BT payment charges 'unjustified'

Black Rose · 13-03-2007, 09:13 PM

BT payment charges 'unjustified'
British Telecom has been criticised by Trading Standards for charging customers £4.50 extra each quarter if they do not pay by direct debit.

Trading Standards called the charge affecting about five million customers "outrageous" and "unjustified".

But the telecoms giant said it cost more to process non-direct debit payments and that those customers were also more likely to forget to pay.

BT also said it would soften the blow to customers by giving more discounts.

The BBC's Sumant Bhatia said other companies, including Virgin Media, the Post Office and Telecom Plus, also charged more to those who do not pay by direct debit.

Last month BT revealed the number of people signing up to its home phone services grew for the first time in four years during the last three months of 2006.

In the final quarter of 2006, 37,000 more users signed up for the phone service after BT cut prices in August.

"The charge will not apply to customers on our Light User and In Contact Plus social telephone schemes," said BT .

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/6436839.stm

It's a bugger I know

13-03-2007, 09:13 PM	#1
Black Rose Bear with me Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 47,534 My Mood: Location: A strangeland under the iron sea where hopes & fears can make the night train be in perfect symmetry Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 6 Thanked 105 Times in 83 Posts	BT payment charges 'unjustified' BT payment charges 'unjustified' British Telecom has been criticised by Trading Standards for charging customers £4.50 extra each quarter if they do not pay by direct debit. Trading Standards called the charge affecting about five million customers "outrageous" and "unjustified". But the telecoms giant said it cost more to process non-direct debit payments and that those customers were also more likely to forget to pay. BT also said it would soften the blow to customers by giving more discounts. The BBC's Sumant Bhatia said other companies, including Virgin Media, the Post Office and Telecom Plus, also charged more to those who do not pay by direct debit. Last month BT revealed the number of people signing up to its home phone services grew for the first time in four years during the last three months of 2006. In the final quarter of 2006, 37,000 more users signed up for the phone service after BT cut prices in August. "The charge will not apply to customers on our Light User and In Contact Plus social telephone schemes," said BT . Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/6436839.stm It's a bugger I know __________________ You could take a picture of something you see In the future where will I be? You could climb a ladder up to the sun Or write a song nobody had sung Or do something that's never been done