TalkTalk versus PlusNet phone & broadband

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Hi. Probably isn't geeky but could think where else to post (other than 'chat' where I've already posted but think probably traffic there is too fast!)

Any experiences of the above providers good or bad?

another one who is rural and have been with plusnet for internet for years with no problems at all. I was a bit sceptical when BT bought them but have noticed no difference in the service.

Have just switched to plusnet phone from BT (well will go live on Monday so fingers crossed).

TalkTalk I have never heard a good word about to be honest !

(more) ... 18185 and 1899 are both from the same firm, I think (Finarea in Switzerland). I found (and complained) recently that 03xxx numbers "drop through" to be charged by Primus (probably charging the same as Openreach charges them).

I think they should be included and told them so, because the 03 numbers are plain landline service numbers but with no geographic groups, and used for business (I have several 03xxx numbers myself - ideal as they can be called from a mobile without a penalty like 0845/0870).

It's really all down to the fact that when the distinction between "local" and "national" was abolished, 0845 and 0870 remained.

There's a desire (from Ofcom) to force mobile networks to include 0870 and 0845 in contract allowances, just like 01/ 02/ 03 numbers. With Finarea, they need to 'include' 03xxx the way they do 01 + 02 numbers.

Far more important is to tell any business using an 0845 or 0870 to switch to 03xxx numbers as it would mean they could be called more cheaply from both landlines and mobiles. For 0844/ 0871 I will (if I can) send an e-mail (or fax as last resort) and tell them I won't ever call their costly number, and they should look into using 03 number(s) !

EFNO - if you go to *> this page on SamKnows.com

Thanks, NetworkGuy, I was wondering how to find out which exchange we were on! According to that site we connect to the one which is 'Coming Soon', so fingers crossed it is.

We get 'ok' speeds with Plusnet, usually around 4MB, but the children are getting older, and it will not be long before we are looking at another two devices wanting to use the net at the same time as me, and most likely for streaming video/gaming, which would put a crimp in my MN'ing!!

Oh of course they are, networkguy - sorry - I meant 0845 & 0870.

I'm fairly sure that when I first signed up with primus those were free, & the 0844/0871 calls & connection charges were cheaper. Now they're all 8p a minute.

Ponders OK. I see. Must admit the few times in a year I dial an 0845 or 0870, I do notice a "hit" on the Primus bill, but the saving in line rental of some 5 quid minimum per month (and now they have dropped the rental a few pounds, will be more) adequately compensates for the times when I have had to pay for a call or two.

Think there are "pro"s and "con"s relating to any of these services... in particular with Plus.Net, BT (and even Primus, for those paying more than a tenner a month) there's the "annual" option where the line rental is reduced somewhat (but if you leave at any time other than the anniversary of paying, lose out as there is no refund... a ploy, I think, to avoid Ofcom's ruling on how much a telecom firm can charge for remaining months of service, if user switches firm during the contract period). I think it's a pretty big 'con' to have to stick with a company for 12 months to get the price down significantly (when Primus is willing to charge a fraction, and even offered the 5.99 rate to me, when my spend with them has been under a fiver on calls in the last 12 months ).

For example, something which would interest me if I was with BT for line rental, and had "anytime" calls, would be their recently introduced BT SmartTalk where I'd be able to use an App on my Android phone to make calls "from" my landline number. In other words, calls to 0845, 0870, 0800 and other landline numbers could be made from my mobile via the internet and "billed" {or not!!} to the landline account.

I have unlimited data with Three mobile, but only 100 minutes a month of voice calls, where I used to have 600 on a previous contract with Three, and then unlimited calls with T-Mobile {but they removed some masts and I had major problems so they let me cancel the contract with 6 months left to run}. So you can see that getting calls via the landline (at least for calls to landline numbers) could be advantageous, allowing me to keep my 100 minutes for calls to mobiles.

On the other hand, I'd be spending a small fortune to have BT line rental and "anytime" calls, and can get 150 minutes of calls + 250 texts, each month, from Ovivo, with just a one-off 15 pound payment... so I think I will forego the chance to try BT SmartTalk and get a 15 quid SIM :)