MSE News: 0800 calls could finally be free from mobiles

NinjaPenguin

Finally making 'freephone' numbers free can only be a good thing in my book. One of the reasons I switched to giffgaff was because 0800 numbers were free.

The next thing ofcom needs to do, is make companies list a geographic number alongside their 0870 numbers. I know we can find out the geographic numbers for some companies, but it's usually the ones that you can't find an alternative to that you end up having to call.
There's nothing worse than being kept on hold for so long that your credit runs out. At least if I could use my inclusive minutes I wouldn't feel like I was being charged the earth (I never use all my minutes anyway)

NFH

NinjaPenguin wrote: »

The next thing ofcom needs to do, is make companies list a geographic number alongside their 0870 numbers.

This is already being legislated. See post 7 above or this thread.

robbies_gal

its about time and like nfh has posted lets hope al numbers have an alternative geo number its a joke when you have use 0870/0845 evertime you dial someone

smala01

How long before we get a "Skype-out" type service based on an 0800 number?

I.e. you get billed perminute from a different service provider, but call through the 0800 on your mobile - just the calling rate is much cheaper.

Smala01

NFH

smala01 wrote: »

How long before we get a "Skype-out" type service based on an 0800 number?

These services already exist and were very common before T-Mobile and Orange started charging for 0800 a few years ago. Such services were one reason that these two networks started charging for 0800, after they played a cat-and-mouse game at trying to charge for specific calling card numbers.

Stompa

smala01 wrote: »

How long before we get a "Skype-out" type service based on an 0800 number?

I.e. you get billed perminute from a different service provider, but call through the 0800 on your mobile - just the calling rate is much cheaper.

I already use 18185 from a mobile (via a free 0808 number), to get landline calls at 1p per minute.

gjchester

smala01 wrote: »

How long before we get a "Skype-out" type service based on an 0800 number?

I.e. you get billed perminute from a different service provider, but call through the 0800 on your mobile - just the calling rate is much cheaper.

Unfortunalty thats why 08.. type numbers stopped being free in the first place.

The Goodmans right, 0800's are not free someone has to pay, if they are free to call then the business who runs them has to build them into their costs so you pay another way.

From a mobile they should come out of an allowance rather than being free to prevent abuse. Otherwise the mobile companies will put some other charge up to compensate.

NFH

gjchester wrote: »

From a mobile they should come out of an allowance rather than being free to prevent abuse. Otherwise the mobile companies will put some other charge up to compensate.

A reasonable compromise would be for most 0800 numbers to be totally free to the caller, but for mobile networks to reserve the right to charge for specific 0800 numbers (e.g. calling cards) as an 01/02/03 call. For those on contract tariffs, the result would be that calling card access numbers would come out of inclusive minutes.

gjchester

NFH wrote: »

A reasonable compromise would be for most 0800 numbers to be totally free to the caller, but for mobile networks to reserve the right to charge for specific 0800 numbers (e.g. calling cards) as an 01/02/03 call. For those on contract tariffs, the result would be that calling card access numbers would come out of inclusive minutes.

Possibly, but thats what Orange used to do, and as you said it became cat and mouse to stop the calling card companies moving numbers around.

NFH

gjchester wrote: »

Possibly, but thats what Orange used to do, and as you said it became cat and mouse to stop the calling card companies moving numbers around.

Are you sure? I may be wrong, but I remember that Orange surcharged 0800 calling card access numbers at a rate much higher than the applicable 01/02/03 rate.

In any case, Ofcom's policy with regard to 0800 numbers should not be centred around calling cards, given that calling card access numbers represent only a tiny fraction of all 0800 numbers in use.