18185 charge 11p for unanswered calls to mobiles

RatAtAt

My current 18185 invoice includes 2 calls from my landline to an O2 mobile number, both of which were unanswered and both of which were charged at 11p each, the same cost as a short call to the same number that was answered. I think this is a new charge.

Anyone know of a cheap way of calling mobiles from a landline, and which does not charge for unanswered calls?

Stuart_W

Are you sure each call didn't just click over to answerphone at the point you hung up? 11p looks like the 5p connection fee and first minute charge of 6p ( a one second call would cost 11p as 18185 charges in full minutes).

I use Savacall which charges 4p per minute to call a mobile, and whilst it also charges in full minutes has no connection fee , so it beats 18185's 6p weekend and 10p weekday cost to mobiles anyway.

Both companies, however, would not charge for a call that is genuinely unanswered.

RatAtAt

Stuart_W wrote: »

Are you sure each call didn't just click over to answerphone at the point you hung up?

Yes, quite sure (the mobile stayed in my pocket, and I have the answer service disabled - it is a pre-arranged way my wife signals she needs me at home ASAP).

Stuart_W

It seems like they have mis-charged you then, they do not charge for unanswered calls.

There are a lot of 18185 users on this forum and no one else seems to be reporting this, so they need to sort this out for you as it seems to be specific to your account some how.

Good luck in getting a reply, though. That's the risk with this smaller services. If they keep charging like that, I'd cancel.

If it is still happening, you could try to sign up with 1899.com and see if it is happening there too. It's the same company and works in exactly the same way, but a different access number and would be a different account so you can have both set up on the same line. Also has mobiles at 6p/weekend and 10p/weekday with same connection fee.

RatAtAt

Thank you Stuart_W. I have complained via their web site and will feed back what they say (if anything!).

Buzby

It is becoming increasingly common that if your call is handled off-net (that is to say, delivered to a different network, then irrespective of whether it is answered on not, you will be charged. This is because they successfully delivered it to the destination network, who then want to get paid - the fact the recipient never answered is now irrelevant.

If the call is wholly handled within the same network, no gateway services are used and no charge should be levied. This is one of the benefits of competition OFCOM forgot to warn everyone about!

Heinz

Buzby wrote: »

It is becoming increasingly common that if your call is handled off-net (that is to say, delivered to a different network, then irrespective of whether it is answered on not, you will be charged. This is because they successfully delivered it to the destination network, who then want to get paid - the fact the recipient never answered is now irrelevant.

If the call is wholly handled within the same network, no gateway services are used and no charge should be levied. This is one of the benefits of competition OFCOM forgot to warn everyone about!

Can you confirm that what you're saying is that, if the mobile number beng called has, at any time in the past, been ported (from, say, '3' to Orange), then when it hits the '3' network and is automatically passed on to the Orange network, it is deemed to have been answered?

RatAtAt

Well I got an answer from 18185, and I am not pleased. It was:

helpdesk 29-01-2013
Dear Customer,
All call charges shall begin upon successful connection of the call. This means when the phone on the other end starts ringing, not when the phone is answered. Therefore, if a number is dialled and the call connects, even if it is not answered, you will still be charged.
Kind regards,
Customer service

System

RatAtAt wrote: »

All call charges shall begin upon successful connection of the call. This means when the phone on the other end starts ringing, not when the phone is answered. Therefore, if a number is dialled and the call connects, even if it is not answered, you will still be charged

A (or the?) person at Finarea is confused. According to what Ofcom appear still to regard as valid advice, charging starts when a call is answered.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/oftel/consumer/advice/faqs/conguide1.htm
I made a test call using 18185 to my mobile an hour ago, and did not answer it. It has, correctly, not appeared in my on-line list of calls to be invoiced (which is otherwise up to date).

purplecrocus

Found this on the 18185 website under FAQ

When do call charges take effect?

Call charges take effect once you are connected to the telephone number you have dialled i.e once the call has been answered. If there is no answer or the line is engaged you will not be charged for the call.


I too appear to have been charged, even though the call has not been answered or gone through to answer phone!

Buzby

Heinz wrote: »

Can you confirm that what you're saying is that, if the mobile number beng called has, at any time in the past, been ported (from, say, '3' to Orange), then when it hits the '3' network and is automatically passed on to the Orange network, it is deemed to have been answered?

I did not address any issue of porting, as its implementation at the start was laughable (using system diverts) until a central lookup register was developed to handle what was effectively a translation service, routing the right number to the correct destination network. AIUI, BT offer this facility and obviously charge for it, so I would suspect that the 'answer-charge' flag is raised at that point causing the originating network to bill the customer - in much the same way some private Payphone users started charging 4 seconds after dialling completion irrespective of whether the distant party answered!