Virgin Mobile 084 and 087 numbers

atlantis187

I have just managed to get a retentions deal from virgin for the following:
2500 mins
unl text
1gb


monthly rolling contract for £8 a month with first month free.


on their website it stated this contract incudes calls to 084 and 087 number, does anyone know if this means all 08 number like 0844/0871 or is it just 0845/0870

diamonds

atlantis187 wrote: »

I have just managed to get a retentions deal from virgin for the following:
2500 mins
unl text
1gb


monthly rolling contract for £8 a month with first month free.


on their website it stated this contract incudes calls to 084 and 087 number, does anyone know if this means all 08 number like 0844/0871 or is it just 0845/0870

All prefixes as stated, 084-1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9 087-1/2/3/4/5/6/8/9

(Not all them codes exist by the way, just a example )

atlantis187

diamonds wrote: »

All prefixes as stated, 084-1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9 087-1/2/3/4/5/6/8/9

(Not all them codes exist by the way, just a example )

Are u sure mate, as the advisor reckoned it only covers 0845 and 0870 numbers and nothing else.
It just I don't wanna ring any other 08 number then realise I have been charged for it

diamonds

As per the website it says 084 and 087 prefixes.


Virgin used to offer 0845 & 0870 included and this was advertised as such on the website, that was before Ofcom changed the 0800, 0845 & 0870 regs. Virgin responded with what the website states.


Test a 0871 number for a few seconds and hang up, should show the call in your online account.

diamonds

http://store.virginmedia.com/virgin-media-mobile/sim-only/pay-monthly-sim.html

"+Includes calls to 084 and 087 numbers" on all £10+ sim plans.


Bottom of the page:
"The Legal Stuff

The prices shown require you to use eBilling. For monthly price with paper bill add £1.50. Credit check & payment by Direct Debit required.
Prices shown are based on a 24 month Consumer Credit Agreement provided by Virgin Media Mobile Finance Limited and a 30 day rolling Pay Monthly Airtime Contract with Virgin Mobile Telecoms Limited. You must pay off your loan in full in order to upgrade your handset. Further terms and conditions apply. 0% APR Representative.

*Please note standard charges apply, please check with your network operator for rates.

Calls to service numbers: The way you’re charged for calling numbers beginning 084, 087, 118 and 09 has changed. The cost of calling these numbers will be formed of a combined access and service charge: we set the access charge and the company you’re phoning set the service charge. Your access charge for these numbers will be shown on your bill and is currently 36p per minute. The service charge will be advertised by the company that you are calling. If any of these numbers are included in your bundle you will not be charged the access or service charge.

Calls to other non-geographic numbers: Freephone calls starting 0800 or 0808 are now free from mobiles. Calls to 0500 are free. Calls to 070 numbers will cost you up to £2.50 a minute in the UK"

atlantis187

diamonds wrote: »

As per the website it says 084 and 087 prefixes.


Virgin used to offer 0845 & 0870 included and this was advertised as such on the website, that was before Ofcom changed the 0800, 0845 & 0870 regs. Virgin responded with what the website states.


Test a 0871 number for a few seconds and hang up, should show the call in your online account.

Are u on one of these new Virgin plans mate and have u been charged for ringing any of the 0844 or 0871 numbers?

Ian011

You can make use of premium rate 084 and 087 services and not pay the Service Charge for the calls that you make. Virgin will still pay out up to 13p per minute to the organisations that you called and all other Virgin customers will be contributing to that payout through increased charges for other types of calls.

If you make a thousand minutes of calls to numbers with a Service Charge of up to 13p per minute, Virgin will pay out up to £130 to the organisations that you called and charge you nothing for each such call. Users of 087 numbers can receive up to about 9p per minute in revenue share payments from their telecoms provider.

This is an incredibly generous offer from other Virgin customers. The called party can potentially earn up to around £5.40 per hour per call from incoming calls and the caller who made the call pays nothing.

diamonds

atlantis187 wrote: »

Are u on one of these new Virgin plans mate and have u been charged for ringing any of the 0844 or 0871 numbers?

No i'm in my 14th month of a 12 month Virgin Media Liberty £5 unlimited calls/texts 250MB plan and I have to pay the going rate for all 084/7 calls - still I plan to be living in Europe come 2017 so my plan will do, no point paying more till we know the EU roaming plans all EU providers will provide. £5 for sim to keep in little contact with the UK is a bargain right now, things may get better or worse by 2017.


The post above mine is a great source of info.

Ian011

One question I have to ask is who are you calling on 084 and 087 numbers?

In 2005 the Department of Health banned the use of 087 and 09 numbers by NHS bodies and amended GP contracts accordingly. In December 2009 (April 2010 for GPs) the ban was extended to cover the use of 084 numbers. Several NHS Trusts and around 100 GP practices haven't complied.

Also in 2005, both Ofcom and ASA warned that 0845 and 0870 numbers must not be described as 'local' or 'national' rate as these calls usually cost far more than calling an 01 or 02 number.

On 26 December 2013, the Cabinet Office published guidance for central government departments, their agencies and 'other bodies across the public sector landscape' (e.g. local authorities) suggesting they swap their 084 and 087 lines over to cheaper 03 numbers. There has been almost total compliance.

Since 13 June 2014, regulations from BIS require retailers, traders and passenger transport companies to use 01, 02, 03 or 080 numbers for post sales helplines. Compliance is high but there are some shocking examples of non-compliance by some very well-known companies.

Since 26 October 2015, regulations from the FCA extend the rules to cover financial services including banks and insurance companies. Compliance is very high, but several organisations are dragging their feet.

Usage of 084 and 087 numbers is now vastly diminished compared to say two or three years ago. Most organisations have swapped to the matching 034 or 037 number or to a new 01, 02, 030, 033 or 080 number.

Remaining users of 084 and 087 numbers include genuine premium rate chargeable services such as chatlines and recorded information lines as well as dial-through providers offering cheaper calls to international destinations. The latter are often excluded from inclusive allowances.

Other users of 084 and 087 numbers include those who are operating their phone lines in breach of the various Department of Health regulations, Cabinet Office Guidance and BIS and FCA regulations. Various charities also operate 'free helplines' on inappropriate 084 and 087 numbers. For most people, these calls are anything but free.

A number of charities have recently swapped to cheaper 03 numbers and Samaritans has swapped to 116123. This, along with all other 116 numbers, is a free call from landlines and from mobiles.

Regulations that cover other sectors haven't yet been extended to cover gambling, package travel or the sale and rental of property, however, usage of premium rate 084 and 087 numbers is clearly recognised by most companies as being an obvious 'sales prevention technique' and they now use 'basic rate' 01, 02 or 03 or 'free' 080 numbers for this.

Usage of premium rate 084 and 087 numbers continues unabated for the sales lines for travel companies and the ticket offices for a large number of cinemas, theatres, football and rugby clubs, and various other exhibitions and events. The National Lottery also requires customers and retailers alike to call premium rate 0844 numbers for all enquiries.

All 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers are premium rate. The premium is the additional Service Charge paid to the benefit of the called party and their telecoms provider. Ofcom regulations effective 1 July 2015 require the Service Charge to be shown in close proximity to the number, everywhere that it is advertised or promoted. Breaches of this regulation can be reported to the ASA. Compliance must be very close to 100% as the ASA appears to have received zero complaints.

mchale

atlantis187 wrote: »

the advisor reckoned it only covers 0845 and 0870 numbers and nothing else.

Yeah that's what i've been told by them in the past

mchale

Ian011 wrote: »

dial-through providers offering cheaper calls to international destinations. The latter are often excluded from inclusive allowances.

If you have a old t-mob sim only plan, then you can call dial through out of your allowance.