Orange to start charging for calls to 0500/0800/0808 Freephone Numbers.

pricefighter

Just heard that Orange are to start charging contract customers,from the 1/12/2005 for calls to Freephone 0500/0800/0808. numbers.

Calls will be charged at 10p a minute,and WILL NOT be included in inclusive minutes.

I have spoken to Orange CS and they have confirmed it is true.Bang goes the old mobile overide 0800 loophole.

Guess they will lose a few customers over this.O2 of course still allow calls to 0500/0800/0808 out of their inclusive minutes,and Payg inclusive minute bolt ons.

mm66

We have an orange contract and have not received any info about it. i doubt they would do this for existing contracts since that would let people break the contract without penalty

Umer

Thats what I was thinking mm66... this couldn't effect existing customers could it?

s.c.

Usually changes in terms only apply to new customers, ie Virgin tarriff match with no line rental is still that for existing customers.

The old Data tariff should still give free 0800 too, watch this space.

pricefighter

mm66 wrote:

We have an orange contract and have not received any info about it. i doubt they would do this for existing contracts since that would let people break the contract without penalty

I am told it will apply to all contacts old or new.I dont know if you can break your contract.It was only annouced today,thats why you havent been told yet.

mm66

I do belive if they change terms then as per clause 19 of their terms and conditions we would be entitled to break the contract.

bbb_uk

pricefighter wrote:

...O2 of course still allow calls to 0500/0800/0808 out of their inclusive minutes,and Payg inclusive minute bolt ons.

How long though before o2 do the same?

Unfortunately it's not surprising as non-geographical numbers (even freephone) are probably more expensive than geographicals for the mobile networks so if you make a lot of freephone calls it probably costs the network more money than they are getting from you.

2ax

Will they also block that Pre-dial 0200 number I wonder?

charlie12

Oh no!

I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. Will be interesting to see how it affects different contracts and whether there are any loopholes to end contracts early.

Very disappointing move by Orange

seaniboy

!!!!!! BAS****S
0500/0800/0808 costs the networks nothing to pass through, the reciepient of the call pays, yet they bill us for them...ofcom is a joke

I think a few off us should get together and host a saynoto0870 website for freecalls to be exactly that we could call it freecallmeansfree.co.uk or something

Who can build websites? I will gladly donate a few quid to the cause for hosting etc....

seaniboy

mm66 wrote:

I do belive if they change terms then as per clause 19 of their terms and conditions we would be entitled to break the contract.

they can change the charge for freecalls to anything upto the amount of your x network cost per min and also disallow them to be included in your tariff inclusive allowance and you still could not escape under clause 19

why? legally a freecall number is only implemented landline to 0800 which if even tied to a mobile number is free (if this is still available),

I paid 18p a minute on incoming calls on one2one for a freephone number back in 2000, but calling it from another mobile to my 0800 cost up to 40p a minute at that time on some network's tariff's, my sis would call me from the payphone out & about and say call me back on my (payg) mobile, i got the 0800 number for exactly that everybody called me for nothing and it was cheaper than me cross network calling or even landlines, no wonder T-mob got rid of it