Changes to 08, 09 and 118 calls from landlines on 1 July 2015

Ian011

Big changes are coming to 08, 09 and 118 call pricing on 1 July 2015.
That's just two months away.

All of the landline providers mentioned by Ofcom on their page at http://www.ukcalling.info/about now have a page online with details of the changes.

Ofcom's news release: http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2014/uk-calling/
Ofcom's main website: http://www.ukcalling.info/
Ofcom's explanatory video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzeU-ON9gKM

Background: http://www.fairtelecoms.org.uk/uk-calling.html
http://www.fairtelecoms.org.uk/uk-calling-clear-call-rates.html

Pages published by landline operators:

• http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/51727/~/how-will-calls-to-08,-09-and-118-numbers-be-charged-from-1-july-2015
• http://www.kc.co.uk/products/phone/uk-calling/
• http://www.kcbusiness.co.uk/content/newsletter-articles/view/changes-to-charges-for-08-09-and-118-numbers
• http://help.sky.com/articles/ofcom-uk-calling-campaign-faqs
• http://www.sky.com/shop/terms-conditions/talk/code-of-practice/tariff-guide/
• http://help2.talktalk.co.uk/uk-calling-0
• http://help2.talktalk.co.uk/how-much-do-uk-calls-cost#0845
• http://sales.talktalk.co.uk/pricing/info/pricing-notification
• http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/News/UK-Calling-a-message-from-Ofcom/td-p/2738832
• http://my.virginmedia.com/customer-news/articles/servicenumbers.html

Additionally, PlusNet has a page about the changes:

• http://community.plus.net/blog/2015/03/11/call-charges-to-service-numbers-are-changing-what-this-means-to-you/
• http://www.plus.net/ukcalling/

See also
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5219756
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5220589
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5230985

Ian011

Ofcom's radio advert:
http://youtu.be/f355xJud0vk

Spidernick

Currently I get free 0845, etc. calls with my Sky package. I phoned on Saturday to ask how it would work from July (as the letter I had received was far from clear) and was told that these calls would continue to be free under this package. I'm not 100% convinced by this and would appreciate others' thoughts.

Ian011

TalkTalk has already announced that calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers will no longer be inclusive from 1 July 2015.

Why should they be inclusive? Calls to 0845 numbers will incur a Service Charge of up to £4.20 per hour, the same as for 0843 and 0844 numbers. Only the caller making those calls should pay those charges.



See also
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5219756
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5220589

Ian011

Other providers are starting to publish information:

http://www.thephone.coop/support/uk-calling-faq/
http://www.thephone.coop/support/changes-to-ngc-services/
https://www.johnlewisbroadband.com/ukcalling/
https://www.swalec.co.uk/PhoneAndBroadband/Prices/PriceUpdates/
https://www.southern-electric.co.uk/PhoneAndBroadband/Prices/PriceUpdates/
https://www.atlantic.co.uk/PhoneAndBroadband/Prices/PriceUpdates/

h_p

I received an email from PlusNet advising me of the changes for 'UK Calling'. The email subject was 'Information on changes to call rates'

At the end of the email there is a section about terminating my contract early...

What does it mean for me?

From 1st July 2015 if you decide to call service numbers beginning 08, 09 and 118 then the amount you are charged for these calls may be higher than on your previous bills. If you have our Anytime and Anytime International* call packages the cost of calls to 0870 and 0845 numbers are included all the time, click here to find out more. If you do decide you would like to leave Plusnet because of these changes, we won't apply any early termination charges to your account. You have to tell us within 30 days of receiving this email and give us 14 days notice**.

They are giving customers the option to cancel without any termination charges.

Does anyone know if other phone providers are doing the same? Mainly O2?

Thanks

madjackslam

I've just received a text from O2 saying that calls to 08, 09 and 118 numbers will have an access charge of 25p per minute from 1 July.

That must be wrong, because that would include 0800 numbers, which from 1 July are supposed to be free, as it says on their page here - http://www.o2.co.uk/help/everything-else/changes-to-non-geographical-numbers.

Previously, some other 08 numbers were included as free calls, which was useful. Who would have thought they would mess this up?

Ian011

The Access Charge is for numbers starting 084, 087, 090, 091, 098 and 118.

Calls to numbers starting 080 and 116 will be free.

There are no changes to call prices for numbers starting 01, 02, 03, 05 or 07.

Numbers starting 04 and 06 are not in use.

Ofcom has confirmed that the only non-geographic range of numbers to have price parity with calls to 01 and 02 numbers are those starting 03. It follows that the only inclusive calls will be those to geographic numbers starting 01 and 02, non-geographic numbers starting 03 and mobile numbers starting 071-075 and 077-079.

Ian011

With just over two weeks to go, some providers are only now beginning to inform their customers.

https://hyperoptic.com/changes-to-08-09-118-numbers-from-1-july-2015/
http://blog.zen.co.uk/caller-clarity/
https://account.pobroadband.co.uk/SelfCare.UI/ContentManagement/FAQs?topic=HomePhone#003

Ian011

BT left it until the last minute to declare the Access Charge:
http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/51727/~/how-will-calls-to-08,-09-and-118-numbers-be-charged-from-1-july-2015%3F

abiabc

BT Charged for 0845 number - under inclusive plan




I made a call on Saturday 11 July to an 0845 number that I have used many times before. I am on the BT Unlimited Weekend Plan. It is an old plan no longer available. I have never been charged for this number when I have called it on a Saturday or Sunday before. It is a direct dialled number to a bank. So they can't use the excuse of indirect access etc etc.

On my recent usage I have been charged 0.11 for the call I made on Saturday 11.07.15. This looks like it is the BT Access Charge for calling 0845 numbers per minute including VAT. The call lasted for 25 seconds. It doesn't look like I was charged anything by the company.


This is the first time I have called this number since the changes on 1 July 2015 to 0845 numbers etc. It looks like something is not right with BT's billing program.

Has anyone else been charged for 0845/0870 numbers which should be included in their plan since 1 July?

For the moment I don't trust that BT will not charge me for 0845/0870 numbers made under my plan so I will be avoiding using them until this is sorted.