MSE News: Did you know 0844 numbers can cost double 0845 ones? Don't get fleeced by p

Roger1

JCB_Digger wrote: »

Can anyone think of a cheaper way of doing this - is there a cheaper tariff than the Virgin VIP at £28 a month that includes 0845 numbers?

Not free, but 0845 calls are 12p a minute with Ovivo and Giffgaff.

Ovivo has no monthly subscription and most UK calls are not charged, so this could be a reasonable possibility. Incidentally, 0800 calls are free with Giffgaff.

wongawonga

JCB_Digger wrote: »

I'd like to add my tuppence worth (rather belatedly).

My mother (she's 80) uses Manchester Ring and Ride for essential transport to the shops, doctors etc and has to book her journeys for the forthcoming week by phone.

Until a couple of months ago it was a local number in Bolton, but they have centralised the booking service, and changed the number to an 0845 number

John.

There is a recent thread on Say No To 0870 here http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1382545939/0#0 on this subject. You may wish to contribute.


You could consider getting an appropriate T-Mob sim only deal where any 08 number is included.See: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4043333

KPunshon

I am from Canada. I am HORRIFIED that suppliers charge to call them. I will refuse to have anything to do with them and if possible I will email them and tell them to call me. You Brits have to stop accepting this type of behaviour and refuse to call companies like this and start complaining!

Herbalus

KPunshon wrote: »

I am from Canada. I am HORRIFIED that suppliers charge to call them. I will refuse to have anything to do with them and if possible I will email them and tell them to call me. You Brits have to stop accepting this type of behaviour and refuse to call companies like this and start complaining!

I appreciate your sentiment. Things are changing over here, albeit slowly (Lloyds, for example, have recently put an 017xx number in brackets next to the 0845 on a few things I've seen recently). However, the cost of calls depends entirely on your package. I never pay for these calls, because I know what my package is and how to get around these numbers e.g. 0845 numbers are free on my landline after 7pm and at weekends.

If I need to call somebody on my mobile however, there are ways to find local rate numbers that are included in my monthly minutes.

Gardeneasy

fionajbanana wrote: »

I think its a disgrace that 0800 numbers are not free on mobiles - apart from Childline and another charity.

Some people only have a mobile and some companies have a 0800 number for customer services etc.

Thank goodness for Saynoto0870.com!

This looks like the death of freephone (080) numbers. As a small business we offer three alternatives; an 0800 number (free from a land line), a mobile number (so that mobile users can use their included minutes) and a geographic number.

Currently callers to 080 numbers from mobile phones should be presented with a message advising them of the cost. Any costs incurred go directly into the pockets of the mobile service provider not to the owner of the 080 number who will still pay for the call as if it is from a land line.

From July 2015, a caller will be connected to an 080 number without any notice and without incurring any charges. The owner of the 080 number will still pay their normal charges for incoming calls but will also be billed at whatever rate the caller’s service provider chooses to levy for calls to a land line.

It would be nice to think that mobile phone users will continue to use their inclusive minutes and call our mobile number but that’s unlikely to happen and our telephone provider warns “We anticipate that the majority of call traffic to 0800 numbers will move from landline and onto mobile networks - which could result in a huge increase in costs for your existing 0800 service”.

There seems to be no provision for us to block calls from mobile networks so the cost of operating a freephone service is going to rise. A lot of small businesses will be weighing up the cost of an 080 number against the amount of business it generates. We’ve already got quotes for changing all our stationery and revising our web site so if our cost rise as predicted we’ll simply discontinue the freephone number.

Ian011

I'm not sure why you go to the trouble of offering a mobile number when inclusive calls from mobiles always cover 01, 02 and 03 numbers. Some numbers that look like mobile numbers aren't actually inclusive from mobiles, especially those offered for specialised services such as routing to another number. A standard 03 number would offer that guarantee.

When calling an 080 number from a mobile phone, there's a message to say the call will be chargeable. There's no obligation to state the actual charge in the message.

From 1 July 2015, calls to 080 numbers become free from all mobile phones. The Call Origination Fee payable by users of 080 numbers is likely to be about 1p to 3p per minute more for incoming calls from mobiles than the rate for incoming calls from landlines. Some providers will bill the two types of call at separate rates, others will charge a blended rate covering all incoming calls. As an aside, incoming calls from BT payphone call boxes attract an additional 72p per minute fee. That is truly outrageous.

Most people have inclusive calls to 01, 02 and 03 numbers on their landline and on their mobile. Non-geographic numbers starting 03 have the same technical features as those starting 08 and 09. Numbers starting 03 have lower running costs for businesses than those starting 080 and this is where the majority of the traffic is likely to be.


Ofcom's reforms bring much needed clarity and simplicity to non-geographic numbers. Ignoring non-standard numbers starting 0500 (which are being phased out), 055, 056, 070 and 076 (which will be reviewed by Ofcom in 2016), from 1 July 2015 there will be just three basic types.

080 – calls are free from landlines and mobiles. The called party pays the additional call-handling and call-forwarding costs incurred in the use of a non-geographic number. The called party also pays a Call Origination Fee to the caller’s landline or mobile provider to compensate them for the fact that the caller paid nothing for the call. Each of these fees are normally a couple of pence per minute.

030, 033, 034, 037 – calls cost the same as calling 01 and 02 numbers and count towards inclusive allowances on landlines and mobiles. The called party pays the additional call-handling and call-forwarding costs incurred in the use of a non-geographic number. These numbers were introduced in 2007 and are cost neutral.

084, 087, 090, 091, 098 – The caller pays an Access Charge to their landline or mobile provider to connect and convey the call. The caller also pays a Service Charge which is passed on. The additional call-handling and call-forwarding costs incurred by the called party in the use of a non-geographic number are subsidised by the caller. If there is anything left over, the called party may also receive a revenue share payment. On 084 numbers and on some 087 numbers, the revenue share is rarely in the form of ‘cash’. It is often given as a discount off other telecoms services offered by their provider or is put towards paying the lease on switchboard equipment.

Various changes in regulation in the last year or two means that the use of 084, 087 and 09 numbers is effectively banned for certain types of service and certain types of business.

The type of number chosen by businesses will henceforth convey a clear message to callers.

Ypaymore

Ian011 wrote: »

I'm not sure why you go to the trouble of offering a mobile number

Perhaps customers like to text them as well,or to make it easier for customers to contact them when not at base. Without doing call divert.

Personally i cant see the benefit of a small biz offering 0800/0808 Freephone Access unless they work in a very competive sector.

JCB_Digger

Gardeneasy wrote: »

This looks like the death of freephone (080) numbers. As a small business we offer three alternatives; an 0800 number (free from a land line), a mobile number (so that mobile users can use their included minutes) and a geographic number....

I don't think you need to have the separate mobile number, the inclusive minutes on a mobile contract work on geographic numbers and 03xx numbers.