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Re: [Sheflug] Demon and fixed IP with SurfTime
Hi.
Further this thread of conversation I received this email from the Demon Announce mailing list (probably on demon.announce newsgroup as well).
Mark
--==--
Forwarded Message:
Demon is very pleased to announce some significant enhancements to the
standard dial-up service. These will allow customers to access the
Internet for far less than they are currently paying.
These enhancements require significant investment in and extension of
our existing infrastructure. Demon is committed to maintaining a quality
service, and expects to be able to provide the new services in August.
This announcement is being made at the earliest possible opportunity. So
at present these details comprise all the information available.
Whilst further information, FAQs and explanations are being prepared, it
would be appreciated if customers could be patient and avoid calling the
Helpdesk or customer services about this topic. They do not currently
have any information beyond that which appears below.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
The full details follow, but the changes fall into three groups:
(a) Standard dial-up
There will be an additional phone number to reach Demon. This will
provide significantly reduced BT charges for daytime and evening
calling. NO extra payment will be required to make use of this
number, nor will any special registrations be required.
(b) Demon Premier Connect
There will be another phone number charged at an even cheaper BT
"Surftime" call tariff. This will be available for everyone to use
during the evening and at the weekends. NO extra payment will be
required to make use of this number, nor will any special
registrations be required.
If you make a fixed extra payment to BT then you can get a 100%
discount on Surftime calls. This would mean that your access through
BT to Demon would be "free" at these times, or, to use another
common term "unmetered".
(c) Demon Premier Connect Plus
In return for an extra monthly payment to Demon the Surftime numbers
can be used throughout the working day as well as during evenings
and weekends. Again, if you make a fixed extra payment to BT you can
get a 100% discount on some or all of your Surftime calls so that
they become "free".
** Please note that these new methods of access are initially only **
** available to users of BT telephone lines; but may also become **
** available through other telephone providers in the future. **
Demon wished to let its customers know about these new prices just as
soon as they were finalised. However, significant software and hardware
upgrades need to be put in place by both Demon and BT to allow us to
continue to offer our normal standard of service and performance for all
of our dial-up customers. This work is already in progress and is
scheduled to be completed during August 2000, following which we will
launch these new dial-up options.
BT also have some work to do on their own to be able to provide these
tariffs to all of their customers. Although they are already available
in some parts of the UK, they say that the entire country will not be
covered until December 2000.
Customers who wish to make extra payments to BT will have to arrange
this for themselves.
Customers should note that signing up for either Demon Premier Connect
Plus OR BT's fixed payment Surftime scheme "early" will be of no benefit
to them in reducing the cost of contacting Demon until the launch date
of the new tariffs AND the availability of the BT scheme in their
particular area.
NB: although every care has been taken in producing this announcement,
BT's pricing structure is complex and may have been over-simplified. You
should check all of the tariffs that apply to your individual situation
before purchasing any product. You should also note that BT applies its
own terms and conditions to all of the products it offers.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
These exciting new options will now be explained in detail:
But first, for comparison, BT customers on the standard tariff will
currently be paying a basic rate of:
3.95 pence per minute to access Demon during the working day
(Mon - Fri, 8am to 6pm)
1.49 pence per minute in the evenings and night
(Mon - Fri, midnight to 8am and 6pm to midnight)
1.00 pence per minute during the weekend
(midnight Friday to midnight Sunday).
[[these figures include VAT at 17.5% - and it should be noted that all
charged calls are subject to a 5p minimum charge.]]
BT also have a number of "free" discount schemes that offer 5% to 20%
off these rates. Some of their other "paid for" discount schemes (or
"customer options") give access to rates of 3 pence per minute for the
working day, change the minimum call charge that is used, or provide
other discounts.
(a) the new Standard dial-up rate
=================================
Users of the standard dial-up service will be able to use a new "g4
tariff" number (0844 099 xxxx) to call Demon. This will be charged
at:
2.0p per minute daytime
1.0p per minute evenings
1.0p per minute weekend
[figures including VAT, minimum call charge still applies]
This is a significant saving for the daytime and evening periods.
NO extra payment will be required to make use of this tariff, nor will
any special registrations be required. You just dial a different phone
number to reach Demon.
It is possible to reduce these charges still further using the domestic
"calling circle" discounts (Friends and Family, Best Friend) and also
some (but not all) of the business equivalents. For more information on
the discounts, and indeed all aspects of BT's complex call charging
system, see:
http://www.bt.com/home/price_frm.htm
or
http://www.bt.com/business/price_frm.htm
(b) Demon Premier Connect
=========================
Further savings will be available by calling a new "g5 tariff" number
(0844 041 xxxx). This number is popularly called a Surftime number. This
will be charged at:
0.6p per minute evenings
0.5p per minute weekend
[figures including VAT, minimum call charge still applies]
This Surftime number will be available during the evenings and weekends
for all Demon dial-up customers WITHOUT ANY INCREASE in the monthly
charge of 10 pounds + VAT (11.75).
ie: NO extra payment will be required to make use of this tariff, nor
will any special registrations be required. You just dial a different
phone number to reach Demon.
The Surftime number will not be available during the working day. Users
of Demon Premier Connect will need to swap to the "g4" number during
that period. ie the charge will be:
2.0 per minute daytime
Please note that Surftime is not yet available on all BT lines, but
BT state that it should be available nation-wide by December 2000.
FURTHERMORE:
by making a payment of 5.99 pounds per month to BT you can have a
100% discount on all of these Surftime calls. ie: all evening and
weekend calls to Demon would become "free".
Note that at present there are NO other discounts available on
Surftime calls. For example you cannot make a Surftime number your
"Best Friend" or apply other residential or business discounts.
(c) Demon Premier Connect Plus
==============================
"Standard Dialup" and "Demon Premier Connect" remain at the existing
price of 11.75 (10 pounds a month + VAT).
It will be possible to upgrade to the "Demon Premier Connect Plus"
account. This will be available for a total monthly payment of 19.99
(17.01 + VAT). This type of account will allow access to the Demon
Surftime number at ANY time. The BT call charges will be:
1.0p per minute daytime
0.6p per minute evenings
0.5p per minute weekend
[figures including VAT, minimum call charge applies]
Demon Premier Connect Plus will be AUTOMATICALLY included in the bundle
that "Business dial-up" and "Super Showroom" users receive. (These are
the 60 pounds per month packages sometimes called "BDU" and "NDU".)
Once again, it is possible to pay BT 5.99 pounds per month to get a
full discount on all evening and weekend Surftime calls.
Alternatively you can pay BT 19.99 pounds per month and get ALL of
your Surftime calls for "free".
Note that at present there are NO other discounts available on
Surftime calls. For example you cannot make a Surftime number your
"Best Friend".
Please note that Surftime is not yet available on all BT lines, but
BT state that it should be available nation-wide by December 2000.
What about ISDN ?
=================
At present, Demon does not treat ISDN calls any differently than calls
using a modem. It is not necessary to pay anything extra to Demon to use
ISDN. On those ROMPs that provide a "bonding" facility a second
connection can be opened "for free" - though of course a second call
charge has to be paid to your telephone service provider.
Demon will be offering ISDN access to the "g4" and "g5" tariffs from the
outset, on exactly the same terms as are offered to customers who use
modems. However, "bonding" will not initially be available.
So which scheme should you choose ?
===================================
The tariffs that BT charge, along with the complex discount structure,
makes it very hard to offer precise advice as to which of the options
outlined above is best for any particular customer.
Of course, besides choosing the cheapest option, customers may wish to
choose an option that gives them a predictable bill each month. But as
general guidance (and customers should do their own calculations, taking
their own circumstances into account):
#1 Almost everyone will be better off using the g4 number (topic (a)
above) rather than standard BT rates. The only possible exceptions
would be people with unusual tariff arrangements (such as a business
user who called only at the weekends).
#2 If Surftime is available from your exchange then you will be better
off using the Surftime numbers rather than the g4 numbers during the
evening and weekend periods. You will need to arrange to call the g4
number during the day.
#3 If advice #2 applies to you then you will be paying 0.6p/min in the
evenings and 0.5p/min at the weekend. If your total bill for these
calls exceeds 5.99 a month you will be better off paying 5.99 to BT
and getting "free calls" in the evenings and weekends. The trade-off
occurs at 16-20 hours usage per month (4-5 hours per week).
#4 If you call during the day then you can use the g4 number and pay
2p/min. It might be worthwhile changing to "Demon Premier Connect
Plus" (ie paying 19.99/month rather than 11.75) and paying only the
Surftime rate of 1p a minute. How much you save will depend on how
much discount you can get on the g4 number (discounts are not
available on the Surftime rate). The Surftime rate is cheaper when
your daytime calls to Demon reach:
residential Best Friend (20% off) 22.9 hours/month (65 mins/day)
business Key Number ( 5% off) 15.2 hours/month (44 mins/day)
no discount at all 13.7 hours/month (40 mins/day)
#5 If advice #4 applies to you then you will be paying 1p/min during
the day, 0.6p/min in the evening and 0.5p/min at the weekend. If
your total bill for these calls exceeds 19.99 a month you will be
better off paying 19.99 to BT and getting "free calls". If all your
calls are made during the day, then the trade-off occurs at 33.3
hours/month (which is an average of 95mins per working day).
Finally:
There will be further information on www.demon.net shortly and a sign-up
system for Demon Premier Connect Plus will become available in good time
for the launch of the new tariffs in August.
Malcolm Muir
Demon Internet
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