Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2017

just cancelled my trip for october

The ATM in Tuscany casino is $2.50 fee for debit card transactions. It beats Casino Royale now.

StuieUK34 wrote: »

Bubble...
the 0161 number is no good
google: Call discount
and use the 0843 number.... local rate, but better than dialing the US direct.

While 0845 numbers were 'local rate' from landlines, this arrangement ended in 2004. 0843 numbers have never been local rate. Both Ofcom and ASA issued a note in 2005 saying the 084 and 087 numbers must not be described as, or imply, either a 'local' or 'national' rate.

New charging arrangements introduced on 1 July 2015 confirm that all 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers are premium rate. The premium is the separate Service Charge, which must be declared alongside the number wherever it is advertised or promoted.

In addition to the Service Charge, the caller's phone provider levies an Access Charge. This is usually around 10p to 13p per minute from a landline or around 44p to 55p per minute from a mobile.

bubble113 wrote: »

Ahh, thanks Stuie...

I tried the 0843 but it asked me for a 6 digit access code....no idea what that means....this was from a mobile.

Does it make a difference if I call from a mobile or land line?

It's a good job you did not get through as you would have been paying around 50p to 60p per minute for this call from a mobile phone.

Look for an indirect access provider offering an inclusive 03 number offering calls to the US and Canada with no further charges. You can then make these calls within your inclusive allowance, effectively at no charge.

StuieUK34 wrote: »

0843 0420050
Should be 1p per minute....
if it don't connect 1st time, try again
Have called Mlife and hotel VIP desks over the past 6 weeks using the above number

You may wish to check your phone bill. Calls cost 1p per minute plus your phone provider's Access Charge.

The Access Charge is usually around 10p to 13p per minute from a landline or around 44p to 55p per minute from a mobile.

StuieUK34 wrote: »

I use my company phone, so wont see the bill...
I figured landlines would charge 1p per minute, and mobile operators would charge the Access fee (say 10p) and then you pay the 1p per min....... (didn't realise landlines would be the same!)
Looks like Vodafone charge 55p a min. + 1p per min for calling the US!
Ouch!

It used to be the case that BT just charged the 1p per minute (plus a connection fee of around 15p per call) because Ofcom regulations ("The NTS Retail Condition") prevented BT from making margin on call origination to 084, 087, 09 or 118 numbers. This rule stemmed from the early days of telecoms deregulation where on Day 1 BT still had 100% of the retail customers and provided most of the non-geographic numbers that were being called. BT was not allowed to make profit on both parts of the call. Other landline providers charged slightly higher prices for calls to these numbers, just a few pence per minute added on top of the revenue they had to pass on to the service provider. Mobile providers added 30p or 40p per minute on top. Most people were unaware of the revenue split as call charges were presented as a single combined figure.

On 1 July 2015, Ofcom scrapped the NTS Retail Condition thereby allowing BT to retain revenue for the first time when originating calls to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers. At the same time a new rule split these call costs into two parts making clear how much the caller's phone provider was charging for connecting and conveying the call and how much the called party was charging for providing the service that the caller accessed.

The new system led to a massive decrease (in some cases as much as a £5 per minute decrease) in the cost of calling 09 and 118 numbers from mobiles and an increase of around 20p per minute when calling 084 and 087 numbers from mobiles.

Since 1 July 2015, the cost of calling 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers has gone up by around 12p per minute when called from a BT landline, and by several pence per minute or so from other landlines. Calling 0845 and 0870 numbers has gone up by an extra few pence due to the Service Charge element of those calls increasing to match the levels for other 084 and 087 numbers.

When calling abroad it is best to look for providers offering inclusive 03 numbers. Using 084 and 087 numbers is generally uneconomic, unless you can find one covered by an 0845/0870 inclusive allowance.