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Signing up for call1899/18866/18185

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  • bow1508
    bow1508 Posts: 30 Forumite
    I'm sorry if this has been covered or is a silly question but i'be just signed up to the sky tv/broadband/free weekend and evening calls package with sky. Can I use these prefix numbers esp for 0845 and mobile numbers? thanks in advance:confused:
  • Heinz
    Heinz Posts: 11,191 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    bow1508 wrote: »
    I'm sorry if this has been covered or is a silly question but i'be just signed up to the sky tv/broadband/free weekend and evening calls package with sky. Can I use these prefix numbers esp for 0845 and mobile numbers? thanks in advance:confused:
    If you've been sensible and left your line rental with BT, you can use 1899, 18185 and 18866 (if you have accounts with them).

    18185 is cheapest for calls to UK mobiles but BT is actually cheaper for 0845 and 0870 calls at certain times. Use a 1280 prefix to hop back onto BT when appropriate.

    Please see the 'HERE' link in my signature below too.
    Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.
  • bow1508
    bow1508 Posts: 30 Forumite
    I didn't realise it was okay if you have left you're line rental with BT which I have. Many Thanks for that, it's only the calls that have gone to sky. am off to read yr article rite now, thanks again :beer:
  • If you do NOT rent your landline from BT, you CAN still use the 1899 service...there's just another access number.

    Strangely enough, although I do not rent from BT, one of my 2 landlines lines works with 1899, while the other and my mobile require the other access number (I'm not being coy, I can't remember it!)

    So you can ignore people saying you must rent your line from BT if you want to use these services. Just another piece of BT misinformation, maybe? Perhaps not, I'm sure the posters are not BT staff and meant well.
  • Heinz
    Heinz Posts: 11,191 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    Mr_McGoo wrote: »
    If you do NOT rent your landline from BT, you CAN still use the 1899 service...there's just another access number.

    Strangely enough, although I do not rent from BT, one of my 2 landlines lines works with 1899, while the other and my mobile require the other access number (I'm not being coy, I can't remember it!)

    So you can ignore people saying you must rent your line from BT if you want to use these services. Just another piece of BT misinformation, maybe? Perhaps not, I'm sure the posters are not BT staff and meant well.
    If you're with another line provider but are still able to use the 4 or 5-digit prefixes, great. Beware though, your line provider could bar such access without telling you, route your calls itself and charge you its own rates.

    If you have to use one of the 0808 or 020 gateway numbers, charges are different (e.g. 1p per minute instead of 0p per minute to UK 01/02/03 numbers).
    Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.
  • Beware though, your line provider could bar such access without telling you, route your calls itself and charge you its own rates.

    Of course; so could BT if it chose to.

    And if I had to decide, between my present supplier and BT, which one is more likely to try and find a way to screw me, I'd go for BT every time.
  • Heinz
    Heinz Posts: 11,191 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Car Insurance Carver!
    Mr_McGoo wrote: »
    Of course; so could BT if it chose to.
    No. BT (and only BT) is specifically prohibited from doing so.
    Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.
  • jhp
    jhp Posts: 2,342 Forumite
    Mr_McGoo wrote: »
    If you do NOT rent your landline from BT, you CAN still use the 1899 service...there's just another access number.

    Which is not a short code, is specifically for non-Bt Users, and is usually dearer to use.
  • scorpiolady
    scorpiolady Posts: 496 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Photogenic
    Hi, i signed upto 18185 this evening and to test it i phoned my mobile number but got through to someone else , i tried it again and it happened again, i went online to check my account and i dialled number right, does this happen often?
    Sandra
  • jhp
    jhp Posts: 2,342 Forumite
    Hi, i signed upto 18185 this evening and to test it i phoned my mobile number but got through to someone else , i tried it again and it happened again, i went online to check my account and i dialled number right, does this happen often?
    Sandra

    Their are routing problems in certain parts of UK . See http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=790699
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