Included minutes versus anytime chatter

[arrgee1991]

I have unplugged my phone as anytime chatter makes no sense in this day and age.  I was paying £10/month extra for less than I can get with a cheap £5 SIM.  Paying at least 48p per call (24p connection + 24ppm call rate) is excessive.

Why don’t Virgin have a reasonably priced package with included minutes for land lines ?

[Matthew_ML]

Hey there arrgee1991, thank you for reaching out and I am sorry to hear about this.

We do try and remain very completive as we can with our prices.  

We also offer some great sims card via O2 but you can also shop here for your amazing deals. Cheers 

[goslow]

VM will keep on with this practice as long as people keep using the VM landline.

VM tries to ensure the landline continues to exist via its bundling pricing model which 'forces' customers to take a landline within a package.

If you want a landline service/device without paying VM prices, you could look into an independent VOIP connection. Some of the forum regulars use this and could probably advise on setup/costs.

[arrgee1991]

@goslow

I remember not so long ago line rental was a separate item.  Checking the tariffs, the basic weekend chatter is £19/month so I could plug the phone in at 0001 on Saturday and have nearly 48 hours of calls until 2359 on Sunday.  But if I make a one minute call outside that and don't have the anytime plan, it's 50p.  Just 20 minutes of calls before I spend over £10. Only landlines have this archaic charging.  

My experience is apart from scammers only my elderly parents and elderly parents in law (80+) use landlines for calls.  

I would happily leave the phone plugged in if I could just receive calls.  Might disable some of the numbers on the handsets as I am not paying VM to.

[nodrogd]

Line rental is no longer shown separately due to an OFCOMs ruling, as they decided it was misleading customers.

Landline providers hammer you for calls outside packages, just as mobile providers hammer you if you go over the data limits of your tariff. Same difference.

[japitts]

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@arrgee1991 wrote:

I would happily leave the phone plugged in if I could just receive calls.

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It's also always worth having two phones with different technologies, in a household. Have a cursory browse of a mobile networks' support forum for samples of "I've got a problem with my mobile but don't have any other phone, I'm stuck - help" type scenarios.

95% of the outbound calls in our household are also mobile-originated, but I'm a great believer of not putting all your eggs in one basket. That basket fails, and you're stuffed.

[arrgee1991]

Aren't all phones moving to VOIP in about 24 months time?  In which case, shouldn't these plans become obsolete?

[goslow]

The term VOIP is often used inaccurately to describe VM's 21CV phone service. At the moment, all it does is give you the same landline service, using the same exchange equipment, via a connection from the back of the hub rather than a telephone wall socket. What VM does later on with its landline provision remains to be seen!

[nodrogd]

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@arrgee1991 wrote:

Aren't all phones moving to VOIP in about 24 months time?  In which case, shouldn't these plans become obsolete?

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Most VoIP providers have call plans. What they don't charge is a landline rental, as you use your existing Broadband connection. Example below:

https://www.vonageforhome.co.uk/plans/ 

[Roger_Gooner]

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@arrgee1991 wrote:

I have unplugged my phone as anytime chatter makes no sense in this day and age.  I was paying £10/month extra for less than I can get with a cheap £5 SIM.  Paying at least 48p per call (24p connection + 24ppm call rate) is excessive.

Why don’t Virgin have a reasonably priced package with included minutes for land lines ?

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I've found that my bundle price quotes rose if I excluded the landline, so I still have landline. I still find it useful, though, as my alarm system is linked to it and I can dial 150 if I want to call VM for free. Furthermore should my mobiles fail because O2 goes down I have this backup means of making calls.