Hi,

I became irritated by BT's ploy of - on the one hand - encouraging users to switch to BT Friends and Family (Option 3) for their 24x7 'free' calls offer; whilst - on the other hand - to find that they were simultaneously marketing their 087x and 084x services to all and sundry whilst EXCLUDING them from the Option 3 offer.

It's worth noting that OfCom is/are very irritated about this too - and about to come down heavily on BT. It looks as if they will insist that all National Rate number owners will be OBLIGED to publish a regular 01 or 02 number.

I started to search for alternatives; and I've adopted the following solution .......

1.   Choose BT's Standard Line Rental Option at £10.50 per line per quarter using a Direct Debit.

2.   Choose Vartec / Eurexcel for their Calling Rate options which allow 30 calling hours a month (£15.99) or 15 calling hours a month (£9.99) to include FREE calls - including 087x, 084x and mobile (at their cheaper rates) calls.

The arrangements are easy to make and you can start to use the 'Vartec' option immediately if you use their 13634 pre dialling sequence.

Otherwise you'll have to wait while BT take up to 10 days to sanction the changeover !!!

Good luck !

Hi,

Thanks for your response but I fear I did not make my point well enough.

With VARTEC's offer all 0845 and 0870 calls are included in the base time fee up to the agreed provision. Thereafter at low cost anyway.

To have to pay your charges of 9p/min would entirely spoil the equation. I make many such calls and, thanks to BT's greed, the number is rising daily.

I also use BT option 1(£10.50), then use 18866 for day time calls, TalkTalk for evening and weekend calls.
For 0870, 0845 etc i use www.ntlfreedom.com, (the classic bundle) which gives me anytime dial-up internet access and £15 worth of phone calls, it costs £15 a month. You can't really go wrong!! Total monthly cost £25.50.