Help Does anyone know about BT TV boxes?

[trashpony]

My dad died in October and I’ve been helping my mum (who is now on a reduced income) sort out her bills. It seems BT have been charging them over £400/quarter for wifi and landline (including some dial up voicemail service they didn’t even know they had), BT sports and an HD surcharge. Basically, whatever they could fleece them for, they did.

Her contract is up for renewal in 3 weeks and she says she can’t face changing provider. Plus she has a BT box under her telly and I don’t know how she’ll get TV without it. She doesn’t have a smart TV and doesn’t want to buy one right now.

BT are telling her the best price they can do is £73 a month to stay with them for just wifi and landline which seems like a total bloody rip off to me. I also don’t want her to take on a new 24 month contract.

But I totally understand her reluctance to change at this point. Her contract with BT runs out on a Wednesday and I can’t get to her house until the following week to set up any new router. Plus I don’t know how the telly would work if she’s not with BT.

Can anyone advise please?

 

[cesare]

Are BT saying that she would have to return the BT box? We cancelled my parents' sky subscription when they died but kept the sky box, which we use to access tv channels plus freeview.

 

[editor]

My dad died in October and I’ve been helping my mum (who is now on a reduced income) sort out her bills. It seems BT have been charging them over £400/quarter for wifi and landline (including some dial up voicemail service they didn’t even know they had), BT sports and an HD surcharge. Basically, whatever they could fleece them for, they did.

Her contract is up for renewal in 3 weeks and she says she can’t face changing provider. Plus she has a BT box under her telly and I don’t know how she’ll get TV without it. She doesn’t have a smart TV and doesn’t want to buy one right now.

BT are telling her the best price they can do is £73 a month to stay with them for just wifi and landline which seems like a total bloody rip off to me. I also don’t want her to take on a new 24 month contract.

But I totally understand her reluctance to change at this point. Her contract with BT runs out on a Wednesday and I can’t get to her house until the following week to set up any new router. Plus I don’t know how the telly would work if she’s not with BT.

Can anyone advise please?

You can buy a Google Chromecast for £40 or whatever - that plugs into the TV and you'll get all the channels plus Netflix etc.
Are there any community fibre companies in your area? It's really worth checking and easy to switch.

BT can never be arsed to pick up their old boxes, btw

 

[UnderOpenSky]

My dad died in October and I’ve been helping my mum (who is now on a reduced income) sort out her bills. It seems BT have been charging them over £400/quarter for wifi and landline (including some dial up voicemail service they didn’t even know they had), BT sports and an HD surcharge. Basically, whatever they could fleece them for, they did.

Her contract is up for renewal in 3 weeks and she says she can’t face changing provider. Plus she has a BT box under her telly and I don’t know how she’ll get TV without it. She doesn’t have a smart TV and doesn’t want to buy one right now.

BT are telling her the best price they can do is £73 a month to stay with them for just wifi and landline which seems like a total bloody rip off to me. I also don’t want her to take on a new 24 month contract.

But I totally understand her reluctance to change at this point. Her contract with BT runs out on a Wednesday and I can’t get to her house until the following week to set up any new router. Plus I don’t know how the telly would work if she’s not with BT.

Can anyone advise please?

They stitched my Dad up like this as well. You don't have to renew to contract, it will just roll, so that gives you time to breathe.

With him I found Freeview and an Amazon Firestick did the job. I just put my Prime and Netflix accounts on it for him.

Those boxes don't offer much that Freeview doesn't anyway TV wise without extra subscriptions.

 

[Elpenor]

I’m paying £53 a month for BT sport, BT tv,
broadband and no landline if that’s any help

 

[skyscraper101]

Yeah £73 a month is a ripoff. I'd threaten to walk.

Does she still want the landline? Does she even use any of the bonus BT TV features? If not I'd tell them you want to cancel.

Money Saving Expert has some good comparisons of Broadband, TV, and Phone packages. There's no reason she should be paying any more than £30 a month for phone and broadband.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/compare-broadband-deals/

 

[moochedit]

My dad died in October and I’ve been helping my mum (who is now on a reduced income) sort out her bills. It seems BT have been charging them over £400/quarter for wifi and landline (including some dial up voicemail service they didn’t even know they had), BT sports and an HD surcharge. Basically, whatever they could fleece them for, they did.

Her contract is up for renewal in 3 weeks and she says she can’t face changing provider. Plus she has a BT box under her telly and I don’t know how she’ll get TV without it. She doesn’t have a smart TV and doesn’t want to buy one right now.

BT are telling her the best price they can do is £73 a month to stay with them for just wifi and landline which seems like a total bloody rip off to me. I also don’t want her to take on a new 24 month contract.

But I totally understand her reluctance to change at this point. Her contract with BT runs out on a Wednesday and I can’t get to her house until the following week to set up any new router. Plus I don’t know how the telly would work if she’s not with BT.

Can anyone advise please?

Is contract is your mum's name, dad's name or in joint names? If only in your dad's name should be invalid now anyway.

 

[B.I.G]

My dad died in October and I’ve been helping my mum (who is now on a reduced income) sort out her bills. It seems BT have been charging them over £400/quarter for wifi and landline (including some dial up voicemail service they didn’t even know they had), BT sports and an HD surcharge. Basically, whatever they could fleece them for, they did.

Her contract is up for renewal in 3 weeks and she says she can’t face changing provider. Plus she has a BT box under her telly and I don’t know how she’ll get TV without it. She doesn’t have a smart TV and doesn’t want to buy one right now.

BT are telling her the best price they can do is £73 a month to stay with them for just wifi and landline which seems like a total bloody rip off to me. I also don’t want her to take on a new 24 month contract.

But I totally understand her reluctance to change at this point. Her contract with BT runs out on a Wednesday and I can’t get to her house until the following week to set up any new router. Plus I don’t know how the telly would work if she’s not with BT.

Can anyone advise please?

Do they receive any benefits? Pension credit etc. If so, sign them up for BT social tariff.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Do they receive any benefits? Pension credit etc. If so, sign them up for BT social tariff.

I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole they way they stich up older people.

When I found out how much he was paying I called them to cancel. He'd been cold called and agreed to a "free" TV box. Which started a 24 month contract at an extortionate rate. I'd honestly rather deal with Virgin and thats saying something. At least their internet is good.

 

[B.I.G]

I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole they way they stich up older people.

When I found out how much he was paying I called them to cancel. He'd been cold called and agreed to a "free" TV box. Which started a 24 month contract at an extortionate rate. I'd honestly rather deal with Virgin and thats saying something. At least their internet is good.

Well the social rate is fixed. Think its an internet phone.

 

[trashpony]

Yeah £73 a month is a ripoff. I'd threaten to walk.

Does she still want the landline? Does she even use any of the bonus BT TV features? If not I'd tell them you want to cancel.

Money Saving Expert has some good comparisons of Broadband, TV, and Phone packages. There's no reason she should be paying any more than £30 a month for phone and broadband.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/compare-broadband-deals/

Good idea. I know there are cheaper deals, it’s just that she doesn’t want to be without broadband but maybe I can arrange for a new supplier to start when I’m down there and she can pay for a month of stupid BT.

Is contract is your mum's name, dad's name or in joint names? If only in your dad's name should be invalid now anyway.

Ooh good point. It was in my dad’s name. Damn - didn’t think of that. She rang the bereavement team this morning so I guess they’ve transferred it to her name now.

Do they receive any benefits? Pension credit etc. If so, sign them up for BT social tariff.

Nope.

I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole they way they stich up older people.

When I found out how much he was paying I called them to cancel. He'd been cold called and agreed to a "free" TV box. Which started a 24 month contract at an extortionate rate. I'd honestly rather deal with Virgin and thats saying something. At least their internet is good.

I agree. All these ‘trusted names’ rip off the elderly.

On a related issue, I didn’t have any water for 2 days before Xmas and southern water is supposed to automatically pay £60 compensation to every customer. Nothing in my account so I had to ring up to get it. We have a massive elderly population where I live so I bet at least half of their customers aren’t getting the compensation they’re entitled to. Cunts.

 

[trashpony]

Thanks for brilliant chrome and firestick suggestions. I have a fire stick I don’t use so I can give that to her. Doh - completely forgot about that. She won’t be able to record things but I think it’s quite likely they won’t collect the box anyway.

 

[skyscraper101]

Also, if you do decide to cancel BT and want broadband only. Consider ditching all the fixed line services which will all want a minimum term usually 12 or 24 months and look at the availability of a Three 4G or 5G solution

4G & 5G Home Broadband Deals | Unlimited Home Broadband | Three

Discover our 4G and 5G unlimited home broadband deals. Pay monthly contracts with our unlimited data plan, and connect up to 64 devices – only at Three.

www.three.co.uk

I ran something like this in my last flat and it worked fine. Runs wirelessly through 4G or 5G. Can even test it before cancelling the fixed line one if unsure (they have a cool off period).

 

[Plumdaff]

Be careful with the box thing - when we got rid of ours they ran a scam of threatening to continue to charge us if the box wasn't returned properly (and of course then making very little effort to retrieve the box).

One of the most frustrating things about living in late-stage capitalism is all your utility providers being grifting arseholes.

 

[trashpony]

Be careful with the box thing - when we got rid of ours they ran a scam of threatening to continue to charge us if the box wasn't returned properly (and of course then making very little effort to retrieve the box).

One of the most frustrating things about living in late-stage capitalism is all your utility providers being grifting arseholes.

Thanks for the tip. Grifting arseholes is right

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Thanks for brilliant chrome and firestick suggestions. I have a fire stick I don’t use so I can give that to her. Doh - completely forgot about that. She won’t be able to record things but I think it’s quite likely they won’t collect the box anyway.

Think firesticks are more old person friendly anyway.

 

[skyscraper101]

What does she like to record? If its mainly BBC ITV C4 stuff then its all pretty much on demand now.

Alternatively a freeview box with no subscription will also record stuff if that's her preference.

 

[skyscraper101]

If dealing with my grandparents is anything to go by, its always better to migrate older people as soon as possible to technology because there's a point of no return where they just cannot or will not grasp the concept of change (mobiles, streaming telly, video calls, etc).

Trying to get my grandma to just charge her mobile and use it would be a miracle right now. She's had the opportunity for at least 20 years to get onto this, but just not interested. We're talking a basic nokia here. The money wasted by old people on landlines is ridiculous.

I bought them an amazon echo show a couple of years back thinking they could use it to ask Alexa to play their radio station, and I could call it from my phone. They just use it as a clock.

 

[trashpony]

My mum has an iPhone, iPad and I bought her an Alexa for Christmas which she uses to record shopping lists and reminders and play the radio. She‘s only just got Netflix too. So she’s pretty good for nearly 89.

But she’s grieving and we‘re doing probate and all of that is quite emotionally demanding.

I did think a freeview box but you need a dish I think (well mine seems to though I don’t use it now I have a smart telly).

Getting old sucks.

 

[skyscraper101]

My mum has an iPhone, iPad and I bought her an Alexa for Christmas which she uses to record shopping lists and reminders and play the radio. She‘s only just got Netflix too. So she’s pretty good for nearly 89.

But she’s grieving and we‘re doing probate and all of that is quite emotionally demanding.

I did think a freeview box but you need a dish I think (well mine seems to though I don’t use it now I have a smart telly).

Getting old sucks.

A freeview box needs an aerial that’s all, it gets its signal the old way. I think BT boxes all use this for their terrestrial input so she probably already has it in place.

It’s Freesat that uses a dish.

Obvs for recording you’d need a freeview box that has a hard drive. That’s all BT is, a glorified freeview box with some added premium content. If she doesn’t use those extra features then there’s no reason to have BT charging for them.

Also fair play your mum getting down with all the gadgets at her age. I wish my grandparents were that receptive.

 

[ruffneck23]

The BT boxes should pick up freeview without the need to connect the internet (iptv), just an Ariel as stated above however if you want bt sport and such you will need an internet connection.

I worked installing them during lockdown so if you have any issues give me a shout.

 

[Maltin]

My mum pays £35 a month with BT for internet and phone calls. Think it is £7 for about 700 minutes a month of calls and £27 a month for internet so they can easily go lower than £73. Perhaps it’s the type of broadband they have that is a lot more expensive. My parents had BT TV and still have the box but not been chased for its return after cancelling it.

 

[trashpony]

God I just cancelled*. The guy I spoke to was so awful to me when I said I didn’t think they’d sold me the best deal. FFS they sold her a fibre optic Halo 3 complete wifi package with a £10 tv package on top of that.
He told me that they were the experts and that by not taking their advice I was going to make an uninformed choice.

Hateful lot.

* Sorry this post is written in a really confusing way because I had to pretend to be my mum on the phone (it was the only way I got them to back down about a ridiculously expensive contract 4 ago but my dad renewed it himself last time which is when the ’nice man’ finally got my dad to sign up)

 

[skyscraper101]

God I just cancelled. The guy I spoke to was so awful to me when I said I didn’t think they’d sold me the best deal. FFS they sold her a fibre optic Halo 3 complete wifi package with a £10 tv package on top of that.
He told me that they were the experts and that by not taking their advice I was going to make an uninformed choice.

Hateful lot.

Glad you cancelled. They have rightfully now lost another customer.