International & UK CallChecker discussion

GingerFox_2

oldharryrocks wrote: »

Whats the point because as soon as you you hear the recorded announcement the connection charge is raised, and you start paying before you input the final destination number anyway.So they gain nothing from putting you through to a wrong number.

ok, whats a point of putting me through a wrong number instead just disconnecting?

oilovlam

I used 'CheapCalls.co.uk' to phone an Irish mobile from a TalkTalk landline. The website shows call costs of 3.99p/min plus 13.1p connection fee (using the cost calculator feature). The actual cost was 6.99p/min plus 16p connection. I contacted 'Cheapcalls' asking them to correct their costs on the website. They haven't. Should I contact Ofcom or trading standards?

I also asked MSE to remove cheapcalls from their list of providers returned by the 'International CallChecker' feature. They haven't. Also the costing information returned by the MSE callchecker was incorrect (4.99p/min with 15p connection).

I feel I was conned by 'CheapCalls' and feel that they should be made to have correct call costs. But who is going to do it. :mad:

oldharryrocks

oilovlam wrote: »

I used 'CheapCalls.co.uk' to phone an Irish mobile from a TalkTalk landline. The website shows call costs of 3.99p/min plus 13.1p connection fee (using the cost calculator feature). The actual cost was 6.99p/min plus 16p connection. I contacted 'Cheapcalls' asking them to correct their costs on the website. They haven't. Should I contact Ofcom or trading standards?

I also asked MSE to remove cheapcalls from their list of providers returned by the 'International CallChecker' feature. They haven't. Also the costing information returned by the MSE callchecker was incorrect (4.99p/min with 15p connection).

I feel I was conned by 'CheapCalls' and feel that they should be made to have correct call costs. But who is going to do it. :mad:

The list of cheap providers contains a fair few errors.:eek:

But MSE do publish a warning.

"Warning!
This is an AUTO-generated list, errors can and do happen. Always double check the price first yourself."

As for cheap calls all of the connection charges they quote are out of date. Ofcom or Trading Standards want normally be interested.

If you cant get anywhere with cheap calls you could report the site to the ASA.

https://www.asa.org.uk/Consumers/How-to-complain.aspx

oilovlam

Thanks Old Harry. I'm surprised it isn't under Ofcom's remit because it is misleading people into making more expensive calls than was advertised. Similarly with trading standards. However I will follow your advice and seek out the ASA. Never heard of them before. :T

If I ran a website that advertised a widget for £1 and the actual cost was £2 when you came to pay then the authorities would be all over me like a rash (although come to think of it Ryanair seems to do very well with the business model)

The MSE callchecker does have a disclaimer, I saw that. But they should remove 'CheapCalls' from the list altogether. I have asked them to do that but they haven't done it yet. Because people will do the same as me and base their decision on the incorrect call costs on the 'CheapCalls.co.uk' website. Then they will wonder why that 30 minute call cost twice as much as it should have.

BaldacchinoR

I am reluctant to use these two international call services because they both use the same system. You get a top-up phone number which is OK. BUT you then have to dial what seems to be an outer London phone number e.g. 0208-1 802 802 and they describe this number as both a local rate and a normal rate number! Normal rate seems more accurate and unless you have an all-inclusive call plan from you service provider, you will have to pay for the 0208 calls, at the relevant rate e.g. peak time or evening, as well as paying the two above companies their call charge rates! If someone can tell me I am wrong, I would be pleased to learn its not as expensive as it seems to be!


I do use 18185.com and topupnow who only charge the connection fee and their own rates per minute - these services do not involve paying your service provider anything.

oldharryrocks

BaldacchinoR wrote: »

I am reluctant to use these two international call services because they both use the same system. You get a top-up phone number which is OK. BUT you then have to dial what seems to be an outer London phone number e.g. 0208-1 802 802 and they describe this number as both a local rate and a normal rate number! Normal rate seems more accurate and unless you have an all-inclusive call plan from you service provider, you will have to pay for the 0208 calls, at the relevant rate e.g. peak time or evening, as well as paying the two above companies their call charge rates! If someone can tell me I am wrong, I would be pleased to learn its not as expensive as it seems to be!


I do use 18185.com and topupnow who only charge the connection fee and their own rates per minute - these services do not involve paying your service provider anything.

All the companies you mentioned are run by the same people. They offer different forms of access for different types of users.

Teletop and Topupdiscount are aimed at people who have inclusive 01/02/03 minutes. Or people who have a cheap rate to call such numbers. EG 3 payg who charge 3p a minute.

Frinzo

VoIP services is one best options for How to Call International at nominal rates. by using mobile dialer apps you can easily use the VoIP services on your cell phone. The post is really awesome and useful for all cell phone holders.

wongawonga

Frinzo wrote: »

VoIP services is one best options for How to Call International at nominal rates. by using mobile dialer apps you can easily use the VoIP services on your cell phone. The post is really awesome and useful for all cell phone holders.

Expect the spam link to follow.:D

Ian011

jnw100207 wrote: »

We are with PlusNet, (who charge 13.87p connection charge) and we use 0844 901 6958 to call Ukraine landlines at 4p a minute and 0871 801 7500 to Ukraine mobiles at 7p a minute. Or so we thought!!!!!!

Apparently, PlusNet have different rules. They charge us 9p to mobiles and 6p to landlines a minute. This is posted on their tariffs page under "Specialised Service" g13.

I was under the impression that the advertised 4p and 7p plus connection charge was the price we paid seeing as that's what is being advertised.

Why are PlusNet allowed to charge a separate, unadvertised, price?

There are hundreds of landline and mobile providers, each with different prices.

International dial-through providers quote only the call rates charged by BT.

BT's rates are always the lowest because they are capped by the NTS Retail Condition imposed by Ofcom. This ensures that BT makes zero margin on call origination to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers. Almost all of what you pay for the call is passed on the benefit of the international call provider to cover the cost of the international leg of the call.

Other landline and mobile providers do make margin on 084, 087 and 09 calls, hence the calls cost more if you do not use BT. Mobile providers charge excessively for these calls.

The lack of transparency in 084, 087 and 09 call costs has led to a completely new system of call charges that comes into effect on 1 July 2015. The NTS Retail Condition will be scrapped on the same day. In future, these calls may cost more from a landline but will cost less from a mobile.

ploddingon wrote: »

I was wondering how StoryTelecom manage to do this on a free from BT landlines 0845 number, when all of the other companies listed are on 0844 numbers?

The Enhanced Termination Rate for 0843 and 0844 numbers varies from about 0.5p to 4.2p per minute (excluding VAT) depending on the exact number called.

The Enhanced Termination Rate for 0845 numbers is around 1.6p per minute (excluding VAT) during weekday daytimes, around 0.5p per minute in the evenings and about 0.2p per minute at the weekends. This is why many of the services using 0845 numbers are only available on weekdays in the daytime.

All of these call prices will change on 1 July 2015. Call prices for 0845 numbers will align with those for 0843 and 0844 numbers. Call prices for 0870 numbers will align with those for 0871, 0872 and 0873 numbers. Revenue sharing returns to 0870 numbers having previously been suspended on 1 August 2009.

BaldacchinoR wrote: »

You then have to dial what seems to be an outer London phone number e.g. 0208-1 802 802 and they describe this number as both a local rate and a normal rate number! Normal rate seems more accurate and unless you have an all-inclusive call plan from you service provider, you will have to pay for the 0208 calls, at the relevant rate e.g. peak time or evening, as well as paying the two above companies their call charge rates! If someone can tell me I am wrong, I would be pleased to learn its not as expensive as it seems to be!

London changed to a single 020 area code in 2001. There is one code for London, 020.

A district "local rate" ceased to exist in 2004. Landline providers no longer charge for calls to 01 and 02 numbers based on distance. Indeed, most people no longer pay for individual calls, they are instead on an anytime inclusive call plan. This ensures there are no extra call charges (for calls to 01, 02 and 03 numbers) on top of the monthly package fee. It only takes about 40 to 50 minutes per month of calls to 01, 02 and 03 numbers at the "per minute" rate for it to have cost more than having an all-inclusive anytime call package.

When you use one of these international dial-through providers you do have to pay for two telephone calls: the UK number that you dial first and the onwards international leg of the call. There are a variety of number types used, some more suitable than others depending on whether you call from a landline or mobile and whether you have inclusive calls or not. It is up to the caller to work out which number to call to get the best deal. This will become much easier when the new call charge system for 084, 087 and 09 numbers comes into effect on all landline and mobile networks on 1 July 2015.



MSE will have to revise the entire list of dial-though numbers and their prices on 1 July 2015. This list will need to reflect the new Service Charge for each number listed and the new Access Charge for all calls to 084, 087 and 09 numbers charged by each landline and mobile provider. The list can be somewhat simplified as there will no longer be a Connection Fee on calls to 084, 087 and 09 numbers.



See also:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5219071

tomaan

NonGeographicalMan wrote: »

Yes but that's just designed to cover themselves in the event that they inadvertently miss some minor price changes, which is clearly quite easy to, especially with the numerous different small 084/7 using providers they list.

However price changes by the main fixed landline operators are much more infrequent and in this case they have had a direct email to their designated email address (callchecker@moneysavingexpert.com) from me for some time now pointing out the errors, which they have simply persistently ignored. Even attempting to send a Message to Martin Lewis though his Facebook page or posting a reply to one of his messages (the only way to post on his page) is ignored.

So I don't think having a short term get out for errors excuses a long systematic failure to appropriately update errrors in the Call Checker when they are brought to MSE's attention. That to me seems like Deliberate Negligence on MSE's part.

agree, every time I have used the number the call the machine says you need a different number. by then I already spent 15p for connection charges. today I tried 4 numbers and every time I was told you need a different number to call your destination number!!!! I already spent £1 and not managed to make any calls this is scam. Just think how many people have done this and how much money these companies are making just to dial them and listen to message.