FAQ: Index

» Small Business (ADSL)
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Bulldog Phone Line

Bulldog phone line

What does Small Business phone service offer?

  • You will enjoy the advantages of:
  • Highly competitive call rates
  • No BT line rental
  • No minimum call or connect charges
  • Attractive choice of innovative call features
  • Retain your existing phone number

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How can Bulldog provide a phone service independent from BT?

  • Bulldog’s Small Business services employ an innovative technology, called Local Loop Unbundling (LLU). Bulldog “disconnect” your current copper phone line from BT equipment in the Central Office and connect it to our own network (which is backed by Cable & Wireless). This is the reason why Bulldog can provide such a better service: we have full control of the network and do not have to rely, as many other operators do, on BT wholesale offer for ADSL. This is also the reason why you can save your BT line rental when subscribing to Small Business.

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Do I retain my current BT phone service?

  • No. When you order any of Small Business services, your current BT account will be replaced by the Bulldog phone service which is delivered by Cable & Wireless. This is done automatically and you should not contact BT to cancel your service with them.

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Can I retain my BT number?

  • Yes. You can keep your BT number and transfer it across to Bulldog. (Please do not cancel your existing BT service before ordering from us). The process is known as number portability. Bulldog will complete the process on your behalf and email you confirmation - assuming you provided correct details when signing up. On some occasions, it may not be possible to transfer your BT number to your new account. If this is the case, we shall notify you and propose other suitable options.

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Can I retain my cable telephone number?

  • Cable customers wishing to take up Bulldog services will need to order a new line from Bulldog. The standard cost is £60 - please check if we are running a special offer. If we can't transfer your old number or if you no longer wish to keep it, we will provide you with a brand new telephone number.

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How do I order a new line?

  • To order a new line select 'I don't have a BT telephone service' on the business checker and enter your postcode to see if you can receive our Small Business services. You can also order a new line by calling Bulldog sales on 0800 056 6743.
  • If you can't get our Small Business services, we may be able to offer you our BizTime products - check your number and we'll tell you which services are available at your location.

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Will I lose connection when you transfer (or 'port') my BT phone number?

  • Downtime will be negligible, with a potential loss of service for little over 10 minutes.

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How much will phone calls cost?

  • With Bulldog Small Business, you pay for calls on a pay-as-you-go basis - based on BT's popular Option 1 service. View the tariff sheet. International, mobile and non-geographic charges are also competitively priced and are found on the tariff sheets.
  • Calls from one Bulldog customer to another Bulldog customer are free.

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Does Bulldog charge for connection fees or minimum call charges?

  • No. There are no minimum call or connect charges.

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Can I subscribe to Bulldog if I have a carrier pre-selection contract (CPS)?

  • On placing your order for Small Business, your CPS service will automatically be cancelled. We recommend you therefore check your contract with your existing provider to ensure there is no outstanding commitment on your part.
  • Bulldog does not support CPS. When you order a Small Business service you are signing up to a superior broadband and phone package, not simply highly competitive phone rates.

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What is carrier pre-selection (CPS)?

  • CPS is an initiative by the European Union to encourage fairer competition among phone companies, ultimately for the benefit of consumers. This allows you to conveniently use the providers you regard as offering the best value, prices, services etc.

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What is the International Call Tariff Option?

  • This plan makes great sense for customers who call any of the below popular destinations on a regular or frequent basis: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Singapore, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey, South Africa
  • As a Small Business customer, you simply pay an £2 extra per month to take advantage of the standard international tariff (to landlines) at half price. On the same tariff plan you can also make significant savings to mobile numbers in the same countries.
  • You can sign up for this service at the time of placing your order or later by contacting our customer services team.

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Is there a credit limit on my phone calls?

  • There is a credit limit of £150 per month to cover all cost elements of the Bulldog Smart package order. The credit limit is assigned to protect customers from fraud and highly excessive expenditure.
  • The £150 limit includes all recurring charges (including monthly subscription) plus phone usage charges. Should you near your limit, Bulldog shall contact you to advise you. Bulldog may, at its discretion, extend the credit limit in certain cases.

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I am interested in the unlimited call option - what is this?

  • All local and national geographic numbers are free of charge. These calls start with the numbers 01 or 02 as well as local numbers without the area code.
  • Calls not included are mobile and international calls plus non-geographic calls. These are numbers where the prefix does not indicate the geographical destination of the call, i.e. information services (typically starting with 08 – the exception is 0800 fee calls), premium calls (starting with 09) and find-me-anywhere services (starting with 07).

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With my new phone service, can I call all types of numbers that I would with BT?

  • Yes, of course.

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How much will it cost for other people to call me?

  • This will depend entirely on the telephone call plan that the caller has subscribed to. Think of them calling a BT-equivalent service – in other words there is no cost difference.

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Do Bulldog numbers show up in the phone directory?

  • Yes, unless you request that they be ex-directory. You will see this option during the order process.

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Can I connect a standard fax or modem to a Bulldog phone line?

  • Yes. We recommend you use industry-standard microfilters to ensure optimum performance.

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Will the telephone service go down in the case of power failure?

  • No, as long as your phone does not rely on being connected to the power supply. Typical traditional phone systems do not rely on connection to power supplies, however cordless phone systems generally do.

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Can I continue to use services like 1470 and 141?

  • Yes, you can expect to use these familiar services as well as take advantage of a range of additional phone services too.

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What features are provided with the service?

  • Standard call features included are Anonymous Calling (141), Anonymous Call Reject, Call Announcement and Return (1471).

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What features can be added to the service?

  • Unlike our Residential Service, Small Business customers receive advanced call feature as standard.

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What is Anonymous Calling?

  • By default your phone lines will not withhold your CLI (Caller Line Identity or your phone number when dialling another party). However, by using your phone keypad you switch between the default setting and one where your number is withheld. This is known by BT customers as 141.

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What is Call Return?

  • The CLI (Caller Line Identity or your phone number when dialling another party) of the last incoming call and time of the call is disclosed so you can return the call. This is known by BT customers as 1471.

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What is Call Waiting?

  • In the event that a phone call is in progress and another incoming call is received, you, the called party are alerted to the incoming call by a 'beep'. The caller is informed by a recorded message that you know they are calling.
  • The called party can then shuttle between the new incoming call and the existing one, with the other party being put on 'HOLD'. The caller on 'HOLD' will be played music or a recorded message. If the called party chooses to ignore the incoming call for 10 sec and has voicemail enabled on his line, the call will divert to voicemail; otherwise the calling party will be played a suitable recorded message and invited to hang-up.
  • The service can be switched on or off on a per-call basis.

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What is 3-way Calling?

  • A customer can connect simultaneously to a maximum of 2 other parties. Conveniently, the connections can be initiated either by you dialling out or initiated by others calling in.

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What is Call Forwarding (or Diversion)?

  • Calls can be diverted to another destination phone number. You can set Call Diversion to be unconditional; to be enabled when busy; or where there is no reply. Diversions can be set or cleared from the dial-pad. Call diversion can also be activated remotely diverted (i.e. when away from your home phone)

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What is Call Barring?

  • This allows you to bar certain types of calls made from your phone such as premium rate calls. By default calls are not barred. To change this, you simply activate the function on your phone then choose your call barring level.

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Is Bulldog offering Voicemail?

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Will Bulldog be adding further broadband and phone features?

  • Yes. Bulldog is focused on delivering a superior phone and broadband service, and will update you accordingly.

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