ive got that feeling again...

unlucky_lill

thanks Phil, Max n sklyight for the laughs this evening with your posts. You have cheered me up on this bleak Fri evening

lab-lover

GSCM wrote: »

I believe this number 0800 328 9393 is the number that comes through when someone uses the 0800 REVERSE service (0800 738 3773) to do a reverse charge call - visit 0800REVERSE.co.uk

Beware - YOU pay for the cost of the call - for charges visit
serviceview.bt.com/list/public/current/Inland_Operator_boo/2106_d0e1.htm

This number rang me this morning - they hung up as soon as i answered.

Does what you say mean I will somehow be paying for a call?

GSCM

lab-lover wrote: »

This number rang me this morning - they hung up as soon as i answered.

Does what you say mean I will somehow be paying for a call?

Firstly - I am assuming this number is only used (comes through as caller ID) for a reverse charge call.

When you answer (pick up the phone) you will hear a message. The message begins with a pre-recorded bit which asks you (something to the effect of) "Do you wish to accept the call from...", then a [very] short message from the person calling (this is long enough for their name but not a phone number), then back to the pre-recorded bit which asks you to press a number on your phone (I think it is 3) to accept the call.

Once you accept the call YOU GET CHARGED - according to the BT website I posted earlier the call connection charge is £3.41 (correct as of this post) including VAT and up to 30 seconds of call time, each additional 30 seconds of call time is charged at 58.72 pence including VAT.

We (as a family) have now come up with a system that allows our children to use this system sensibly without costing us the earth (one of the kids used it once and the cost of the call was over 20 quid) - for a phone box that is regularly used they can now just say "phone box" and we can tell from their voice who it is and which phone box to ring back on the correct number so we only get charged at standard rates, otherwise they say "Emergency Mom/Dad" if it really is an emergency and we will accept the reverse charge call. For other calls it is not possible to say the entire phone number from where you are calling from - whether because of the limited time you have to say something or the system picks up the pauses in your voice between digits (me being synical would say that is to make you use the service) so you have to work out a system to make several calls to get the whole phone number through (if you get what I mean) - e.g. for "3571077" you might do a few messages such as "3571" then "5710", 7107", "1077", i.e. moving up 1 or 2 digits each time until the whole number has been read off.

Hope this helps!