Bt And Talktalk

[Luzzly]

My elderly mother gets bills from both BT and TalkTalk. She only has a landline, no wifi and Freeview TV. As I live away, I haven't yet seen the statements. But does this sound right? Her phone is rented from BT and she has unlimited weekend plan from them. Do you think one of them should be cancelled, or do they both work together somehow?

[Old_Geezer]

Wouldn't know, but would ask whether she has broadband from one and normal telephone service from the other. You need to check both bills, see what they're for.

[Luzzly]

I will check when I get up there next, but she definitely has no broadband.

[Kathyan]

Could she be paying line rental to BT and calls to TalkTalk?

[TonyV]

Kath to the best of my knowledge and memory, the telephone line belongs to BT so you need to pay a fee to rent it. The company that provides the actual phone access can be BT or one of many others.

[bhg481]

I think that your mum has changed from one provider to the other and the original provider hasn't stopped sending bills, so she should get some credit.
As TonyV says, BT own all the lines that Virgin don't but, if TalkTalk provide your service their bill includes the cost of the line rental which they have to pass on to BT, so you only pay one provider.

[4candles]

All non Virgin lines are owned and maintained by BT Openreach. They're leased to providers like Plusnet, BT Retail, Talk Talk, Post Office etc, who then charge the end user for line rental and call charges.
Sounds like either the line was switched to another provider, but the original one is still billing in error, or
Historically, there is or was a broadband service on the line which has never been cancelled.

[Kathyan]

TonyV I pay my line rental to Sky.

[TonyV]

Kath Sky will then pass a payment to BT who maintain the lines.

[Luzzly]

Thanks for all your answers. My late father changed on to Talktalk. And it does sound as if he didn't cancel the BT. I'll have to look into it. There's never been a broadband at her address.

[Hopkirk]

Perhaps she is still renting the phone from BT.

Phones are so relatively cheap these days that no one should still be renting phones.