If BT had announced an increase in charges, but advised of a discount for payment by direct debit, there wouldn't have been nearly so much fuss. Instead, they've handled this very badly, and got on the wrong side of public opinion.
Less well advertised is their intention to charge a cancellation fee from May for those who depart BT for another company.
Excuse me, but where, in the terms and conditions of my BT service, does it say they can do this? They're moving the goalposts, and if I disagree with the new terms, what right do they have to charge me for moving to another supplier.
it seems to me that BT are still hanging on to traces of the old browbeating monopoly they once were, in their attitude toward today's customers.
So, I've already sent off the BBC TV Watchdog programme's template letter of protest, (which, strangely, has the identical wording to the petition in the above link).