0844 number charges

quanto2009

Hi
My Gran got a letter from BT stating changes would be happening in July 2015 that 08 and 09 numbers would be charged a flat price of 9.58ppm.
0870 and 0845 calls would still be at a local rate
My Gran uses special services numbers like 0871 and 0844 to dial cheap rate access lines for international calls, and previously paid a connection charge of BT on the 0844 number 9..5p and the rate for the call eg 7p a minute.
If reading this correct from July BT would be charging 9.58 ppm and then7p a minute for the call via the other provider doubling the cost of the call is this correct?

Ian011

0845 numbers haven't been local rate since 2004. 0870 numbers have never been local rate. Both Ofcom and ASA issued a note about this in 2005.

For the last decade or more BT has been prevented from making margin on call origination to 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers. When you call one of these numbers almost all of the money is passed on to the telecoms company hosting the number and a portion of that is paid out to the organisation running the service. The regulation imposed on BT means that their retail call rates for 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers differ from all other providers and this has led to a lot of confusion.

The regulation imposed on BT created the situation where international dial-through providers could operate, but they are uneconomic to call from other landlines and from mobiles. Most of those services don't go out of their way to warn that the low rates apply only from BT landlines.

That regulation ends on 1 July 2015. BT will thereafter be allowed to make profit on call origination to these numbers for the first time. Every provider, including BT, will declare their portion of the call cost as their Access Charge. This will also make it easier to compare landline and mobile providers.

When called from a BT landline all 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers will have an Access Charge of 9.58p per minute. Add to this the Service Charge set by and declared by the organisation you are calling or whose service you are using.

The cost of calling international dial-through numbers and all other 084, 087 and 09 numbers from a BT landline will increase by about 9p per minute (but there will no longer be a 16p connection fee) largely due to BT now taking a share of the retail call cost.

Most dial-through providers also offer 020, 03 or 080 numbers for access. The international leg of the call is paid for through a separate payment. This is likely to become the most popular way to use these services.



See also
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5219071

Heinz

Additionally, access to short code providers 1899, 18866 and 18185 is still available from BT landlines (although BT could block such access if they chose to do so) and they charge a 4p connection fee for overseas calls and, in many cases, equivalent or cheaper per minute rates than the dial though providers.

I'm still using 18185 for my calls to Spain (4p connection and 1p/minute).