Cost of calling 0844 numbers?

scoobers

Savage_Gizmo wrote: »

I put 0844 numbers into Google, and DBS came up on the first page, so I had a read about the charges for their 0844 numbers. People phoning their 0844 numbers pay 5p per minute + VAT to make the call from their landline phone, and the owner of the number receives a rebate of 1p per minute on every call received. However, if you phone an 0844 number from a mobile if varies according to your mobile provider, as I think someone said earlier in the thread. It seems the charges fluctuate depending on the number – ultimately they are “revenue sharing numbers”, so it depends on how much revenue the company you are calling is getting.

0844 numbers are generally charged between 0.5p and 5p/min including VAT (this was when VAT was 17.5% so you have to add a bit for the VAT increase). The range holder of the 0844 number gets an out-payment depending on the tariff of the 0844 number - the higher the tariff the higher the out-payment. The range holder will then pass on part of this out-payment to who ever is using the 0844 number, the amount that is passed on is a commercial arrangement so it will vary. There may be other parties involved (e.g. a reseller) that will take a cut. The tariff of the 0844 number is the price you would expect to pay when calling from a BT landline (plus their standard call set up fee) but also applies to most other service providers (with the exception of Virgin Media who seem to charge much higher rates for call 08 / 09 numbers). Charges for calling these numbers from a mobile are much higher (you should expect to pay around 25p/min).

With regards to 0845 / 0870 numbers, the regulations changed a few years back. These numbers should now cost the same as calling a UK landline unless otherwise specified. This is why they are now normally included in bundled landline minutes.

jhp

cathodetube wrote: »

My phone provider, Plusnet, allows me to call 0845 and 0870 numbers for free from my landline only.

I guess you mean they are included in your inclusive calls bundle which you paid for.:D

jhp

Paul_Varjak wrote: »

I believe that Virgin also now include free 0845/0870 calls

Virgin Media Cable only include 0870 in there inclusive minutes. 0845 calls cost nearly 15p connection and over 10p a minute.:eek:

http://store.virginmedia.com/phone/phone-fibre-optic/compare-fibre-optic/index.html

They do offer a couple 08 monthly bolt on,s though, if i recall correctly they are £2/£5

Paul_Varjak

Virgin Help screen a few days ago did state that calls to 0845 numbers were free...

http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Landline/Talk-Weekends-and-0845-numbers/td-p/1466156

Seems Virgin and Martin's Money Tips (today) got it wrong!

I think TalkTalk Business also offer free calls to 0870 but not to 0845 numbers.

According to this article, John Lewis and Tesco also offer free inclusive 0870/0845 calls...

http://www.confused.com/broadband/articles/broadband-tv-phone-best-buy-bundle-september-2012

System

Unfortunately, it's more complicated than scoobers suggests. Ofcom's guide
http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/files/2010/01/numbering.pdf
is annoyingly vague. It does admit that calls to 0844 can cost up to 13p/minute from a landline, and 41p/min from a mobile.
All providers make it difficult to check the cost of calling a particular 0844 number. It depends on the digits CDE following the 0844. The most common is tariff g6, which historically equated to connection charge plus 5p a minute from a BT landline. Other landline providers can and do charge what they like, often much more than 5p a minute.
Ofcom prohibited revenue-sharing on 0870 (which is why many firms using 0870 have switched to 0844). All providers except BT can and do charge what they like for calls to 0845 and 0870. BT's charge for 0845 is (for the time being) subject to an arcane historical cap.
Ofcom may proceed, some year, with its idea of forcing the price for calling 0844 etc to be advertised explicitly as the sum of (a) the "access charge" imposed by your telephone provider, and (b) the "service charge" which goes to the bank etc you are calling (either in cash, or as a cut price for the software which plays you a menu and doesn't recognize your voice.)

jhp

If you have inclusive 01/02 minutes landline or mobile ,and the non geographical number is registered by them , (normally numbers that are used a lot), this 0121 access number could prove useful.


http://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1347646033

theloft

Quite a few companies include 0845 & 0870 numbers in their call plans and these are often included in mobile contract "free minutes". BUT, this thread is about the cost of calling 0844 numbers which a lot of unscrupulous companies have changed to from 0845 or 0870. Simply because the revenue from 0844 numbers is greater and OFCOM clamped down on 0845/0870 transparency. So what happened, 0844 was introduced to squeeze more money out of hard pressed customers. It is scandalous and personally I will not use these numbers.
I always look for a free number or a landline number. If not it is their loss.

oldharryrocks

theloft wrote: »

Quite a few companies include 0845 & 0870 numbers in their call plans and these are often included in mobile contract "free minutes". BUT, this thread is about the cost of calling 0844 numbers which a lot of unscrupulous companies have changed to from 0845 or 0870. Simply because the revenue from 0844 numbers is greater and OFCOM clamped down on 0845/0870 transparency. So what happened, 0844 was introduced to squeeze more money out of hard pressed customers. It is scandalous and personally I will not use these numbers.
I always look for a free number or a landline number. If not it is their loss.

Yes but the link in the post above yours shows you how to call a fair few numbers 0844 numbers out of your inclusive minutes,and some popular 0871,s as well.;)

theloft

oldharryrocks wrote: »

Yes but the link in the post above yours shows you how to call a fair few numbers 0844 numbers out of your inclusive minutes,and some popular 0871,s as well.;)

That's fine if you have inclusive minutes, but many of us older users have PAYG mobiles and I was only pointing out that the thread seemed to be talking about 0845 and 0870 numbers a lot. I still maintain that 0844 numbers are a Rip Off and if possible one should avoid using the companies that utilise them.

Reiki_Sue

I was analysing my last two years virgin media phonebills last night and trying to work out why they were so expensive.

I noted that I was offered a £2 a month deal to give me free 0845 etc numbers. Now from April 2011 to December 2011 i encountered just 3 of those 0844 numbers during all those 9 months. In December 2011 i was offered that free 0845 offer and since then i have made 22 of those 0844/0843 calls (without thinking as i should have checked the 'saynoto0870' website which i do use if i remember to use it).

So i'm glad we are having this conversation, as i think since those free 0845 bundles were offered to us by various communication companies that we've continued to have been 'mugged' from right under our noses! I shall be sending an email to Ofcom about this matter as it stinks!

I also believe this is why companies want us to have our bills sent to us 'online' and not by post, as they believe there is even less chance of the public scrutinising their bills and seeing this 'robbery' occuring!

Are there any honest companies left out there?