MSE News: Government launches premium rate number ban

CC-Warrior

Don't forget there are apps available such as WQ4U which will save you money. I don't know why the article doesn't mention them.

NFH

CC-Warrior wrote: »

Don't forget there are apps available such as WQ4U which will save you money. I don't know why the article doesn't mention them.

Because their main raison d'être of circumventing surcharged 084/087 numbers will cease to exist after 13th June 2014.

patman99

If 0844 numbers are 1/2 the cost of 01/02 & 03 numbers when called from a BT landline without an all-inclusive call package, will the company you are calling use a recorded message to inform you of this?.

NFH

patman99 wrote: »

If 0844 numbers are 1/2 the cost of 01/02 & 03 numbers when called from a BT landline without an all-inclusive call package, will the company you are calling use a recorded message to inform you of this?.

A company will be allowed to supply additional numbers with other prefixes such as 0800 and 084 for those who they suit, but the primary number should be a geographic or geographically-charged number. For example, callers from fixed lines will prefer 0800, but callers from mobiles will not. Similarly, some callers from BT lines might prefer 084 numbers, whereas callers from other networks will not. In order to satisfy the requirements of Regulation 41, the primary number will need to be an 01/02/03 number.

Utseya123

Thank God, tihis menace is being dealt with. I have never understood the logic of paying through your nose although you are a customer and being eligible for free calls when you have not joined the network. Is there some forum, where suggestions/ referendums can be made as to what all plagues the system in this regard and what all is being addressed.

raygoodrick

got shed broke into recently, rang police on 101 number.
got phone bill(land line) and been charged at the premium rate.
so robbed by burglars, phone co. and police.
Merry Christmas

Ypaymore

raygoodrick wrote: »

got shed broke into recently, rang police on 101 number.
got phone bill(land line) and been charged at the premium rate.
so robbed by burglars, phone co. and police.
Merry Christmas

Did you think it was free ? The call should normally cost 15p a call if you were charged more then that speak to your supplier.


http://www.police.uk/contact/101/

NFH

Ypaymore wrote: »

Did you think it was free ? The call should normally cost 15p a call if you were charged more then that speak to your supplier.


http://www.police.uk/contact/101/

The problem is not that the call costs more than 15p but that it costs more than the basic rate. It is unreasonable that any call to a public service should be surcharged above the basic rate. The police should lead by example and voluntarily abide by the same legislation that will soon apply to the private sector.

Ypaymore

NFH wrote: »

The problem is not that the call costs more than 15p but that it costs more than the basic rate. It is unreasonable that any call to a public service should be surcharged above the basic rate. The police should lead by example and voluntarily abide by the same legislation that will soon apply to the private sector.

The Govt ( Home Office) set the rate not the Police. I personally think it should have been free but i guess they had their reasons.


So you would rather pay the basic rate to call them on a 01/02/03 number which would no doubt cost more then calling the 101 number for just 15p a call, unless you had inclusive minutes.


The good news is you can in most cases because they are required to publish an alternative number if you don't wish to call 101 or cant call 101 . Handy for those with inclusive minutes to avoid the 15p also.


See: http://www.police.uk/contact/alternative-non-emergency-numbers/

NFH

Ypaymore wrote: »

So you would rather pay the basic rate to call them a 01/02/03 number which would no doubt cost more then calling the 101 number for just 15p a call unless you had inclusive minutes.

Yes, many people can call basic rate numbers for no marginal cost.

Ypaymore wrote: »

The good news is you can in most cases because they are required to publish an alternative number if you don't wish to call 101 or cant call 101 .

The problem is that they don't publish them as prominently or explain the costs. They should point out that 101 is always 15p/call and that the geographic number is charged as a normal phone call which may be cheaper. The current publishing of numbers doesn't allow many consumers to make an informed decision.