Aaaagh I just wanna scream (0845/0870 numbers)!!!

Flummaxed

I am SO SICK of all these non geographic numbers, the 0845, 0844s etc. I always refer to 'SayNoTo0870' website before ringing any of these rip off numbers, but yesterday and today I had no success whatsoever in getting through on a geographic number and am fuming!

Needed to ring Acer, as my daughter's expensive new laptop, which she only got at Christmas, has died - so had to spend around 30 minutes on an 0871 number (still have to send the laptop all the way back to Acer for repairs - despite having just shelled out almost 500 quid for said product - that made me mad!) Now, I can't get through to Santander to check whether I can balance transfer my Barclaycard over to my existing Abbey Zero credit card after having seen details on here, without calling an 0845 number!! Tried all the numbers on SayNO.... but everyone I spoke to on an 0800 number referred me to the 0845 number and I REFUSE to call it!

I totally resent having to pay premium rates to ring companies who are supposed to be providing me with a service, (let alone pay at all to call them as I have free landline calls all day and evening)

Sorry - rant over! Feel a bit better now I've got that off my chest.

Happy moneysaving to everyone x

Heinz

If you have a BT line and the Unlimited Weekend or the Unlimited Evening & Weekend Calls Plan, calling an 0845 number on a weekday is over 3p per minute cheaper than calling a geographical number (2p/minute as opposed to 5¼p/minute).

You'd have to pay the same 9¼p call set-up fee for both.

OK, there's no comparison with the flat rate 5p to call a geographical number if you use 18185.

BUT, we have to be careful to separate 0845 and 0844 calling here. AFAIAA, no calls provider includes or discounts calls to 0844 numbers whereas a number now include 0845 calls in call plans.

utilitybroker

Flummaxed wrote: »

as I have free landline calls all day and evening

Surely you pay for them? Who is your supplier ? Most these days include calls to 0845.

mightymolly

when O2 launches it's landlines, these numbers will be included in the anytime unlimited minutes!

Flummaxed

Utilitybroker: Exactly right. I do pay for the service for having free landline calls (from Virgin - not BT), so I understand that it is not exactly free. What I meant was that I resent having to pay to call these non geographic numbers that are so prolific these days, and am therefore unable to use my service in order to make a call that is of no more cost to me than the service I pay for.

Heinz

Previous posts suggest that Virgin is the country's most expensive voice telephony provider.

I think they (outrageously) charge 10p/minute for 0845 calls!

utilitybroker

Flummaxed wrote: »

Utilitybroker: Exactly right. I do pay for the service for having free landline calls (from Virgin - not BT), so I understand that it is not exactly free. What I meant was that I resent having to pay to call these non geographic numbers that are so prolific these days, and am therefore unable to use my service in order to make a call that is of no more cost to me than the service I pay for.

Yes phoning Ngn numbers from Virgin is a very expensive exercise.:eek:

If you have you got a Santander card try calling the geographical number given on the back for calling from overseas.;)

utilitybroker

mightymolly wrote: »

when O2 launches it's landlines, these numbers will be included in the anytime unlimited minutes!

Only Non Geographical calls to 0845/0870 will be inclusive not 0871 etc ,and unlike BT o2 dont include them in their evening and weekend bundle.

Inactive

mightymolly wrote: »

when O2 launches it's landlines, these numbers will be included in the anytime unlimited minutes!

Which will be subject to a " fair usage policy " whatever that may mean.

Flummaxed

Thanks all. Oh dear UtilityBroker, I feel even more now that you've told me Virgin is one of the most expensive.

I did try their overseas number on the back of the credit card (as I always do this when calling Barclaycard) but I just got a message which said along the lines of ......"this number is for overseas callers only - please redial 0854..... etc)!!! Santander have obviously caught on to this loophole. I hate these bloomin' numbers - with a passion!!! Am so sick of being ripped off, every which way I turn - aaaaghh!

simongregson

If you have recently purchased the laptop, take it back and get a refund.

It is faulty, the store can't refuse.

Hopefully the new one will work!