HOSPEDIA bedside premium rate 0872 numbers in hospitals.

Dr_Crypto

It’s not an issue if the patient has a mobile and the relatives call them on it. Most hospitals provide basic WiFi now too.

unforeseen

Ian011 wrote: »

The issue is not in patients making calls, but in friends and relatives of patients calling the patient.

As I said, it is the callers responsibility to find out the cost. I assume there is a message giving the cost when they call the number?

So do as I said, get the patient to call back. People do need to think for themselves at times.

@ian011.what is the alternate option? Hospitals refuse to have contracts with the like of Hospedia? Insist on 'normal' call costs? If you go down that line then currently what is a no cost service will cost them. The company supplying it want to make their own profit from this, they are not a charity. The other option is the hospital pays the going rate for such a facility

The reality will be that the phones will be withdrawn and patients etc will all have to rely on their mobiles, because this is not something the hospitals could justify spending money on.

These have already been looked into about whether the breach the directive and a number of different trusts lawyers have come to the conclusion that they don't and also don't breach any of Offcom's rules on 087 numbers.

You may not like it but it does provide a service for patients and their relatives, albeit expensive for anybody calling.

FWIW the only time I have seen these phones was when I was in hospital 20 years ago. I have been an inpatient at 3 different hospitals in the last year and none of them had it. As mobiles are now so common, there is no real requirement for them any more and I think that you will find the the places that have them are few and far between.

Ian011

It would appear to be the patient's responsibility to state the call charges when they give out the number. However, that's not explained, nor are the charges shown alongside the phone number displayed on the screen of the bedside unit, or anywhere else for that matter, for them to be able to do that.

Ofcom's requirements are for callers to know the cost BEFORE they call.

Additionally, Ofcom's rules do not permit 087 numbers to be shown on CLI so as to remove the danger of being tempted to call back to a missed call without seeing the call charge information first. It would be interesting to see whether these bedside unit phone numbers do show up on CLI or not.

unforeseen

You seem to be well informed on some aspects of these phones but woefully ignorant in other aspects.

Didn't you actually do any proper investigation before your original post?

Surely if you are going to pontificate on a subject you should verify your facts first.

Ian011

The facts and timeline are as stated in the original post.

I am, however, intrigued as to what motivates people to defend an obvious rip-off.

unforeseen

I'm not defending it. Just pointing out that your implication that it breaches the NHS directive is wrong. It took 5 mins on Google to find that info. Maybe if you should have checked your facts first

What I am defending is the right of the hospitals/trusts to select a system that is within the law and suits their plans. Whether it is a rip-off is your opinion BUT it is legal.

I am still waiting for your answer about an alternate system that would be affordable to a hospital since you appear to be all things telecom.

I'll save you the trouble there isn't one that would be cost free which is the only way beancounters would allow it.

Ian011

Developments April 2020

Coronavirus: Hospital phone charges 'scandalous'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52128047

Coronavirus: Phone company 'greedy' over hospital phone charges

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52166185

Coronavirus: Hospital phone company refuses to remove fees

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52230920


Subsequently, EE, O2, and Vodafone have waived the Access Charge for these numbers. Three and landline providers have not.

EDIT: Three has now followed the others and waived the Access Charge for these calls.


Hospedia uses premium rate telephone numbers from 0872 800 xxxx to 0872 849 xxxx. 

unforeseen

Ian011 said:

Developments April 2020

Coronavirus: Hospital phone charges 'scandalous'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52128047

Coronavirus: Phone company 'greedy' over hospital phone charges

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52166185

Coronavirus: Hospital phone company refuses to remove fees

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52230920

Subsequently, EE, O2, and Vodafone have waived the Access Charge for these numbers. Three and landline providers have not.

Which is a rehash of their old outrage but tagging Coronavirus on the front.
Nothing new even down to the media not bothering to check the background/historical facts.
I wonder why the mobile companies are waiving the charge now? They could have done it years ago. Now they get Smartie points. 

Ian011

This is the first time the story has involved genuine premium rate numbers. 

Hospedia moved to 0872 numbers in September 2019. 

On 1 October 2019 Ofcom cut the Wholesale or Termination Rate for calls to 070 numbers to be no more than the Termination Rate charged for calls to UK mobile numbers. This is just under 0.5p per minute.

Ofcom expects retail telecoms providers to include calls to Personal Numbers starting 070 in inclusive allowances on the same basis as calls to UK mobile numbers, or otherwise charge calls to 070 numbers at the same rate as a call to a UK mobile number. 

Prior to the move to 0872 numbers in September 2019, Hospedia had been using 070 numbers for several decades.

zagfles

unforeseen said:

Ian011 said:

Developments April 2020

Coronavirus: Hospital phone charges 'scandalous'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52128047

Coronavirus: Phone company 'greedy' over hospital phone charges

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52166185

Coronavirus: Hospital phone company refuses to remove fees

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52230920

Subsequently, EE, O2, and Vodafone have waived the Access Charge for these numbers. Three and landline providers have not.

Which is a rehash of their old outrage but tagging Coronavirus on the front.
Nothing new even down to the media not bothering to check the background/historical facts.
I wonder why the mobile companies are waiving the charge now? They could have done it years ago. Now they get Smartie points. 

Or Ofcom could finally realise their brain dead scheme of a few years ago to have separate access charge and service charge on premium rate numbers is the main cause of these rip-off charges. Hospedia are getting in the neck for taking 13p/min service charge and actually providing a service but the mobile operators are taking up to 65p/min, 5 times that, for just connecting a call! Unbelievable! Why was this ever allowed?

Just have a service charge ONLY, and let the originating telco keep a small percentage to cover for bad debt etc