Source: Portsmouth News

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/MP-ditches-her--phone.3935395.jp

MP ditches her phone following expense worry

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By Fran Duckett-Pike

A PORTSMOUTH MP has ditched her office's 0845 number after concerns that it was too expensive.

Tory Councillor Alistair Thompson wrote to Sarah McCarthy-Fry, Labour MP for Portsmouth North, after some constituents complained.

Ms McCarthy-Fry insists callers were only charged at a local rate, but she has now added a local number admitting 0845 numbers can be excluded from the 'free evening and weekend' packages some companies offer.

She said: 'When I was first elected in 2005 and set up my office in the Technopole I was not sure how permanent this arrangement would be and I did not want to inconvenience constituents by advertising a number that may have to be changed if I moved offices.

'I therefore set up a virtual number. I was assured that it would cost my constituents no more than a local call.'

BT says that a local call would cost 3.25p per minute.

Ms McCarthy-Fry said the 0845 number cost 3.94p per minute during the day and 1p per minute after 6pm and at weekends.

Cllr Thompson, who represents Hilsea, said the number was more expensive for callers to ring.

He said: 'Having looked into this matter I noted with some concern that they can cost those calling them up to 5p per minute from a landline and up to 30p per minute from a mobile phone.' He added that 0845 numbers can also be used to generate an income for the recipient of the call.

But Ms McCarthy-Fry insisted she made no money from the line.

'I can assure you that I receive no income from this number,' she said.

Ms McCarthy-Fry has now released her 023 landline number in addition to the 0845 number she already has.

She said: 'I want to make it as easy as possible for constituents to contact me and with immediate effect my letterheads will also include the local number and the 0845 number. I will advise the city council of this number as well so they can publicise it.'

Last Updated: 02 April 2008 11:24 AM
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Ms McCarthy-Fry now provides both numbers on her website.

Dave wrote on Apr 2^nd, 2008 at 10:25pm:

Can't get this right either.

Heinz wrote on Apr 3^rd, 2008 at 6:38am:

This is correct for "non-discounted" tariffs like LUS.

stuartpalmer wrote on Apr 3^rd, 2008 at 9:40am:


As a former District Councillor I would certainly not write to congratulate this financially illiterate idiot who presumably also still believes in the tooth fairy and Father Christmas.

She must be about the only Councillor or MP I have ever heard of to dare to use an NGN for their main point of contact.  This is because unlike monopolist companies like Sky or the BBC local councillors rely on hearing from their constituents to keep them happy and build up a good reputation.  So about the most suicidal thing you could do as a councillor would be to use an NGN that would make constituents not want to call you. I would also expect my political opponent in any election to make an issue out of me using a covert premium rate number for contact.  Councillors are meant to be local so what could be more stupid that to use a faceless NGN associated with ripoff big business.

It is however a sign of the staggering failure of the useless regulator Ofcom to educate the public about 084 and 087 and their extra call cost or to promote their new 03 NGNs (that do not cost extra to call unlike 084 or 087 and are part of inclusive call packages unlike 084 and 087) that numerically illiterate people like this councillor still believe the widely peddled lie that 0845 is Local Rate and 0870 is National Rate.  This is a lie which Ofcom claims they are appalled by but then they do absolutely nothing to stop the major telecoms suppliers of this county like Post Office Homphone from sending out phone bills saying "Lo-Call" or "Local Call Rate" and "National Rate" against 0845 and 0870 numbers.  I am sure phone bill content is a matter regulated by Ofcom's General Conditions so is something they can take action on.  They choose not to due to their tacit conspiracy with the telcoms companies to allow this abuse to continue.

This lady would do well to pay attention to the far sighted action taken by one of the Councillors on Mole Valley District Council who had a resolution unanimously passed by all Councillors as long ago as July 2005 banning any future use of 084 and 087 prefixed numbers by the Council for any of its contact numbers.

See the minutes of the meeting that took this decision at:-

http://www.mole-valley.gov.uk/media.cfm?mediaid=1717