You get what you pay for - update (BT's 'Free' Answer 1571 Service)

Member Name: cazm17

Product:	BT's 'Free' Answer 1571 Service
Date:	17/01/02 (268 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Free!, Easy to use, Compatible with most phones/systems

Disadvantages: Limited range of facilities, No handy red light to warn you about messages, Can't screen incoming messages :o(

When my ex-boyfriend left and got custody of the answering machine, I never got round to replacing it. However, I was spending a lot of time on the Internet, surfing, chatting etc and soon found that people couldn?t get hold of me. I was using One-Tel at the time for international and mobile calls, and they introduced a voicemail service using the same technology as BT?s 1571. In fact I had to dial the same number to access the service. It cost £1.50 a month with One-Tel (first month was free). There were some very useful facilities, but I only really used it as an electronic answering machine.

When BT started to advertise their service, which was effectively the same service but free I knew I had to sign up. I had had very good service from BT in the past and am quite a penny pincher, so therefore the chance to save £1.50 a month was too good to miss! :o)

I dialled the appropriate number and listened to the various menus to place my order. At the same time I managed to email One-Tel to ask them to remove my voicemail account with them. A call came back from BT a couple of days after to say that the One-Tel voicemail was still active on the line and they couldn?t install their 1571 service until it had been removed. It took several further emails and phone calls to both One-Tel and BT to resolve the situation. Only One-Tel could remove the service and BT?s hands were tied until they did this some time afterwards.

I must say that BT were very helpful through all this. My main concern was trying to ensure that there wasn?t a large gap between the removal of the One-Tel service and the provision of the BT one. Some people could contact me by mobile, but not everyone had the number and I didn?t want to miss any important calls.

As it was the timing worked out really well, the BT one kicked in just as the One-Tel account ended. I?d like to think that someone at BT was keeping an eye on the situation, because I?m not normally that lucky
!

So after a couple of weeks to-ing and fro-ing to get the account set up, how good is it really? Well I don?t use it that often, it?s still primarily a replacement answering machine. However, it?s not really like a conventional answering machine. You don?t see a convenient red light flashing when you walk through the door ? you have to pick up the handset and listen for a disjointed ring tone. Beware if you use a modem for your Internet connection! When I first got the system I was using a conventional Internet connection through a 56k modem. If you try and dial out and you have a message waiting, your modem can?t recognise the dialtone and won?t connect. It took me ages and a couple of calls to BT when this first happened. They do actually point it out, but I?m not one for reading documentation! Since then I have ADSL which means I don?t actually use my phone line that much. Consequently, some messages can get left on the machine for a couple of days if I forget to check it!

All in all it?s very convenient, although there?s not much you can do with it other than receive messages while you?re out or on another call (including Internet!). There are restrictions on certain types of lines and www.bt.com (put ?1571? in the search engine to quickly find the relevant pages) has all the information you could possibly want. I did find there were useful services available on the One-Tel facility such as being able to leave messages in other One-Tel users? mailboxes for free, wake-up calls and you can access your mailbox remotely (using an 0845 number). This costs £1.50 a month though. But I never really used any of those facilities ? the wake-up call once and I overslept through that! At the end of the day it?s really up to you what services you require ? it?s certainly worth looking at One-Tel and other companies if you want these added features, but for a quick voicemail that records your friend?s message while you?re surfing, you really can?t beat BT. <
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Further information on these services:
Info on 1571: www.bt.com (search 1571)
Register for 1571 on: 0800 003 800 (automated service so call from the number you want it installed on)
One-Tel: www.onetel.co.uk

ADDITION 24/02/02
Well I have been using this service more and more over the past week or so - lord knows why I've become so popular all of a sudden! Anyway, two very important things I missed from my original opinion spring to mind...

1. Yes, the person at the other end has to pay for the call even if they don't leave a message. Just like a conventional answering machine, in fact, you know if you hang up and don't leave a message. It's not the same as an 0906 number or anything - as far as I know it's a standard call cost, but could still catch people unawares if they try and call you several times and keep getting the recording.

2. This is the most annoying feature, and is really making me think about trading in this free service for a proper answering machine... You can't screen your calls. I know this is probably really bad phone etiquette or something, but twice recently I got told off for being late for a rehearsal because I answered a last minute phone call which MAY have been an emergency from somewhere else, but turned out to be routine and lengthy calls. Given the number of different things, charities, hobbies etc I'm involved in, I love the ability to be able to call people back at my leisure when I'm prepared to talk about whatever subject.

Now that's not the case for everyone. And granted 99% of the messages you get will be from people waiting for you to call them back. I personally don't mind this, but if you'd rather they footed the bill, then you probably need to reconsider whether you want a voicemail or answering machine service at all. Or just make a very clear message that you're not home at the moment, please call back later!


That's all I have to say on the subject for now. Just gotta go and return all those calls... :o)

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