Cheapest bare phone line

Hi All,

Yeah - sorry, not entirely to do with broadband; I'm just about to get a VoIP phone (note my thread in the VoIP forum).
With VoIP, I won't need to make any calls at all on the analogue line; I'm either ringing UK mobiles (cheaper just to use my own mobile) or EU (VoIP). I'll be using Be* for broadband.

Therefore, what's the cheapest bare BT line possible? So far I know of two potentials:
£10/mo (BT, 12 month contract, £120 upfront).
£6.79/mo (Primus, 12 month contract).

Apparently Primus have a reputation akin to Talktalk for their customer service. Although, with no calls going on, I'm wondering how bad it'd be*.

So, any other suggestions, thoughts, hints?



*famous last words.

For the sake of a pound or two a month (?) you could have the line rental with BE. That way you won't get fobbed off by both the line and broadband supplier over who needs to resolve an issue which then runs for weeks or months, which is not a debate you need to have when all you want is broadband.

I have no experience of Primus, Talk Talk were irritating and slightly inept and BT were just a complete joke.

you could also try post office home phone £12.00 per month no contract

http://www.ukinsurance-quote.co.uk/post-office-home_...

Already on them, looking to shave a few quid off

Do you think you might need 999 during a power cut?

Free from a landline. I'll still have a phone connected, just have no intention of using it for any calls. Plus I've still a mobile if needs be.

While cheap is nice, when people are selling stuff below cost, one has to ask what is the catch i.e. Primus

ICUK do a phoneline for 9.85 per month + Vat. But I don't know what their service is like. Anyone else know?
regards
Allan

I thought wholesale cost was around £5/6 a month ex VAT? Or am I woefully, horribly wrong there?

That's the first time I've seen them mentioned. Could be that they're tiny, OR that they just quietly get the job done.

1 month contract, so can't be ever so bad!

Answered my own question on wholesale line rental:
http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/pricin... (click WLR)

From 1st April 2011, a new line install ex vat is £48.22 and then quarterly rental is 25.92

So just adding VAT the cheapest a provider could even hope to charge (assuming they had no overheads.. ha!) would be £57.86 for installation and £10.39 monthly thereafter.

...ah. Primus are now officially scary with their £6.79 line rental.

In reply to a post by blueacid:

Already on them, looking to shave a few quid off

At what cost though? You're on a 30-days notice contract term at present. Many people would give their right arm to have that freedom.

Is saving two quid per month worth tying-in for two years?

I wouldn't use Primus if i were you. You may save a few quid but a lot of bad reviews about them. See the link.
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews145423.html

I like you, was looking round for cheaper line rental. I found that you could, only save a few pounds over BT but then call charges cost more. Most providers use LLU and that is more hassles if you want to leave.

So I would recommend to take the BT line rental saver. I paid £120 for 12 months line rental and use 18185 for cheap calls. http://www.18185.co.uk/rates.php

It works out cheaper than a call bundle or other line rental offers.

Better the devil you know sometimes

Other A.

Most providers use LLU and that is more hassles if you want to leave

Only TalkTalk and Sky that I know of, plus recently a couple of TalkTalk Business Wholesale providers - vivaciti and xilo/uno.

The rest are WLR.

Also both TT and Sky are willing to supply WLR if you don't also take their broadband, and allow other ISPs on it.

I do agree with you though about Full LLU being a hassle if you want to leave.

Edited by RobertoS (Mon 04-Apr-11 14:07:31)

Either that is the price when you take their bb too, or they will Full LLU the line, killing any existing broadband.

Cheapest I can find for primus is

http://www.primussaver.co.uk/saver-plus.aspx
£8.25 per month for 12 months when you pre-pay for 12 months
£7.99 as an exclusive on the website that recommends them.

Looking at things like CallerID that is £2.50 extra a month, so this is where they make their money, i.e. the extras and calls people actually make.

Oh, duly noted (That reviewcentre link seems good 'nuf)

With that said, I'll probably go with Be*; I'm using them for broadband, so can get their £10/month offer without chucking them £120 in one go! (Either way, 12 month contract)

I'm already with the post office, just don't ever use it for many calls - from £12.50 down to £10 per month that gives me (essentially) £2.50 of VoIP credit to make a couple of hours VoIP calls to the EU.

I'll avoid Primus; looks like while it might pan out, I'd be safer going to the casino with what I might have saved & chucking it all on red!