Charged for 0800 number - told it is BT / Ofcom charges?

amibovvered

Hi all,

I am deaf and use Text Relay to make calls. I originally had a minicom but more recently I have been using the NGT (New Generation Text) app on my laptop. Most of the (admittedly very few) calls in the last year have been made via Text Relay. I have only ever been charged as for the number ultimately called i.e. no extra charge for NGT and the numbers have always been within my calling plan so I don't usually pay anything extra on my usual monthly charge.

Last week I called my energy supplier with a query, using NGT then the 0800 number. A few days later I noticed that under Call Type (eg Local etc) the call had been described as Virtual Text Network and I was charged 28p for a 4:30 min call.

I queried this with my phone provider who said they would waive the charge this time but they would have to charge in future.

They said : I have checked and we can waive this charge for you on this occassion. Sadly BT will be changing their charges for 0800 numbers and sadly virtual text numbers will soon be no longer covered.

I pointed out that I was deaf and could only make calls this way and they further said : Sadly offcom changed the way calls will be charged in future, as it is the text service is a virtual one and would be chargeable by Openreach who then pass those charges on. For now we are waiving it but in the near future this will be listed on the site as a chargeable call.

To be blunt I don't really believe them but don't want to make a fuss until I can find out if this is all true. Does anyone (particularly anyone from BT maybe) know about this?

Thanks for any info

Ypaymore

See: http://ngts.org.uk/app_index.php?bookmark=charges where their is a recently updated statement about call charges.

amibovvered

Thanks but I have already seen that. My phone provider seems to be insisting that there are upcoming changes to charges for the service, I want to know if anyone can verify that?

Buzby

But you are NOT being charged for calls to 0800, you are calling 18001 and the relay service is dealing with the 0800 (or indeed whatever number you choose to call). No rules are being broken, and OFCOM's recent changes where the the service and delivery elements are split, it would be up to the NGT organisation to make their access code FoC so there would be nothing charged for the 0800 call.

The ball is in their court - nobody elses.

amibovvered

I'm not quite sure I understand your response - the link shown above is dated after Ofcom's changes and does not suggest that there is a charge for the 18001 number.

Buzby

The charge will be whatever your telco states for connecting to the 18001 service. It has nothing to do with OFCOM as they don't set pricing. Seek out your landline provider's Price List, and this will confirm what they charge.