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Non urgent emergency services number 101 not counted as landline call, by BT
Veryskint
Posts: 108 Forumite
in Phones & TV
Hi I am not sure if this is the right place to post this.
I have realised that the new number we are encouraged to use, 101, instead of 999, is not included in your free calls with BT, if you are have a package that includes free landline calls. :cool:
Hopefully people don't need to use this number often, but I was thinking that if 999 is free, and 101 is charged at BTs ever increasing rate, surely this would encourage people in some circumstances to choose to use 999 and not use 101. I believe the cost is limited to 10p, and I dont know if that is enough to make people choose to use 999 instead....
I wondered what others thought? I emailed BT to suggest it was a bad idea on their part, and if I get a reply I will put it here.
I have realised that the new number we are encouraged to use, 101, instead of 999, is not included in your free calls with BT, if you are have a package that includes free landline calls. :cool:
Hopefully people don't need to use this number often, but I was thinking that if 999 is free, and 101 is charged at BTs ever increasing rate, surely this would encourage people in some circumstances to choose to use 999 and not use 101. I believe the cost is limited to 10p, and I dont know if that is enough to make people choose to use 999 instead....
I wondered what others thought? I emailed BT to suggest it was a bad idea on their part, and if I get a reply I will put it here.
0
Comments
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Calls to the police on 101 (in the few places it still exists) costs a flat rate 10p (EDIT, but free from BT callboxes - see post #6 below).
Many police forces have introduced numbers in the 03 range for non-emergency calls so that callers only pay whatever they would pay for a normal geographical call.
Calls to the NHS on 111 (which is gradually being introduced countrywide) cost nothing - it is a freephone number.Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.0 -
Perhaps Heinz or someone can clarify, but as I understand it, 101 is a flat per call charge of 10 pence from any landline or mobile operator. The setting of that charge is therefore nothing to do with each operator which is told by Ofcom what it must charge.0
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To be honest, if I were in a situation where I felt the need to call either 101 or 999 the last thing on my mind would be whether or not to save myself 10p on my BT bill.Accept your past without regret, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear0
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These type of services should be free, what would happen if you needed to use a phonebox and had no cash?0
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These type of services should be free, what would happen if you needed to use a phonebox and had no cash?
BT Payphones rates are here:
http://www.bt.com/pricing/current/Call_Charges_boo/3545_d0e5.htm
Calls to 101 are free from BT Payphones.0
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