To think that 'free' should mean 'free'?

[WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant]

We got accosted by broadband sellers in town today.
Do you have broadband, love?
No.
Would you consider ours? It's free for a year if sign up by the end of July
And how much is the phone line I would need to run it?
£16:45 a month
So, your free broadband will cost me £16:45 a month then?
No, it's free as you already pay for a phone.
No, I don't. I gave up my landline 3 years ago, as I was paying £17 a month for a dust collector.

I know the poor man is only doing his job, but £16:45 every month isn't free!

Right youareallbonkers.

i get broadband without my landline i just have to have the cable tv that comes with it

You don't need a landline for all broadband, but it's more expensive so you either pay for the landline plus broadband, or roughly the same for broadband on its own.

Our Virgin internet with no phone was £30 a month!

On sky I get a landline, Internet and full TV package for just over £50!

i get broadband without my landline i just have to have the cable tv that comes with it

In theory, Virgin will sell you broadband without either a phone or TV.

store.virginmedia.com/broadband/broadband-on-its-own.html?intcmpid=broadband_hub_menu_click_bbonly

I'm told that they resist actually selling it to you.

If anyone is using a BT LL just for BB - have you heard about BT Basic? The less you use your phone the more discount you get - My BT bill is about £15 per quarter.

www.bt.com/includingyou/other-products-services-bt-basic.html

I have the virgin broadband only option, so no phone, no TV. Thankfully I did it all online so I didn't have to worry about getting 'upsold' to something I didn't need or want.

I agree with you. The line rental cost for a phone line has been rising way ahead of inflation for years now, precisely so that the phone companies can offer broadband at artificially low prices.

It is completely absurd, and it makes comparing prices between different companies more complicated. If you are not allowed to pay for their very cheap broadband deal without paying their absurdly expensive line rental fee then they should have to advertise the cost of the broadband including the line rental.

You know how once upon a time it was acceptable for airlines to advertise flights without mentioning upfront all the fees and taxes that were mandatory (eg Ryanair 99p flights etc)? And how now it's not allowed, so they have to advertise the complete cost (eg "from £18.99")? Surely this is the same? If having a free / low cost service is dependent upon you also paying a separate cost for an associated service, this should be made clear and misleading advertising like "free broadband" shouldn't be allowed. Especially as it's usually only "free" for a particular period, and then the costs go up for the rest of the contract period.

oooh davesbutt I got all excited about BT Basic there for a minute. But you have to be on certain benefits to qualify - shame.

I don't stop for anyone in the street ever!

Worktolive
I do!

I pay £15 a month for 5,000 minutes, 10,000 texts and unlimited data.

I know this isn't free Internet, it's included in my package.

This is also why I don't want an upgrade, as its an old deal!

I also live in a rented house, with an elderly land lord. If anything were to happen to him (heaven forbid, he's a lovely old chap-but nobody lives forever!), then I am not sure what would happen when the new ll takes over.
There is no guarantee that I will be living there for the 2 years needed to sign up.

I will look at that bt minimal thing mentioned before, as I get some benefits. Thanks to whoever posted that one. Sorry, it doesn't show on this screen.

Davesbutt
Thanks for the link.
That actually looks like an honest deal.
I may consider that, if it turns out we need more Internet when ds starts high school in September.