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The telecommunications market, like most of the utility market has a lot to answer for in terms of simplicity. I wrote this almost four years ago - "In our humble opinion, ensuring that every call you ever make is always at the lowest tariff would require more effort and be as much fun as building a pyramid".
If anything, things have got worse but by accident I am pleased to say I have finally stumbled across the answer that I have been looking for (more of that below).
When choosing a supplier you need to be aware of the following:
- Cowboys who will make a low tariff available for a short period and then increase it again once they have secured your custom.
- Per minute billing. Not inherently evil but typically if you make a call of one minute and one second, then per minute billing will result in you being charged for a two minute phone call. If all other things are equal, then go with the telephone supplier offering billing by the second.
- Comparing prices with the BT rates that hardly anybody pays. You know all those ads that say call prices at x% cheaper than BT? Well, a little known fact is that the vast majority of BT customers pay no more than 50% of those rates. You just need to sign up for BT Together.
- Have you been offered International calls for the price of a national call? Sounds great doesn't it? In some cases it can be but typically you are asked to dial an 0870 number. Bear in mind that calling these numbers costs 10p a minute. You will find it possible to find international calls to many countries for much less than 10p/minute.
- Shortening the off-peak times. Typically off-peak starts at 6pm and ends at 8am Mon-Fri and covers all weekend. Make sure that if this is not the case with your supplier that you understand the implications.
Which Phone Suppliers do we Recommend?
In a market where there are more suppliers, more complex ways of billing and craftier advertising getting craftier by the minute I have become a bit skeptical to say the least. My first reaction on hearing the name Telecom Plus was “yeah right, sure you are the cheapest”. However I was persuaded to give it a go (more out of goodwill to a friend who is a salesman for them than any great expectation).
The end result? My already low bill has been reduced by at least a further 20% and now everyone else in the office has signed up too. They also have great internet access offers.
So how come a company that you have probably never heard of is worth while going with? Well, believe it or not, they are actually one of the UK’s biggest companies, but rather than spend money on expensive advertising they work on a word of mouth referral system that has been highly successful. Despite my initial reservations about the whole thing, I can honestly say it has been great and it has even got my gas and electricity on to the same bill as well.
If you need to go with a better known name than Telecom Plus then pop over to Uswitch to compare prices on a variety of deals to ensure that you are getting the best deal (or at least best publicised deal!). Telecom Plus can be reached on 0800 298 2090.
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