I've been looking for a door entry system for my company. I'm just AMAZED at how many have 0870 numbers which cost me 7 to 8ppm to call.

Most of the companies have no idea what it costs to call them. They spend a forture on website, advertising and popping-up at Google ads; yet they make me PAY to call them! At least Ofcom have the decency to put a geographical number under their 0845 number.

Incredibly my telephone services allows me to call USA freephone numbers for FREE from the UK!! Most US companies have freephone numbers - so I end up speaking the the USA to find what I want!!

Having looked on the internet at NGN providers, I've not seen one which says that customers may have to pay more. Why should they when they are allowed to say "callers pay national rate"?

I have recently had dealings with insurance underwritten by UK Insurance (part of Direct Line Group). They use 0870, and I put my point across to a member of the Customer Liason Team who was under the impression that "national rate" meant the same rate as a normal call.

I have explained in writing the links to BT Standard, and BT's removal of Standard for 9 million of us.

Yep - it's a con alright.

The Hayward Gallery told me they used a 0870 number for bookings as it allows them to transfer calls to ticketmaster out of hours. But most telcos will setup such transfers (often via VoIP) for a tiny amount per call. If the Hayward ran via VoIP it would cost them nothing to transfer.

It's not as if an 0800 freephone number is that expensive either. I found a company who supplies them for £8.95 pm and 3ppm. So if you took 60 minutes of inbound sales calls a day; 5 days a week; 50 weeks a year you would only be paying £550 per year.

Now most small to medimum sized business would make that back in one or two orders. Freephone numbers have been proven to increase sales calls - and if you are calling from a mobile you could be saving 45ppm!!

I can't WAIT for everyone to have VoIP - then ALL CALLS will be free!

Calling freephone numbers from mobiles doesn't save money at all.  In most cases 0800 is charged as special rate, which is above the cost of 01,02 numbers, and is equal to 0870, and 0845 numbers.

One of our local taxis has a freephone number, but underneath it advertises a normal number for mobile users.

wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2004 at 6:39pm:

Calling freephone numbers from mobiles doesn't save money at all.  In most cases 0800 is charged as special rate, which is above the cost of 01,02 numbers, and is equal to 0870, and 0845 numbers. One of our local taxis has a freephone number, but underneath it advertises a normal number for mobile users.

But I believe that Orange still treats 0800 and 0808 (and, I suppose, 0500) as free and connects them without penalty to the caller; even if they still itemise them. I do not know about T-mobile now, they were like Orange (save for quality of service) when Mercury.

wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2004 at 7:12pm:

But I believe that Orange still treats 0800 and 0808 (and, I suppose, 0500) as free and connects them without penalty to the caller;

Not on PAYG they don't.

wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2004 at 7:12pm:

But I believe that Orange still treats 0800 and 0808 (and, I suppose, 0500) as free and connects them without penalty to the caller; even if they still itemise them....

That's for pay monthly only. It excludes OVP Virgin.

I just spent 55 minutes on the phone to Orange Customer Services!!! The cost of calling 0800, 0870, 0845 is not on their website ANYWHERE.

Eventually they told me that 0800 are free; and 0870/0845 are never in free minutes and are 10ppm.

They said that they have a price promise where basically I could move over to a rival's tariff, whilst staying on Orange. So I guess that if a rival gave free calls to 0870/0845 I could get that if I wanted to.

Interesting that they don't even put such BASIC information on their website!!! I wonder if maybe they want to HIDE it!

That ties in with what I was told the other day. On PAYG 0845 and 0870 are charged at standard (ie landline) rates. I don't know about 0871 and 0844.

Orange Value Promise (OVP) matches other operators tariffs. It's not always exact, so worth checking what Orange's equivalent is.

wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2004 at 4:59pm:

Having looked on the internet at NGN providers, I've not seen one which says that customers may have to pay more. Why should they when they are allowed to say "callers pay national rate"?

If the NGN provider says that the caller pays national rate, and the service provider then relies on that information and tells consumers that they will pay national rate, the NGN provider can be held liable for the offence committed by the service provider.

Also, if the NGN provider is aware that 0870 is not charged at national rate but they persist in saying 'callers pay national rate', they may be committing an offence under the Theft Acts (obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception).

Trading standards services can investigate allegations of any such offences, so report them.