0800Buster: Don't pay over the odds for mobile calls to frephone numbers

Faz

jatos wrote: »

For those who want to try, some 0800 number also have an international number which is actually a normal landline, that you can call from the UK. Very handy when it involves bank and you want to cautious.

For example, HSBCs have the international telephone banking number +44 1226 261 010. You can also call that from the UK as well, and when calling them from my mobile I also use this number.

One thing though, I am glad for this trick, as I generally get bills from Vodafone approaching 100 pounds a month (that includes my internet though).

I always do this, works a treat :beer:

mrmc_2

Voipfone has just started a similar service, where you can dial a standard landlines to get a gateway to free phone numbers. The advantage of this service is that supports IVR (080 buster doesn't!)

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I'm sure you are aware that you can't call an 0800 free-phone number for free using your mobile. We think that's wrong, so we thought about it for a while and have come up with a crafty way of making these calls for free, as they were originally designed to be.

Is it really totally free?

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Yes - if you have a contract mobile package with included minutes to UK geographic numbers like 01 and 02. (Even if you use a Pay-as-you-go mobile it's normally cheaper than calling the 0800 directly; but you need to check with your provider.)

How does it work?

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1. Dial our access number 029 2000 0800 (add it to your address book)
2. When we answer, just enter the 0800 number you want to call and wait to be connected.

That's it.

How can you do it for free?

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We get a tiny fraction of a penny for the call from the network operator, not enough to matter but enough to cover our costs. But we mostly do it simply because we can, because it's quite cool and because we think mobile phone pricing is a rip-off.

This works for 0808 and 0500 free-phone numbers too.

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ps You don't need to be a Voipfone customer to use this trick, tell your friends; send them this email!

pps If you call an 0800 number a lot, you can save it in your address book along with the access number.

So let's say you call abc company who's number is 08001234567, you enter abc company into your mobile, with the number as:

02920000800p08001234567

some phones need a '+' instead of the 'p' (it adds a pause when dialling)

Kind Regards

Voipfone Customer Services

Ypaymore

mrmc.

I appreciate your trying to help but:

Site Rule . Don't post for personal gain. Except in the referrers section

Also CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS need permission from MSE to post.

OldGreyFox

Some people would call it Spam.

redux

Voipfone have sent that email to all their customers.

The fact that one of them quotes it on here, preceded with his or her own comment, doesn't necessarily make it spam

I think it's worth being on here, as I'll assume it would be more likely to work than my half dozen failed attempts at 0800buster. From remarks above, it seems I'm not alone

thelaw_2

If you go to world wide web dot saynoto0870 dot com you can just plug in any of the cheap or free phone numbers and it will tell you an equivalent normal land line number to use.

That way if you have free minutes all of these numbers become free. Any you use a lot just save the alternative number into your phone.

It has never failed to find a better number for me so far.

utilitybroker

thelaw wrote: »

If you go to world wide web dot saynoto0870 dot com you can just plug in any of the cheap or free phone numbers and it will tell you an equivalent normal land line number to use.

That way if you have free minutes all of these numbers become free. Any you use a lot just save the alternative number into your phone.

It has never failed to find a better number for me so far.

Yes MSE sponsor that site see Martin,s article here.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/0870-say-no

but alternatives are not available for every ngn number.

mfraser

What I would like to know is how mobile phone companies can get away with charging for 0800 and 0500 calls. I'm sure they used to be free.

ducky2004

mfraser wrote: »

What I would like to know is how mobile phone companies can get away with charging for 0800 and 0500 calls. I'm sure they used to be free.

Free market ?

ericdvr

Using a Seimens A60 oldish mobile phone I added the complete number to access directory enquiries and found it worked better by adding not one but two pauses (press and hold the 0/+ button to access the + which gives the pause on this phone) between the access number and the 0800 number.
When I dial the number I am asked to enter the number followed by hash and I ignore this and around 8-10 seconds later I am connected to directory enquiries.
Actually using the service I had to repeat the name and the address several times but it worked.
I will only ever use it when I have not got access to 'Saynoto0870' which has never let me down and for me at least is much easier to use.