BT's Meter Pulse Facility (a) provides a series of charging `pulses' on a customer's line. The interval between pulses depends upon the price of the call. The number of pulses delivered for any given call depends upon:-

• - The frequency with which they are generated
• - The length of the call.
• - Whether it is provided on an ordinary line or a payphone line.

By multiplying them by 4.2p (exc. VAT), certain types of customer-owned equipment are able to translate the number of pulses into an approximation of the charge which will be made to the customer by BT for a call. This enables customers to track the cost of their calls or to charge a call to a third party.

In the case of some private payphones, the pulses enable customers to set the frequency at which the payphone user must insert cash to pay for a call.

In every case the renter of the MPF (a) will be charged for all calls at BT's published rates.

Eligibility

Available to all business and residential customers, on single ordinary and payphone lines. Also available on multi-lines. ISDN, Business Highway lines are excluded.

Pricing Information

Meter Pulse Facility (a) charges are in addition to normal exchange line charges. See Section 2 Part 2

Charges for earthing on Meter Pulsing (a) are not included in the connection charge. If earthing is provided TimeScale rates will apply - See Section 15

Business and Residential Exchange Lines

In every case, one pulse is generated immediately after connection of the call, and is the equivalent of the 4.2p (exc. VAT) minimum charge payable for all un-discounted calls.

For calls described below, the following daytime, evening & night-time and weekend definitions apply.

Residential packages and public payphone lines

• daytime - Mon-Fri 6am - 6pm
• evenings & night-time - Mon-Fri before 6am & after 6pm.
• weekend - All Day Sat & Sun.

Business lines

• daytime - Mon-Fri 7am - 7pm
• evenings & night-time - Mon-Fri before 7am & after 7pm.
• weekend - All Day Sat & Sun

private payphone line

• daytime- Mon-Fri 8am - 6pm
• evenings & night -time - Mon-Fri before 8am & after 6pm
• weekend - All Day Sat & Sun

For the purposes of MPF (a), calls on the following charge bands, whilst priced at a fixed fee in terms of the charge which will be made to the customer by BT for the call, do not result in all required pulses being generated immediately the call is connected. Instead, the frequency at which pulses are delivered is based on the method used for calls charged by duration. As a result, the charge calculated by the customer's equipment will only be a close approximation for calls of exactly 1 minute in duration. For calls lasting more or less than 1 minute, the charge indicated by the customer's MPF (a) equipment should not be relied upon as being even an approximation of the charge which will be made to the customer by BT for the call.

The following charge bands are priced at combination of a fixed fee and timed duration. The time per meter pulse (a) is based on the total cost of such a call of 1 minute in duration. As a result, the charge calculated by the customer's equipment will only be a close approximation for calls of exactly 1 minute in duration. For calls lasting more or less than 1 minute, the charge indicated by the customer's MPF (a) equipment should not be relied upon as being even an approximation of the charge which will be made to the customer by BT for the call.

For the purposes of MPF (a), calls on the following charge bands, whilst priced at a fixed fee in terms of the charge which will be made to the customer by BT for the call, do not result in all required pulses being generated immediately the call is connected. Instead, the frequency at which pulses are delivered is based on the method used for calls charged by duration. As a result, the charge calculated by the customer's equipment will only be a close approximation for calls of exactly 1 minute in duration. For calls lasting more or less than 1 minute, the charge indicated by the customer's MPF (a) equipment should not be relied upon as being even an approximation of the charge which will be made to the customer by BT for the call.

The following charge bands are priced at combination of a fixed fee and timed duration. The time per meter pulse (a) is based on the total cost of such a call of 1 minute in duration. As a result, the charge calculated by the customer's equipment will only be a close approximation for calls of exactly 1 minute in duration. For calls lasting more or less than 1 minute, the charge indicated by the customer's MPF (a) equipment should not be relied upon as being even an approximation of the charge which will be made to the customer by BT for the call.

Conditions

Service is provided under BT's `Conditions for Telephone Service'

Additional Information

Accuracy

Meter pulsing (a) provides only an approximate indication of the call charges made by BT to the renter of the line. Most indications are accurate to within 4.2p (exc. VAT)

For fixed fee calls, and for some fixed fee and duration charged calls, units are generated on connection at approximately half second intervals, and the indication is not, therefore, a reliable guide to the charge made by BT to the renter of the line.

Availability

Due to technical constraints it is not always possible to provide this facility on Out-of-Area exchange lines.

Renters of Cardphones

Renters of Cardphones pay no call charges and are credited 1.74p (excluding VAT) per pulse generated.