International & UK CallChecker discussion

Ian011

scoobers wrote: »

I recently had an email from my service provider (Plusnet) about the changes to charging on the 1st July.

Their access charge has been set at 9.58p/min, this is going to mean an increase in rates for calling specialised numbers in nearly all cases.

Plusnet's existing rate for calling the 1p/min number is 3.14p/min + 15p call set up fee.

Currently a 10 minute call to the 1p/min number costs 46.4p, from the 1st of July this will increase to £1.06

Call charges may become clearer but at what cost? The consumer certainly is not going to be the winner.

On the particular number you quoted, Plusnet's current access charge is effectively 2.1p per minute plus 15p per call. The cost of using the service itself, i.e. the money gained by the dial-through provider, is 1p per minute.

Depending on exactly which 084, 087, 09 or 118 number you call, Plusnet's effective access charge currently varies and can be more than 50p per minute.

From 1 July 2015 this variation will no longer be allowed. Plusnet's Access Charge will be 9.58p per minute for all 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers.

Except for those using 0845 and 0870 numbers, most service providers have selected a Service Charge that is very similar to their current undeclared Enhanced Termination Charge.

Don't forget that retailers, traders, passenger transport companies, government departments, public services, NHS services and banks have largely moved to 03 numbers leaving 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers for specialist services.

Most international dial-through providers now offer access numbers starting 020, 03 or 080 and these may prove to be more cost effective. They do, however, require either a top up in advance or a separate monthly bill.



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

Ian011

Clear Call Rates for Everyone takes effect at midnight tonight.

Call prices for all 084, 087 and 09 numbers used by dial-through providers will need to be updated as well as adapting everything to the new split charge system.

I alerted MSE staff to this change more than two months ago. Is the new version now ready for launch?

scoobers

Does anyone know what BT's access charge is going to be?

Ian011

Word on the street is that it will be 9.58p per minute.

For the last decade or more, the NTS Retail Condition has uniquely capped BT's effective access charge at zero. That regulation ends in a few hours time.

Colinwr5

The number given for calls to South African Landlines 0845 381 5190 simply redirects you to an 0843 number.

scopus1

I have used the direct dial 0844 numbers a lot over the years via MSE International Call Checker.
I am with PlusNet, owned by BT and presumably having roughly the same charges as BT, and have noticed that the prices have gone up inexplicably over the months. For instance a call to the USA via 08442009090 on 26/6/2014 lasting 67 minutes cost me a total of 81p. Contrast this with a call via 0843360065 on 14/4/2015 lasting 78 minutes cost £2.16. These are just 2 examples of many. When I asked Plusnet they said that they made a 16p connection charge and the rest of the charge I should take up with the other firm, 123 directdial. They said the same, that they charged .5p per minute and that Plusnet was reponsible for the rest. I have tried repeatedly to get clarity from both firms but with no success.

Whatever the charges were before, things have drastically changed and I consider myself lucky to have been charged even the higher prices compared to the situation now. As others have mentioned, from July 1st PlusNet will charge about 10p PER MINUTE for this type of call and ofcourse the 0844 firms will add even more to the bill.
I hope MSE will update their site accurately and quickly. People chancing upon it over the last week may not realise what a totally misleading picture it now gives, as the situation has not merely been clarified, as least from the telecom provider's side, but prices have gone up so much that you might as well get an international call plan from your provider or otherwise just ring through directly and pay the full charge, which will now be very similar to the 0844 charge.
Has anyone got solutions to the problem of cheap international calls ?

Ian011

scopus1 wrote: »

When I asked Plusnet they said that they made a 16p connection charge and the rest of the charge I should take up with the other firm, 123 directdial. They said the same, that they charged .5p per minute and that Plusnet was reponsible for the rest.

The part of the call cost over and above whatever BT charged for the same call was money that was going to Plusnet. The lack of transparancy in this pricing is one of the things that led Ofcom to introduce the replacement system that took effect on 1 July 2015.

scopus1 wrote: »

Has anyone got solutions to the problem of cheap international calls ?

You could use a dial-through provider with an 020, 03 or 080 number. That part of the call will be inclusive or free.

You then pay the dial-through provider directly for the international leg of the call.



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

scoobers

You can use SMS top up services to call USA calls if you don't want to open accounts etc. You pay for calling credit by text message.

These services usually offer an 02 / 03 access number which can be called using your inclusive minutes (if you have them). If not 0800 is now free from mobiles but expect to pay the service provider a surcharge for freephone access.

A quick search on the Internet and Call Happy are offering free daytime calls to USA using 03 access although you have to pay for a top up.

There are other companies offering 1p/min so it depends on your calling habits as to which one works out cheapest for you.

scoobers

Considering that this took effect on the 1st July and the changes were announced a long time ago I am shocked at the number of websites (including this one) that are displaying out of date charging information.

Ian011

I communicated directly with MSE staff two months before the change in regulations took effect to alert them to the fact that the Call Checker needed a fundamental redesign.

Now that the call charge for 084, 087 and 09 numbers has been split into two parts, the call price needs to be stated as the Access Charge applied by the landline or mobile provider you have selected to make the call through and the Service Charge that applies to the selected dial-through number.

That redesign hasn't happened. Where 'new' pricing is shown, the information is incomplete, the Access Charge is missing. Additionally, old style prices are still shown for many numbers and that is inexcusable. Either 'unknown' could be displayed or MSE could look up the applicable Service Charge on one of the many lists that have become available on various sites.