0800 number message on o2

EdCov

I thought freephone numbers were free on o2?

However when I try to phone up Post Office Telephones to tell them my service is not working. I get the message this number is not free from a mobile phone, please redial without the leading 0.

Surely though if I do that I will be dialing 00 800 and that I'm pretty sure is not free from an o2 mobile so what is going on.

I tried to dial via 18185 mobile override but they said they'd charge me 10p a minute which I thought was a bit steep.

So instead I got my parents to call and the Post Office phoned me back on my mobile.

Ridiculous!

grex9101

WHY would you be dialling 00800 if you were to drop the leading 0 - surely you'd be dialling 800 ?

fiish

OK, you're on O2, which means your calling plan includes 0800 numbers. (Well, as far as I know, all their contracts do)

The voice message you're getting comes from a stage in the call after O2's routing. If you re-dial without the first 0 as per the instructions, you'll find in your next bill that you have not been charged. I've done this with London Energy and BT loads of times; just redialled 800.... and was not charged for any of those calls (and my old provider in 2005, Orange, didn't either but they do now... not going back I think )

DJ1UK

My 02 contract doesn't include free 0800 numbers. I need to dial them without the leading 0 (800) and they get charged as local rate - but can be free if you get free minutes.

DJ

fiish

Hmm, this is interesting, I was always under the impression that freephone numbers were always included in the free minutes allowance under O2 contracts... guess I'm wrong then.

pin

I think people are getting a bit confused. On o2 0800 numbers are NOT free. However on many o2 contracts 0800 dialling is charged at, I think 10p a minute, BUT comes out of your inclusive minutes.

RichyRich

I don't knwo why they force you to redial. It would be enough to say "this call is not free and is charged at x", rather than "this call is not free. please redial without the initial 0".

Still a lot cheaper to call (0)8000192190 than 118XXX though

fiish

I agree. If the mobile operator is going to charge you, they're not going to care if there's a leading zero or not - the rate is still the same so forcing you to redial is pointless and might even cost you more.

In my O2 bill, with or without the leading 0 the (0)800 numbers still take the same number of free minutes.

payless

When I asked about call charges last year -
0800 ( 0845 , 0870) not free , but part of inclusive mins BUT
I was told you had to drop the first " 0" on 0800 numbers

Not had reason to call a 0800 on my mobile until last week - yes got the redial message

EdCov

Many thanks.

The reason by the way for my concern about dropping the initial 0, is that 44 208 xxxxxx may dial 00 44, and I did not want to end up getting changed for 00 800 rates.

redux

EdCov wrote:

The reason ... is that 44 208 xxxxxx may dial 00 44, and I did not want to end up getting changed for 00 800 rates.

It does not add 00 like this

00800 calls are free, but different numbers