increases of early Jan, when we were all sent an email in Oct linked to a doc detailing these increases, but I've lost that link.

So BT applied a 6.4% increase across the board to existing customers, even those under contract, whilst leaving the price for new customer joining exactly the same product* untouched? Way to go BT. Might be allowed under the T&C, will certainly not endear them to anyone.

* Unless of course there is a different between Unlimited Weekend Calls and Unlimited Weekend Plan worth paying 6.4% more for.

Post deleted by RobertoS

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

* Unless of course there is a different between Unlimited Weekend Calls and Unlimited Weekend Plan worth paying 6.4% more for.

Actually, maybe that is it. Of course many might have preferred the higher call prices over the increase in rental, especially as weekend plan/calls customers are likely to use their landline for calls very little, if ever.

Unlimited Weekend Plan
Calls � up to 1 hour 8.95 / 1.18 / 0
Calls � thereafter 8.95 / 1.18 / 8.95

Unlimited Weekend Calls
Calls � up to 1 hour 9 / 9 / 0
Calls � thereafter 9 / 9 / 9

BT explained that the W/E calling plan is a free added extra so there even if you do not want or use it,I do not use BT for any calls but send my calls out over VOIP which cost me £10 for 120 days for unlimited UK calls plus some overseas calls

The question is who do you move to for unlimited once the contract is up for BT,I did think of Plusnet (I know they are BT owned) but I am seeing more and more complaints re their call handling times, I have at least a year before there is any chance of FTTC/FTTH

I'm happy with Sky LLU. Aside from Plusnet, you have to be willing to leave BT WLR phone for the best deals on Sky & Talktalk. Sky's customer service is better than Talktalk.

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

I'm happy with Sky LLU. Aside from Plusnet, you have to be willing to leave BT WLR phone for the best deals on Sky & Talktalk. Sky's customer service is better than Talktalk.

Nice thought but no LLU at our exchange

Plusnet forum responses, particularly on the "in-house" ones, is pretty good, and the reps are way above the phone Tier 1 guys as well.

In reply to a post by boranatty:

Nice thought but no LLU at our exchange

BT or Plusnet then. Or if unlimited isn't a priority, browse some of the smaller providers on the forum.

My suggestions, alphabetically: Aquiss; vivaciti; xilo/uno.

Thanks, my knowledge outside of the "big three" is limited.

I notice for Aquiss, for a house move: "If there are any remaining months left on your minimum contract to complete, whilst at this property, you would also need to settle these in full. Contracts are not transferred between properties."

So if one is two months into a 12 month Aquiss contract at one house and wants to remain on Aquiss at the new house, 10 months would have to paid back for the old contract, before starting a new contract from scratch at the new property. Seems harsh.

Is that all products, or LLU?

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Is that all products, or LLU?

Saw it here: http://www.aquiss.net/broadband-unlimited-premium.php

95% coverage leads me to think it's WBC.

I think those must TT Business Wholesale. 95% of exchanges.

The standard packages are monthly term, on this page.

95% coverage is impressive, I guess TT's wholesale contract terms for house moves aren't too flexible then. One to look out for though, but won't be available to the OP anyway.

As you say, the monthly WBC options are still available, albeit less prominent than the TT offerings on the Aquiss site.

Add to list Freeola Unlimited 7pm-7am and all weekend. Various packages for peak use.
Seen no increase in my BT Broadband price yet. Will contact if I do and ask free transfer, there was and is no asterick on price quoted or, by operator who took order.

Edited by flippery (Tue 25-Mar-14 19:13:46)

It seems to be down to which version of which call plan one is on as to whether a price rise is applicable. BT's product wording differences are very subtle.