So will I lose my free calls package?

[thesled]

I'm nearly at the end of my 24 month contract and I had a text message to renew on a new 24-month contract which I was fine to do as it all works OK and it would save me a £3 price increase. 

However I have a free calls package which it looks like I will lose on renewal. I chatted with Vodafone and the guy said 'we don't do those anymore'. But he also said I would keep the package if I didn't renew the contract. To add a new package would be £8 a month. 

So it seems a no-brainer. I bale out of the renewal on the 14-day getout, swallow the £3 increase and keep the calls package for free rather than save the £3 and pay an extra £8 for the calls package. On balance I probably benefit from the calls package as I do make quite a lot. 

However what I wouldn't want to happen is that I cancel the renewal and find my calls package mysteriously doesn't come back. Then the fun really starts !

Any thoughts on this very welcome, especially if you know if I would automatically keep the calls package by not renewing the contract. Or not. 

[Jayach]

If I understand you correctly, I don't think it will work.

When you take out the new contract, the previous one will cease. I don't think you can go back to it. If you then cancel in the 14 day period, I suspect you will have nothing.

Of course I could be wrong, but getting the actual truth from Vodafone is never easy.

My 2 years contract comes to an end on 15th June and I also have free calls, however I suspect they will end when the contract does. As I now have an alt-net available here as well as Openreach FTTP and I'm currently on FTTC taking out a new contract will mean having to go to FTTP which I'm not ready to do yet, so I'm intending to run on without a contract till I decide what to do.

Looks like mine will increase by £4 a month when out of contract.

[thesled]

Yep, and if I end up with nothing it's probably complaint time. As you say, getting to the bottom of stuff is never easy, at renewal time I always factor in hours and hours wasted I'll never get back. 

I did chat with them before (not trusting the text to be genuine, but I think it actually was) and they tried to push me onto a VOIP phone which I wasn't having. The text mentioned nothing about this so it will be interesting to see what they do.

In these uncertain times there's no way I'm having a VOIP phone, you're dependent on power and a functioning router just for your phone to work. 

[Jayach]

---

@thesled wrote:
I did chat with them before (not trusting the text to be genuine, but I think it actually was) and they tried to push me onto a VOIP phone which I wasn't having. The text mentioned nothing about this so it will be interesting to see what they do.

 Assuming you are still on FTTC like me, doing anything other than allowing your contract to expire and run on without a contract, will almost certainly get you on VoIP, as no new connections are allowed to the PSTN.

How long till the end of your contract?

[thesled]

And I did not know that about the new PSTN connections not being allowed as the whole network is being closed down by end 2025 (or 2026 depending on who's correct). Boo! Still I am surprised that Vodafone didn't mention that as I might have just caved in to the inevitable. 

In any event I doubt just a new contract would count as a 'new connection'. No physical changes are required to keep my service running. I can imagine them making a 'push' to get people off copper, but that's not quite the same thing as mandating it. I'm sure that comes later. 

[Jayach]

---

@thesled wrote:
In any event I doubt just a new contract would count as a 'new connection'. No physical changes are required to keep my service running. I can imagine them making a 'push' to get people off copper, but that's not quite the same thing as mandating it. I'm sure that comes later. 

---

You may be right, but I'm sure there have been posts on here where people have complained they were unexpected put on VoIP when renewing.

It's down to the service Vodafone have with Openreach, up till now it will probably be BTW (BT Wholesale) that includes the phone connection, but the new contract will be probably be SOGEA (Single Order Generic Ethernet Access) which doesn't, so Vodafone supply it via VoIP.

Do let us know how you get on.

[thesled]

Well we will soon see. 

That sounds like if they need to put me on VOIP they will have to get into my house. Well that won't be happening!

Unless they get into my house I can't see how they can make any changes that can't be easily undone. 

Do let me know if I'm wrong about that . . . . . . . .

[Cynric]

@thesled They do some of it at the exchange and some by remote to the router. If you do not want VOIP because of someone in the house has a special requirement, e.g. personal alarm, then the ISP are supposed to make provision for that.

[thesled]

Unfortunately not. No special needs. 

I got onto them again earlier but they've got no record of my renewal yet. My only hope is to wait till it comes through and try and cancel it ASAP before they do anything. 

Though I'm expecting them to say if they've tried to shove me over to VOIP that this 'can't be undone'. Which is of course rubbish. But have had it before when EE cancelled my working SIM 3G card and wouldn't put it back. Although I'm sure they could have. 

[Jayach]

---

@thesled wrote:
That sounds like if they need to put me on VOIP they will have to get into my house. Well that won't be happening!

---

There will be no physical changes at your end, but you will connect your phone(s) to the router instead of the BT sockets.