ahoy hoy

im in university accomadation in sheffield

we are charge a one off fee of £25 for a telephone line, and we dont not have to pay line rental, also we get intercom calls free and voice mail

I have a 0114 numbere but we are charged BT's local rates for all freephone and local calls

my question: is thier any way round this?

It doesn't sound too bad to me. For freephone calls, I suggest using a phonebox. For certain calls (international or maybe national) you may be able to use a phonecard with an 0845 access number to make cheaper calls than dialling direct from the phone.

Most importantly, you have an 0114 number, so if you can, get people to call you in the evening or at weekends.

wrote on Nov 29^th, 2004 at 7:22pm:

It doesn't sound too bad to me. For freephone calls, I suggest using a phonebox. For certain calls (international or maybe national) you may be able to use a phonecard with an 0845 access number to make cheaper calls than dialling direct from the phone. Most importantly, you have an 0114 number, so if you can, get people to call you in the evening or at weekends.

Run that past me again if you would.

It's 11am on a Monday morning.  Dave2986, from his university accomadation (sic) in Sheffield, wants to call Exeter - a National call, if you insist upon continuing to use that redundant phrase - at the BT rate available from his 0114 line.  How would using a phonecard with an 0845 access number be any cheaper?

jrawle, your right it isn't too bad, however I think they use VOIP, so they must make money on it

The reason I wanted free phone numbers is because I have to call up helplines all the time and it annoys me having to pay when it is a free phone number

The really annoying thing is the Internet access, they have a 4mb leased line but 4mb is way too slow as they have oversubscribed themselves, and seem reluctant to upgrade it

Does anyone know if Ofcom would care about this at all?

Dave

In reply to bill:

It depends if you believe what the original poster wrote in his subject line or in the body of his message! I suspect the latter is correct, and local and freephone calls are charged at BT's "local rate" (3p in the daytime). If national calls are charged at BT's "national rate", that's 8p in the daytime. There may be a card with 0845 access that charges less than 5p for national calls.

Of course, if all calls are charged at local rate, it isn't any use. But I doubt that is the case.

this is what the information pack says

"please note: as you do not pay a line rental 0845, Lo call and free phone numbers are charged at local rates"

my apologies for any confusion caused

Freephone numbers are free on most Orange pay monthly tariffs.  ;)