Landline only package

[Cocolapew]

Can anyone recommend one? My mum and Dad were with the Post Office who were taken over by Shell and we've had nothing but problems with them chasing money.
I spoke to them last month and paid everything, got put on the account and asked for all bills to be emailed to me. My mum hadn't paid any because she hadn't received any. They had her down for paperless even though she doesn't have internet.
Today again a bill arrived for my Dad, he has died and they were told this, causing more upset.
I got an email bill but its impossible to log on.
I'm going to change providers and would like to pay a monthly direct debit, she needs unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles. She hardly ever uses the phone so the cheaper the better!

That's truly shocking service from Shell. I think I'd be putting a complaint in.

Does your DM really need unlimited calls if she hardly ever uses the phone?

BT , virgin and all the main telephone providers will do landline and inclusive landline calls options with exception of some of the 08 paid numbers. Very few will do inclusive calls to mobiles

Your mum can agree for you to be named party with permission to manage her telephone line and manage internet account for her if she wants or ask for paper bills

Have you thought about your mum arranging LPA finances and property for her - it'll only cost the court costs if you do it now and use online forms and you can then use it with her consent before she's lost capacity

Here is the HM Gov link (don't use other links as they may be private firms that unnecessarily charge)

www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

Shell is getting a bollocking next week once I'm over covid.
I am named on her phone account, the first time I logged on it was someone elses and I've never managed to get on since.
I suppose she doesn't need unlimited, I was really looking for a set monthly price to make it easier.
We had POA set up but its only to go in place once she loses capacity.

Don’t know whether it’s something you need to take into account, but landlines are being axed in 2025, and going over to Voice over internet (VOIP). It might widen choice a bit

Thanks 🙂

All inclusive callspackages with telephone providers are usually landline calls not mobile calls

Unless you arrange a mobile phone with unlimited calls
You might find it works out cheaper to do an unlimited calls mobile contract

Unless she uses internet and needs WiFi attached to landline , the landline phones are becoming obsolete.

For example my mobile phone provider does 3gb data and unlimited calls to mobile and landlines up to 3000 minutes for £8 a month pay monthly year contract SIM only . I only have a landline for WiFi connection and will lose that once we can. If the power goes out my landline doesn't work anyway but my mobile does. It's £15 a month landline fee we do not need to spend as mobile is a far better deal.

You can and must set limits on data. Mine is set a zero. So no accidental additional charges

Whoops didn't mean to quote myself lolz

Mine is with virgin and I waited until I got a deal. But look at what mobile provider has the best coverage in your parents local area. Ask on the local Fb page (I'm a member of my parents local Fb page as well as my own!!) for advice on the best mobile phone coverage for that specific area, as it all depends on the mobile masts they have nearby and areas of low coverage and geographical dips (hills and valleys)

Thanks everyone, I bought my dad a basic mobile when he was in hospital which is still in the house. I'll see if she will switch to that.
I was only thinking of keeping the landline for her number.

If you do go mobile only watch for coverage. We live three miles from a large town and have reception from only one provider and that only in half the house. When you talk to providers they whitter on about 99% coverage but have no answers if you’re in the 1%!

"We had POA set up but it's only to go in place once she loses capacity."

Health and welfare only kicks in when she loses capacity

Finance can be brought in whenever the person wants, which can be before they have lost capacity. It sounds as if her capacity to handle some of her financial affairs - eg setting up a sensible phone package - is already diminished and I suspect she will be very happy for you to take over (my mum did and she retained capacity right till the day she died).

You can and must set limits on data. Mine is set a zero. So no accidental additional charges With giffgaff, additional charges are paid from your credit, so if no credit, presumably no data. The contract itself is taken from credit card monthly, not from credit. I presume some other suppliers must work similarly.

She wants to keep the number so we're moving her over to Virgin for £19 pm and £35 activation.
I'm just paying what's owed to Shell then Virgin will sort the rest out, once thats done I'm emailing Shell. Apart from the fact nothing has gone right, there is numerous letters and automatated phone calls to my mum, the email sent to me to get online took me straight to another woman's account!