The UK telecoms giant BT seems to have adopted the selling of capped calls as part of its call plans - are 'capped calls' really offering good value to the customer as call plans usually carry long tie-ins & other obligations?
The problem with trying to decide if these deals are good or bad is the difficulty in obtaining information - BTs website does not seem to give call rates up easiliy - their pricelist points visitors to 58 mult-page documents hence, information is lets just say not made easy to find. The helpless search utility provided by BT also proved equally challenging at delivering any form of digestable results - calling for information proved the best way.
The next task was to establish UK's average call length. Telecost performed a study in 2002 of 100 UK businesses ranging from high users such as call centres to small enterprises at variuos locations. Over 2 million calls were analysed with results as shown below:
Average length of mobile call (07 numbers) - 110 seconds.
Average length of call to landline (01 numbers) - 112 seconds.
Average length of national call (02 numbers) - 121 seconds.
If the average call length is 2 minutes then the following stands to reason:
A 2 minute call on BT Standard Rate to mobile is 45p and to landline is 15p inc BT's call setup fee.
A 2 Minute call through BT's 'Business Plan' to mobile would cost 25p (capped) and to landline would cost 8p on a 1 year contract.
A 2 minute mobile call using BT's 'Oneplan' is 20p (capped) and a 2 minute landline call is 5p (capped) on a 2 year contract with additional BT services required.
A 2 minute call through Westlake to mobile would cost 18p and to landline would cost 2.5p on a one year contract.
A 2 minute call through Midland Telecom to mobile would cost 16p and to landline would cost 1.8p on a 1 year contract with a minimum spend requirement.
A 2 minute call using Gradwell VOIP to mobile would cost 20p and a 2 minute call to landline would be free(subject to acceptable usage otherwise would cost 2.5p) on a 3 month contract.
Based on the above information above being correct the conclusion therefore is:- if your business makes average length calls then LCR or VOIP providers offer you the best overall call savings. If your bunsiness makes long phone calls on a regular basis then BT will be the better choice, but then...
To benefit from maximum call savings customers should consider using smart phone systems such as Asterisk which will can be programmed to take the most efficient route. For example: - you can route all national calls through VOIP hence take advantage of free calls and unlimited outbound trunks hence make instant savings on your line rentals, route mobile calls through GSM - hence achieve free calls to staff mobiles & mobile tarifs of 4.5p & use BT Oneplan to route long calls.
This is guide to help UK companies make a more informed decision about their coms - the information above was obtained on Sept 08 hence e&oe. - 15246
The problem with trying to decide if these deals are good or bad is the difficulty in obtaining information - BTs website does not seem to give call rates up easiliy - their pricelist points visitors to 58 mult-page documents hence, information is lets just say not made easy to find. The helpless search utility provided by BT also proved equally challenging at delivering any form of digestable results - calling for information proved the best way.
The next task was to establish UK's average call length. Telecost performed a study in 2002 of 100 UK businesses ranging from high users such as call centres to small enterprises at variuos locations. Over 2 million calls were analysed with results as shown below:
Average length of mobile call (07 numbers) - 110 seconds.
Average length of call to landline (01 numbers) - 112 seconds.
Average length of national call (02 numbers) - 121 seconds.
If the average call length is 2 minutes then the following stands to reason:
A 2 minute call on BT Standard Rate to mobile is 45p and to landline is 15p inc BT's call setup fee.
A 2 Minute call through BT's 'Business Plan' to mobile would cost 25p (capped) and to landline would cost 8p on a 1 year contract.
A 2 minute mobile call using BT's 'Oneplan' is 20p (capped) and a 2 minute landline call is 5p (capped) on a 2 year contract with additional BT services required.
A 2 minute call through Westlake to mobile would cost 18p and to landline would cost 2.5p on a one year contract.
A 2 minute call through Midland Telecom to mobile would cost 16p and to landline would cost 1.8p on a 1 year contract with a minimum spend requirement.
A 2 minute call using Gradwell VOIP to mobile would cost 20p and a 2 minute call to landline would be free(subject to acceptable usage otherwise would cost 2.5p) on a 3 month contract.
Based on the above information above being correct the conclusion therefore is:- if your business makes average length calls then LCR or VOIP providers offer you the best overall call savings. If your bunsiness makes long phone calls on a regular basis then BT will be the better choice, but then...
To benefit from maximum call savings customers should consider using smart phone systems such as Asterisk which will can be programmed to take the most efficient route. For example: - you can route all national calls through VOIP hence take advantage of free calls and unlimited outbound trunks hence make instant savings on your line rentals, route mobile calls through GSM - hence achieve free calls to staff mobiles & mobile tarifs of 4.5p & use BT Oneplan to route long calls.
This is guide to help UK companies make a more informed decision about their coms - the information above was obtained on Sept 08 hence e&oe. - 15246
About the Author:
The author has been a telephone system consultant since 2003 - please refer to Cheap Business Calls for more information about latest UK Call Rates & Charges.
