Cheapest way of diverting calls to mobile

RebTech

There are some threads on this but they're quite old, and closed.

I run a small business from home, advertise my landline number and divert calls to my mobile when I go out. Due to the time scales involved I can't easily change my adverts. I'm looking to cut the diverted call costs.

My landline provider is Plusnet, who don't offer "friends and family" or other relevant deals, and I don't believe I'm tied to a contract (signed up over a year ago). My mobile provider is Orange, if that matters, and I recently committed to a two year contract.

So my question is: assuming that other aspects are relatively insignificant (which they probably are), what's the cheapest way to divert calls from landline to mobile? And in particular, is using an override service with Plusnet's call diversion a realistic option?

Heinz

I would imagine that, like BT, Plusnet prohibit the use of override providers like 18185 in the 'divert to' string.

RebTech

Heinz wrote: »

I would imagine that, like BT, Plusnet prohibit the use of override providers like 18185 in the 'divert to' string.

Is it fairly safe to assume the same will apply to any other provider?

If so, are there any really good "friends and family" type discounts from other providers?

I just checked the cheapest standard weekday rate to mobiles and it seems to be 5.56p with BT Anytime Plan Plus, with the next cheapest at 10p.

jhp

The cheapest way in the long term would be to purchase a cheap 01/02 geographical number from www.flextel.co.uk and point it straight at your mobile at a cost of 4p a minute.

RebTech

jhp wrote: »

The cheapest way in the long term would be to purchase a cheap 01/02 geographical number from www.flextel.co.uk and point it straight at your mobile at a cost of 4p a minute.

Thanks but my existing number is very memorable -- though I got it by sheer luck -- and I wouldn't consider dumping it.

Stuart_W

RebTech wrote: »

Thanks but my existing number is very memorable -- though I got it by sheer luck -- and I wouldn't consider dumping it.

Well in that case, how about setting up an 0800 number with flextel then - and you can set your existing landline to divert to this number. As a freephone number, you should find it is free to divert to with your existing Plusnet service.

You will just be paying 7p per minute to receive calls on your 0800 number which is routed through to your mobile.

RebTech

Stuart_W wrote: »

Well in that case, how about setting up an 0800 number with flextel then - and you can set your existing landline to divert to this number. As a freephone number, you should find it is free to divert to with your existing Plusnet service.

You will just be paying 7p per minute to receive calls on your 0800 number which is routed through to your mobile.

This looks quite good, the only thing giving me pause for thought is that the cheapest 0800 number seems to be £50. Plusnet has a setup charge of 12.5p, plus 12.5p per min or part thereof, so the cheapest call is 25p, and these calls do tend to be shortish. If they were all 1 min or less it would take 5000/25-7 = 278 calls to reach break even point.

Roughly speaking, that amounts to one call every working day for a year. Not an enormous saving but worth it assuming I expect to being using it for a few years, which I do. And the 0800 number could be advertised alongside the local one. Thanks very much for this suggestion.

But one uncertainty: on the Plusnet website they say diversion can be to any mobile or landline number, but I don't know whether that should be taken to include non-geographics. I'll ask them and report back.

Buzby

Vodafone have a Small Business scheme that provides a local Geographic number in an area of your choice (from a list) and calls to this are seamlessly transferred at no cost to your mobile. Well worth having a look at!

RebTech

Buzby wrote: »

Vodafone have a Small Business scheme that provides a local Geographic number in an area of your choice (from a list) and calls to this are seamlessly transferred at no cost to your mobile. Well worth having a look at!

Thanks, but probably not if you've just taken out a two year contract with Orange.

Herongull

There is one free option:

Have your voicemail answer message suggest that people call your mobile (and give its number).

I don't run a business, but I've included this in my answer message just in case someone needs to get hold of me urgently and they don't have my mobile number.

RebTech

Herongull wrote: »

There is one free option:

Have your voicemail answer message suggest that people call your mobile (and give its number).

I don't run a business, but I've included this in my answer message just in case someone needs to get hold of me urgently and they don't have my mobile number.

Thanks but I've considered that. The trouble is that I can easily imagine a potential customer, presented with a mobile number they have to either memorise or find a pen and note down, just ringing the next number down in the Yellow Pages instead.

In the longer term I might put the mobile number alongside the landline in ads, but the new YP for this area doesn't appear until halfway through next year.