BT to launch "BT Broadband Basic" - a cheaper version of BT broadband

It looks like someone in BT has been on a Ryanair management training
course, by deciding to launch a new "no frills" version, of what was BT
Broadband (itself, a "no frills" version of a tradditional ISP (i.e. BT
Openworld/Yahoo))

-------

BT are to introduce a new, cheaper version of its existing BT Broadband 512K
ADSL service to be called BT "Broadband Basic"

It will be available from the 1st March 2004

The main features/differences between the existing BT Broadband and the new
"basic" product appear to be:

- It will be mandatory to purchase a BT Voyager 105 Broadband Modem when
ordering BT Broadband Basic (£50 inc 2 mirofilters)

- BT Broadband Basic includes a usage allowance of 1 GB data transferred per
month

**BT may charge you a one off fee for every month that you transfer in
excess of this limit.**

**All helpdesk calls are charged at premium rate.**

The activation fee will be £30 and the monthly line rental will be £20.99
(19.99 if paying my direct debit or BT monthly payment plan) - £8/month less
than its existing BT Broadband tariff

It will also possible to change from the standard BT Broadband tariff to the
new BT "Broadband Basic" one on payment of a £30 fee

-------

So for £8.month less, you would be giving up the 0800 helpline and you "may"
face an additional fee if you go over the 1GB monthly limit

Ideal for lower users or those who need/want to be with a BT ISP but are
technically competent.

It should also attract some new customers to ADSL and perhaps even away from
other ISP's as BT's new £19.99 price point undercuts many others - if they
in turn, don't launch new product offerings

Regards
Sunil

Sunil Sood <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> - It will be mandatory to purchase a BT Voyager 105 Broadband Modem when
> ordering BT Broadband Basic (£50 inc 2 mirofilters)

Any idea if you would be charged this, if you wanted to downgrade to it
from the current 512k service?

David

--
David Horne- (website under reconstruction)
davidhorne (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

"David Horne" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1g9vdm1.1xmd7cp63ndoaN%this_address_is_for_sp (E-Mail Removed)...
> Sunil Sood <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > - It will be mandatory to purchase a BT Voyager 105 Broadband Modem when
> > ordering BT Broadband Basic (£50 inc 2 mirofilters)
>
> Any idea if you would be charged this, if you wanted to downgrade to it
> from the current 512k service?

I believe you will have to pay the £50 for the modem to change from "BT
Broadband" to "BT Broadband Basic", if (and only if) you didn't buy a modem
from BT originally when you got BT Broadband

If you have one from BT Broadband, you won't need to buy another one

Regards
Sunil

OMG. Are people actually stupid enough to sign up with that! I could go way
over a GB in a month using dial-up 56k! For a £1 less you can go with
plusnet much superiour tariff or just £2 more an unlimited full adsl tariff.

More advertising needs to done because there are plently of people that
think its easier to go with BT because they supply the phone, and some
people don't even know there are other providers out there, let alone
cheaper ones. GRRRRRRR. BT makes me angry.

Dan


"David Horne" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1g9vdm1.1xmd7cp63ndoaN%this_address_is_for_sp (E-Mail Removed)...
> Sunil Sood <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > - It will be mandatory to purchase a BT Voyager 105 Broadband Modem when
> > ordering BT Broadband Basic (£50 inc 2 mirofilters)
>
> Any idea if you would be charged this, if you wanted to downgrade to it
> from the current 512k service?
>
> David
>
> --
> David Horne- (website under reconstruction)
> davidhorne (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

Sunil Sood wrote:

> The main features/differences between the existing BT Broadband and the new
> "basic" product appear to be:
>
> - It will be mandatory to purchase a BT Voyager 105 Broadband Modem when
> ordering BT Broadband Basic (£50 inc 2 mirofilters)

Hrm not good for those who already have their own kit.

> - BT Broadband Basic includes a usage allowance of 1 GB data transferred per
> month

That's crazy - I probably chalk up more than that downloading spam, on
IRC, Usenet and basic browsing each month.

> **BT may charge you a one off fee for every month that you transfer in
> excess of this limit.**

That really isn't very clear at all. 'May' charge a fee? If there's a
traffic limit either make it absolute or don't bother at all - clarity
please!

> **All helpdesk calls are charged at premium rate.**

Ouch.

> The activation fee will be £30 and the monthly line rental will be £20.99
> (19.99 if paying my direct debit or BT monthly payment plan) - £8/month less
> than its existing BT Broadband tariff

That's still way overpriced IMHO - Metronet are a far better option.

> It will also possible to change from the standard BT Broadband tariff to the
> new BT "Broadband Basic" one on payment of a £30 fee

It will be interesting to see if that transfer option applies whatever
ISP you are moving from, I would assume so otherwise other ISPs will get
rather upset.

> So for £8.month less, you would be giving up the 0800 helpline and you "may"
> face an additional fee if you go over the 1GB monthly limit

No thank you!

> It should also attract some new customers to ADSL and perhaps even away from
> other ISP's as BT's new £19.99 price point undercuts many others - if they
> in turn, don't launch new product offerings

It may do due to BT's exposure, advertising advantages, brand name, etc.
As a stand alone deal it's really a complete rip off to be honest, there
are cheaper and much less restrictive deals there.

Regards

Carl

Sunil Sood said the following:

> It looks like someone in BT has been on a Ryanair management training
> course, by deciding to launch a new "no frills" version, of what was BT
> Broadband (itself, a "no frills" version of a tradditional ISP (i.e. BT
> Openworld/Yahoo))
>
> -------
>
> BT are to introduce a new, cheaper version of its existing BT Broadband512K
> ADSL service to be called BT "Broadband Basic"
>
> It will be available from the 1st March 2004
>
> The main features/differences between the existing BT Broadband and thenew
> "basic" product appear to be:
>
> - It will be mandatory to purchase a BT Voyager 105 Broadband Modem when
> ordering BT Broadband Basic (?50 inc 2 mirofilters)
>
> - BT Broadband Basic includes a usage allowance of 1 GB data transferred per
> month
>
> **BT may charge you a one off fee for every month that you transfer in
> excess of this limit.**
>
> **All helpdesk calls are charged at premium rate.**
>
> The activation fee will be ?30 and the monthly line rental will be ?20.99
> (19.99 if paying my direct debit or BT monthly payment plan) - ?8/monthless
> than its existing BT Broadband tariff
>
> It will also possible to change from the standard BT Broadband tariff to the
> new BT "Broadband Basic" one on payment of a ?30 fee
>
> -------
>
> So for ?8.month less, you would be giving up the 0800 helpline and you "may"
> face an additional fee if you go over the 1GB monthly limit
>
> Ideal for lower users or those who need/want to be with a BT ISP but are
> technically competent.
>
> It should also attract some new customers to ADSL and perhaps even awayfrom
> other ISP's as BT's new ?19.99 price point undercuts many others - if they
> in turn, don't launch new product offerings
>
> Regards
> Sunil
>


> > So for ?8.month less, you would be giving up the 0800 helpline and you "may"
> face an additional fee if you go over the 1GB monthly limit
Just 1GB monthly limit¡H

Ricco


--
Firefox, probably the best browser in this world

On Sat, 28 Feb 2004 13:51:35 -0000, "Sunil Sood"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>It looks like someone in BT has been on a Ryanair management training
>course

or have found a way to reduce the price from its current premium level
without losing face :-)

Phil

Dan <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> OMG. Are people actually stupid enough to sign up with that! I could go way
> over a GB in a month using dial-up 56k! For a £1 less you can go with
> plusnet much superiour tariff or just £2 more an unlimited full adsl tariff.

Yes, I know. However, inertia is a powerful thing. I've stayed on the BT
Broadband package because it worked fine. I just don't have the time to
worry with calling a company if something goes wrong with the order,
etc.

I've wondered if I wasn't a bit of a mug to have stayed with them, and
to tell the truth, I'd like to ditch them, and I'm aware of all the
alternative providers. I suppose I'd ask- if my service has been smooth
with BT, is it reasonable to assume (and I know that nothing is
_guaranteed_) that I can expect similar service from another provider.

David

--
David Horne- (website under reconstruction)
davidhorne (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

David Horne wrote:
> I've wondered if I wasn't a bit of a mug to have stayed with them, and
> to tell the truth, I'd like to ditch them, and I'm aware of all the
> alternative providers. I suppose I'd ask- if my service has been smooth
> with BT, is it reasonable to assume (and I know that nothing is
> _guaranteed_) that I can expect similar service from another provider.

Yes, most "good" providers are pretty good at what they do. That said,
there's a lot to be said for not fixing what isn't broke. Also, factor
in the cost of changing ISPs and it may not be worthwhile - especially
when you consider that, in the next few months, a much greater range of
capped/PAYG products should be available which might mean you want to
migrate/regrade again. Do the maths and assume BT wholesale won't do
anything radical in the next 6(?) months and see what looks best...

Alex
--
Alexander Mann

In article <c1q6e1$1c6an5$(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) says...
>
> It looks like someone in BT has been on a Ryanair management training
> course, by deciding to launch a new "no frills" version, of what was BT
> Broadband (itself, a "no frills" version of a tradditional ISP (i.e. BT
> Openworld/Yahoo))
>
> -------
>
> BT are to introduce a new, cheaper version of its existing BT Broadband 512K
> ADSL service to be called BT "Broadband Basic"
>
> It will be available from the 1st March 2004
>

[snip]

>
> -------
>
> So for £8.month less, you would be giving up the 0800 helpline and you "may"
> face an additional fee if you go over the 1GB monthly limit
>
> Ideal for lower users or those who need/want to be with a BT ISP but are
> technically competent.
>

But financially insane!

It's still 1-2ukp _dearer_ than the cheapest 512k Plusnet offering (OK, the
plusnet one has no P2P or binary news), and only £2 cheaper than the
standard 512k one!

1Gb a month! I've downloaded that this morning! W2k SP4, and a bunch of mods
for Half Life! You could do 1Gb in 2 days on a single ISDN channel!

Pete.

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