Home Phone

A prefix code is simply a code that you dial before the number you are calling. This diverts the call from your line provider to your call provider. You are then billed by your call provider for that call. Being a manual process, it is more time consuming than alternative methods and it is easy to forget to dial the prefix code.

However, if you want to use a particular provider for a particular call, using a prefix code is the ideal choice. For example, a particular provider may offer the lowest rates to a particular country that you are calling.

An autodialer is a small box that plugs in between your telephone and the wall socket. This routes calls that you make through your call provider rather than the line provider. For example, you can pay your line rental to BT and plug in an autodialer provided by Onetel. When you make a call, the autodialer will divert calls through the Onetel network rather than BT's. You will be billed by Onetel at Onetel rates.

Autodialers were commonplace before the introduction of CPS. Most providers offer CPS rather than autodialers as it is an easier, more reliable and seamless process. If you are a cable (Virgin Media) customer, you will not be able to use a CPS service. Therefore autodialers are a welcome alternative for cable customers.

Cable providers were the first to compete with BT. Today, the main cable company is Virgin Media. Virgin Media was formed out of a merger between Telewest, ntl and Virgin Mobile.

A cable company installs a new line into your home and does not use the BT network at all. You can enjoy telephone, digital television and broadband through cable.

Local Loop Unbundling (LLU) is a relatively new process whereby a provider takes control of part of the network and BT retains control of the remainder.

An LLU provider has to physically install equipment into the local BT telephone exchange. This is mainly used for broadband and allows providers to decrease their reliance on the BT network, enabling them to offer faster speeds at a lower monthly cost to customers.

It is possible to route telephone calls through a LLU network as well as broadband. Bulldog is the only major provider to offer this kind of service at this stage.

Carrier Pre Select (CPS) is the most common method of a provider transferring customers' phone calls through their network.

With CPS, when you make a phone call, the call is transferred from BT via the call provider's network to the destination number automatically. There is no need for an engineer to visit the customer's house to set it up. It is a seamless, automatic process.