BT the UK's largest telecoms provider is dangling the carrotof caopped calls as a means of persuading customers to enter into 1 or 2 year agreements. I have written this article to find out if 'call capping' actually benefits the average business.
Trying to gather call rate information for this task was rather awkward to say the least - BT's website and search facility seemed to make this task 'difficult' to say the least. A few hours of calling to the abyss of extentions and I had the figures I wanted.
I also needed to establish the average length of a business call. Luckily for me Telecost performed this task a few years ago by analysing 2 million call records (2278614 to be precise) of 100 different companies in different parts of the UK. There was a wide range of company types in the study including high volume users such as: recruitment agencies, debt collection and media companies. It is of course difficult to know how representative the sample is however I don't expect BT will dish this information willingly. Results below:
Average duration of mobile call (07 number) - 110 seconds.
Average duration of national call (01 number) - 112 seconds.
Average length of call to landline (02 numbers) - 121 seconds.
Assuming that an average UK call length is 2 minutes then:
A 2 minute call on BT Standard Rate to mobile is 45p and to landline is 15p inc BT's call setup fee.
A 2 Minute call with BT's 'Business Plan' to mobile would cost 25p (capped) and to landline would cost 8p on a 1 year contract.
A 2 Minute call with BT's Oneplan to mobile would cost 20p (capped) and to landline would cost 5p (capped) on a 2 year contract with 2 additional BT services required.
A 2 minute mobile call using Westlake LCR is 18p and a 2 minute landline call is 2.5p on a one year contract.
A 2 minute mobile call using Midland LCR to mobile is 16p and a 2 minute landline call is 1.8p on a 1 year contract with a minimum call spend requirement.
A 2 minute call through Gradwell Business VOIP to mobile would cost 20p and a 2 minute call to landline would be free (on all inclusive tarif else the call would cost 2.5p) on a 3 month contract.
Based on the above information above being correct the conclusion therefore is:- if your business makes average length calls then LCR or VOIP providers offer the best call savings. If your bunsiness makes long phone calls on a regular basis then BT will be the better choice, but then...
To benefit from maximum call savings customers should consider using voip phone systems such as Asterisk which will can be programmed to take the most efficient route. For example: - you can route all national calls through VOIP hence take advantage of free calls and unlimited outbound trunks and make savings on your line rentals, you can route mobile calls through GSM - hence achieve free calls to staff mobiles & mobile tarifs of 1.45p 4.5p - use BT Oneplan to route long calls.
This article is merely a guide to help UK businesses make up their own minds - the call rates were obtained in Sept 08 hence may or may not be accurate at the time of reading. - 15224
Trying to gather call rate information for this task was rather awkward to say the least - BT's website and search facility seemed to make this task 'difficult' to say the least. A few hours of calling to the abyss of extentions and I had the figures I wanted.
I also needed to establish the average length of a business call. Luckily for me Telecost performed this task a few years ago by analysing 2 million call records (2278614 to be precise) of 100 different companies in different parts of the UK. There was a wide range of company types in the study including high volume users such as: recruitment agencies, debt collection and media companies. It is of course difficult to know how representative the sample is however I don't expect BT will dish this information willingly. Results below:
Average duration of mobile call (07 number) - 110 seconds.
Average duration of national call (01 number) - 112 seconds.
Average length of call to landline (02 numbers) - 121 seconds.
Assuming that an average UK call length is 2 minutes then:
A 2 minute call on BT Standard Rate to mobile is 45p and to landline is 15p inc BT's call setup fee.
A 2 Minute call with BT's 'Business Plan' to mobile would cost 25p (capped) and to landline would cost 8p on a 1 year contract.
A 2 Minute call with BT's Oneplan to mobile would cost 20p (capped) and to landline would cost 5p (capped) on a 2 year contract with 2 additional BT services required.
A 2 minute mobile call using Westlake LCR is 18p and a 2 minute landline call is 2.5p on a one year contract.
A 2 minute mobile call using Midland LCR to mobile is 16p and a 2 minute landline call is 1.8p on a 1 year contract with a minimum call spend requirement.
A 2 minute call through Gradwell Business VOIP to mobile would cost 20p and a 2 minute call to landline would be free (on all inclusive tarif else the call would cost 2.5p) on a 3 month contract.
Based on the above information above being correct the conclusion therefore is:- if your business makes average length calls then LCR or VOIP providers offer the best call savings. If your bunsiness makes long phone calls on a regular basis then BT will be the better choice, but then...
To benefit from maximum call savings customers should consider using voip phone systems such as Asterisk which will can be programmed to take the most efficient route. For example: - you can route all national calls through VOIP hence take advantage of free calls and unlimited outbound trunks and make savings on your line rentals, you can route mobile calls through GSM - hence achieve free calls to staff mobiles & mobile tarifs of 1.45p 4.5p - use BT Oneplan to route long calls.
This article is merely a guide to help UK businesses make up their own minds - the call rates were obtained in Sept 08 hence may or may not be accurate at the time of reading. - 15224
About the Author:
The author is a IP phone systems consultant and has been involved in VOIP telecoms since 2003. Please check out the latest UK Call Rate Comparisons.
