Paying twice for same service

Question

Hi ive already got BT phone with an unlimited call plan and have had it for a long time then at the beginning of September decided to get Broadband option 1 which also has unlimited calls , well stupidly i thought the previous charges for calls would now cease and the new ones would take it's place but alas no i am now going to be charged my original 4.99 calltime plan and my new broadband/calltime plan 15.99 . They give you a new phone number which you assign to your home hub connected phone and charge twice. Im mortified .

Answer 1

BT Broadband comes with Internet calls on a different number and is NOT the same thing or a replacement for your standard call package, but an add on. Your standard number has to stay live as that's what your broadband is tied to. You could choose to cancel the £4.99 anytime package, in which case calls via that would be free at the weekend. But beware. Internet calls are dependent on broadband doing it's job properly and are not of the same quality as your standard phone line. For most purposes it's OK but it has limitations, for example, I've yet to find one of those tone driven menu systems beloved of companies which can recognise a tone sent over the internet.
Also take into account that there are some services which are nominally free, but BT will charge you for if you don't make the appropriate number of calls. For example: 1571 is free unless you make either 2 or 6 calls (including inclusive calls, but not 0800) depending on whether you're billed monthly or quarterly. If you've taken advantage of paying your annual line rental at a discount you will be charged £1.50 per month if you don't make the same requisite number of calls. So do use your main number too during its free period or you may have a nasty surprise.
You actually have 2 different things.