BT Light User Scheme

A question about : BT Light User Scheme

We have lived in our house for just over 6 months now, and have only made 1 telephone call from our landline.

When I heard about the light user scheme from BT, I thought it would be perfect.

However, it seems you don't qualify for it if you have i) A mobile telephone in your name ii) A broadband connection. Apparently there are more exclusions (probably if you speak english, wear blue jeans and other such ridiculous unrelated reasons).

I am most annoyed about this, I now have to pay Ј10.50 for BT line rental, purely for the reason to get broadband (oh and Sky).

It seems that a broadband connection on the line counts as another telephone service provider, so if they switch it to light user, it would cut off the broadband (anyone have any technical details about this?).

Why having a mobile is even any of their business is completely beyond me. I am quite infuriated by this monopolising company, but there is nothing I can do about it at all.

Anybody else had any similar experience? >

Best answers:

• The BT Light User scheme is a special scheme and is supposed to be for "light users" of the telephony network and is so priced below the cost of provision (If BT could target it to low incomes instead they would..)
  In pratice, this means its supposed to be for "poor"/disadvanted people who would otherwise not be able to afford to have a telephone and thus be socially disadvantaged.
  As such:
  - if you have access to another telephone line (cable or a mobile) you do not qualify (as you are not poor enough as you have access to other telephone lines etc)
  - if you have ADSL you do not qualify (as you are not a "light user" of the "telephony network"/local loop - as you use ADSL on it!)
  If you have ADSL and try to switch to teh Light User Scheme - I believe BT's computer systems throw up an "alarm" and block the operator from doing it.
  In the same way, if you have a Light User line BT will not enable it for ADSL.
  Regards
  Sunil
• Then it should not be called 'light user'.
  I am a light user and I cannot have it.
  It should be called economy.
• You are not a light user of the telephony network as you use ADSL on it (which uses the telephony network)
  Regards
  Sunil
• hiya, hope you dont think im ignorant but what is ADSL ??? ??? ??? ???
• Abuse of the Light User Scheme used to be rife. I can certainly remember salesmen for various phone companies telling me that I could use it if I switched to them.
  A few years ago BT barred access to indirect access operators (the ones where you dial a prefix) on the lines of LUS customers. The same applies to carrier pre-selection (where you don't use a prefix).
  I seem to remember BT staff were (probably still are) duty bound to recommend the scheme to those who might qualify. Unfortunately there was no way to know the difference between customers who were genuinely light users and those who made their calls via other operators. Customers who didn't qualify were encouraged to go on the scheme and this gave rise to complaints when the bar was introduced.
• What is the line rental price for LUS? I cannot find that information anywhere. I've found the information on rebates, and I know calls are charged as they were on BT Standard.
  Quote:
• BT also use software which determines whether any calls are being made to 0800 type numbers which circumvent the Low User Scheme. (e.g. AOL type ISPs that use 0800 or 0808 access numbers, 0800 access numbers to 18866 type services etc.)
  When a Low User is detected trying to ring one of these numbers the call gets barred and cannot be completed.