virgin connection charges when engaged?

bexyboo1312

Just an update, spoke to Ofcom this morning who confirmed that Virgin cannot charge for an engaged tone, they can only charge if there is an answer - be it voicemail, music or someone talking etc. Now to try and resolve with Virgin or take to CISAS.
Thanks

Heinz

I suspect that, just as with international calls via a 0844 gateway (where charging starts after the 11 digits have been dialled and before the international number has even been entered), the cause here is the 0844 number's setup (I would imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to set up a system to instantly answer calls and connect them to a genuine-sounding engaged tone - although I cannot see the advantage of that because only minimal revenue-shared income would result from a 1 or 2 second call).

newbie1980

just reactivating this thread tried ringing gigsandtours for jls vip tickets and was charged 135 times at 20p from virgin in a 1/2 hr period they say they are not abliged to do anything about this even though i got the engaged tone every time

virgin/gigsandtours you are a rip off

custardy

newbie1980 wrote: »

just reactivating this thread tried ringing gigsandtours for jls vip tickets and was charged 135 times at 20p from virgin in a 1/2 hr period they say they are not abliged to do anything about this even though i got the engaged tone every time

virgin/gigsandtours you are a rip off

did you get an engaged tone or held on gigsandtours phone system?

newbie1980

custardy wrote: »

did you get an engaged tone or held on gigsandtours phone system?

it was definatley an engaged tone but i wonder if it was gigandtours own engaged tone

st999

The line is not engaged, the call is answered, and a fake engaged tone played.

Years ago I phoned up Atlantic 252 for a competition and I managed to ring up £12 in engaged tones. I complained to BT as that who I was with, no joy, so I wrote to a newspaper and they investigated and what happens is the phone is answered but instead of getting all lines are busy etc. an engaged tone is played. If you pay attention you will notice a slight pause before you get the engaged tone.

newbie1980

st999 wrote: »

The line is not engaged, the call is answered, and a fake engaged tone played.

Years ago I phoned up Atlantic 252 for a competition and I managed to ring up £12 in engaged tones. I complained to BT as that who I was with, no joy, so I wrote to a newspaper and they investigated and what happens is the phone is answered but instead of getting all lines are busy etc. an engaged tone is played. If you pay attention you will notice a slight pause before you get the engaged tone.

i gathered that

st999

i gathered that

You and I know that, but a lot of folk don't.

newbie1980

st999 wrote: »

You and I know that, but a lot of folk don't.

how much did they make on just that one day it is an absolute disgrace that they can get away with it
all virgin said was if they are charged then i am charged and the ofcom agree, i dont know how true that is
it should be made to be advertised in the billing or something or firms should be fined for this type of what amounts to scamming

Buzby

What callers do not appreciate is that when Virgin pass the call on to the distant telco, if the issue an ANSWER-CHARGE, this confirms the call has been delivered. Many firms actually have their systems set up to 'play' an engaged signal - but it is fake, as it is their phone PABX that is providing it, NOT the network (where it would be a NO-CHARGE) termination.

Add to the mix there is no way of knowing until you get the bill. In the bast I had a meter that incremented with meter pulsing, so if I recieved one, I knew I was being billed, but all this is being done away with. Virgin are correct, either the distant firm OR telco provided the charge instruction, so as Virgin is bieng charges, it is passed back to you.

There are also many call sentres who can 'play' ringing tone to their callers - but the call has already been answered, and you are already paying. OFCOM have been strangely silent on looking into this.