Does BT want to keep me?

My Infinity 1 40GB limit product is up for renewal along with my LRS. Currently achieving (just tested now with BT WS speed test) 35.86 down and 6.48 up. My usage is around 28GB per month. I have a BTYouView box which was swapped over from the old silver BT TV box last year at now cost to me due to a fault. I do not subscribe to BT TV - just use the on demand services.

Currently paying £16.65 (£2.50 pm discount) for the Infinity 1, LRS (at whatever price it was 12 months ago) and E+W calls 2.12.

I called BT and got through to "Customer Options" to see if they wanted an attempt to stop a churn but they didn't seem that interested. This time last year when a MAC code was required they were more enthusiastic to keep my custom. I've tried twice but still in contract by 1 week.

Putting the LRS and E+W aside, I was offered £18.15 (post price rise on 20 Sep) for 12 months. An overall increase of £1.50 per month. I mentioned Sky and PlusNet deals but nothing was forth coming apart from Sport and TV packages.

I highighted that when I logged onto myBT it had a personal offer of unlimited Infinity 1 for £15.65 per month - a saving of £7 per month. The customer option advisor could not see a similar offer on her system and said it was the best offer I'd get and once they have given the discount they wouldn't be able to take it away on the next renewal. I don't need unlimited but it seems like the only option. Has anyone got any views on the discount continuing in 12 months time? To me, it looks like I'm benig dangled a carrot and the stick will follow.

If I moved from BT would the BTYouView box still work - assuming they don't ask for it to be returned.

Looking at alternatives I was thinking on PlusNet but noticed their 38MB/s product has an upload of 2MB/s down from 10MB/s - so comparing apples and pears. The 76MB is probably a waste due to my current download being 35.86MB/s.

I'm not a fan of Sky. Any other alternatives?

I'm also worried about switching HomePhone and loosing my number - it would be a pain to notify everyone with a new number - so probably looking for BB only.

I suppose the other option would be a downgrade to standard broadband. Before I upgraded to Infinity I was obtaining 12 down and around 2.5 up (if I remember correctly). BT says there would be a £35 downgrade charge.

Been with BT for 22 years and always managed to get a decent discount until swapped to Infinity a few years ago. Now with more ISPs providing FTTC I had hoped the good discounts would reappear.

Thanks in advance

BarkingMad

In reply to a post by BarkingMad:

Looking at alternatives I was thinking on PlusNet but noticed their 38MB/s product has an upload of 2MB/s down from 10MB/s - so comparing apples and pears. The 76MB is probably a waste due to my current download being 35.86MB/s.

I'm not a fan of Sky. Any other alternatives?

Depending on what your estimate says, Plusnet might not even let you order the 76Mbps.

How about this package? Monthly contract, so you can easily move on.

Edited by RobertoS (Tue 11-Aug-15 21:30:32)

Thanks. I'll take a look.

May opt for the BT personal offer - cheaper than paying at the moment and less hassle.

Based on my experience (I recontracted last week on unlimited Inf2), I see no reason why you shouldn't keep that unlimited Inf1 discount for a 12 month recontract, it's on the meagre side I would actually say (and that's before any line rental deal you can strike). Whether there is an internal rule to guarantee it though I don't know.

Thanks vimto_girl,

I'm not sure I follow the meagre comment. I thought the standard price for unlimited Infinity 1 was £23 p/m. The personalised offer is £15.65 p/m which is 68% of the standard price - so nearly 1/3 discount. This would be the best discount I have managed on Infinity. For standard broadband I was achieving 50%.

Do BT reduce standard monthly LR these days? They always seem to push the LRS as the method of achieving discount.

If you've got some magic tricks up your sleeve to achieve discounts I'd love to hear them.

I meant when it comes to renewing unlimited Inf1 in a years time, rather than the discount shrink there's room for it to go up. This may not seem in line at all with your current retention offerings, but It would be in line with my proportion off unlimited Inf2 which similarly had a decent discount in place.

I didn't do anything for the broadband price, just rang and let them offer. Line rental, yes it was saver, with a discount on top - that took some teasing out. I don't think I know any special tricks im afraid!