Billing Glossary

This glossary explains the key terms you may come across when dealing with your Better Comms billing. If you cannot find what you are looking for contact our billing team and we will be happy to help.

A

Admin Fee (Administration / Documentation Fee) A one-off fee charged by your lease provider on your first invoice. This typically ranges from £150 + VAT to £195 + VAT. Better Comms will reimburse you for this fee upon receipt of a valid invoice.

Anti-Fraud Protection An opt-out service that provides financial cover of up to £10,000 per calendar month in the event of an external fraudulent attack on your telephone lines. Charged at £4.99 per licence per month from month 3.

B

Base Upgrade When an existing customer has been with Better Comms for 18 months and their rebate period has ended, a base upgrade is an opportunity to renegotiate the deal. This reinstates rebates and support free periods but restarts the contract for a further 7 years.

BillNow The Better Comms customer portal where you can view and download all of your invoices and credit notes. Contact our billing team if you need help accessing your account.

Broadband Regrade An upgrade to your broadband speed or service level. A Broadband Upgrade Fee applies. Contact our billing team for details.

C

Call Recording Storage An opt-out service that securely retains your call data including time, date, duration, and numbers involved. Charged at £1.69 per licence per month from month 6.

CPI (Consumer Price Index) A measure of inflation published each January. Better Comms uses the CPI rate plus 3.9% as the basis for one group of customers in the annual price review.

Credit Note A document issued by Better Comms that reduces the amount owed on your account. Credit notes are visible in your BillNow portal.

E

Early Termination Charge (ETC) A charge applied when a contract is ended before its agreed end date. By law this can only be the value of the remaining payments that would have been made had the contract run to its natural end.

F

Final Settlement Letter A document issued by your previous supplier confirming in writing the exact amount you are liable to pay for ending your contract early. You will need to request this directly from your previous supplier.

FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet) A broadband type where fibre runs to a street cabinet and copper cables run from the cabinet to your premises.

FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) A broadband type where fibre runs directly into your property. The fastest and most reliable connection available.

G

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) A set of rules governing personal data. Due to GDPR, Better Comms cannot cancel your previous contracts on your behalf. You must contact your previous supplier directly.

I

Invoice A document that itemises and records a transaction between Better Comms and your business confirming the amount due for services provided.

L

Lease Provider A third-party finance company that funds your telephone system hardware. Better Comms works with BNP, Propel, Grenke, and Investec. Your lease provider invoices you separately from Better Comms.

N

Network Service Provider A company that provides the software and services for a telephone system and broadband. Better Comms is your Network Service Provider.

Network Service Rebate A monthly credit applied to your Better Comms invoice for the first 18 months of your agreement. Designed to reduce your monthly costs to your agreed package price during this period.

Number Porting The process of transferring your existing telephone number from your previous supplier to Better Comms so you can keep your number.

R

Router Maintenance An opt-out service covering router replacement, maintenance, security updates, configuration backups, and real-time monitoring. Charged at £7.99 per router per month from month 12.

S

SoGEA (Single Order Generic Ethernet Access) A standard broadband type that runs alongside existing copper infrastructure. Does not require an active phone line.

Software Assurance An opt-out service covering software updates, security patches, performance improvements, and compatibility updates released after your installation. Charged at £4.99 per phone per month from month 9.

Starlink A satellite broadband service used in areas where standard broadband is unavailable. Where agreed at point of sale Better Comms covers the cost for the first 18 months.

Support Fee A monthly charge covering access to technical support, customer service, and billing support. Free for the first 12 months of your agreement.

V

VAT (Value Added Tax) A tax applied to goods and services at a rate of 20%. All prices quoted by Better Comms are exclusive of VAT unless otherwise stated. To calculate the VAT inclusive amount multiply the figure by 1.2.