What should I do

[Den]

I am looking into dropping my BT line down from Business to a private line and therefore looking at the best deal. I contacted Idnet and they said that they could convert the line across I would have to that with BT. So I contacted BT and they said the would but it would of course tye me into a new contract(18 month).

So I then did a price comparison and found that,

IDNET: Unlimited call and Broadband Lite: £35.72/month or £392.92/year.

BT: Unlimited call and Total Broadband: £29.60/month or £312.00/year                             ooooooooooooops

Why do so many people claim that they save money by swapping to Idnet as the figures do not add up.

Choices time I think, any comments and help would be nice.

[Steve]

Apart from the typo with the BT cost per year, a few things to check, the IDNet prices include vat is that the same with BT and also if you pay yearly with IDNet you get one month free. (still one month contract).

I use BT for the phone but looking around me at the speedtests for other BT broadband users locally that would not be a wise move for me to make with the broadband.

[Technical Ben]

IDNet are cheaper for the phone line, but not for the broadband. However, BT might be able to offer special deals too. But putting you on an 18 month contract for downgrading? I guess their excuse is it's a regrade.

[Steve]

Not convinced the phone is any cheaper with IDNet if there are a lot of landline to mobile calls.

[Gary]

Not convinced the phone is any cheaper with IDNet if there are a lot of landline to mobile calls.

I only went with idnet as I phone abroad alot, I use my mobile to call other mobiles, in fact I use my mobile most of the time now compared with the landline. For us it worked out cheaper, above all support was so much better, I had to get my mothers landline up and running as she has just moved and needed help, dealing with IDnet was a pleasure compared with BT outsourced help. Also I just dont like 18 mth contracts or those rolling contracts BT do. Saying that if I had Sky LLU hear I would probably go with them, Sky TV, phone,  and LLU broadband is a great deal and at our hold home the Sky calling package included calls abroad and was very reasonable.

[Niall]

I went with IDnet for my phone as I rarely use it. I'm talking 40p a month here, so I'm paying for line rental and nothing else. It saves me about £10 a month I think.

[Den]

The trouble is my phone bill with rental comes to £140 / £150 then add that to Idnet Broadband @ £18.37/month that gives a total of £195.11 / £205.11.

If I change my line to Private and take up one the of BT deals I would pay £10 line rental and (with features) about £6.50/month. That costs me £16.50/month times 3= £49.50 plus Idnet = £104.61 for 3 months.

If I change over my line and broadband to private and broadband with BT it will be £16.00/month + line rental @ £10.00/month = £26.00 times 3 = £78.00/3 for months.

Summing up:   At the moment £205.11  BT/Idnet mix  £104.61   BT only  £78.00       All including VAT  So the difference between BT/Idnet and BT only is about £26.00 but my saving will be either £101 or £127 and if I stay with Idnet for broadband I will not have to muck about changing emails etc`.   

[Simon]

...if you pay yearly with IDNet you get one month free. (still one month contract).

Have you worked that into your calculations, Den?

[Den]

You get 3 months free with BT on either deal but I was more interested in the on going cost. Add into that the fact I do not really want to leave Idnet 

[Lance]

I could get cheaper broadband and phones with Sky, doesn't mean I have to take the cheapest option though!

To be honest, Den, its just whether or not you can justify the higher cost of IDNet based on your own personal circumstances.

[Den]

I'm going to contact BT after the weekend and change my landline to a private line as long as they let me have their unlimited deals and stay with Idnet for the broadband