SMARTY network call to a "Business" (01xxx) number are not included in unlimited even DR or Hospital

vennypenny

Yesterday, I needed to call my Doctor to book an appointment. Perhaps unusually, our surgery uses a "normal" number with STD code that starts with 01.
Each time I tried to call, I got disconnected straight away.  Thought my phone was playing up, so tried using a a different one - that connected and I could complete my call.  After a long and involved "chat" conversation with SMARTY, they have advised the following: 

"Hi, I have checked with the team and confirm that 01 number is a standard number and you should be connected to it, However, if they intend this to make a business number which gets attached to a company, then it will be chargeable."

They went on to advise me that in order to make the call, I would have to purchase out of plan credit to cover the costs - despite the fact that all of their information clearly states that "All plans, excluding Data Only plans, include unlimited calls and texts.  Unlimited calls include: standard UK landlines (starting 01, 02 and 03)..."  There is no mention of separate charges for calls to "business numbers".

I repeatedly challenged that neither their pricing plan nor their T&C's included this information.  They thanked me for bringing it to their attention and will be updating their website and documentation "soon".

Am I the only person that thinks this is wrong?

user1977

Just to clarify, is the 01 code the standard geographical code for the area the practice is in, rather than some sort of virtual code?

SiliconChip

Many businesses, including every medical practice I've ever called, have a standard geographic number starting 01. If SMARTY (who I know nothing about) have a charging regime that doesn't make calls to those numbers inclusive then it would seem sensible to switch to a different provider. It's many years since I paid for a phone call to any number, the only charge I ever get is a few pence when I send a text to a short code number.

Rodders53

SMARTY https://smarty.co.uk/  Hutchison 3G own them

How to complain would seem to be a correct approach for the OP https://smarty.co.uk/complaints and including the full number that was 'blocked' and about that unintelligible response from their CS operative.
Unless the number actually started 05xxx ?
https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/1088481-premium-freephone-and-service-numbers 

Alderbank

vennypenny said:

Each time I tried to call, I got disconnected straight away.  Thought my phone was playing up, so tried using a a different one - that connected and I could complete my call.  

I think that's quite normal if the line is engaged. Might not happen much when you ring your friends' personal numbers but nowadays your doctor's surgery will get a lot of calls. Just redial until you get through. It was just coincidence that happened when you used a different phone.

"Hi, I have checked with the team and confirm that 01 number is a standard number and you should be connected to it, However, if they intend this to make a business number which gets attached to a company, then it will be chargeable."

That is all correct. What they did not explain, or what you did not catch, is that if it is changed to a corporate number it will begin with 05

Unlimited calls include: standard UK landlines (starting 01, 02 and 03)..."  There is no mention of separate charges for calls to "business numbers".

Yes there is (now anyway). Smarty say 'Calls to corporate numbers (numbers starting with 05) are charged at 12.9p per minute'.

vennypenny

user1977 said:

Just to clarify, is the 01 code the standard geographical code for the area the practice is in, rather than some sort of virtual code?

The STD code for my Doctor is exactly the same as the STD code for my landline. It definitely starts with 01. The surgery is only about a mile away from where I live 

eddddy

It's possible that it was an unintended technical problem, rather than an intentional blocking of the number.

Smarty/Three could have been having problems connecting to whatever 01 line service provider the doctor uses.  Are you still unable to call that number?

Or could it be that the doctor's call management system was faulty or buggy, and failing to connect some calls?

Or does your Smarty phone perhaps withhold your number? The doctor's call management system might be rejecting calls from withheld numbers.

vennypenny

Alderbank said:

vennypenny said:

Each time I tried to call, I got disconnected straight away.  Thought my phone was playing up, so tried using a a different one - that connected and I could complete my call.  

I think that's quite normal if the line is engaged. Might not happen much when you ring your friends' personal numbers but nowadays your doctor's surgery will get a lot of calls. Just redial until you get through. It was just coincidence that happened when you used a different phone.

"Hi, I have checked with the team and confirm that 01 number is a standard number and you should be connected to it, However, if they intend this to make a business number which gets attached to a company, then it will be chargeable."

That is all correct. What they did not explain, or what you did not catch, is that if it is changed to a corporate number it will begin with 05

Unlimited calls include: standard UK landlines (starting 01, 02 and 03)..."  There is no mention of separate charges for calls to "business numbers".

Yes there is (now anyway). Smarty say 'Calls to corporate numbers (numbers starting with 05) are charged at 12.9p per minute'.

Maybe I am showing my age but if the number I dial starts with 01 are you saying that it can be switched somewhere in the system to be interpreted as 05 instead? If this happens then clearly I am very out of touch. Because I definitely dialled 01 at the beginning and not 05. Thanks

vennypenny

user1977 said:

Just to clarify, is the 01 code the standard geographical code for the area the practice is in, rather than some sort of virtual code?

It is the same 01xxx area code as my landline and definitely not a virtual one. Thanks 

vennypenny

eddddy said:

It's possible that it was an unintended technical problem, rather than an intentional blocking of the number.

Smarty/Three could have been having problems connecting to whatever 01 line service provider the doctor uses.  Are you still unable to call that number?

Or could it be that the doctor's call management system was faulty or buggy, and failing to connect some calls?

Or does your Smarty phone perhaps withhold your number? The doctor's call management system might be rejecting calls from withheld numbers.

I thought it might be technical especially when I used other sim in the same phone to call the same number and that connected just fine within seconds. My number is is not withheld on either sim. I live in a rural area where having just one mobile network available is not ideal so I have 2 sim cards on different networks.
Thinking it was a technical glitch is why I got on the chat with Smarty and they told me I couldn't connect to that number as part of the unlimited inclusive calls.
But thanks for the thoughts. 

vennypenny

Rodders53 said:

SMARTY https://smarty.co.uk/  Hutchison 3G own them

How to complain would seem to be a correct approach for the OP https://smarty.co.uk/complaints and including the full number that was 'blocked' and about that unintelligible response from their CS operative.
Unless the number actually started 05xxx ?
https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/1088481-premium-freephone-and-service-numbers 

Thanks. The number I dialled definitely started with 01 and not 05.
I did make a complaint using the Smarty form though I didn't think to include the number I had dialled. But the complaint form automatically showed my number so hope they will be able to see it, or ask me to confirm.
The chat operator was very sympathetic and I was actually given slightly over a £1 credit so I could make my call but by that time it was too late and I had made the call a different way.