Why is anyone still with BT?
| Related: | Personal Finance•Utilities•Landlines |
Today BT announce that, yet again this year, they are increasing their residential call costs and line rental prices. In December costs will increase by a further 5%. This is already on top of a price rise earlier in April this year of 9% and a further increase of 10% last year. In the space of a year BT have increased their call costs for residential customers by 24%.
But BT said these prices would now be frozen until 2013. Now this sounds good but when you think that the latest increase takes effect this December, which is only one year off 2013, then this is an awful attempt at spin!
In July, BT group said profits before tax in the three months to 30 June were up 20% to £533m, driven by demand for home broadband products.
My experience of BT was them putting profits before customer service and satisfaction and so I left them but I had a choice. For many BT customers the company have them over a barrel as in a number of areas within the UK there is no other alternative.
I cannot see how they can justify these increases, perhaps it's the cost of oil or worse still something they inherited from the previous Labour government!!
I sincerely hope that people show their absolute disgust with this company by leaving.
At a time when household budgets are being squeezed from all directions, their increase is cynical and deserves to be punished accordingly.
Responses (11)
I think a lot of it is just down to inertia, Parchester.
If BT and BG to name but 2 major companies don't start to think strategically and be more competitive towards customers, with the formidable combination of social media and social online forums like money.co.uk challenging their mal-practices they could struggle to survive within 10 years. Even Gaddaffi has learnt that "people inertia" and "there's nothing we can do about it attitude" wont remain forever and your dominant position will eventually come to an end. Complacency is not an excuse for BT, BG et al.
I would seriously like to believe that the power of social media mixed with customer disatisfaction of such industries, could mobilise customers to action and would result in such conglomerates to question their policies if they value their lofty positions in the market place.
Thankfully for the people's of north Africa, inertia was forgotten during the Arab spring and I sincerely pray that the hopes of these people are realised in a democratic way, that the lives of those lost will not have been in vain.
What our riots showed this country is that when there is a sudden uprising and challenge to authority the system appears ill-equipped to effectively deal with the initial problem.
But the realisation of the power of social media has been fully recognised and is something that many should be fearful of.
A lot of people just cant be bothered to switch companies and BT and British Gas realise this so hike up the tarriffs whenever the oppertunity arrises.
I am with BT only because some areas of the UK don't get a choice, or at least there's very little choice (as you have mentioned). Of the limited choices available there are no cheap deals to be had, in rural areas you have to pay extra for a poorer service. BT covers the whole of the UK as far as I know, and they are no more expensive than the few other options available to many people.
I am with Kingston Communications which is the one we all use in this area. All local calls are free. My three monthly bill is usually £50 or thereabouts which is pretty good. Mind you I don't ring people but use the Internet unless it is a personal call. All saves money
Im with NTL and apart from their dire overseas call centres the service is great whether it be telephone internet or mobile.
I left BT along time ago precisely because of their exhoribtant charges.
I simply dont see why standing charges and paying to own a telephone are their anymore bearing in mind the huge proftis these companies make for their managers and directors whilst simultaneously telling us they are facing higher costs - if so then why dont you reduce the managers wages and employ people who can actually do the job. Seemples.
Then again its Ripoff britain so what can you do - well except emmigrate.
We are with BT at the moment because they offered superfast broadband. However, they messed up our installation so much we are currently getting one year of free calls and reduced rental. So at the moment it's a good deal.
I'm not with BT any more and will never go back.
I had serious broadband problems for over a year, and they wanted me to call a premium rate line to get it fixed by someone offshore, despite the fact the issue was with the landline itself (as evidenced by a continual buzz on the line). But when trying to get in contact with BT about the landline, I couldn't phone them - I had to use instant messaging, meaning I had to use the broadband that wasn't working(!) Add to that errors on my bill 3 quarters in a row and it all adds up to that organisation being a complete mess.
I'm with O2 now and they have freephone numbers for UK call centres. The few issues I've had have been resolved instantly by the person on the other end of the line who's picked up within 5 rings. Such a difference in service, and for a lower price!
Well, BT are certainly touting hard for business at the moment, Parchester. I must have had a sales call from them roughly twice a week over the last few weeks to try and persuade me to switch to them.
I'm with Virgin Media, and have a phone/broadband/tv package which suits me fine, I have no intention of going back to BT (who I haven't used in at least 15 years) as I was never happy with them. I do feel for those who are stuck with them through lack of choice.
We went back to BT about 2 and a half years ago and have to say it is cheaper for us. We pay about half what we did then. They messed it up at the start too so for 6 months we didnt pay anything!
That reminds me of years ago when we first got the internet. No broadband in those days so you had to either get a second BT line installed or have the phone unavailable if you were using the net.
As Mr F works from home sometimes, we decided to bite the bullet and go for the second line. We waited and waited, and kept being told they were waiting for a spare part before the new line could be installed.
In the end, the compensation they paid us paid for the first six months of the new line.
And the spare part they were waiting for was....
a telegraph pole!
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