Paying extra for Digital Voice?

Paying extra for Digital Voice?

Author
Discussion

Mr Pointy

Original Poster:

11,688 posts

165 months

Thursday 23rd February 2023
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I'm getting regular spam/marketing emails from my ISP about the coming analogue switch off & trying to get me to sign up for Digital Voice at £6 a month. Looking into it it seems that this is going to be in addition to Line Rental so I'll be paying £22 for Internet, £17 for Line Rental & now another £6 for Digital Voice.

What really narks me is that they want me to pay more for a lesser service (eg if there's a power cut, there's no phone service), I need a new router (chargeable of course) & I may need to rejig the phone extension wiring.

I think it's time to find a cheaper ISP.

Teddy Lop

8,301 posts

73 months

Thursday 23rd February 2023
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Why you paying that, or what you getting? I'm with zen and thats £35 all in for fibre 78

I think they're all doing this as analogue phones are being switched off. But yeah did make me laugh, spend years itemising a "phone service" element regardless of whether you wanted/used it or not then when they decide they can't be arfed to continue that element of the service, then try to charge you ££ extra for what must cost pennies to service, don't skype and so on offer this sort of thing for buttons?

I know its all guff and they have a figure they want to make but you do have to laugh as to how they dress it up.

Mr Pointy

Original Poster:

11,688 posts

165 months

Thursday 23rd February 2023
quotequote all
Teddy Lop said:
Why you paying that, or what you getting? I'm with zen and thats £35 all in for fibre 78

I think they're all doing this as analogue phones are being switched off. But yeah did make me laugh, spend years itemising a "phone service" element regardless of whether you wanted/used it or not then when they decide they can't be arfed to continue that element of the service, then try to charge you ££ extra for what must cost pennies to service, don't skype and so on offer this sort of thing for buttons?

I know its all guff and they have a figure they want to make but you do have to laugh as to how they dress it up.
I'm with Zen as well & currently it's £39 (£22+£17) a month for Unlimited Fibre 2. Adding Digital Voice to give me my phone line back is another £6 a month.

Craikeybaby

10,633 posts

231 months

Friday 24th February 2023
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I am also with Zen, when we switched to digital voice we stopped paying the phone line rental, but kept the old number.

Mr Pointy

Original Poster:

11,688 posts

165 months

Saturday 25th February 2023
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Craikeybaby said:
I am also with Zen, when we switched to digital voice we stopped paying the phone line rental, but kept the old number.
Can I ask what package you are on & how much it costs per month? Maybe the Sales team gave me duff information.

Teddy Lop

8,301 posts

73 months

Saturday 25th February 2023
quotequote all
Mr Pointy said:
I'm with Zen as well & currently it's £39 (£22+£17) a month for Unlimited Fibre 2. Adding Digital Voice to give me my phone line back is another £6 a month.
That's what I have, with price for life.

Cheeky bu99ers just offered me a "deal" of £38 inc the phone but quietly dropping price for life, nah'm good thanks!

Mr Pointy

Original Poster:

11,688 posts

165 months

Saturday 25th February 2023
quotequote all
Teddy Lop said:
Mr Pointy said:
I'm with Zen as well & currently it's £39 (£22+£17) a month for Unlimited Fibre 2. Adding Digital Voice to give me my phone line back is another £6 a month.
That's what I have, with price for life.

Cheeky bu99ers just offered me a "deal" of £38 inc the phone but quietly dropping price for life, nah'm good thanks!
I wonder what will happen when the forced switchoff/changeover comes into effect. Will they force everyone to either pay more or lose their phone service?

Craikeybaby

10,633 posts

231 months

Saturday 25th February 2023
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I am also at £39, but £32 for "full fibre 100" and £7 for digital voice.

Steve_H80

361 posts

28 months

Saturday 25th February 2023
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Just tell your current provider your off elsewhere and miraculously a much better deal will appear.

alfabeat

1,183 posts

118 months

Saturday 25th February 2023
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I'm with BT and get the Complete WiFi (with 3 "free" discs) and the digital phone for £39 a month. Those WiFi discs really work very well and give us complete coverage in the house and even to my office which is 30m away outside.

sgrimshaw

7,389 posts

256 months

Monday 27th February 2023
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No line rental needed with digital voice, it comes through the fibre connection.

I told BT to stick their landlines (had 2) and saved a goodly amount per month.

I subsequently move from FTTC to FTTP as soon as it became available, BT offered me digital voice at no extra cost but to be honest our mobiles are more than adequate and would continue to work in the event of a localised power cut.

Mr Pointy

Original Poster:

11,688 posts

165 months

Monday 27th February 2023
quotequote all
sgrimshaw said:
No line rental needed with digital voice, it comes through the fibre connection.

I told BT to stick their landlines (had 2) and saved a goodly amount per month.

I subsequently move from FTTC to FTTP as soon as it became available, BT offered me digital voice at no extra cost but to be honest our mobiles are more than adequate and would continue to work in the event of a localised power cut.
But the base cost of the service with DV doesn't seem to be the same as the base cost with Line Rental. I'm paying £22+17 (Unlimited 2 & LR) While Craikeybaby is paying £32+7 for Full Fibre 100 & DV.

If LR isn't required I should be paying £22+£6 but they want at least £40 for no greater service - in fact, a lesser service. The cost of providing the infrastructure still has to paid for but they are rolling it up into the base cost & then charging for DV on top.

sgrimshaw

7,389 posts

256 months

Monday 27th February 2023
quotequote all
Mr Pointy said:
But the base cost of the service with DV doesn't seem to be the same as the base cost with Line Rental. I'm paying £22+17 (Unlimited 2 & LR) While Craikeybaby is paying £32+7 for Full Fibre 100 & DV.

If LR isn't required I should be paying £22+£6 but they want at least £40 for no greater service - in fact, a lesser service. The cost of providing the infrastructure still has to paid for but they are rolling it up into the base cost & then charging for DV on top.
Full Fibre 100, inc landline is currently £35.99 per month, Full Fibre 500 with landline is on special offer also at £35.99 per month. Happy to be corrected, but AIUI, the landline with FF packages is DV.

As ever, often best deals are obtained by speaking to someone.