three.co.uk think 0044 is internation

chris40

I just discovered where my credit disappears to!
I often travel abroad and so all my numbers are saved with the international code 0044 or 0049 etc.
However if you dial a 0044 number while you are in the UK it registers as international and you are charged accordingly.
After a row three.co.uk re-credited me and so I am not out of pocket but everyone should know what they are taking from us.
They say they will look at the problem, lets see if they change anything!
Furthermore why dont they give a full listing of all the calls you make with their cost? That way it becomes transparent. Other companies such as Virgin do.
Anything else 'sucks' to quote their adverts.

Over to you three.co.uk

marlot

Does it still happen if you store them as +44 ....?

Ian011

You need to make Ofcom aware of this serious issue.

System

You do realise that 00 isn't the international access code in every country?

Many overseas networks will be setup to accept UK short codes like voicemail numbers and area codes - just like home but using + is better practice in any case.

eDicky

chris40 wrote: »

They say they will look at the problem, lets see if they change anything!

The problem stems from your own mistaken way of storing phone numbers - that's what needs to be changed.

If you use the international standard format recognised by any network worldwide to store all your numbers, the + sign followed by the country code, you can't go wrong.

The only exceptions are when a network offers cheaper international tariffs by using a special prefix - then it's easy enough to replace the + with that before dialling.

ballyblack

Chris40

to get the prefix + ?

simply hold down the 0 key

DCFC79

geritoh wrote: »

Call to get a refund, they'll usually do it!

No need, people just need to store numbers correctly.

buglawton

Yes it sucks and Three should 'make it better'

redux

DCFC79 wrote: »

No need, people just need to store numbers correctly.

Storing the number as +44 means that from the UK (and several other countries) it will be dialled as 0044

I don't think the people making this point have hit upon the answer.

If Three are charging UK numbers as international, whether dialled without international prefix or with +44 or 0044, then this is an error in their billing system for this person's account.

I'm surprised though, as I've never heard of something like this before.

buglawton

Also if you look at bottom of the page via search below, Three says you dial 00 as the prefix for international numbers

Google
Three International dialling codes for cheaper Pay As You Go calls.

eDicky

redux wrote: »

Storing the number as +44 means that from the UK (and several other countries) it will be dialled as 0044
.

I don't think it works that way. The + is a protocol in itself to indicate that the country code follows, which can also be that of the home network country. Whereas 00 always indicates an international call string.