Coop Bank Switch To Expensive 0844 Numbers.

oldharryrocks

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/jun/21/co-op-bank-phone-switch

SnowTiger

oldharryrocks wrote: »

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/jun/21/co-op-bank-phone-switch

A Co-op spokeswoman said: "Many banks and providers already offer 0844 numbers and this move is supported by the telecoms regulator.

Basically the 'industry standard' excuse.

I wonder in what way "this move is supported by the telecoms regulator?"

GooliesOfFire

Greed again... I'm so glad I'm not with banks.

pmduk

SnowTiger wrote: »

I wonder in what way "this move is supported by the telecoms regulator?"

I assume they consider the fact that the regulator hasn't ruled against it as support.

Mandelbrot

oldharryrocks wrote: »

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/jun/21/co-op-bank-phone-switch

Why is she wearing a men's watch?

SnowTiger

pmduk wrote: »

I assume they consider the fact that the regulator hasn't ruled against it as support.

That's what I was thinking too.

I thought the "telecoms regulator" would have been eager for large companies to use 03 numbers.

oldagetraveller

Mandelbrot wrote: »

Why is she wearing a men's watch?

So, in your eyes, women are not allowed to wear a larger watch?:)

premierfella

The Co-op spokeswoman's quote is frankly embarrassing. The move clearly does not fit with an ethical banking stance (unless Co-op are going to make sure that the cost of phoning the number is very clear to customers in all their literature and not in print so small that some customers [e.g. the elderly] will have problems reading it).

Reference to the move being supported by the telecoms regulator completely (intentionally) misses the point. The Co-op is not supposed to operate like every other bank. I'm sure there are plenty of things the Co-op can do that would be "supported by the... regulator". That doesn't mean that an ethical bank such as the Co-op should be doing them.

I can see an argument for the move being fairer (presumably to customers who choose to use self-service routes) but I fail to see how the move is more "transparent" (unless transparent is now defined as "higher cost" in the dictionary - as the table seems to suggest that very few customers will pay less to call 0844 and call charges seem to vary even more than they do for 0845).

pcombo

Not all 0844 numbers cost alot

you can get 0844 number ranging from

1ppm
2ppm
3ppm
4ppm
5ppm

i believe 5p is the max for this type of call.

JohalaReewi

pcombo wrote: »

Not all 0844 numbers cost alot

True but the devil is in the ppm bit. The longer you are on the phone (in a queue etc.) the more you pay. It soon mounts up. With real phone numbers and 03x, the call is very likely going to be part of ones inclusive minutes (so free).

heloid

Why can't they just advertise geographic numbers alongside the 08 numbers.... then everyones happy.