Some telecoms rip-offs to avoid

I'm inspired to share a few telcoms total rip-offs I've witnessed in recent times. easyNetworks DO NOT do any of these horrible practices, but even if you don't come to us, please look out for these dodgy practices so tyical of our industry. If I can help one company not to fall for any of these horrible pit-falls then I'm happy!

The provider is asking you to sign a lease for the services - No No No do not sign! Your obligation to pay will be with the leasing agent - so even if the telco ceases trade and no longer provides the service, you will still have to pay the leasing charges.

Being offered a long term warranty - are you sure it's a warranty not a leasing agreement including maintenance charges, this means you service is not guaranteed (see above) and you cannot shop around for maintenance providers in the future.

Being asked to sign a long contract to secure the prices – don’t do it! most services are available for telcos to purchase on a 30-day contract, the only reason they’re locking you into a long contract is to keep you there. Technology is also moving at a rapid pace and being replaced with better/cheaper technology.

Look at the total cost of ownership, not just the monthly cost. A client showed me their contract (7 years!) which included lines/calls, phone system and maintenance. In essence they ended up paying over £15,000 for a 5-user phone system (should have costed about £1,500).

Free upgrade to expensive kit after 12 months – probably true, especially in the business mobiles world – but that upgrade will mean committing for a further term of at least 24 months.

Adding a couple of spare users on subscription services (like cloud and mobile telephones) why would you need to do this? Just add users when you need them.

Letting your network contract go out of contract – your monthly payments has included an allowance for hardware, so if you let your renewal drag on, you’re lining the pockets of the networks.

Does the contract have an “auto-renewal” check this when you first embark on your new service, if there is an auth-renewal consider sending a letter immediately to give notice to cease the service once the minimum term has expired or you could find yourself locked in for another term.

Lastly, the BT switch off - yes this is really happening, so if you're using old style lines and calls then you will need to think about upgrading to VoIP/SIP in the near future - but it's not urgent, the change is due to happen in 2025 so you have plenty of time to consider your options. Some unscrupulous providers are cold calling companies and insinuating your phones will stop working at any second - one even suggested that it was illegal to use ISDN!