Termination fees to be reduced

"The three big landline telephone firms - BT, TalkTalk and Virgin - have
agreed to make big cuts to the cost of ending their deals early."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10341663.stm
--
Peter.
2x4 - thick plank; 4x4 - two of 'em.

"PeterC" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:1tqgetsno6vej.agbw7eh5js1j$.(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "The three big landline telephone firms - BT, TalkTalk and Virgin - have
> agreed to make big cuts to the cost of ending their deals early."
>
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10341663.stm

I find this comment particularly patronising

"It is still best if people avoid early termination fees altogether so phone
companies must make sure consumers know exactly what they are signing up for
in the first place"

Given that almost no-one offers a contract that doesn't specify a contract
term of less than 12 months please can the author tell me how I sign up for
such a contract if that is what I want.

tim

tim.... wrote:
> "PeterC" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:1tqgetsno6vej.agbw7eh5js1j$.(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "The three big landline telephone firms - BT, TalkTalk and Virgin -
>> have agreed to make big cuts to the cost of ending their deals
>> early." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10341663.stm
>
> I find this comment particularly patronising
>
> "It is still best if people avoid early termination fees altogether
> so phone companies must make sure consumers know exactly what they
> are signing up for in the first place"
>
> Given that almost no-one offers a contract that doesn't specify a
> contract term of less than 12 months please can the author tell me
> how I sign up for such a contract if that is what I want.
>
> tim

Aol seem to have a policy of renewing the 18 month contract every time you
call them.

On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:09:08 +0100, tim.... wrote:

> "PeterC" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:1tqgetsno6vej.agbw7eh5js1j$.(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "The three big landline telephone firms - BT, TalkTalk and Virgin -
>> have agreed to make big cuts to the cost of ending their deals early."
>>
>>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10341663.stm
>
> I find this comment particularly patronising
>
> "It is still best if people avoid early termination fees altogether so
> phone companies must make sure consumers know exactly what they are
> signing up for in the first place"
>
> Given that almost no-one offers a contract that doesn't specify a
> contract term of less than 12 months please can the author tell me how I
> sign up for such a contract if that is what I want.
>
> tim

There is some sense to it though. For example, if (like us) you have had
standard BT service for many years but might be moving away in less than
2 years, a new contract (with BT or whoever) isn't attractive because of
the minimum term, no matter how tempting the offer.

--
Steve Hayes, South Wales, UK - remove colours from address

On 18/06/2010 09:36, Steve Hayes wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:09:08 +0100, tim.... wrote:
>
>> "PeterC"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:1tqgetsno6vej.agbw7eh5js1j$.(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>
>>> "The three big landline telephone firms - BT, TalkTalk and Virgin -
>>> have agreed to make big cuts to the cost of ending their deals early."
>>>
>>>
>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10341663.stm
>>
>> I find this comment particularly patronising
>>
>> "It is still best if people avoid early termination fees altogether so
>> phone companies must make sure consumers know exactly what they are
>> signing up for in the first place"
>>
>> Given that almost no-one offers a contract that doesn't specify a
>> contract term of less than 12 months please can the author tell me how I
>> sign up for such a contract if that is what I want.
>>
>> tim
>
> There is some sense to it though. For example, if (like us) you have had
> standard BT service for many years but might be moving away in less than
> 2 years, a new contract (with BT or whoever) isn't attractive because of
> the minimum term, no matter how tempting the offer.
>
Not so long ago, before the advent of the termination fee, BT
historically did not charge anything for termination of service,
provided that the original 12-month term was up.
If you terminated within the first 12 months, you would be charged for
the unused part of the term only.
Now, instead of having an open-ended contract, subject to a 12-month
minimum, they found a way to make more money by making you take out a
new contract every year. In this way, they can justify termination fees
if someone terminates just after their new annual contract starts.
How this ever got past OFCOM, I don't know - but it's a rip-off and
we're stuck with it!

George

"George Weston" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On 18/06/2010 09:36, Steve Hayes wrote:
>> On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:09:08 +0100, tim.... wrote:
>>
>>> "PeterC"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:1tqgetsno6vej.agbw7eh5js1j$.(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>
>>>> "The three big landline telephone firms - BT, TalkTalk and Virgin -
>>>> have agreed to make big cuts to the cost of ending their deals early."
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10341663.stm
>>>
>>> I find this comment particularly patronising
>>>
>>> "It is still best if people avoid early termination fees altogether so
>>> phone companies must make sure consumers know exactly what they are
>>> signing up for in the first place"
>>>
>>> Given that almost no-one offers a contract that doesn't specify a
>>> contract term of less than 12 months please can the author tell me how I
>>> sign up for such a contract if that is what I want.
>>>
>>> tim
>>
>> There is some sense to it though. For example, if (like us) you have had
>> standard BT service for many years but might be moving away in less than
>> 2 years, a new contract (with BT or whoever) isn't attractive because of
>> the minimum term, no matter how tempting the offer.
>>
> Not so long ago, before the advent of the termination fee, BT historically
> did not charge anything for termination of service, provided that the
> original 12-month term was up.

Historically they only hade a 3 month minimum contract.

I think that the regulator should mandate all suppliers to offer such
contracts.

> If you terminated within the first 12 months, you would be charged for the
> unused part of the term only.
> Now, instead of having an open-ended contract, subject to a 12-month
> minimum, they found a way to make more money by making you take out a new
> contract every year.

You can avoid this.

You just say no to their inclusive calls offer.

tim

"Plusnet Support Team" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) o.uk...
> On 17/06/2010 21:09, tim.... wrote:
>> "PeterC"<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:1tqgetsno6vej.agbw7eh5js1j$.(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>
>>> "The three big landline telephone firms - BT, TalkTalk and Virgin - have
>>> agreed to make big cuts to the cost of ending their deals early."
>>>
>>>
>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10341663.stm
>>
>> I find this comment particularly patronising
>>
>> "It is still best if people avoid early termination fees altogether so
>> phone
>> companies must make sure consumers know exactly what they are signing up
>> for
>> in the first place"
>>
>> Given that almost no-one offers a contract that doesn't specify a
>> contract
>> term of less than 12 months please can the author tell me how I sign up
>> for
>> such a contract if that is what I want.
>
> We offer 10-day contracts but it involves paying for any setup fees and
> hardware costs up front.

I wasn't thinking of 10 days.

I was in the 3-6 moths category.

And I do pay all setup fees as they are now billed by openreach (is it?)

tim

"bod43" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:81ef407e-2345-4638-be87-(E-Mail Removed)...
On 18 June, 12:36, "tim...." <tims_new_h...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> "Plusnet Support Team" <supp...@plus.net> wrote in
> messagenews:2amdndAy_oWWGYfRnZ2dnUVZ8uOdnZ2d@brigh tview.co.uk...
>
>
>
> > On 17/06/2010 21:09, tim.... wrote:
> >> "PeterC"<giraffenos....@homecall.co.uk> wrote in message
> >>news:1tqgetsno6vej.agbw7eh5js1j$.(E-Mail Removed). ..
>
> >>> "The three big landline telephone firms - BT, TalkTalk and Virgin -
> >>> have
> >>> agreed to make big cuts to the cost of ending their deals early."
>
> >>>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10341663.stm
>
> >> I find this comment particularly patronising
>
> >> "It is still best if people avoid early termination fees altogether so
> >> phone
> >> companies must make sure consumers know exactly what they are signing
> >> up
> >> for
> >> in the first place"
>
> >> Given that almost no-one offers a contract that doesn't specify a
> >> contract
> >> term of less than 12 months please can the author tell me how I sign up
> >> for
> >> such a contract if that is what I want.
>
> > We offer 10-day contracts but it involves paying for any setup fees and
> > hardware costs up front.
>
> I wasn't thinking of 10 days.
>
> I was in the 3-6 moths category.
>
> And I do pay all setup fees as they are now billed by openreach (is it?)
>
> tim

AOL do a 1 month rolling contract. I seem to recall that -

They give you 1/2 price for the first 3 months.
They charge the other 1/2 of the price for the
first 3 months for the "router" up front.

-------------------------------------------------------------

I know that this has been posted in the broadband group, but this is
actually about the cost of the phone connection.

There are quite a few companies that will do broadband on a month by month
basis (if you supply the router), but almost no-one that will let you
contract for the phone connection on the same basis.

tim