Unicom - Any Opinions?

[Draugen]

These guys called me today to tell me about the excellent savings they can apparantly offer me on my phonelines compared to BT. A sales rep is coming to visit me tomorrow afternoon, as they had a fairly convincing sales patter on the phone and well, if they can save me money it'd be nice.

Anyone had any dealings with them in the past? So far, they seem to talk a good talk...

[belucrative]

Dave i cant believe im using this corny lin but they do indeed "walk the walk" too.

We have been using unicom over 2 years now and have had no problems and great service. We switched to them from XLN who were terrible and awkward to deal with when we had problems.

As a sweatener we got some free flights for switching to them, try and blag those from the sales guy if you can.

They are also our broadband supplier and again thats been spot on.

Remember though the ball is in your court, they want you to switch so make them work for it. ;)

[faststaff]

PM sent

Rich

[My Owl 1]

I know a little about them. You have a pin number then you put in the number you are calling. I think they are a customer pereference service, so you may well have to still pay your existing line rental.

If you are looking to change from BT do have a look at my web site and if interested I can do a proposal against your last phone bill to see whether you can save money with us and have an efficient service with a UK customer service.

Our line rental is approximately 45% less than BT and call prices are very competitive 1.9p per minute peak and 0.9p off peak.If you call worldwide then our call charges are only 2.5p to 28 worldwide destinations.

Anyway, compare our services to Unicom would appreciate your feedback as to how we compare against them. look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes

Avril :)

www.savemoneywith us.co.uk

affordable utilities for businesses and home

[Draugen]

Hi Avril, I'm actually a Utility Warehouse distributer myself (I think everyone is these days!) Unfortunately our deals don't seem the best for what I'm looking for. :(

[My Owl 1]

Hi Avril, I'm actually a Utility Warehouse distributer myself (I think everyone is these days!) Unfortunately our deals don't seem the best for what I'm looking for. :(

So which deal are you on and you said in your opening message compared to BT, which made me think you dont have line rental with UW. Have you got one of our cashback cards yet. I have saved over £70 on my small business since Christmas with my cashback card which is awesome.

Avril:)

[Dragon Media Group]

The only advice that I would give is make sure that you are entirely happy with what you are being offered before you sign up as the Unicom contracts tie you in in such a way that you will have to pay an absolute fortune to change service provider whithin the contract duration, and all contracts are rolling so you may enter another 3 year agreement without realizing.

[The Topcopy]

I am so tired that when I saw the title of the thread I thought you were asking for people's opinions on whether unicorns existed. :p Off to bed now to rejuvenate the brain cells.

[InvestInCzech]

Get a VOIP phone and do away with your line rental all together. Cheaper calls, lots of useful functionality for small businesses. I've been using a business VOIP service for over 12 months and had no problems - plus saved money - plus i have useful business features. Contact Mark Lloyd at Pennycom and mention my name (i'm not a reseller for them; just spent 10 years selling comms solutions :) )
markl (at) pennycom.com

[An Oasis]

We use them, not bad but beware the charges for redirects to mobiles...we got hit with some eye watering charges from them for redirects. I *****ed and screamed at them and they did spend time trying to repackage a deal for us. Verdict would be a 9/10 if it had not been for stupidly high redirects.

[InvestInCzech]

Valid point, redirects are charged at whatever rate you agree with them. For instance, you can set up online to redirect to your mobile if you cannot get to your landline (travelling for instance/or elsewhere in the building) or you can divert to another landline number or even internationally. You just need to agree what those rates are. Generally 1ppm to landlines; 10ppm to to UK mobiles (including divert); international at whatever you agree per country. Make sure you see the full A-Z. Any advice give me a shout.

[movietub]

Get a VOIP phone and do away with your line rental all together. Cheaper calls, lots of useful functionality for small businesses. I've been using a business VOIP service for over 12 months and had no problems - plus saved money - plus i have useful business features. Contact Mark Lloyd at Pennycom and mention my name (i'm not a reseller for them; just spent 10 years selling comms solutions :) )
markl (at) pennycom.com

Within a year or so VOIP will the lead over analogue line telephones. If your looking to change from BT anyway you should consider this side step (and huge forwards step) now really - we are.

VOIP will only get cheaper the more people convert to it and ditch their traditional BT phones. When we are all on VOIP effectively free! Except you still need a landline to get the broadband feed of course.

I would reccomend anyone thats unsure about VOIP does some research and checks out what could be saved!

[cjd]

What do you need you telephone service to do?

If you need more than one phone, want to do diverts, work from home or just want stuff like voicemail to email, music on hold etc you should have a look at VoIP before commiting to a contract.

If you don't know what VoIP is or does, there's a starter here:
http://www.voipfone.co.uk/What_Is_Voip.php

[movietub]

What do you need you telephone service to do?

If you need more than one phone, want to do diverts, work from home or just want stuff like voicemail to email, music on hold etc you should have a look at VoIP before commiting to a contract.

If you don't know what VoIP is or does, there's a starter here:
http://www.voipfone.co.uk/What_Is_Voip.php

Or if you only need one phone and want it to work just as efficiently and easily as a BT phone use VOIP.

Basically anyone that pays for broadband is already paying for the infrastructure that VOIP phones use - so to not use them is wasting money, either for the sake of nostalgia, ignorance or stubbornness. Why continue to pay to send analogue data down the same line in a digital age?

May seem an extremest view but check back in a year and it will be as questionable not to use VOIP as to say a mobile phone is a pointless new fad.

CJD - great guide there by the way

[garyk]

I know a little about them. You have a pin number then you put in the number you are calling. I think they are a customer pereference service, so you may well have to still pay your existing line rental.

Sorry just to correct you here Avril CPS means carrier pre-select and without question that is what they will be using. With CPS you dont have to dial a 4 digit prefix, that was the original method of least cost routing, IDA or Indirect Access where you would dial it and then 'smart' diallers got introduced which did this for you.

(Just putting on my telco ex-company director hat) :)

Gary

[TOPNIPPY]

Be wary of the fact that Unicom contracts are 'rolling' i.e. if you don't give notice of termination within a specific time period, you will be tied into another contract the length of the original - a 3 year contract could easily turn into 6!

[ENS]

Be wary of the fact that Unicom contracts are 'rolling' i.e. if you don't give notice of termination within a specific time period, you will be tied into another contract the length of the original - a 3 year contract could easily turn into 6!

We sign up our clients to a rolling contract meaning they can move anytime after the first 30 days.

We charge less than a penny for local/national calls per minute and less than 7p per minute for mobiles and discount off your line rentals.

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Joined up and lost broadband on the switch over had to return to bt to get broadband working again .The last I heard they were taking us to court as we wont pay a disconnection fee (£155.00)Will pay up if the judge tells me to!!

[TOPNIPPY]

We sign up our clients to a rolling contract meaning they can move anytime after the first 30 days.

We charge less than a penny for local/national calls per minute and less than 7p per minute for mobiles and discount off your line rentals.

Yours being a 30 day rolling contract - unicoms being 3 yr + rolling contracts! - I learnt the hard way!

[Sobie]

Hi,
I've been using Unicom for about 18 months. For line rentals and calls. I've had no probs at all.
Sobie

[ENS]

Hi,
I've been using Unicom for about 18 months. For line rentals and calls. I've had no probs at all.
Sobie

you might think its good but how much are you being charged for a call?

[Sobie]

you might think its good but how much are you being charged for a call?

Much less than I was paying from BT or talktalk. Talktalk was a complete nightmare.
I rarely use the phone to call out, it is so my customers can contact me. Last months call charges where less than £1 for the month!!!:D

[Happyeater]

Just had an absolute nightmare trying to leave Unicom. I gave the required 3 months written notice and got a call from someone in their ''Retention" people trying to save the account. I told them I was leaving. Through the post came a letter stating that, "We're pleased you decided to stay with us for the next 3 yrs". I wrote back and called them immediately to confirm that my intention was to leave and during the call I did not agree to stay with them. No problem at all you'd think!

Another letter stating that now I was within the 3 month notice period and if I send them around £2000 I can leave. Another call and more emails follow and they agree that notice was given in time and that all is well.

An invoice arrives for £1500 with a letter explaining I'm in breach of their T&C's and must pay. More emails and calls to people who were completely unhelpful and incompetent. Agreement to waive the charge follows. Guess what a month later another invoice and emails saying that legal action will follow and I must pay the early termination charges. By now I'm getting texts to my mobile asking me to urgently call their credit control, which I do. They agree verbally that I'm correct and a credit will be sent. Nothing comes apart from more legal threats and texts.

I keep calling and writing and spend ages on hold as they again give verbal assurances that all is well and I have given their required termination notice. This all started last October. This week I've had an invoice for £700, a threatening letter and 3 texts asking for immediate payment. They blame one person who is on holiday who can stop all this, no one else is allowed to "Push the button" to stop it all. During my conversation to their credit control and after being told that, "Nothing more can be added to our conversation" I was hung up on.

Beware Unicom. There must be much better options.

[Sobie]

I signed up to Unicom broadband in August, we've had the phone for ages with no problems and I was really happy and have posted on this before that I was pleased with the service.

The broadband has been a nightmare, firstly I did not receive a modem or welcome pack and did not realise the broadband had been activated until we had a bill for 2 months. I could not get a credit for this even though they agreed I had not activated the account, because it was my responsibility to let them know I had not received any information. Then we were without broadband for 2 months in Nov, Dec and Jan and have still not received a credit.

I told them yesterday I will be changing suppliers if I have not had not had the credit by today as they are the ones in breech of contract and they said it would not change anything and that I could not end my contract.

I too have been told the delay is because they are waiting for one person to send the credit to my account, I am told the credit has been approved, but then I was told this is Feb.

I have not had the credit. I now agree Beware Unicom!!!

[nextdayprint]

I'm currently moving my feature lines from BT to Xtel. Whilst I've heard mixed reviews of their service levels, it doesnt bother me much as all I want is to pay less, and as the lines and calls are still technically being done by BT, there is no real difference. Anyway, they were a lot cheaper than Unicom for my requirements. They also didnt have a rolling contract, and guaranteed no cost increases over a 2 year contract, so not much to argue about for me.

[cjd]

You've been more patient than I would have been.

All you needed to do was send the first letter - by recorded delivery. Then resend a copy when the first threat came telling them that you would treat any further correspondence on the matter as harassment. From then on you can ignore all the other rubbish. They will not, and can not, do anything more.

(I am assuming that you followed their T&Cs fully).

[cjd]

I'm currently moving my feature lines from BT to Xtel. Whilst I've heard mixed reviews of their service levels, it doesnt bother me much as all I want is to pay less, and as the lines and calls are still technically being done by BT, there is no real difference. Anyway, they were a lot cheaper than Unicom for my requirements. They also didnt have a rolling contract, and guaranteed no cost increases over a 2 year contract, so not much to argue about for me.

If you did that with VoIP you could do away with line rentals too. (And there's no contract.)

[nextdayprint]

If you did that with VoIP you could do away with line rentals too. (And there's no contract.)

My experiences of VOIP are mixed and everyone who quoted me on it couldnt actually save me any real money, it was always the same b*ll*cks about expensive system rental etc... but I may have got unlucky... when im in the office later I'll try to remember to upload call cost/line rental details for you and see what you would have been able to do :)

[My Owl 1]

I'm currently moving my feature lines from BT to Xtel. Whilst I've heard mixed reviews of their service levels, it doesnt bother me much as all I want is to pay less, and as the lines and calls are still technically being done by BT, there is no real difference. Anyway, they were a lot cheaper than Unicom for my requirements. They also didnt have a rolling contract, and guaranteed no cost increases over a 2 year contract, so not much to argue about for me.

We also do a Broadband/line rental, with no rolling contract. Have pm'd you some details.

Best wishes

Avril:)

[cjd]

My experiences of VOIP are mixed and everyone who quoted me on it couldnt actually save me any real money, it was always the same b*ll*cks about expensive system rental etc... but I may have got unlucky... when im in the office later I'll try to remember to upload call cost/line rental details for you and see what you would have been able to do :)

It's an unusual situation when you can't save money using VoIP.

It certainly can't be done cheaper than VoIP if you are a tiny company just needing a second line. And it can't be done cheaper if your a bigger company needing say 10.

There's a bit of a crossover where you have enough telephones to need two exchange lines and two ADSL circuits. But in every case I've ever seen if you're 'on the cusp' you get far more functionality as well.

[Bri]

We also do a Broadband/line rental, with no rolling contract. Have pm'd you some details.

Best wishes

Avril:)


........your quick;)Five minutes too late,

[BusinessRookie]

If you did that with VoIP you could do away with line rentals too. (And there's no contract.)
Do you need to pay for a BT line rental to get the broadband connection?

Are your phone services contracted or non-contract?

Voip to Voip calls are free?

I've just been reading through your website, it seems like the way forward.

[My Owl 1]

........your quick;)Five minutes too late,
Morning Bri :D

[Happyeater]

You've been more patient than I would have been.

All you needed to do was send the first letter - by recorded delivery. Then resend a copy when the first threat came telling them that you would treat any further correspondence on the matter as harassment. From then on you can ignore all the other rubbish. They will not, and can not, do anything more.

(I am assuming that you followed their T&Cs fully).


Yes, all followed fully. It's just annoying to get invoices and nasty threatening letters after being promised that this wouldn't happen. Just thought people should be aware of their practices.

[cjd]

Yes, all followed fully. It's just annoying to get invoices and nasty threatening letters after being promised that this wouldn't happen.
I hate telecom companies. 80% of them are crap or criminal.

[cjd]

Do you need to pay for a BT line rental to get the broadband connection?

You need some way of getting broadband - either with telephone line (not necessarily BT these days) or Cable - Virgin.
(Unless you're simply diverting calls to your mobile - then you don't need anything)

Are your phone services contracted or non-contract? No contract

Voip to Voip calls are free?

Yes, all call to any Voipfone number anywhere is free. You can also call some other VoIP numbers for free (not Skype)

I've just been reading through your website, it seems like the way forward.

Well yes, it is. In fact most of your calls are VoIP now already as the core network uses it and BT is converting it's entire network to it as we speak. (It's migrating from TDM to IP.)

[BusinessRookie]

You need some way of getting broadband - either with telephone line (not necessarily BT these days) or Cable - Virgin.
(Unless you're simply diverting calls to your mobile - then you don't need anything)

No contract



Yes, all call to any Voipfone number anywhere is free. You can also call some other VoIP numbers for free (not Skype)



Well yes, it is. In fact most of your calls are VoIP now already as the core network uses it and BT is converting it's entire network to it as we speak. (It's migrating from TDM to IP.)
Thanks, I will definitely consider it when I'm trading. I sure wish you did line rental though.

[nextdayprint]

Xtel deal I'm signing up for:
£10.50 per line per month on 2 lines setup as feature line; no transfer/setup fee.
1.25p/min local & national
8p/min mobiles
2p connection fee
2 year no change guaranteed contract
No equipment to lease, etc.
No rolling contract.
Reasonable international rates: 2.72p usa, 3.71p gr, 2.67p fr, 7.87 RSA

Wonder how that compares to others out there.

Oh have heard their service isnt great but will give feedback as things develop, though I will never know if the lines work and the bills are as promised :P

[BusinessRookie]

Xtel deal I'm signing up for:
£10.50 per line per month on 2 lines setup as feature line; no transfer/setup fee.
1.25p/min local & national
8p/min mobiles
2p connection fee
2 year no change guaranteed contract
No equipment to lease, etc.
No rolling contract.
Reasonable international rates: 2.72p usa, 3.71p gr, 2.67p fr, 7.87 RSA

Wonder how that compares to others out there.

Oh have heard their service isnt great but will give feedback as things develop, though I will never know if the lines work and the bills are as promised :P
What about Heart Telecom? They are also non-contract and compare with this except slightly higher on rate per minute but I can't see a connection charge?

[nextdayprint]

What about Heart Telecom? They are also non-contract and compare with this except slightly higher on rate per minute but I can't see a connection charge?

No idea, my biggest concern was keeping the function of the feature line and saving money. The feature line allows someone to call me and then another person to call and that call to be automatically shunted onto second line, all without a system in place. Most of the sales reps i saw were clueless and claimed only way they could do it was with an expensive system but xtel and unicom both said they could do it. Xtell was significantly cheaper than unicom, so went with them.

[cjd]

Wonder how that compares to others out there.

Voipfone = £1.99 per number which allows unlimited 'lines' ie simultaneous calls.

1.25p/min local & national
1p per min

8p/min mobiles
12p (check minimum charge, minimum duration and time of day)

2p connection fee
0p connection fee
1p minimum charge
billed per second

2 year no change guaranteed contract

no contract (telephony charges are falling)
No equipment to lease, etc.
No rolling contract. ditto

Reasonable international rates: 2.72p usa, 3.71p gr, 2.67p fr, 7.87 RSA


USA, France, Greece (& most of the Western World) 1.5p, RSA 5.1p

Plus free calls to other VoIP numbers and extension and a pile of included features

[nextdayprint]

Voipfone = £1.99 per number which allows unlimited 'lines' ie simultaneous calls.


Basicly I only want my customers having one number and I want to be talking to one when another calls on the same number and i want another phone to ring so someone else can answer that. I want simple but effective... I dont want to rely on broadband as it seems to drop out every now and then for several minutes, sometimes even hours... despite being right next door (ok 2 doors down) to the BT exchange. Of course they and my broadband provider (opal) both claim it is nothing to do with them, etc... What do you reckon? Thanks for the info :)

[cjd]

Basicly I only want my customers having one number and I want to be talking to one when another calls on the same number and i want another phone to ring so someone else can answer that. I want simple but effective... I dont want to rely on broadband as it seems to drop out every now and then for several minutes, sometimes even hours... despite being right next door (ok 2 doors down) to the BT exchange. Of course they and my broadband provider (opal) both claim it is nothing to do with them, etc... What do you reckon? Thanks for the info :)

With VoIP, the concept of 'lines' disappears. With old telephony you needed one line per call. With VoIP you need one broadband and then you can have as many telephones attached as you have bandwidth - so you can have several calls on the go at once.

If you're on the phone and another call comes in it rings the free extension(s) - and it flashes your phone and you put your first call on hold if you prefer. My phone can have 12 calls on the go at the same time over an ordinary line. (I'd get into an awful mess if I tried tho')

It does depend on broadband so if you have problems - don't even think about it. However, if Opal and BT reckon there is no network fault, it's highly likely to be a router problem - just try another oner. You need it fixing whatever it is - there's no excuse for the network to drop out like that.

[Businesswise Solutions]

How many local and National calls are you expecting to make? Would a bundle option be of any use to you?
We are currently doing the following deal:

For £31.90 per month, you get:

Line Rental & Business quality 8Mb Broadband
Unlimited free local and national calls
Mobiles capped at 25p upto 60 minutes per call
International calls capped at 20p upto 60 minutes per call
Dedicated accounts manager with 1 point of contact for all enquiries.

The transfer to us takes 7-10 days and causes absolutely no disruption to your business.

PM me for more details if you wish.