Home Phone
Despite being a nation of mobile phone lovers, the demand for home phone lines today has certainly not disappeared. We’re not just content sticking with a standard BT phone line either, as over five million people in the UK currently use a separate provider for their home phone calls.
The home phone market was deregulated in 1984, which means that customers are free to choose who they use to make home phone calls. Deregulation really has increased competition in the marketplace, and although BT is still the main provider of the majority of home phone lines, you can switch to a new provider for your calls, or a new home phone provider entirely.
That’s why we have teamed up with the Home Advisory Service to help you get the perfect home phone tariff for you. But before you jump in and start making those savings on your home phone calls, it’s important that you find a plan to meet your needs. Our helpful home phone guide will help point you in the right direction.
What options are available?
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to have the same provider for phone calls as you do for your line rental. There is a wide choice available as to who you use to make those home phone calls.
Wholesale line rental
With wholesale line rental, your entire phone service goes through one
provider. That means you’ll pay for both line rental and calls in just one bill.
BT is the most well-known wholesale line rental provider, but other companies
can provide this service too as they can rent BT’s lines.
Pros – You will
receive one bill, you can still keep your same number and no work will be
required on your line.
Cons – Only available if you have a BT line.
But you can get cheaper home phone calls by using a secondary provider, but still pay BT for your line rental. This can be done through Carrier Pre-Selection (CPS), dialling a prefix number, or plugging in an autodialler into your home phone’s socket.
Carrier Pre-Selection
If you choose CPS, all of your calls will be re-routed through your new
supplier. You will have to pay BT for your line rental, but all of your calls
will be billed separately each month.
Pros – It is one of the easiest ways
to enjoy cheaper calls as you don’t need to dial a prefix number or have an
autodialler fitted.
Cons – You will receive two bills every month.
Autodialler
An autodialler is a small device that fits into the socket of your existing
phone line and automatically re-routes every call you make through your new
supplier’s network. Although you will still pay BT for your line rental, you
will get a cheaper bill for all the calls you make.
Pros – You don’t need to
dial a prefix number
Cons – You will receive two bills, and if you use any
other phones around the house without an auto dialler plugged in, these calls
will go through your line rental provider.
Prefix number
A prefix number is a four-digit code that you must dial before each call that
you make (or a freephone number if you have your home phone with a cable
provider). All of your calls will then be diverted through your new supplier’s
network.
Pros – You will get a cheaper bill for all your calls.
Cons - If
you forget to dial the four-digit code when making a call, it will go through
your line rental provider.
Broadband
Switching your phone supplier should not normally affect your broadband connection, but remember it is often cheaper to have your broadband package with your home phone supplier, else you could find yourself being hit with two separate line rental bills.
What to watch out for when choosing a home phone package:
- Minimum call charge – some providers will charge a minimum amount for every single call you make. This can really add up over time.
- Minimum call charge to mobiles – this can vary quite significantly from provider to provider
- Connection charge – some providers will charge you to be connected, even if the call lasts just a few seconds
- Per month charge – you may be charged a standard fee each month to use your home phone provider’s services
- Customer service – you may have to call a premium rate number to speak to your provider’s customer service department
- Free calls – some calls to people who are customers with the same provider as you may be free, yet some ‘free’ calls are only ‘free’ for so long, after a certain time you will be charged.
- Length of contract – this can vary from 12 to 18 months, and you will face a penalty if you decide to leave early.
- Operating your account – if you receive paper bills, you may be charged, but you may be able to run your account online for free.
- Friends and family discounts – some providers offer cheaper calls on the numbers you call most often.
