Hi, I suggest that when you get this statement from companies using 0870 Non-Geographical Nos. You tell them to log on to the website callagenix.com  Then click on "Numbers", scroll, and click on "0870". The title alone should convince them otherwise.

wrote on Aug 18^th, 2004 at 7:08am:

Hi, I suggest that when you get this statement from companies using 0870 Non-Geographical Nos. You tell them to log on to the website callagenix.com  Then click on "Numbers", scroll, and click on "0870". The title alone should convince them otherwise.

Sorry, I'm not with you there.

It says:

0870 national
National rate numbers - Callers pay the normal national rate for their call.

Which is "It's a normal National Rate" isn't it?

   Hi  Heinz,   That's what it says alongside the "0870 national". However, if you click on the actual "0870 national", it reads: "0870 national rate numbers. EARN 2P PER MINUTE, national image, CAN PAY FOR ITSELF AND EARN REVENUE" (my capitals). Too many call centers' employees claim that they don't earn any revenue from their 0870 numbers.

I believe the staff in these companies are told to inform customers that calls are charged at "national rate".

When complaining to companies, mention the following points:

• So-called "national rate" isn't the same as a geographical national call, as one would expect.
  
• The term was adopted because it was linked to the rate of national geographical calls on the BT Standard tariff. BT withdrew this tariff on 1 July 2004 moving some nine million subscribers on to BT Together Option 1.
  
• On BT Together Option 1, calls to local and national geographical numbers are the same and are 3p/min in the daytime and 5.5p for upto an hour at evenings and weekends.
  
• Compare this to the costs of calling 0870, which at present is 7.51p/min in the daytime (Mon-Fri 08:00-18:00), 3.75p/min in the evening and 1.50p/min at the weekend.
  
• 'Unlimited' call packages typically don't include these calls.
  
• Other providers' 0870 prices aren't much cheaper than BT's.
  
• A reason for this is that the called party receives revenue, typically 3p/min at peak times.
  
• The company is making money whilst you are on the phone to them at your expense, and as a result, these numbers should be referred to as premium rate.
  

They may give you the excuse that it enables them to control calls better (routing them to different destinations when busy etc), like the DVLA have given here. In that case, the calling customer is, in effect, subsidising their telephone system! If they wish to re-route calls, then it should be at their expense!

wrote on Oct 3^rd, 2004 at 1:25pm:

I believe the staff in these companies are told to inform customers that calls are charged at "national rate".

If this happens, take the customer service adviser's name and make a note of the time and date when they made the statement.  Then report to your local trading standards.