Who is cheapest for 0845 and 0870?

Nicholas

bbb_uk wrote:

Also, you may want to consider (if you haven't already) to have the Orchid Dialler dial the OneTel DQ service whenever you dial any 118 xxx number and/or dialling the old 192 DQ number. In other words anyone dialling 192 or any of the 118... numbers will be put through to OneTel's own (and therefore free) DQ service.

Hope I have done this right. On my CW routing table, I have put NEW 118 Directory enquiries (118) and Route 192 (192) as separate entries on the routing table and have assigned them at all times to 118111 DQ that I have listed in the Carrier column.

Have I used the right 118 code in the routing table which has a A listing or should I have used 118 translate with a T listing?

Assuming I have done it correctly, would it mean that the router would take both the 118 numbers and the 192 number and automatically dial 118111 so as to prevent anyone else from accessing an alternative directory enquiry service?

Any advice gratefully received.

bbb_uk

No, they should have the 'T' attribute (Translate).

If for example, you have "118111 - DQ Service" as carrier number 3 then in the 'Routing' section then add "192 - 192 Translation" and "118*1*9 - 118 DQ Trans" and for each of the daytime, evening & weekend have then use the "118111 - DQ Service' (carrier 3) at all times.

I've added the "118*1*9 - 118 DQ Trans" routing because it will then dial OneTel's DQ service whenever anyone tries dialling any 118 xxx DQ service.

Of course dialling 121 (or whatever the override code is) would enable you to use any DQ of your choice.

Nicholas

bbb_uk wrote:

No, they should have the 'T' attribute (Translate).

If for example, you have "118111 - DQ Service" as carrier number 3 then in the 'Routing' section then add "192 - 192 Translation" and "118*1*9 - 118 DQ Trans" and for each of the daytime, evening & weekend have then use the "118111 - DQ Service' (carrier 3) at all times.

I've added the "118*1*9 - 118 DQ Trans" routing because it will then dial OneTel's DQ service whenever anyone tries dialling any 118 xxx DQ service.

Of course dialling 121 (or whatever the override code is) would enable you to use any DQ of your choice.

Just wondering, what does the *1*9 bit do (on a technical level)?

Edit: The penny has dropped! Obviously it is telling the router that any number between 1 and 9 dialled after the 118 should be translated to the 118111 OneTel directory enquiries.

dag_2

There is a cheaper supplier of calls to 0845/0870 https://www.dialaround.co.uk
(BUT ONLY AT PEAK TIMES)

Thanks for that.

But I think it's worth pointing out - since 0845 and 0870 numbers are usually only used by banks and utilities - and that most of them nowadays have 24 hour call centres - it's very rare that you actually have to phone an 0845 or 0870 number during peak times anyway. Usually, you can wait until the evening, and sometimes the weekend.

So I'd suggest you program your Orchid dialer to block day-time calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers completely, rather than trying to route them through a cheaper provider.

And for the services that really aren't available outside the hours of 8am-6pm Mon-Fri - and for which you haven't found a geographic number - perhaps you could program your Orchid dialler to make daytime exceptions for just those numbers individually.

pricefighter

dag wrote:

But I think it's worth pointing out - since 0845 and 0870 numbers are usually only used by banks and utilities - and that most of them nowadays have 24 hour call centres - it's very rare that you actually have to phone an 0845 or 0870 number during peak times anyway. Usually, you can wait until the evening, and sometimes the weekend.

More and more organisations are using NGN alas Small Businesses. Plumbers,Doctors,Police,AA,etc etc .To block the ability to make calls to these numbers at peak rate might be a tad dangerous,in an emergency.

bbb_uk

pricefighter wrote:

More and more organisations are using NGN...

It wont be long before every organisation, company, gov department, etc all have NGN. It'll only be house landlines that have a geographical.

dag_2

It wont be long before every organisation, company, gov department, etc all have NGN. It'll only be house landlines that have a geographical.

Of course, I sincerely hope that doesn't happen. However ...

To block the ability to make calls to these numbers at peak rate might be a tad dangerous,in an emergency.

... I have yet to experience any situation I would describe as an "emergency" that genuinely requires me to make an 0870 call during peak-rate times.

The nearest thing I can think of to an emergency for an 0845 number involves NHS Direct. However, I think that's stretching a point a bit - because if it's really really an emergency, you'd call 999. And for lesser emergencies during peak-rate hours, there's probably a pharmacist near you that you can contact on a geographic number.

I can't honestly think of any other "emergencies" where you'd really need to dial an 0845 or 0870 number during the day. Can you think of any? Have you experienced any? Thanks.

pricefighter

To make an appt at my Doctor required me to call 0870 now 0844.The emergency plumber i use, uses 0845,cos it enables him to divert the number quickly to differeent no,s.

dag_2

To make an appt at my Doctor required me to call 0870 now 0844.The emergency plumber i use, uses 0845,cos it enables him to divert the number quickly to differeent no,s.

I see. Is this a plumber that you have a maintenance contract with, that you pay a regular subscription fee for? If it is, then can't you change to a different supplier, with a geographic number? If not, then you have to factor the cost of the 0845 call in with his other charges, and decide if he's still competitive. If so, then that would be one of the numbers you set your Orchid dialler to make an exception for.

Admittedly it's a bit more difficult to change your GP surgery - but what are the surgery hours? Fortunately my GP surgery has geographic numbers, but it also doesn't shut up shop until 7pm, and it's open saturday mornings too. If I wanted to wait until after 6pm before calling to make an appointment, I could.

If they went onto an 0870 number, then it would be a bit pointless phoning during the day, because you're incredibly unlikely to get an appointment on the same day anyway. However, 0870 numbers for GP surgeries have been in the news lately - I don't think they're allowed to do it any more.

My point is, if there are any 0845 or 0870 numbers that you ever need to call during the day - then there are only going to be one or two of them, at most. You honestly don't need to be able to connect to the full range. So it's a good idea to block peak-rate connections to all of them, except the ones you really do need. This prevents other family members casually making nonessential peak-rate 0870 calls for things they've just seen advertised on the telly.

jjames_3

What we need is an improved dialler which you can upload a database file to containing geographical/0800 equivalents to 0870 numbers, so when you dial your bank say it redirects to the geographical number.

Probably not easy, but possible don't you think?