TalkTalk 0845 Ripoff

OldGreyFox

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

Surely, your Doctor is acting illegally by having an 0845 number? Haven't they all been instructed by the NHS that they must not use these premium rate numbers?

Still a lot in use http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/millions-patients-still-being-ripped-off-5670691

OldGreyFox

teddysmum wrote: »

Many businesses, including banks, have changed the 8 for a 3, so 0345 etc which are inclusive in call packages.

If you have not got inclusive minutes for whatever reason, it can make the cost of the call more from the 1/7/15 if you call 01/02/03 numbers.

Ian011

The changes coming on 1 July 2015 reveal that when you call a number starting 084, 087, 09 or 118 you are paying two charges. Once is the charge made by your landline or mobile provider to connect and convey the call. The other is the charge made by the service you are calling for provision of the service.

On the other hand, when you call a geographic number starting 01 or 02, a non-geographic number starting 03 or a mobile number starting 071-075 or 077-079 you are paying only your own landline or mobile provider for the call. The organisation being called receives no financial benefit from incoming calls.

Accordingly, if calls to landline, 03 and mobile numbers are expensive you are on the wrong price plan or with the wrong provider. Call costs from landlines can be from 2p to 15p per minute and from mobiles can be from 3p to 45p per minute. If you are paying costs in the upper range, your provider is ripping you off.

System

Of use to anyone? E-mail just received from Talktalk:

(the charges given are quoted directly from the e-mail - I have to assume they're accurate)

Calls to Freephone numbers starting with 0800 and 0808 will now be free from mobile phones, just as they are from landlines. 

Calls to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers will be broken down into two parts: 

An access charge - this is what TalkTalk will charge you for these calls (per minute) 

A service charge - the company you’re calling decides how much this charge will be

. From 1 July 2015, our access charge will be just 5p per minute for all calls to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers from landlines. If you have a TalkTalk mobile, then it’s 20p per minute when calling from your mobile. 

You can also add one 0845 number for free to your Calling Circle - just log in to My Account and select Manage Calling Circle. And calls to TalkTalk Customer Service will still be free from your TalkTalk landline and TalkTalk mobile. 

How our access charges compare
As always, we are committed to making our customers better off. That’s why our access charges is the best value - have a look at the table below to see how we compare to some of the other landline and mobile providers. 


Provider
Landline Access Charge (LA charge below)
Mobile Access Charge MA charge below)

TalkTalk
LA charge:5p per minute
MA charge:20p per minute

Sky
LA charge:9.5p per minute
MA: -

BT
LA charge:9.58p per minute
MA charge:30p per minute

Virgin Media
LA charge:10.25p per minute
MA charge:36p per minute

EE
LA charge:11p per minute
MA charge:44p per minute

Plusnet
LA charge:9.58p per minute
MA: -
[apologies for the format U.]

Ypaymore

So Talk Talk are trying to use cheaper access charges as a benefit.

joe134

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

Surely, your Doctor is acting illegally by having an 0845 number? Haven't they all been instructed by the NHS that they must not use these premium rate numbers?

no doubt about it, and I've phoned 3 banks this week, guess what the code was, 0845.some numbers you have to use, and no alternative is on noto0870

Ian011

Most banks now have 0345 numbers. Halifax, Tesco and Lloyds are the latest to make the change.



See also
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5223890
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5261203

barrie-sw

This new scheme that purports to make understanding charges clearer is going to result in significantly higher call charges to me to call essential numbers.

It seems to me that providers are seeking to claw back from landline customers what they will lose from now being required to offer 0800 and 0808 numbers free to mobile users.

I would love for Martin to take up the cudgels on behalf of consumers on this issue now before the avalanche of unhappy customers hit the forums after their bill for the first month's call charges under this new scheme arrives at the end of July.

Please Martin!

Ian011

'Essential services' have been directed to use 03 numbers in place of 084 and 087 numbers. This includes government departments and their agencies and other bodies across the wider public sector landscape as well as NHS services including GPs.

Regulation from BIS covers post sales helplines for retailers, traders and passenger transport services. The FCA will shortly publish similar regulation for the financial sector.

Some have resisted, claiming the calls are cheap or that they receive no financial benefit. From 1 July 2015 they must declare that financial benefit everywhere their number is advertised. It's the Service Charge component of the call cost.

The issue here is not the cost of calling 084 and 087 numbers. The issue is the organisations that continue using these numbers to impose a service charge on callers when clearly they should be using 03 numbers where no such charge exists.

System

barrie-sw wrote: »

It seems to me that providers are seeking to claw back from landline customers what they will lose from now being required to offer 0800 and 0808 numbers free to mobile users.

Nothing is ever free. But it may not be obvious who is paying for it. The recipient of a call to 080 pays (a lot) to the telcos which handled the call. The recipient passes this cost on, in its prices if it is a trading company, or by having to raise more funds, if it is a charity.
Now that calls to honest 01 02 and 03 numbers are so cheap, 080 is an idea whose time has gone. It only adds to telcos' profits.