Strange doings at BT

[Trog]

I have just received my latest phone bill from BT. Needless to say they want to put my monthly payment up by a quite large percentage.

The e-mail from them states that the rise is to cover an increase in use by ourselves. Looking into the details it is not the cost of calls even though our chargeable phone calls have risen to a colossal total of £1.61 for the last quarter.

The reason for the rise is that an option called friends and family mobile that used to be free, is now being charged for in advance. Then on the next bill it seems we get a refund of the same amount to take the charge back to zero!

Presumably this is a way they think they can increase revenue/prices dispite sending me an email in September that promised no price rises until next year.

Needless to say raising our monthly bill to cover this charge, then refunding it three months later will put the account in credit, by an amount that if it is not adjusted will ratchet up every quarter.

I think I will be ringing one of their call centres tomorrow.

 

[wintonian]

I think I will be ringing one of their call centres tomorrow.

I wouldn't bother, I tend to find it rather futile trying to explain such simplicity to those in Bangalore. :-x

 

[ATW Alex 101]

I wouldn't bother, I tend to find it rather futile trying to explain such simplicity to those in Bangalore. :-x

Or them explaining it to us ..

 

[D2022]

Phone companies are sneaky as hell! 02 gave me unlimited data....except it wasn't and they charged me over a hundred quid for a few downloaded albums. Yes I should have read the small print...so I did, and not a word about a fair use policy lol

 

[richw]

I wouldn't bother, I tend to find it rather futile trying to explain such simplicity to those in Bangalore. :-x

If your lucky BT has a Customer Services call centre in Truro, Cornwall. I drive past it every day!

 

[LexyBoy]

They have to find the money somewhere to send me a letters twice a week for the last six months asking to subscribe to their BT Infinity...

 

[Cletus]

Lile a lot of people I only have a landline to have broadband.
The last couple of years I've taken up their offer that involves paying a years' rental in advance.
Last year was £120, this year £129.
That, at least saves a bit of money.
It has free landline weekend calls - you have to make 2 a month or they charge extra. (I just ring my work fax twice a month to make sure they don't)

 

[starrymarkb]

They have to find the money somewhere to send me a letters twice a week for the last six months asking to subscribe to their BT Infinity...

I get a weekly Virgin Media flyer touting TV and very very fast internet.

Problem is the cable ends at next door, they won't extend it further up the road... So I can't get any of what the leaflet claims. I can get basic broadband over a BT line, but it's more expensive and restricted then BE (who I currently use)

 

[Trog]

I wouldn't bother, I tend to find it rather futile trying to explain such simplicity to those in Bangalore. :-x

Oh ye of little faith.


The lovely Usma has explained the odd charge and pay back thing as being the product of the ending of a special offer, and when I said in that case I would do without that feature. She offered to let me have it free for another year. We also agreed that the monthly payment would be £4.50 less than their suggestion, as that amount would put us all square by this time next year.

 

[Jatos]

Phone companies are sneaky as hell! 02 gave me unlimited data....except it wasn't and they charged me over a hundred quid for a few downloaded albums. Yes I should have read the small print...so I did, and not a word about a fair use policy lol

I don't know why there has not been a big false advertising mass complaint yet which this clearly is!

 

[starrymarkb]

T-Mobile is unlimited - No charge for 9GB of Mobile Data this month

 

[D2022]

I don't know why there has not been a big false advertising mass complaint yet which this clearly is!

Same, I did ask 3 about it and they said its because 02 do technically warn you, just on their website lol....shame those of us without computers wouldn't think to check their site...

 

[Jatos]

I wouldn't pay attention to what the mobile networks say.

Fact is, what is said in the advertising untrue, therefore it is false advertising, even if there websites says oh, its not unlimited, their advertising still claims it is despite this!

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I wouldn't pay attention to what the mobile networks say, fact is, false advertising is false advertising, saying something else besides what's on the advertising to contradict the advertising hardly changes that!

Perhaps you could clarify your legal argument behind your claim that every single mobile phone network and ISP are committing a criminal offence.

 

[richw]

Same, I did ask 3 about it and they said its because 02 do technically warn you, just on their website lol....shame those of us without computers wouldn't think to check their site...

But if your not advised at point of sale it is misrepresentation regardless of what their website says. The only time the website has any legal standing on purchase of unlimited is if you purchased that unlimited item from website.
I've just upgraded my phone yesterday, and noticed the unlimited parts have been swapped for 5000.

 

[D2022]

But if your not advised at point of sale it is misrepresentation regardless of what their website says. The only time the website has any legal standing on purchase of unlimited is if you purchased that unlimited item from website.
I've just upgraded my phone yesterday, and noticed the unlimited parts have been swapped for 5000.

That's usefull to know

 

[richw]

That's usefull to know

How would you know what the website says if you take out by telephone or in store. Therefore terms on website only apply to items purchased on website. Likewise terms in store that arent on website dont apply to website purchases

 

[Jatos]

Perhaps you could clarify your legal argument behind your claim that every single mobile phone network and ISP are committing a criminal offence.

Firstly, although I believe they false advertising is not permitted, I do not know of it been an actual criminal offence per say, if you know it is, please do tell me exactly what law it is an offence under.

In fact as far as I am aware, the ASA have the rights to ban adverts which are false, but false advertising is not a criminal offence, I have not implied that it is.

My argument is quite simply, they have claimed quite clearly in their advertising they provide unlimited data, when in fact they do not, and other documentation they provide contradicts this. The claim they provide unlimited data even with the small print is clearly and distinctly misleading, and is intended to make customers believe they are offer something which they do not.

 

[tony_mac]

Firstly, although I believe they false advertising is not permitted, I do not know of it been an actual criminal offence per say, if you know it is, please do tell me exactly what law it is an offence under.

It could be a misleading price indication; see the Consumer Protection Act 1987.
and I coincidentally just read this (but haven't checked it)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20543107

Misleading advertising is illegal under the 2008 unfair trading regulations

Phone companies are sneaky as hell! 02 gave me unlimited data....except it wasn't and they charged me over a hundred quid for a few downloaded albums. Yes I should have read the small print...so I did, and not a word about a fair use policy lol

I certainly believe that may well contravene the consumer protection act (depending on what 'a few' means!)

 

[michael769]

Firstly, although I believe they false advertising is not permitted, I do not know of it been an actual criminal offence per say, if you know it is, please do tell me exactly what law it is an offence under.

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 Regulation 8-12

The criminal penaties are set out in Section 13:

13. A person guilty of an offence under regulation 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 shall be liable—

(a)on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum; or
(b)on conviction on indictment, to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both.

 

[D2022]

It could be a misleading price indication; see the Consumer Protection Act 1987.
and I coincidentally just read this (but haven't checked it)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20543107




I certainly believe that may well contravene the consumer protection act (depending on what 'a few' means!)

A few in this case was two Evanescence albums and a QOTSA album, so around 30 tracks.