Sidelines

'Your call charges are going down.' Initially, it did look that way. From June 1, daytime national calls will be 3p per minute instead of 4p; although, if you phone for only one minute , it will be 5p (the minimum call charge). Weekend charges are somewhat different: for 6p, you can talk for up to an hour. Sounds good, doesn't it? However, the old charge was a 5p minimum, then 1p per minute, so I phoned BT to see if the new charge of 6p was a minimum charge. The operator insisted on taking my home phone number and address. 'But I only want to ask about your minimum call charge. Why do you need this information?' 'I'm afraid those are the rules.' Fuming, because it was irrelevant, I gave her the information. Now would she tell me? No, she wouldn't. Was BT my only phone supplier? 'At present,' I answered, testily, saying I was thinking of swapping to someone else, anyone else. Now would she give me the information? Not yet, she said. Was I still on the internet? 'Yes, yes, yes... now please will you tell me if the new weekend rate has a minimum call charge of 6p?' She finally admitted it did. 'So if my phone call lasts a minute, I'll actually pay more than before,' I said, adding that she had put me off BT completely. So there you are. If you phone London for an hour's chat, it will only cost 6p, saving you over £1. If you phone the cinema or the station, it will probably cost you more. But whatever you do, don't phone the operator!